Streamers Archives - Bear Paw Creek Movement props, bags and totes made in the USA. Tue, 06 May 2025 22:57:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-Bear-Paw-Creek-Full-Color-Icon-Round-Crop-100x100.png Streamers Archives - Bear Paw Creek 32 32 Six Fun Ways to Use Bear Paw Creek Movement Props with Songs from Out There In The Wild by Jes Cleland https://musicandmovementproducts.com/six-fun-ways-to-use-bear-paw-creek-movement-props-with-songs-from-out-there-in-the-wild-by-jes-cleland/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=six-fun-ways-to-use-bear-paw-creek-movement-props-with-songs-from-out-there-in-the-wild-by-jes-cleland Sun, 04 May 2025 15:23:58 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=62598 Six Fun Ways to Use Bear Paw Creek Movement Props with Songs from Out There In The Wild by Jes Cleland At Music U, we believe music comes alive when we add movement, imagination, and a little bit of magic — and Bear Paw Creek's […]

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Six Fun Ways to Use Bear Paw Creek Movement Props with Songs from Out There In The Wild by Jes Cleland

At Music U, we believe music comes alive when we add movement, imagination, and a little bit of magic — and Bear Paw Creek's movement props make it even easier!

I'm thrilled to share a few favorite ways to pair their creative music and movement products with songs from my new children's album, Out There In The Wild, coming May 9th, 2025.

Keep reading for some ideas on how to turn a simple sing-along into a full-body, full-heart experience!

🌊 Motion of the Ocean — with Bear Paw Creek's Stretchy Band or Canopy Scarf

"Motion of the Ocean" invites kids to ride the waves, and Bear Paw Creek's Stretchy Band, is the perfect tool for the journey:

  • "Waves go up and crash down" — lift the band high, then swoop it down low.
  • "The tide comes in and goes out" — move it forward and back with flowing, gentle movements.
  • "Currents rip from side to side" — sway the band left and right with fun bursts of energy.

Or, try using the Blue Canopy Scarf for a fun variation. The canopy scarf is a favorite in my classroom and can give the same song and movements a brand-new experience. You might even invite a few at a time to stand under the scarf and imagine being deep in the ocean watching motion above!

☔ Raindrops Falling on Me — Two props, one joyful song!

Spring showers feel extra magical with another one of Bear Paw Creek's movement props, Wrist Streamers, in hand. As you sing "Raindrops Falling on Me," invite children to gently place their streamers on the body parts mentioned in the song—head, shoulders, knees, toes, eyelashes, and nose—just like raindrops falling from the sky.

It's a delightful way to support body awareness while reinforcing the rhythm and flow of the music.

As a variation, try Individual Creative Movement Chiffon Scarves! Kiddos love transforming them into imaginary puddles—spreading them across the floor and leaping in with squeals of joy. It's pure rainy-day magic, no umbrellas required.

🎈 Five Roly-Polies — with Bear Paw Creek's Balloon Ball

"Five Roly-Polies" is all about rolling, and Bear Paw Creek's Balloon Ball makes it extra interactive!

  • Roll the ball across the group circle during every "roll, roly-poly" refrain — giving kids a chance to work on gentle pushes, teamwork, and timing.
  • Watch the smiles grow as they anticipate the ball coming to them!

 

Six Fun Ways to Use Bear Paw Creek Movement Props with Songs from Out There In The Wild by Jes Cleland
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🐞 Get Out Beetle — with Bear Paw Creek's Balloon Ball

You can keep the fun going with "Get Out Beetle!".

Pass the Balloon Ball around the circle during the verses, and toss it in the air when you get to the big "Get Out Be-Be-Be-Beetle!" shout! Children can do this with partners, small groups, or even a big circle. It's a simple but exciting way to encourage listening skills, quick reactions, and group connection.

To extend the experience, "Get Out Beetle!" also comes with a picture book, interactive digital book, and a teaching guide full of extension activities to bring the story and song to life in even more ways.

🩵 Inspiring Kids to Explore and Fall in Love with Music

At Music U, we love seeing how Bear Paw Creek's beautifully made props can turn a musical moment into an unforgettable memory. Whether you're singing songs from Out There In The Wild at home, in a classroom, or outside under the sky, these props help kids move, explore, and fall in love with music again and again.

