Giveaway Archives - Bear Paw Creek Movement props, bags and totes made in the USA. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:21:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-Bear-Paw-Creek-Full-Color-Icon-Round-Crop-100x100.png Giveaway Archives - Bear Paw Creek 32 32 Music and Movement Week 2026 — Celebrating with a Giveaway! https://musicandmovementproducts.com/music-and-movement-week-2026-celebrating-with-a-giveaway/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=music-and-movement-week-2026-celebrating-with-a-giveaway Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:27:45 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=67542 Music and Movement Week 2026 — Celebrating with a Giveaway! For the last several years, we have joined Sandra Hendrickson from Sing Play Create as she celebrates Music and Movement Week in April. Music and movement have a multitude of benefits, such as cognitive development, […]

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Music and Movement Week 2026 — Celebrating with a Giveaway!

For the last several years, we have joined Sandra Hendrickson from Sing Play Create as she celebrates Music and Movement Week in April. Music and movement have a multitude of benefits, such as cognitive development, physical development, social & emotional growth, language acquisition, and so much more. Read more about the benefits of music and movement activities here.

One way we are celebrating this year's music and movement week is with a giveaway! We are excited to partner with four other music and movement enthusiasts to give away a prize package worth over $300.

This giveaway is being hosted on Instagram. Head over there to enter for your chance to win!

Click here to be taken to Instagram to enter for your chance to win.

You can keep reading details on what is being included in the giveaway, along with information about the music teachers and educators we're collaborating with!

Giveaway Information

Organized Chaos: Purposeful Creativity at Home & in the Music Room

Elizabeth Caldwell is an elementary music teacher. The goal of Organized Chaos is to help music teachers embrace the chaos of creativity through purposeful organization and simple ideas. On her blog, she shares lesson ideas, behavior management strategies, lesson planning and curriculum design ideas, home organization ideas, and even parenting tips.

Elizabeth has also developed downloadable resources focused on general music curriculum, teacher planners, world music, and more. Her hope is that everything she creates helps other music teachers find their own purposeful balance.

She has generously donated her Modern Movement Cards for Big Kids. These movement cards will appeal to all ages! The set comes with 30 different cards with movement prompts to get kids moving, including current popular dances, simple body percussion, animals, sports, and everyday objects. All of them are designed to be performed as a motion with a steady beat. The graphics will appeal to all ages. The possibilities are endless for using these cards during music and movement activities. You can find a description of the "Disco Duel" I use them for in this blog post.

Music and Movement Week 2026 — Celebrating with a Giveaway!
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Music with Miss Caitlin - Quality Music Education for All Ages!

Caitlin Gomez has always had a passion for music. She has a degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Carthage College and spent 12 years teaching general music and choir to students in grades PreK-8 before switching to Early Childhood Music.

When I had my first child I was excited to have a little musician of my own, but even with all of my prior experience, I would FORGET to make music with my son! Becoming a parent is a huge transformation! We are often overwhelmed with all the million little things that are now on our plate. My hope is to provide you with simple and engaging music activities that you and your child can enjoy together. I hand select the music activities in my classes based on years of experience as a teacher and mom! I always use music that your children will LOVE! 

Caitlin is donating a 6" Remo Lollipop Drum, red plastic Rhythm Sticks, and two Egg Shakers. Everything you need to start doing music and movement activities at home or in class with Miss Caitlin!

Mrs. Stouffer's Music Room

Music Education is Melissa Stouffer's passion. Over the last several years, she has traveled, been on a cart, shared space, and taught kids from 6 weeks to 8th grade. She even started three middle school ensembles - two bands and a choir. Carrying all of those manipulatives and books from building to building and constantly scrambling to write things on little whiteboards as she went from place to place got old quickly, and it was always a struggle to remember everything.

This inspired her to start making materials she could have at her disposal anywhere she went. Now, in her online store, she has hundreds of highly engaging materials to help music educators. And, she has generously included a couple of those resources in this year's Music and Movement Week giveaway!

  • Printed Folk Dance Formation Posters: This game-changing set contains 17 posters with standard folk dance formations. Each poster features kids from a top-down view so students can see which way they are supposed to face!
  • Music of the Philippines: With more than enough info for several classes, this large set includes information about the islands, listening links to both traditional Filipino genres and for 9 famous Filipino composers and musicians, folk dance video links, a tinikling tutorial, video links for 4 more dances, and sheet music for 6 Filipino folk songs.
Sing Play Create: Interactive Education Through Music and Movement Activities

Sandra Hendrickson is a teacher, songwriter, and the creator behind Sing Play Create. She helps busy music teachers, preschool teachers, and parents make learning musical, active, and fun with ready-to-use songs, lessons, and movement activities. She is also the one that came up with the idea to start Music and Movement Week!

For over 25 years, she taught music and movement to children in preschool through upper elementary, led school programs and concerts, and created classroom resources to support teachers. Sing Play Create grew out of her own classroom needs — simple, engaging lessons that get kids moving, singing, and really learning. You can learn more about Sandra and her teaching philosophy here. The wonderful music and movement activities resources that Sandra is giving away are:

  • Stretchy Band Bundle
  • Buggy Movement Bundle including: buggy bean bag, buggy freeze, buggy scarf, buggy stretchy band, and buggy parachute.
  • Scarf Activities Bundle
  • Zoom Rhythm Sticks: K-2 Steady Beat, Rhythm & Movement Activity
  • Rhythm Sticks Music Lesson and Activity "Do the Bunny Dance" Grades Pre-K, K-2
  • Bean Bag Bundle

Be sure to check out her recent blog post as well, Hop into Spring with a Stretchy Band Activity!

 

Bear Paw Creek: Enriching Lives Through Music and Movement

Bear Paw Creek equips teachers, therapists, and parents as they seek to enrich the lives of others through creative movement products and music. We understand the importance of music and movement for developing healthy minds and bodies of all ages. We also know that music stimulates both sides of the brain, lifts our spirits, and makes tedious activities seem fun. Incorporating motion with music brings along all of the excellent physical and emotional benefits of exercise, strengthening our muscles and improving coordination.

