Live and virtual programming for families, museums, libraries, schools and festivals! Check out the options below and get in touch to invite Ants on a Log to your community.
YEAR ROUND PROGRAMS:
1. Family concert: Ants on a Log concerts are fun and interactive, full of humor and harmony, justice and joy! Recommended for ages 4-11.
2. AlphaBugs: This creative show combines our original social justice kids music with interactive literacy content from "Insects and Me A to Z," a brilliant book with bug facts, strength-based affirmations, and a refreshingly diverse cast of characters. Ants on a Log and author Mélissa Smith collaborate for a high-energy, interactive show full of singing, movement, joy, and justice! Recommended for ages 3-10.
3. Songwriting workshop: Collaborative songwriting inspires teamwork, listening, and creative self-expression. Our facilitation supports the group in creating an original song, with unique words and music crafted from participants' ideas. The topic of the song can be determined by the group, or can be pre-determined based on a theme related to your programming. We also offer "Songwriting for Social Justice." Customizable for elementary and middle schoolers.
PRIDE PROGRAMS:
1. Pride-themed concert: performed by trans/nonbinary musicians, our Pride show is fun and interactive, with themes of inclusion, self-expression, community, and allyship. Recommended for ages 4-11.
2. Rainbow Seekers is our new interactive family musical. During the show, kids learn Rainbow Seeker Superpowers, which are themed around self-expression, social-emotional skills, and community building. After the show, kids get to practice their superpowers at post-show activity stations, and then receive an official Rainbow Seekers badge for practicing their new skills. The show includes a backdrop that magically reveals rainbow colors as the kids learn and interact with each song. Featuring Ants on a Log's signature mix of humor and harmony, Rainbow Seekers is a delight for kids and adults, and recently won a "Fringie" fan favorite award during the 2023 Philly Fringe Festival. Recommended for grades K-5. Watch an excerpt! (NOTE: this show was formerly known as '“Sing the Rainbow.”)
3. Pride Family Rainbow Party! Pride performances and creative family programming from Ants on a Log and friends. More info HERE.
EARTH DAY PROGRAMS:
1. Earth Day concert: fun and interactive, with themes of climate justice and environmental education.
2. Curious: Think Outside the Pipeline! is our puppet-powered musical movie about two siblings who organize their neighbors to fight for clean air. With the help of a songful community and a dancing pencil, Clio and Taylor learn to stand up for their beliefs, striving to make big change even in the face of some bigger, more powerful people. We also offer a combo movie-watching + Earth Day concert. Learn more and watch the trailer!
3. AlphaBugs: This creative show combines our original social justice kids music with interactive literacy content from "Insects and Me A to Z," a brilliant book with bug facts, strength-based affirmations, and a refreshingly diverse cast of characters. Ants on a Log and author Mélissa Smith collaborate for a high-energy, interactive show full of singing, movement, joy, and justice! Recommended for ages 3-10.
(Please note: Pride and environmental themed shows are available year-round too!)
Check out our video reel!
“Ants on a Log visited as part of our end of summer reading show. Their performance was energetic and dynamic—not only did they respond to the crowd, they also structured their set to bring everyone to a calm place before their performance ended! Clever original songs were appreciated by all ages, including the adults in the room. Their socially conscious message was relayed with humor. The performance was visually engaging, too! We loved hosting them and hope to have them back again.”
Curious: Think Outside the Pipeline! is the musical story of two siblings who organize their neighbors to fight for clean air. With the help of a songful community and a dancing pencil, Clio and Taylor learn to stand up for their beliefs, striving to make big change even in the face of some bigger, more powerful people.
This 40-minute musical is set to the Ants' award-winning soundtrack, originally released in 2019. Watch this fun, inspiring musical come to life with the Ants' signature balance of quirky-DIY and professional-artsy style. With sock puppets, drawings, and stop motion video, Curious offers children a view into the importance of standing up for community. While the plot is fictional, the musical is based on actual recent events in Philadelphia and all over the US. The film is ideal for parents and teachers who want to engage with children about being active members of a community and realizing their own agency.
“[Curious] encourages listeners to learn more about problem solving, and the power of uniting one’s community to fight for social justice. Curious is highly recommended, especially for school and public library children’s music collections.” -Midwest Book Review
**This video is full of sock puppets-- Add a Recycled Sock Puppets workshop (scroll down for details), livestreamed after the video ends!
Families will fall in love with the sock puppet characters in CURIOUS. After the movie, offer kids the opportunity to make their own sock puppet character with recycled materials. Check out this music video to see an example of the Ants' sock puppets in action.
A musical celebration of queer kids, families, and allies featuring Ants on a Log’s Julie Be and Miles Crabtree. Bring this event to your community to create safe and joyful space for queer kids and families.
Recommended for ages 4-12 and their adults
Check out this short video to see what this party looks like.
Looking for creative family programming? The Trans & Nonbinary Kids Mix is a curated playlist of original songs by artists all over the gender map, celebrating life and offering transgender and nonbinary youth a reflection of their world. Celebrate the music with an interactive virtual party, curated specifically for your organization/community and hosted by Julie Be of Ants on a Log. Kids and families will enjoy an hour full of singing, dancing, songwriting, and drawing, all inspired by songs from the Trans & Nonbinary Kids Mix.
"It can be difficult to engage young kids in a virtual group, but everyone was on their feet, dancing, singing along, and completely engaged throughout the event. Our families loved it!"
-Shepard Verbas, Assistant Director of Programs and Services,
The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center