Out There In The Wild by Jes Cleland is available on May 9th, wherever you stream music — we can't wait for you to sing, dance, and explore along with us! To check out the different resources Music U has available along with ways to follow along to stay up to date, click here. To check out all of Bear Paw Creek's movement props, click here.

Stay tuned for more exciting things this week as we celebrate the release of Out There in The Wild, including a fun giveaway!

Ready to sing, dance, and play?

Four Songs from Out There in The Wild by Jes Cleland to use with Bear Paw Creek movement Props
Motion in the Ocean Song to Use with Bear Paw Creek Stretchy Band Best Stretchy Band Songs for Teachers Music Therapists and Parents
Raindrops Falling On Me Songs for Kids Best Scarf Songs Bear Paw Creek Creative Movement Scarf Activities
Bear Paw Creek Balloon Ball Songs Jes Cleland Childrens Musician Best Songs for Creative Movement
Bear Paw Creek Music and Movement Props Best Songs for Movement Props Activity Ideas for Teachers Music Thearpists
Jes Cleland

Jes Cleland

For over a decade, I've helped young musicians find their voice through Music U, the teaching studio I founded in 2013. What began as a small preschool music class — filled with singing, movement, and playful discovery — has grown into a thriving community of learners, families, and educators across Nashville.

At Music U, my teaching style is rooted in creativity, connection, and joy. I believe that music is a natural language for young children, and my classes focus on nurturing that through hands-on activities, imaginative play, and lots of opportunities for self-expression. I respect children's ability to engage deeply with music and believe they deserve quality songs and meaningful experiences. In my classes, we move with scarves, explore rhythms, make up silly songs, and dive into a wide range of musical genres — from jazz to rockabilly to Celtic and Latin music — helping students build musical skills and a lifelong appreciation for learning.

As a songwriter and recording artist, I create music that invites children into a world of wonder and storytelling. My upcoming album, Out There In The Wild (releasing this May), celebrates playful melodies, big feelings, and the magic of everyday adventures. I'm also the author of Get Out, Beetle!, a whimsical children's book that blends music and hilarious characters to inspire curiosity and laughter.

Whether through a song, a story, or a lesson, the goal is always to spark confidence, creativity, and a genuine love for music.

Follow along on Instagram, Facebook and my Website for updates on new music, books, and more!

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]]> Top 3 Movement Props with Activity Ideas for Music and Movement Month https://musicandmovementproducts.com/top-three-movement-props-activity-ideas-for-music-and-movement-month/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-three-movement-props-activity-ideas-for-music-and-movement-month https://musicandmovementproducts.com/top-three-movement-props-activity-ideas-for-music-and-movement-month/#comments Mon, 31 Mar 2025 22:05:41 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=62478 Top 3 Movement Props with Activity Ideas for Music and Movement Month For the last two years, Bear Paw Creek and Sandra Hendrickson from Sing Play Create have celebrated Music and Movement Month in April. While this isn't a nationally recognized event, we love to […]

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Top 3 Movement Props with Activity Ideas for Music and Movement Month

For the last two years, Bear Paw Creek and Sandra Hendrickson from Sing Play Create have celebrated Music and Movement Month in April. While this isn't a nationally recognized event, we love to have a month dedicated to highlighting music and movement and all of its amazing benefits. This year, we're kicking it off by sharing our top 3 movement props with activity ideas for each one.

It is hard to pick a top 3 since we love all of our music and movement props and we know you do too. However, the three we are highlighting today have been among our best sellers since the very beginning of Bear Paw Creek in early 2000.

Keep reading to find out our top 3 movement props along with activity ideas for each one that you can use during this year's music and movement month (and year-round too!). Plus, find out how we will be celebrating all month long and how you can join in on the fun.

Movement Prop #1: Stretchy Band

Our Stretchy Bands have been without a doubt our best selling product since the very beginning. So it was a no brainer to include this prop in our top 3 movement props for music and movement month. Our brightly colored Stretchy Bands are made with latex or latex free tubing covered with fabric and include a hook and loop velcro closure.

They are great for practicing numerous goal areas and different skills such as: making shapes, rhythm, listening skills, color recognition, teamwork, and so much more. With five different sizes available, Stretchy Bands can be used in one-on-one settings, small groups, and during large group activities.