We are excited to add some of our creative movement props to the Music and Movement Week giveaway!

  • Stretchy Band (Size large)
  • Set of 6 Rainbow Ribbon Wrist Streamers
  • 9' Canopy Scarf
  • Rainbow Balloon Ball

For more ideas on how to incorporate props into your music and movement time, check out this blog post. We also shared a 2023 Music and Movement Week Recap a couple of years ago that has more music and movement activities from Sandra Hendrickson; check that out here. We hope that the lucky winner will benefit from the music and movement prize package. However, we also hope that you'll visit each of the collaborators' websites and look into the incredible tools and resources they have available!

Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

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]]> Music and Movement Bundle Giveaway — Helpful Harmonies & Bear Paw Creek https://musicandmovementproducts.com/music-and-movement-bundle-giveaway-helpful-harmonies-bear-paw-creek/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=music-and-movement-bundle-giveaway-helpful-harmonies-bear-paw-creek Tue, 19 Dec 2023 23:54:36 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=60846 Music and Movement Bundle Giveaway — Helpful Harmonies & Bear Paw Creek With the holidays almost upon us, we would like to give back to all of our loyal customers and friends with a music and movement bundle GIVEAWAY! We have collaborated with Haleigh from […]

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Music and Movement Bundle Giveaway — Helpful Harmonies & Bear Paw Creek

With the holidays almost upon us, we would like to give back to all of our loyal customers and friends with a music and movement bundle GIVEAWAY! We have collaborated with Haleigh from Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy to put together a prize package with some of your music and movement essentials.

From Balloon Balls, to Connect-A-Stretchy Bands, to instruments, you don't want to miss out on this giveaway. Enter to win it for yourself or, enter to win to gift it to someone you love and think would enjoy it.

Keep reading to learn more about Helpful Harmonies and for more details on the music and movement bundle you could have the chance to win!

Bear Paw Creek Helpful Harmonies Music and Movement Bundle Holiday Giveaway

About Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy

First, a little bit more about our friend and partner in this giveaway. Haleigh Beaird is a wife, mom, Board Certified Music Therapist (#13057), and the owner of Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy based in Texas.

She has her Masters of Music Therapy from Texas Woman’s University, and a Bachelor’s in Music Therapy from Texas Woman’s University where she completed her 1,500-hour internship with Texas Health and Human Services at the Denton State Supported Living Center working with residents with intellectual disabilities.

Haleigh established Helpful Harmonies in 2022 to assist children with disabilities, adolescents needing mental health support, parents with young children in the community, and surrounding school district's special education programs.

Inclusion. Accessibility. Superior Support.

Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy was created with the intent that inclusion always comes first. For that reason, we are an affirming practice with Ally-trained therapists that believe in equity of services, accessibility of music therapy, and sustainable professional practices. Helpful Harmonies also promotes autonomy for all of their clients, which is the level of support that sets them apart from other practices.

Our mission is to create an inclusive environment for populations seeking accessible therapy and provide them with superior support through the entire therapeutic process.

To learn more about Haleigh and her passion for Music Therapy, click here. You can check out all that Helpful Harmonies has to offer here as well as some free resources she has available. Be sure to also follow Helpful Harmonies on Facebook and Instagram for inspiration, more free resources, activity ideas and more. Keep reading below for all the details on our music and movement bundle giveaway!

Music and Movement Bundle Giveaway — Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy and Bear Paw Creek
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Music and Movement Bundle Giveaway

And now, for the details you have been waiting for! Bear Paw Creek and Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy is giving away:

1. Music with Mar. Student Manipulative Deluxe Kit with Building Brains With Music Book

This kit contains one Rainbow Balloon Ball, two Bean Bags, a Kazoo, pair of Rhythm Sticks, a Lollipop Drum, Egg Shaker, Connect-A-Stretchy Band, two 25" movement Scarves, and one Small Play Parachute. It comes with a premium shoulder bag for easy storage! Also included is the amazing book by Maryann "Mar" Harman.

Building Brains with Music: A must have guide on how to use music to enhance brain development, is an incredible book that will teach you about the importance and benefits of music in early childhood. You will also receive access to 27 of Mar's digital songs.

2. 6 pack Primary Wrist Chiffon Streamers

Our creative movement streamers have been one of our top selling creative movement props since the beginning. These Primary Chiffon Wrist Streamers  are perfect for those who have the ability to grasp objects but are also inclusive to those who struggle with that task. The wrist option allows you to place them on an individuals wrists, allowing them to participate without having to struggle with grasping an object. While the colors are bright and fun, the chiffon is slightly less stimulating than the ribbon streamers since they are softer and "flow" through the air smoothly.

3. Theraputty with Miniature Items for Sensory Play

Our Theraputty set is a newer product and is sure to be a hit in your classroom or at home with your kids. While it looks like simply playing, there is so much more going on from strengthening hands and fingers, to sensorimotor development, along with the development of find motor skills.

4. Tammy the Troll: A Dance in the Forest — Book by Once Upon A Dance

Kids will love dancing along with Tammy, Ballerina Konora, and their new friends in this sweet adventure that’s perfect for preschool and kindergarten  kids and classrooms. Readers are invited to stretch, spin, jump and more as they act out the journey to find Tammy. Kids are invited to use a creative movement scarf as a backpack, a paddle, butterfly wings, a towel, and a pillow to enhance the fun and explore the movements, dance fundamentals, and early-learning concepts.

How to Enter to Win the Music and Movement Bundle

To enter for you chance to win this music and movement bundle, head on over to our Instagram or Facebook post (or both for even more entries).

All you have to do is make sure you're following us @bearpawcreek and @helpfulharmoniesmt, like the post, and comment your favorite holiday tradition! One comment = one entry. Be sure to read the caption for bonus entry options too.

