Record Rodeo ringmaster Kristen Berger.

The Record Rodeo is coming to town! The series of classes at the Eau Claire Music School is open to any children ages 2 to 5 who enjoy music, stories, and physical activity. (And isn’t that all 2- to 5-year-olds?) Parents will enjoy the classes as well, because they showcase music from children’s records from the 1970s and ’80s. Kristen Berger, a local art teacher and owner of Kite Flying Society (a small business that makes cute baby and household items), is the Record Rodeo host. Berger was inspired to create the event by memories from her own childhood, when she listened to these very same records with her older sister. Now that she has children of her own, she plays the records for them. They all have a lot of fun listening and dancing to the records, and now she wants to share the experience with other families. “I feel like everything is a visual for children,” she says. “I felt like these gems from history, this different way of listening to music, and these old recordings had to be shared!” Berger also hopes that by reviving these old recordings she will bring songs from the older generation to the newer generation. Otherwise they might eventually be lost altogether. In addition, she believes that older music is less stimulating and easier for younger children to enjoy. It is also a great way for parents to have a bit of nostalgia. “I had a parent say that it was ages since they’d even seen a record!” Berger says. So far, the class has been a great way for parents and their children to get out of the house, have some fun physical activity, and really connect the older generation to the newest. Record Rodeo is a six-session event that began April 16 and runs through May 21. If the class proves to be successful, more sessions will be added and even offered in Menomonie as well.