The activities you can do with the Stretchy Band are endless and we continue to be inspired by all of our amazing customers who share their ideas with us on Instagram and Facebook.

Here are some song and activity ideas to use with Bear Paw Creek's Stretchy Band:

Top 3 Movement Props with Activity Ideas for Music and Movement Month
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Movement Prop #2: Streamers

Our hoop and wrist streamers have also been one of our top best selling creative movement props since early 2000. Streamers are great fun for dynamic movement activities and dance. Chiffon scarves or vibrant satin ribbons flow 24" off of either a 4 1/2" plastic hoop or fabric wrist scrunchie. The Streamers come in either rainbow or primary colors. You can choose between sets of 6 which come in a drawstring storage bag or, purchase streamers individually to fit your needs.

The fabric wrist scrunchie streamer was an idea from Kathy Schumacher MT-BC at www.TunefulTeaching.com. They are wonderful as you can put them on your wrist, elbows, arms, or even ankles to have your hands free for other movement activities. She discovered this need for those with different abilities who are not able to grasp items. With the ability to put them on your wrist, individuals can still participate in group settings since they can join in on the movements without having to hold on to a prop.

Here are some song and activity ideas to use with Bear Paw Creek's creative movement Streamers:

Movement Prop #3: Balloon Ball

Last but certainly not least in the list of top 3 movement props for music and movement month is the Balloon Ball. The fabric Balloon Ball cover is made out of cotton/poly broadcloth in bright rainbow colors (we have specialty balloon balls as well). You place a balloon through the slit at the bottom, blow it up, tie it off, tuck in the tail, and the music and movement fun begins!

This is a great way for little ones to learn how to catch and throw as it is so light weight. With the lightness and softness of the Balloon Ball, it's great to kick around without worrying about somebody getting hurt. All balloons come with warnings about the danger of choking. With the fabric covering the balloon, it makes it safer to play with and eliminates the worry of balloon pieces flying everywhere if it pops. They are also great to use with parachutes or our nine foot canopy scarves. Put it on top and watch it bounce up and down as you move the parachute or scarf!

Here are some song and activity ideas to use with Bear Paw Creek's Balloon Balls:

Stay Tuned for More Music and Movement Month Celebration!

To keep up with all of the different ways we are celebrating Music and Movement Month this year and different ways you can join in, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

To check out all of our other products not listed in the top 3 movement props, click here.

We are thrilled to have you follow along and hopefully join in on the celebration with us!

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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]]> https://musicandmovementproducts.com/top-three-movement-props-activity-ideas-for-music-and-movement-month/feed/ 2 Our Story — The How and Why Bear Paw Creek Began https://musicandmovementproducts.com/our-story-the-how-and-why-bear-paw-creek-began-creative-music-and-movement-props-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=our-story-the-how-and-why-bear-paw-creek-began-creative-music-and-movement-props-2 Sun, 26 Jan 2025 18:04:42 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=62274 Our Story — The How and Why Bear Paw Creek Began This January marks 25 years in business for Bear Paw Creek, this is a big milestone for us and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way. We have been […]

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Our Story — The How and Why Bear Paw Creek Began

This January marks 25 years in business for Bear Paw Creek, this is a big milestone for us and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way.

We have been celebrating all month long by sharing some behind the scenes, a 25% off flash sale, and still have something extra fun planned for the end of the month. We also wanted to share a little bit about the how and why Bear Paw Creek was started. For those who have been following us for a long time, this story may already be familiar to you, but we have had a lot of growth over the last several years. Including more followers on social media and our blog, which makes this the perfect time to do a retelling of our story.

Keep reading to learn about the start of our business (before we were named Bear Paw Creek!), growth over the years, how our products are beneficial, and our goals moving forward.

The Start of Bear Paw Creek's Music and Movement Props

In January of 2000, sisters Janet Stephens and Kathy Schumacher MT-BC came together along with Janet's husband, Christopher Stephens, to create a business that was then called Props & Bags, Etc. With Janet looking to create an income from home and Kathy looking for someone to create products to meet a need in the music therapy community, they meshed their passion and ideas together to create products that would serve the music and movement community for years to come.

With Christopher's innovative mind, Janet's designing and sewing skills, and Kathy's experience in music therapy and knowledge of what that community needed, they introduced the creation of a unique line of movement props along with solutions for organizing and transporting them.