Click here to enter on Facebook. (Just go to the pinned post on our profile)

Click here to enter on Instagram. 

This giveaway is open to the USA only and ends on Saturday, December 23 at 11:00 am CST. One winner will be drawn and contacted the same day. I also want to add that Bear Paw Creek will be messaging the winner directly and will not require any payment information. So, if anyone that looks suspiciously like us or Helpful Harmonies messages or tags you in a comment and it doesn't look legit, please ignore it! Scams are always bad this time of year and we don't want anyone to get caught in one.

Good luck to everyone entering our giveaway and as always, thank you for your continued support. We hope everyone has a very Happy Holiday!

Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

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]]> “Resilient Child” by Miss Julieann — Album Release Celebration! https://musicandmovementproducts.com/resilient-child-by-miss-julieann-album-release-celebration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=resilient-child-by-miss-julieann-album-release-celebration Fri, 01 Sep 2023 21:15:17 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=60468 "Resilient Child" by Miss Julieann — Album Release Celebration! We are so excited to be partnering with award winning children's musician and therapist, Miss Julieann, to celebrate her brand new album Resilient Child. The album was created to teach resilience skills to children and will […]

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"Resilient Child" by Miss Julieann — Album Release Celebration!

We are so excited to be partnering with award winning children's musician and therapist, Miss Julieann, to celebrate her brand new album Resilient Child. The album was created to teach resilience skills to children and will be available on all downloadable platforms, September 22, 2023

The buoyant album, characterized as, “Disney meets Nickel Creek”, proves that heady concepts can become an irrepressible, musical rumpus in the right hands. Resilient Child, features songs about developing support systems, coping skills, emotional expression, and self-worth by a professional music therapist.

To celebrate the release of Resilient Child, Miss Julieann is doing weekly giveaways leading up to the day the album comes out. We are thrilled to be included in the very first giveaway! Keep reading to get details on where you can enter and to learn more about Miss Julieann and her new album.

About Miss Julieann

Julieann Hartley, MT-BC, NMT, and NTP is a board certified music therapist, nature educator, illustrator and children's musician. After obtaining degrees in both music therapy and psychology, she graduated from Anna Maria College as valedictorian. After many years working as a community music therapist, she  released her first kids album, Therapeutic Songs for Kids, which won a 2019 Parents' Choice award. Resilient Child is her second album and is on track to be just as popular and well-loved as her first.

She is currently recovering from a neurological infection, and focusing on putting together content for other therapists, teachers and parents to be able to help children develop the resilience skills they need to overcome life's inevitable challenges. Besides music, she has an interest in hiking (she completed the Appalachian Trail in 2015), rock climbing and foraging. She is passionate about introducing children to the wonders of nature and wild foods and in addition to doing concerts with kids, she loves to run workshops on safely foraging for wild foods, and acorn processing with kids.

 Why Miss Julieann's Therapeutic Songs for Kids?

"As a music therapist, who works with kids and adults with special needs all day, I needed music that could support children with motor, speech, cognitive, emotional and behavioral needs. I had a hard time finding songs that were easy for my clients to sing, easy for their parents to remember and were easy to individualize to meet their development goals. So, I wrote them. They have been designed specifically to engage ALL children and provide opportunities for interaction, despite their developmental needs. I also designed each song to have the ability to be adapted to meet a variety of motor, speech, emotional, behavioral goals. After years of parents, teachers and therapists asking for a CD with all my most useful songs, I finally made one and I'm ready to show the community how to use music to support our children!" - Julieann Hartley, Board Certified Music Therapist

Check out the awesome album release celebration we are participating-on with with Miss Julieann!
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How to Enter the Bear Paw Creek and Miss Julieann Giveaway

By entering the giveaway you could have the chance to win a Listen Learn Music & Movement Prop Set, which includes:

To enter for your chance to win, head over to our Instagram page and read the captions for the details! The giveaway ends Tuesday, September 5th at midnight! The winner will be announced on Instagram stories the next day (on Wednesday) and Miss Julieann will contact the winner through her account (@missjulieannmusic) via DMs.

Click here to go to the giveaway post! 

In addition to the giveaway, you can get a sneak peak at the Resilient Child album by listening to the newly released single titled, "I Am Enough". Be sure to follow Miss Julieann on Instagram to stay up to date on all of the other fun giveaways she has planned and to be notified when Resilient Child is available for download.

Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

The post “Resilient Child” by Miss Julieann — Album Release Celebration! appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> Back to School Giveaway — Worth Over $900! https://musicandmovementproducts.com/back-to-school-giveaway-music-movement-products-for-teachers-therapists-parents-early-childhood-educators/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=back-to-school-giveaway-music-movement-products-for-teachers-therapists-parents-early-childhood-educators Sat, 22 Jul 2023 14:43:46 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=60238 Annual Back To School Giveaway — Worth Over $900! It's time for our annual back to school giveaway with a prize package FULL of music and movement resources! At Bear Paw Creek, we love to do giveaways. They are a fun way to give back […]

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Annual Back To School Giveaway — Worth Over $900!

It's time for our annual back to school giveaway with a prize package FULL of music and movement resources! At Bear Paw Creek, we love to do giveaways. They are a fun way to give back to all of you and to show our appreciation for your continued support. We always look forward to our big annual back to school giveaway a this year we have asked several of our friends to join in. Not only are we giving away some of our best selling creative movement props, we also have some children's books, some awesome music, miniature items, and more that have been generously donated!

On top of that, we are also opening up this year's back to school giveaway to not only our USA followers, but to all of our international followers as well. Keep reading to get all the details on what's included in the giveaway and find out how to enter. This is a giveaway you are not going to want to miss!

Bear Paw Creek Back to School Giveaway 2023 Best Music and Movement Props for Music Therapists Teachers Educators and Parents

Everything Included in the Back to School Giveaway

Our creative movement props would not be as successful or as beneficial as they are without combining them with music, books, manipluatives and more. We are so excited to be able to include some of our close friends and fellow businesses in this giveaway. We love each person listed below and want to say a big thank you to all of them for joining this years back to school giveaway.