The Props & Bags, Etc. 2000-2001 catalog contained: stretchy bands, bean bags, streamers, tote bags, and instrument cases.

Our Story — The How and Why Bear Paw Creek Began
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Our Development and Growth Throughout the Years

In 2001, Bear Paw Creek picked up their first wholesale customer, West Music, who we continue to work with to this day! The movement props continued to grow in popularity which encouraged them to continue going and also create more props to add to the product line. In 2008, the brand name was changed to Bear Paw Creek.

Fast forward to 2012, Janet had the opportunity to take a course on building websites with WordPress. With this knowledge added to her "tool belt", she was able to create a new website to better offer Bear Paw Creek's products to the public.

The new website allowed them to open up and quickly expand the business's retail market as well as connect with customers on a one to one level through emails, blog posts, and in later years, social media. Bear Paw Creek continues to expand and grow, reaching more retail customers, along with a growing list of resellers, stateside and internationally.

In recent years I, Madison Stephens (Christopher and Janet's daughter), have taken over the social media marketing for Bear Paw Creek. This opened up a whole other avenue of connection with our customers.

Seeing videos of stretchy bands, scarves, streamers, bean bags, and all of our other creative movement props being used in countries all around the world by people of different ages and abilities is both mind blowing and extremely humbling. It is an honor to be a part of this business my parents and aunt started and the impact it has.
Bear Paw Creek School Of Musical HeartBeats Australia Stretchy Band in Music and Movement Activity
Nancy Kopman Music With Nancy Kopman Shake Shake Shake with Bear Paw Creek Creative Movement Scarves
Pixie Pods Kids New York United States Music Classes for Kids Bear Paw Creek DiscoverDance Hoop Ribbon Rainbow Streamers
Bear Paw Creek Stretchy Band Creative Music and Movement Props for Music Therapists Teacher Jacqueline Chow Singapore Music Therapist

We have learned so much and have been inspired by all of you sharing your movement activity ideas on social media and how you use our movement props with your children, students, and patients. It has also led to some new product ideas, wonderful collaborations, and big growth for our business. If you aren't already connected with us on Facebook and Instagram, please give us a follow! And keep tagging us in your videos and pictures, it truly is one of our favorite things to see our products in use.

Bear Paw Creek: Retailer, Wholesaler, and Manufacture of Handmade in the USA Movement Props

Something that not everyone knows about Bear Paw Creek is that, for the last 25 years we have been the manufacturer, retailer, and wholesaler for our company. People are sometimes shocked to hear that our movement props are handmade by us in Missouri, USA!

When we first began in 2000, our target audience was music therapists. The music therapy community is wonderful and has been huge supporters of Bear Paw Creek. We are extremely grateful for them and all of the important work that they do! Over the years as our product was being purchased and shipped all around the world, we realized that music therapists are not the only ones that have a need for these props.

Our music and movement props continue to be used by music therapists, but are also being used by music teachers, activity directors, recreational therapists, parents, dance instructors, grandparents, physical therapists, early childhood educators, special education teachers, occupational therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and so many more.

All of these amazing people combine our props with music to help their patients target specific goal areas, work on a variety of skills, and sometimes, to just have fun with music and movement. A few of the skills movement props help target are:

  • Physical development: Props can help with coordination, balance, and gross motor skills.
  • Cognitive development: Props can help with spatial awareness, teamwork, and understanding of locomotor and non-locomotor movements.
  • Creative expression: Props can help with creativity and musicality.
  • Social-emotional development: Props can help with social-emotional development.
  • Strength and flexibility: Props can help with strength, mobility, and flexibility by encouraging movement.

A Thank you for Your Support and Our Goals Moving Forward

We cannot say thank you enough to all of our loyal supporters for the last 25 years. Bear Paw Creek would not be the successful business that it is without all of you trusting us to provide high-quality made in the USA movement props, sharing about them with friends, using them with your children and patients, sharing your music and movement activity ideas on blogs and social media, and coming back again and again to purchase our products.

Bear Paw Creek is honored to have the opportunity to make a small impact in the world with what we provide. But it's all because of our amazing community of people all around the world that our products have been as successful as they are.

Looking back on the last 25 years there has definitely been a lot of change and growth. However, our core values have remained and will continue to remain the same: commitment to the people who use our products, and enthusiasm for the manner in which our customers improve the lives of others.