One of the very first books given to me when I was a baby was a copy of I'm A Little Teapot, illustrated by Iza Trapani (which I still have!). My mom and I are big fans of her work and to say we were excited when she agreed to participate in our back to school giveaway is an understatement. Iza Trapani was born in Poland and immigrated to American at seven years old. Upon arriving to America, she was given a large collection of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. These nursery rhymes are what helped her learn to speak English and what inspired her to become an author and illustrator. Now, her first book The Itsy Bitsy Spider has sold over 2.5 million copies and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star has sold over 1.3 million copies. Her illustrations are beautiful and nursery rhymes always manage to keep children engaged. Iza has generously donated SIGNED COPIES of three of her books:

  • Old MacDonal Had a...Zoo?
  • Froggie Went A-Courtin'
  • Baa Baa Black Sheep

Nancy Kopman is an Early Childhood Educator, recording artist, performer and music curriculum builder. Her "Music With a Purpose" is used by educators, therapists, caregivers and families worldwide. Nancy's songs and classes (both in-person and online) focus on movement, connection and learning together while having fun. We have loved connecting with Nancy this year and are very excited for you to have the chance to win her music! Her songs fit so well with many of our music and movement props. You can also check out her Patreon community here. Nancy is generously donating a six pack of CD's from her music collection:

  • "I Am A Tree" album
  • "Senses" album
  • "Shadow" album
  • "The Seasons" album
  • "Wonderful You" album
  • "I Know I'll Grow...." album

Music for Kiddos was created by Stephanie Leavell MT-BC and is dedicated to providing high-quality children's music resources for music therapists, music educators, and parents. Not only does Stephanie write truly amazing music, she also has continuing education courses, a podcast, and offers an online resource membership community. On top of all that, she hosts an online conference each year created exclusively for music therapists and music educators who work with kids. Stephanie has generously donated these items to our back to school giveaway:

Rachelle is a Speech-Language Pathologist and started Speech Tree Co in December of 2018. She had the idea to make mini object kits targeting speech and language goals while working as a pediatric SLP. After using the mini items with her students, she quickly realized just how much more engaging the mini toys were than traditional articulation flashcards. As longtime fans of anything miniature, we are beyond excited to connect with Rachelle and share her resources with all of you. You can enter for the chance to win two themed units from Speech Tree Co:

  • Oceans Unit
  • Sports Unit

We have been following Rhythm and Strings Music Therapy since fall of 2022 when Marie released her singable book, Where Do You Sleep? She has been marketing the book in such a fun way using different miniature items, you can check it out by visiting their Instagram or Facebook page. Marie is a Neurologic music therapist in Southern Maine, is a children's book author, and provides resources with a rhythm. She is adding several items to the giveaway including:

DiscoverDance is a dance community dedicated to learning, creating, and educating the early years. In 2018, DiscoverDance partnered with Bear Paw Creek to create the DiscoverDance Music and Movement Prop Collection. Incorporating creative movement props with the DiscoverDance conceptual explorations enhances the early childhood learning experience. Andrea Trench from DiscoverDance is donating:

Patina Jackson is a board certified music therapist and is the creator and owner of Music Therapy Joy. She offers many amazing resources from engaging songs with high-quality, visual aids, to forms for data, planning, organization and evaluations. She is donating a bundle includes recordings for 10 songs that support social emotional learning for kids and teens! PLUS a 98-page PDF packed with chord sheets, intervention ideas, worksheets, printable visuals, and slide presentation links (for classroom screens, tablets, virtual sessions and more)! On top of all that, Patina has also been releasing some wonderful music! You can check out her Spotify here. Enter for your chance to win the:

This year for Bear Paw Creek's contribution, we are giving away a little bit of everything! Scarves, Stretchy Bands, and our newest movement prop, the Small Play Parachute. We are also adding Maryann "Mar" Harman's new book to the giveaway along with Miss Carole's CD's. Be sure to check out both of their websites and social media pages. Here is everything you could win from us:

Click Here to Enter our BIG Annual Back to School Giveaway - Worth Over $900!
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How To Enter for Your Chance to Win the Giveaway

After sharing that list of all of the amazing music and movement resources included in this years back to school giveaway you're probably thinking, "How do I enter ASAP!?".

All you have to do is head on over to either Instagram or Facebook, like the post, then comment and tag some friends. Tip: If you enter on both Facebook and Instagram, you'll have even more chances to win.

We understand that some of you may not be on social media and want to make sure you still have a chance to enter. If you are not on social media, go ahead and click here! Enter your email to make sure you are subscribed to our mailing list and you will be entered in as well.

Bear Paw Creek Back to School Giveaway Top Resources for Teaching Music and Movement Early Childhood Development Tools Parents Teachers Best Music Therapy Props Childrens Book

Again, we want to say a huge thank you to all of our good friends for donating their products and resources to this giveaway. We are so excited to kick off the school year in this fun way. Be sure to stay tuned as we will be announcing our back to school sale information soon!

Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

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]]> Music and Movement Month – Celebrating With a Giveaway! https://musicandmovementproducts.com/music-and-movement-month-celebrating-with-a-giveaway/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=music-and-movement-month-celebrating-with-a-giveaway Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:14:39 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=59866 Music and Movement Month - Celebrating With a Giveaway! You might be thinking, Music and Movement Month?! I didn't know there is such a thing! While Music and Movement Month isn't a nationally recognized event, Sandra Hendrickson from Sing Play Create celebrates it all month […]

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Music and Movement Month - Celebrating With a Giveaway!

You might be thinking, Music and Movement Month?! I didn't know there is such a thing! While Music and Movement Month isn't a nationally recognized event, Sandra Hendrickson from Sing Play Create celebrates it all month long in April every year, and this year Bear Paw Creek is thrilled to join the celebration!

I'm sure you know by now that we at Bear Paw Creek are extremely passionate about music and movement and the benefits it brings for people of all ages. Our movement props were all inspired by the desire to create useful, educational, and fun tools that can be used by parents, therapists, educators, and anyone wanting to incorporate music into the lives of their children or students. That's why we are so excited to be partnering with Sandra this month to bring you a HUGE giveaway full of music, creative movement props, activities, and more.

Keep reading to find out all of the details on the giveaway and how you can join in on the celebration!

 

Music and Movement Month Giveaway & Sing Play Create

Sing Play Create is an incredible resource for parents, teachers, and music therapists. Sandra has two YouTube channels that are FULL of educational videos, teaching tips, songs, and activities. You can check them both out here: Sing Play Create Educational Music Channel and Sing Play Create Teaching Tips.  Also on her website you will find a free resource library where you can gain access to exclusive email list freebies! Such as music lessons, brain breaks, songs, games, printables, and more. To learn more about Sandra and why she started Sing Play Create, click here. 

Among all of the amazing educational resources Sandra has created, she has activity bundles made specifically for our creative movement props. She has bundles for the Stretchy Band, Bean Bags, Parachute and more.

For our big giveaway we have combined both of our products to offer a prize worth over $150.00! Plus, all of the props and activities you could win will be extremely beneficial as you either continue incorporating music and movement into your children's and student's lives or, if you're just starting out.

Here's what you could win (All worth over $150):

1.) Connect-a-Stretchy Band

2.) Set of 6 Primary Color Wrist Ribbon Streamers

3.) Creative Movement Scarf Kit, Set of 6

4.) Set of 6 Primary Color Square Bean Bags

5.) Rainbow Balloon Ball

6.) Small Play Parachute for Kids

7.) Balloon Ball Activities for Children

8.) Buggy Parachute Music and Movement Activities: Music, PE, All Classrooms

9.) Buggy Stretchy Band Movement Activities for Music, P.E., Movement Classes

10.) Buggy Scarf and Ribbon Activities for Preschool, Music Class, P.E. Movement Activities

11.) Buggy Bean Bag Activities and Games for Preschool, Music and Movement Classes

12.) Buggy Movement Activity Posters, Cards, Presentation for Freeze Dance Activities

Click Here to Enter the Giveaway!

Join the Celebration and Get Bonus Entries!

Do you want to join the Music and Movement Month celebration?

Post a video or picture of you and your children or students incorporating music and movement into your music therapy session, circle time, music class, virtual session, or at-home play! Tag us in your post @bearpawcreek and @singplaycreate and use the hashtag #musicandmovementmonth to get 10 BONUS ENTRIES!

To learn more about the benefits of music and movement, you can check out this blog post from several years ago. Make sure you're following us @bearpawcreek and @singplaycreate on social media where we will be sharing music and movement themed activities and resources all month long. You can check out week one's activity, "8 Scarf & Ribbon Activities Blog Post" and "8 Scarf Music and Movment Activities for Elementary Music Class YouTube Video".

We are so excited to be giving back with a big giveaway and hope you will join in on the celebration!

It's Music and Movement Month! Click here to get the details about our BIG GIVEAWAY and find out how you can join the celebration.
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Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

The post Music and Movement Month – Celebrating With a Giveaway! appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> Throwback To Our 2022 Music Therapy Month Celebration! https://musicandmovementproducts.com/throwback-2022-music-therapy-month-celebration-music-therapists-fundraising-giveaway-creative-movement-props/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=throwback-2022-music-therapy-month-celebration-music-therapists-fundraising-giveaway-creative-movement-props Mon, 06 Mar 2023 13:05:30 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=59603 Throwback To Our 2022 World Music Therapy Day Celebration! Exactly one year ago in March 2022, we announced a fundraising giveaway in celebration of world music therapy day where we raffled off a "Miss Kathy the Music Therapist Doll with Miniatures". All of the proceeds […]

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Throwback To Our 2022 World Music Therapy Day Celebration!

Exactly one year ago in March 2022, we announced a fundraising giveaway in celebration of world music therapy day where we raffled off a "Miss Kathy the Music Therapist Doll with Miniatures". All of the proceeds went to the Ukulele Kids Club!

The miniatures included in the set weren't just any kind, they were handmade miniature versions of our creative movement props! A mini Stretchy Band, Bean Bags, Scarves, even a fully functioning Balloon Ball! Kathy from Tuneful Teaching, who the doll was inspired by, even made mini versions of her educational books! We had SO much fun creating all of the different items and were honored to turn it in to a fundraiser for a company with a wonderful cause.

Keep reading for some fun throwback pictures and more details of how we celebrated World Music Therapy Day and Music Therapy Month!

Miss Kathy the Music Therapist with Miniatures & The Ukulele Kids Club

You can click the video to the left to get an up close look at everything included in the unique music therapist doll set. We also had fun making videos showcasing each of the miniature items! You can check out our Instagram Reels section to see the videos along with some of the behind the scenes on how they were made.

My top three favorite mini items that were created are the Stretchy Band, mini Tuneful Teaching books, and the Balloon Ball. Although the fully functioning Ocean Drum and Streamers were pretty fun too!

While we had a blast creating a miniature music therapist with some tools of the trade, our main goal was to be able to spread music therapy awareness and raise funds for the Ukulele Kids Club. The UKC is an international charity that has helped thousands of children around the world to overcome the stress, anxiety, and health challenges of serious physical and mental health conditions.

Their impact is huge and their cause is very close to our hearts. One of my little sisters is a childhood cancer survivor and music therapy is one of the things that helped ease her time in the hospital. To learn more about that story, click here. 

Thanks to the generous donations of many people, we were able to raise over $1,200 for the UKC! Currently, they have helped 13,781 kids. In 2022 alone, 2,205 children received a Ukulele. We will always be supporters of the UKC and are so thankful that we were able to play a small part in raising money for their program. To learn about other ways you can help support the Ukulele Kids Club, click here!