It is our goal to continue to equip 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 and are honored to have your trust and support as we continue to create high-quality movement props.

Here's to the next 25 years!

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 Our Story — The How and Why Bear Paw Creek Began appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> How to Use Bear Paw Creek’s Hoop Rainbow Streamers to Achieve Educational Goals https://musicandmovementproducts.com/hoop-rainbow-streamers-activity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hoop-rainbow-streamers-activity Wed, 21 Aug 2024 20:38:23 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=60105 How to Use Bear Paw Creek's Rainbow Hoop Streamers to Achieve Educational Goals Hi! I am Sarah Niileksela, and I’ve been a board-certified music therapist for 20 (!!) years. In 2006, we moved away from my first job so that my husband could attend graduate […]

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How to Use Bear Paw Creek's Rainbow Hoop Streamers to Achieve Educational Goals

Hi! I am Sarah Niileksela, and I’ve been a board-certified music therapist for 20 (!!) years. In 2006, we moved away from my first job so that my husband could attend graduate school. I couldn’t find any work in music therapy. While working as an assistant at a childcare center, I decided to take matters into my own hands and formed my business, Sunflower Music. It has gone through a lot of different phases, but I have consistently worked with neurodivergent children and led early-childhood music groups in schools, childcares, libraries, and private settings.

One of my major contracts over the years has been working with school-aged students who have music therapy on their Individualized Education Program, or IEP. My role in the school setting is to help students attain educational goals identified by their IEP team through music strategies.

Keep reading to learn about how I incorporated Bear Paw Creek's Rainbow Hoop Streamers with Canva graphics to achieve educational goals.

Finding the Song and Creating the Activity to use with the Rainbow Hoop Streamers

As you can imagine, disabled and neurodivergent students have a HUGE range of needs. Goals are written to help meet those needs, and each student has a variety of special interests and preferences. To target these educational goals in fun, creative ways, I often have to create my own activities or find ways to modify and adapt existing activities. Adapting existing activities or modifying songs that I already know is ideal for decreasing time spent planning and preparing sessions. Which is usually far more extensive than the time providing direct services.

When I plan sessions, I usually have the student’s educational goals in front of me to guide the process. One evening this spring I was trying to decide how to target the following goal: By the end of the IEP year, when given 10 CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words and pictures, the student will use skills in reading to correctly read the word by matching the corresponding pictures and words with 70% accuracy.

Did I have a ready-made activity for this goal? Ha! Definitely not! I had recently used Lynn Kleiner’s version of Ruth Pelham song “Rainbow ‘Round Me” with Bear Paw Creek’s Rainbow Hoop Streamers in a storytime. The children looked through their hoop “window” to spot different things in the environment of all the colors of the rainbow. I’ve used this song for years and kids LOVE it! It’s so catchy and repetitive, allowing for quick learning of the lyrics and active participation either through singing and motor movement with the Rainbow Hoop Streamers.

How to Use Bear Paw Creek's Rainbow Hoop Streamers to Achieve Educational Goals
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How to Implement the Music Based Activity

I thought, “I wonder if I could find a CVC word for each color of the rainbow, and then that is what my student looks for through her hoop streamer window?” Using Canva, I found graphics for the following CVC words, one for each color of the Rainbow Hoop Streamer:

jam – red
fox – orange
sun – yellow
bug – green
hat – blue
rug – purple

First, the student picked out the picture she wanted to include in the song. I would pair the word with the picture so there would be a visual association between the two. Next we sang through the song as follows:

(look through hoop of streamer)
Oh the jam outside my window is as red as red can be,
(find the red ribbon on the streamer to match to the picture)
Fiddle-dee-dee outside my window, the jam is red as red can be.
(move streamer in the shape of a rainbow)
Rainbow, rainbow, rainbow ‘round me
Rainbow, rainbow, rainbow round me

We sang through the song for as long as the student remained engaged, hoping for a minimum of three verses, which was easily met. She sang along with the song, smiled and pointed at the visuals, and moved with the rainbow hoop streamer. At the end of the song, I placed the picture of the target word and three choices of CVC words. I then asked her to look through her “window” to find the word that matched the picture.