Throwback To Our 2022 World Music Therapy Day Celebration!
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Giveaway Winner & Blog Posts by Music Therapists

On top of getting to raise money for the UKC, we also got to give away the miniature doll set! The randomly selected winner was Erin Jester from Beyond Words Music & Dance Center.  Beyond Words is a, "team of music therapists and adapted dance instructors devoted to developing every individual's potential through artistic expression". We reached out to her to ask where the music therapist doll is now and she sent us these pictures with an update!

Here are some pictures of our music therapist Barbie who oversees our group music room. The kids love seeing her and notice the items we use in our class!

Another way we celebrated World Music Therapy Day and continued with our goal of raising music therapy awareness, was by having six music therapists write guest blog posts. They shared about their music therapy journeys, their specialities, and the variety of settings they work in. This was a wonderful aspect of our month long celebration as it gave a much deeper look into music therapy, the hard work and dedication it requires, along with the benefits and incredible impact it can have on people.

Just in case you are new to following us or, if you simply want to read them again, I will list the blog posts below along with links to each one!

It has been so fun to take a trip down memory lane. We will always be thankful for everyone's support in making our 2022 fundraising giveaway possible. Without all of your donations, telling your friends, sharing our posts, and our music therapist friends writing guest blogs, it wouldn't have been as great. Your enthusiasm and support helped us succeed in raising money for the UKC and raising music therapy awareness. Thank you!

Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

The post Throwback To Our 2022 Music Therapy Month Celebration! appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> New Collaboration with Crafterina and a Giveaway! https://musicandmovementproducts.com/collaboration-crafterina-dance-education-brand-for-all-plus-giveaway/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=collaboration-crafterina-dance-education-brand-for-all-plus-giveaway Sun, 02 Oct 2022 19:40:21 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=59036 New Collaboration with Crafterina: a Dance Education Brand for Everyone (And a GIVEAWAY!) We always love getting to collaborate with businesses that share the same passion for creating things that are educational, interactive, useful, and fun. That's why we are beyond excited to introduce Crafterina […]

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New Collaboration with Crafterina: a Dance Education Brand for Everyone (And a GIVEAWAY!)

We always love getting to collaborate with businesses that share the same passion for creating things that are educational, interactive, useful, and fun. That's why we are beyond excited to introduce Crafterina to you and launch an amazing giveaway together!

Not only do we get to bring you a giveaway with a prize package full of some wonderful dance education items that inspire creative movement, but we also get to connect with a new business and share that connection with you!

Keep reading to learn more about the illustrator behind Crafterina. Plus, all the details on the giveaway.

 

The Story behind Crafterina

Vanessa Salgado is a Professional Dancer and Illustrator based out of New York City and is a graduate of the Alvin Ailey/Fordham University BFA Program at Lincoln Center.

She has taught many young dancers across Manhattan as part of the faculties of the Joffrey Ballet School, School at Steps on Broadway, Ailey School, Ballet Hispanico School, and Broadway Dance Center. She holds a certification from the Dance Education Laboratory, has completed Boston Ballet’s Adaptive Dance Teacher Training and has worked as an Associate for the Education Department at NY City Center.

After teaching children's dance classes for a number of years, she always encountered the same question from parents: what can we practice at home to make my child a better dancer? Her answer: don't practice the classroom exercises at home – instead, expose your child to the arts, encourage them to play, and share with them a love of dance. Eventually, after realizing that parents needed a little help doing just that, Vanessa created Crafterina, a storybook and dance education brand for the whole family.

A few of the resources available on the Crafterina website are:

  • Dance themed Storybooks, Alphabet Books, and Coloring & Craft Books
  • Printable crafts (purchase, download, and print instantly!)
  • Resources for parents, including a dance glossary, and a craft archive.

Learn about our newest collaboration with Crafterina and an awesome GIVEAWAY!
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Giveaway Details

We are delighted to share an amazing dance themed giveaway with you! The prize package is full of dance education tools, movement props, educational books, games, and teaching tools! Here's what you could win:

The My Ballet Class Coloring & Craft Book is a perfect choice to pair with our creative movement props as it features illustrations of children dancing with scarves and ribbon streamers throughout the book. Both are fantastic dance education teaching tools for adding creative movement into a dance class, story time, or just for fun! 

The Printable Set of Creative Movement Flashcards also pairs beautifully with our Ribbon Streamers and Movement Scarves. Each of these amazing resources helps to spark a child’s imagination and inspires them to dance, perfect for learning and having fun at the same time!

To enter for your chance to win, head on over to the Crafterina Instagram and Bear Paw Creek Instagram. The giveaway ends on October 5th at 11:59 pm CST and is open to the US only. Good luck to everyone! To learn more about Crafterina, visit: www.Crafterina.com

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

The post New Collaboration with Crafterina and a Giveaway! appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> Once Upon A Dance Creative Movement Collaboration & Giveaway https://musicandmovementproducts.com/new-once-upon-a-dance-collaboration-giveaway-creative-movement-dance-props-creative-dance-tools-best-dance-teacher-resources/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-once-upon-a-dance-collaboration-giveaway-creative-movement-dance-props-creative-dance-tools-best-dance-teacher-resources Fri, 03 Jun 2022 11:00:39 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=58517 Once Upon A Dance Creative Movement Collaboration & Giveaway! At Bear Paw Creek, one thing we love to do is collaborate with other businesses. Getting to connect with people and their businesses is one of our favorite things and has been a great source of […]

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Once Upon A Dance Creative Movement Collaboration & Giveaway!

At Bear Paw Creek, one thing we love to do is collaborate with other businesses. Getting to connect with people and their businesses is one of our favorite things and has been a great source of new friendships, support, new products, activity ideas, and much more.

We are very excited to announce our newest collaboration with Once Upon A Dance, a mother-daughter team who’s created 21 creative movement and dance books. Teacher Terrel is an award-winning dance instructor, and her daughter Konora dances with Ballet Idaho.

It's really neat to be able to connect with a fellow mother-daughter team. When looking at their website and YouTube channel, we ran across this video. It made me laugh because that is the same thing that happens when my mom (Janet Stephens) and I try to record a video, we end up with 80% of them being bloopers!

Watch it for a laugh/smile and keep reading to find out more about Once Upon A Dance's books and how we're celebrating our new partnership with an awesome giveaway worth over $70!

 

Creative Movement Dance Books

Once Upon A Dance has a bounty of great books and resources, we especially love the Dance-It-Out! creative movement stories for kids ages 4-7.  The series contains 18 books, each book is an independent story ready for the imagination stage and has its own unique feel: different sets, costumes, and choreography.

Another unique and really cool thing about Once Upon A Dance's books is that Ballerina Konora joins each page with creative movement suggestions. Making them perfect for music and movement activities using some of our products like scarves, streamers, and more.

On top of the Dance-It-Out! book series, the Once Upon A Dance catalog includes series for older audiences as well:

• Dancing Shapes: Ballet and Body Awareness for Young Dancers series for kids ages 6+ explores the details of dance, offers a mini-ballet lesson, and provides a gorgeous glimpse into Ballerina Konora’s path to becoming a professional dancer.

• Konora’s Shapes is a terrific resource for physical fun with kids. The creative movement and team building activity suggestions, along with pose photographs, increase body awareness and allow for creative expression.

• Ballet Inspiration and Choreography Concepts debuts with Dance Stance, a “superb tool for ballet beginners focusing on the importance of posture and balance.” (The Wishing Shelf) for children ages 8-12. “Once Upon a Dance inspires children to dance with joy, relax, and enjoy the process.” (Readers’ Favorite)

Read about Bear Paw Creek's newest collaboration with Once Upon A Dance and check out the celebratory giveaway!
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Celebrating With a Giveaway

Bear Paw Creek Once Upon A Dance Collaboration Creative Movement Book Giveaway Best Dance Teacher Resources Music and Movement Activities Dance Props

If you follow us on social media, you know we love to do giveaways! To celebrate our newest partnership, we have decided to do just that. We are giving away:

  • Six creative movement story favorites from the Dance-It-Out! collection
  • A dragon friend to partner with while enjoying Dayana, Dax, and the Dancing Dragon
  • A Unicorn horn headband for extra fun chassés in Princess Naomi Helps a Unicorn
  • One Bear Paw Creek rainbow streamer to help you move amidst the rainbow in Belluna’s Big Adventure in the Sky
  • One Bear Paw Creek scarf to open the curtain and dance along in Danika’s Dancing Day

To enter the giveaway, head on over to our Facebook or Instagram page (or both for more entries!), click on the giveaway post and follow the instructions to enter.

We can't wait for you to check out all the amazing resources Once Upon A Dance has to offer and also look forward to further exploring the ways we can use them with our products. Who knows, maybe a kit combining our products together is in the future!

For more books and teacher resources including a classroom stem guide, visit OnceUponADance.com. For instructional dance videos and more, check out the Once Upon A Dance YouTube channel. To see all of the music and movement products we offer, including personal student kits, click here!

Madison Stephens

Madison Stephens

Madison has been a part of BPC her whole life. As a young child, she and her siblings helped stuff stretchy bands and flip bean bags. Over the last six years she has become even more involved and is now an official BPC employee with the role of seamstress and social media manager. When she’s not working, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, going on walks with her dog, working with horses, or cooking and baking. Madison feels honored to have the opportunity to work alongside her mom, Janet Stephens, and be involved with the family business.

The post Once Upon A Dance Creative Movement Collaboration & Giveaway appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> I am Part of a Community of Music Therapists – What’s Your Superpower? https://musicandmovementproducts.com/community-of-music-therapists-whats-your-superpower/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=community-of-music-therapists-whats-your-superpower Mon, 28 Mar 2022 11:00:48 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=58313 I am Part of a Community of Music Therapists - What’s Your Superpower? Hey! I’m Patina - Patina Joy, actually! I’ve been a music therapist working with kids, teens and young adults with a variety of beautiful special needs since 2011! Whether in public schools, […]

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I am Part of a Community of Music Therapists - What’s Your Superpower?

Hey! I’m Patina - Patina Joy, actually! I’ve been a music therapist working with kids, teens and young adults with a variety of beautiful special needs since 2011! Whether in public schools, home health, or private practice, I have fallen in love with the kids, families and staff I have had the privilege of serving. 

If you pop in on a session, you might find us egg-shaking, parachute-moving or puppet-playing! We commonly use instruments, props (like parachutes, Bear Paw Creek stretchy bands, scarves or puppets!), singable books, and visual supports (printed materials to support matching, identifying or songwriting, for instance).

It may look like a party to you since we’re having so much fun, but you wouldn’t believe everything that’s happening under the surface! We’re commonly working on educational goals in the schools, but you’ll quickly see that we’re also addressing communication, social interaction, movement, functional skills, self-regulation and expressing our emotions - all through musical play! 

Bear Paw Creek Best Music Therapy Community Resources Patina Jackson Music Therapy Joy Top Music and Movement Products Resources for Parents and Teachers in Schools Music Therapists

Creating a Music Therapy Business

Sound like a dream job? It TOTALLY IS! But, as a profession that’s striving to grow in recognition, music therapy can also be a lonely business. 

You might be the only one in your company or clinic or school district. You might be the only one in your COUNTY or one of only a few in your state. I noticed peers burning out. Giving all of themselves until there was no more to give. The desire to help others often also comes with an intrinsic pressure to provide excellent services day in and day out. 

By the time these music therapists provided dozens of sessions and submitted the necessary data and reports, there was no time left to plan for the next round of sessions. So planning happened after work, or after dinner, or on the weekends. 