A Modifiable Activity for Your Educational Goals

I’m thrilled to say this student loved the activity, and I’m also thrilled I didn’t have to learn a new song! The goal is to eventually put out all of the pictures and words at the same time for the student to pair. Once this is achieved, the pictures can be faded out to evaluate her ability to read the words without a visual cue. I can also continue to use the same activity and introduce new CVC words easily using Canva. If you haven't used Canva, it has an amazing assortment of free graphics that can be used to make the pictures.

This experience gave me the confidence and inspiration to modify songs that are already a part of my repertoire to meet a variety of educational goals. I hope that this example of modifying and adapting an existing song and activity is helpful to you, and it can be modified in any way that your students or clients may need!

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    Sarah Niileksela

    Sarah Niileksela

    "Singing Sarah" is an early childhood music specialist, board-certified music therapist, and owner/director of Sunflower Music. She graduated from KU in 2003 and has worked as a music therapist with a variety of populations, including early childhood, neurodivergent children and adults, and patients in hospitals and behavioral health units. Sarah has had extensive training on the use of music to teach literacy skills and has been asked to present on the topic to early childhood educators around northeast Kansas. Sarah is passionate about working in early childhood and wants her work to foster a life-long love of music and reading in children as well as help them grow and develop skills through the joy of active music-making. She has an awesome husband, loves KU basketball, and is passionate about dog rescue.

    The post How to Use Bear Paw Creek’s Hoop Rainbow Streamers to Achieve Educational Goals appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>         5 Children’s Books to Use With Movement Props for Read Across America Week & National Reading Month https://musicandmovementproducts.com/5-childrens-books-to-use-with-movement-props-for-read-across-america-week-national-reading-month/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-childrens-books-to-use-with-movement-props-for-read-across-america-week-national-reading-month Mon, 04 Mar 2024 19:23:21 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=61095 5 Children's Books to Use With Movement Props for Read Across America Week & National Reading Month Did you know that March 2nd through the 6th is Read Across America Week? This week is the nation's largest celebration of reading. The National Education Association (NEA) […]

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    5 Children's Books to Use With Movement Props for Read Across America Week & National Reading Month

    Did you know that March 2nd through the 6th is Read Across America Week? This week is the nation's largest celebration of reading. The National Education Association (NEA) established this week of celebration to educate on the importance of reading and its benefits, especially for young children and adults.

    Not only do we have Read Across America Week to celebrate, the entire month of March is National Reading Month! We are excited for the focus on literacy this month and thought it would be fun to compile a list of books that can be paired with our creative movement props.

    Keep reading for 5 children's book ideas to use with movement props along with a book by one of our long-time friends, Maryann "Mar" Harman.

    5 Children's Books to Use With Movement Props National Reading Month Read Across America Week Bear Paw Creek Creative Music and Movement with Props

    1. "Wheels on the Bus" Book and Activity With the Stretchy Band

    Wheels on the Bus has always been one of my favorite books. I have the 25th anniversary pop-up edition of this book and it is so fun to read, children are always fascinated with the interactive pages and the illustrations are beautiful. One of the great things about this book and song is that it is perfect to use as a Stretchy Band activity! This blog post by our friend, Carole Stephens, talks about the different movements you can do with the Stretchy Band while singing the song. Here is a snippet to give you an idea:

    Start singing the traditional song, “The Wheels on the Bus”, while moving the band in circles away from your body. Children will follow along quickly. Below are motions for some of the additional verses. Feel free to add your own! This is definitely a favorite activity in my classes!

    1. Wheels — move Stretchy Band in circles away from body.
    2. Doors — legs straight out in front, lay back slowly, then sit up (yep, it’s sit-ups!).
    3. Windows — move Stretchy Band up’n’down- up on the word “up”, down on the word “down.”
    4. Wipers — move hands/band from side to side.
    5. People go bumpity-bump –— shake the band and wiggle all around.
    6. Babies cry — knock fists together, then apart quickly on “waa waa waa!”
    7. Repeat wheels verse to end the song

    I'm also linking a few videos below to give you a visual idea of how to incorporate this fun Wheels on the Bus Stretchy Band activity into your next music and movement time. Including one where we customized the song and made it a "Wheels on the Tractor". Get creative with this activity and have fun with switching up a few words and changing the movements. Not only is this book and activity perfect for Read Across America Week and National Reading Month it's great to use year-round.

    2. "Tammy the Troll: A Dance in the Forest" — A creative dance book to use with movement scarves!