I knew I could share what I had learned, and what mentors had so graciously shared with me, to support music therapists who felt this way and to help prevent burnout of a profession that is so desperately needed! That’s when I created Music Therapy Joy! 

I Am Part of a Community of Music Therapists - What's Your Superpower? Written by: Patina Jackson MT-BC
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Music Therapy Community

Bear Paw Creek Best Music Therapy Community Resources Patina Jackson Music Therapy Joy Top Music and Movement Products Resources for Parents and Teachers in Schools Music Therapists

Through Music Therapy Joy I have the privilege of sharing songs, strategy ideas, visuals, and forms so music therapists don’t have to start from scratch or plan sessions over dinner! In the Music Therapy Joy Community, music therapists not only have access to ALL of the hundreds of resources I’ve created, but we also have monthly community calls where we learn, share our struggles, encourage and inspire one another (not to mention receive 15 CMTEs/year!)!  

ALONE, the fun may fizzle and the days may feel long, but TOGETHER we can make a difference and keep the fire burning for us and for the unique and valued kids and teens we serve! They are worth it, and so are we! 

Thinking about hiring a music therapist? You should! Visit www.cbmt.org to find a Board-Certified Music Therapist in your area! Are you a music therapist looking for support? Check us out at www.musictherapyjoy.com! 

I am part of a music therapy community. What’s your superpower? 

Patina Jackson MT-BC

Patina Jackson MT-BC

Patina lives in the Dallas area with her husband and three wild and wonderful kiddos! She loves Jesus, singing her heart out, dance parties and house DIYs! 

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]]> Music Therapy: Unlimited Potential for Learning https://musicandmovementproducts.com/music-therapy-unlimited-potential-for-learning-kathy-schumacher-tuneful-teaching/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=music-therapy-unlimited-potential-for-learning-kathy-schumacher-tuneful-teaching Thu, 24 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=58224 Music Therapy: Unlimited Potential for Learning As a junior in high school, I learned about music therapy as a career option. I wrote a research paper on music therapy in Honors English, declared my major and applied to only one school. After an incredible (although […]

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Music Therapy: Unlimited Potential for Learning

As a junior in high school, I learned about music therapy as a career option. I wrote a research paper on music therapy in Honors English, declared my major and applied to only one school. After an incredible (although mostly sleepless) 4 1/2 years, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and passed my board certification exam on the first try. I never wavered in my decision to pursue this career path.

A career as a music therapist has offered me a lot of flexibility and extreme variety in experiences. I was able to work very part-time while raising my three kids and have now grown my private practice back to full-time status.

Best Music Therapy Early Childhood Learning Resources Top Phonological Awareness Music Lessons Classes Educational Workshops Music Therapy Learning (1)

My Experiences & What I Have Learned

I think a bulleted list might be the easiest way to summarize the experiences I have had and things I have learned:

  •  Worked with one client privately in Eau Claire before moving to Milwaukee
  •  Worked briefly as a full-time music therapist in an adult day program. More about that here. 
  •  Started working in private practice in 1997
  •  Traveled to 19 schools in Lake County, IL and saw clients in-home after school
  •  Taught adapted piano lessons
  •  Worked to get MT on several IEPs so that kids could receive one-on-one MT services in school
  •  Served on the executive board for the Wisconsin Chapter for Music Therapy
  •  Researched phonological awareness, a foundation for literacy and communication
  •  Presented regionally and nationally on the topic of phonological awareness
  •  Learned how to build a website
  •  Worked to develop a "passive" income stream by selling digital products
  •  Learned how to provide services virtually through TeleHealth
  •  Recorded a view-on-demand course titled "Literacy for Littles: Using Music to Develop Reading and Communication Skills" and collaborated with Music for Kiddos to share the information with the world.
  •  Completed training in Brain Gym and started learning about retained primitive reflexes
  •  Realized that I often learn more from my clients than they learn from me

A big part of my work is a continuous cycle of trying to learn more about the brain and how to use music to optimize learning and development. My journey of learning about phonological awareness and retained primitive reflexes has helped me use music to build a foundation for learning rather than targeting specific higher level deficits.

Music Therapy: Unlimited Potential for Learning, a blog post by Kathy Schumacher MT-BC of www.tunefulteaching.com
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Recent Years

Best Music Therapy Early Childhood Learning Resources Top Phonological Awareness Music Lessons Classes Educational Workshops Music Therapy Learning

Currently, I spend the majority of my time seeing clients for one-on-one music therapy sessions. Some come to my clinic space in Oshkosh, Wisconsin but the majority are seen in-home. I work with a variety of ages and it is not uncommon for me to work with a client for 5 or more years.

I also enjoy teaching early childhood music classes. It is easy to incorporate my music therapy skills into this setting. My ability to improvise and adapt on the spot makes it possible for children with multiple levels of functioning be successful at the same time. I often say that it is fun to watch the kids learn and develop and great for me because I don't have to document any of it!

A recurring theme in my work is incorporating literacy skills and books whenever possible. I am able to write goals for working memory or sustained attention using developmentally appropriate literacy experiences when a funding source is not willing to pay for literacy based goals.

In recent years, I have started to focus more on providing resources for other therapists and teachers through recording YouTube videos  and through my online store.  Becoming involved with social media and collaborating with my sister at Bear Paw Creek has also been an ongoing source of joy and connection.

The career possibilities that a degree in music therapy has offered me have been a tremendous blessing in my life. And the icing on the cake? My skills benefit the kids and families I work with in ways I will never fully comprehend.

Kathy Schumacher MT-BC

Kathy Schumacher MT-BC

Kathy Schumacher is a music therapist, a mom to three children, and a lifelong learner with a pile to read in every room. She has worked in private practice the majority of her 25 year career and has developed a specialty area of literacy tutoring through music.  Kathy lives in rural Wisconsin where she tends a large garden every summer and enjoys camping with her family—usually in the backyard. In her spare time, Kathy blogs at www.TunefulTeaching.com.

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