    Our friends at Once Upon A Dance released an adorable book last year titled Tammy the Troll: A Dance in the Forest. We were so excited when they reached out to us asking about collaborating to make a set with the book and some of our creative movement scarves. You can check out the set here.

    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, dnace fundamentals, and early-learning concepts.

    As kids move along with the book’s diverse characters, they explore levels, direction, spatial awareness, emotions, balance, movement quality, and more. Dance stories are a wonderful way to combine books and movement for kids who love both, making them great for Read Across America Week. Tammy the Trolls: A Dance in the Forest is perfect for dance class, creative movement play, physical education, or any setting where children are inspired to explore and express themselves.

    3. "Shake my Sillies Out" (Raffi Songs to Read)

    Many of us are familiar with Raffi's classic song, "Shake My Sillies Out".  When I ran across this book, Shake My Sillies Out (Raffi Songs to Read) on amazon I was so excited and thought it would be a perfect addition to our list of books for Read Across America Week and National Reading Month.

    My first thought for a movement prop to use with this book and song was a streamer. We have several different streamer options from hoops to fabric wrist scrunchies, ribbon and chiffon, primary or rainbow! I can see each child or student holding a streamer while they shake, clap, jump, and wiggle their way through this classic Raffi sing-along book. You could also do this with movement scarves. Both the streamers and scarves would be less stimulating as they would be soft and quiet even with kids getting excited and moving around.

    Another option would be egg shakers, of course! We have a variety of different hand instruments available on our website including egg shakers. While they would definitely add an element of noise to your music and movement time, egg shakers would be very fun to use with Raffi's "Shake My Sillies Out".

    4. "My Many Colored Days" — A Dr. Seuss Board Book to Use with Scarves

    Did you know that National Reading Month was started as a way to honor Dr. Seuss' birthday and motivate people of all ages to read every day? Once I found this out, I knew My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss had to be on our list of books for Read Across America Week and National Reading Month. This book is perfect for learning and reinforcing skills such as:

    • Color recognition
    • Identifying and exploring moods and emotions
    • Starting and stopping — motor control
    • Creating movements to match music and words

    We have a kit available on our site that includes My Many Colored Days board book, IDEAS Music Color CD, and creative movement scarves. We have a group kit option as well as a small kit to fit your needs. You can check out the kit here! The music tracks accompany the Dr. Seuss board book and creative movement scarves. It can be used for both classroom and individual use. The music is also perfect also perfect to use by itself for exploration of movement, mood, and creativity.

    5. "My Color Book" — Use Bean Bags and Scarves to Practice Color Recognition

    Help children love learning by incorporating this colorful and engaging book by Kathy Schumacher MT-BC at Tuneful Teaching. The book is also a great accompaniment for learning sign language. The following signs/motions are included: my, color, book, sun, yellow, pumpkin, orange, sky, clouds, white, plum, purple, apple, red, leaping, frog, green, ocean, blue, acorn, brown, rolling, tire, black, everywhere, in, out, eyes, and look/stare.

    The colors included are: yellow, orange, white, purple, red, green, blue, brown, black

    By using a movement prop in tandem with the My Color Book, you can provide something tactile to further reinforce the color concepts. Our Primary and Neutral pack of Bean Bags would be perfect as it includes all of the colors listed in the My Color Book. You could also build your own kit of movement scarves by choosing the colors you need.

    As you read through the book, have your child or student point to or pick up the corresponding colored Bean Bag or Scarf. In a group setting, you could pass out the Bean Bags or Scarves and as each color is read, whoever is holding that color could do a fun movement or just lift it up and repeat the colors' name.

    BONUS Book: "Building Brains with Music: A must have guide on how to use music to enhance brain development"

    Last but not least, I have to recommend this book by Maryann "Mar" Harman. She is a music educator with a Bachelor's Degree in Music and a Master's in Education, with an emphasis on Early Childhood and is a certified Level I Orff. These degrees contribute to her ability to write songs that are musically and educationally sound for children's music as well as fun and easy to use for teachers and parents.

    This book is all about using music to enhance brain development and in it, Mar discusses how to use movement props with music to further enhance music's incredible benefits. Her book also includes access to 27 of her amazing digital songs.

    We collaborated with Mar to put together a kit with different props and instruments to go with her book. You can check out the Music with Mar. Student Manipulative Kit here or click here to check out the book only.

    I hope after reading this blog post that you are left inspired and maybe have a few more ideas on how you can use books with our movement props. If you incorporate any of these activities into your next music and movement time and share any photos or videos, please tag us! We love to see them. You can find us @bearpawcreek on both Facebook and Instagram. If you have any more book suggestions for us, send us an email at info@bearpawcreek.com. Happy reading!

    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 5 Children’s Books to Use With Movement Props for Read Across America Week & National Reading Month appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>         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 […]

    The post Music and Movement Bundle Giveaway — Helpful Harmonies & Bear Paw Creek appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

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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.

    The post Music and Movement Bundle Giveaway — Helpful Harmonies & Bear Paw Creek appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>         MiniArtis — Montessori and Musical Toys that Inspire Creativity! https://musicandmovementproducts.com/miniartis-montessori-and-musical-toys-that-inspire-creativity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=miniartis-montessori-and-musical-toys-that-inspire-creativity Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:49:51 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=60625 MiniArtis — Montessori and Musical Toys that Inspire Creativity! A couple of months ago, a company called MiniArtis reached out to us on Instagram offering to send us some of their musical toys. Seeing as their products fit well with what we do at Bear […]

    The post MiniArtis — Montessori and Musical Toys that Inspire Creativity! appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

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    MiniArtis — Montessori and Musical Toys that Inspire Creativity!

    A couple of months ago, a company called MiniArtis reached out to us on Instagram offering to send us some of their musical toys. Seeing as their products fit well with what we do at Bear Paw Creek, we of course, said yes! After receiving the package and getting to see their impressive musical toys in person, we thought Kathy Schumacher at Tuneful Teaching might be a good person to test them out for us. Over the last few weeks, she has been using them with her clients during music therapy sessions and is impressed with their accurate sound and overall durability, as well as ease of storage.

    Keep reading to learn more about MiniArtis and about how Kathy has used their musical toys in music therapy sessions to help teach her clients important skills such as, working memory, listening skills, color recognition, rhythm, and more.

    About MiniArtis: Inspiring the Next Generation of Creative Minds

    First, a little bit about MiniArtis. At MiniArtis, they are committed to exceeding your expectations by delivering innovative, high-quality toys that inspire creativity and imagination. However, they aren't just toys! Each of their products were designed with the understanding that every child is unique, each with distinctive interests and strengths.

    That's why they have dedicated themselves to crafting a diverse range of music-based toys that cater to these varying inclinations, whether they lie in music, art, construction, or are used simply to inspire fun and imaginative play. Recognizing play as a crucial part of a child's development, they design their music-based toys to not only be engaging, but also to contribute to your child's learning, growth, and self-expression.

    "At MiniArtis, we're not just about toys; we're about fostering creativity and individuality in every child. Our goal is to combine innovation and quality to create a collection of toys that are designed to stimulate imagination and facilitate playful learning. At MiniArtis, we pour our hearts into crafting each piece, sparking joy and nurturing imaginations, so kids can thrive in a world of endless possibilities!"

    The three musical toys they sent us were the Xylophone, Hand Bells, and the Desk Bells. Each of their products come with an Oscar Music Songbook which contains 15 easy, popular songs. These musical toys used in tandem with creative music and movement activities will help spark your child's natural curiosity, develop intelligence, improve cognitive and motor skills, and nurture your child's talents.

    MiniArtis — Montessori and Musical Toys that Inspire Creativity!
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    Using Musical Toys in a Music Therapy Setting

    Now, what Kathy had to say about the musical toys from MiniArtis:

    "The MiniArts "xylophone toy" is very durable and in tune. "In tune" is a big deal because most instruments of this size do not sound very musical. The kids in my client loved following the included songbook and were almost immediately successful with being able to create music.

    The desk bells and hand bells are very durable. It's great that they can be stored in the included drawstring bag as they take up minimal space. The book that comes with them is well written and very motivating for the kids.
    We used the bells to work on core strength as well as working memory. In the "Lean On Me" video, we are using simple chords to accompany the song. My helper is simply matching the color I am playing and changing when I play. In the second video I am playing a series of pitches and rhythms and she is holding them in her memory before playing the same series." -Kathy Shumacher MT-BC, www.TunefulTeaching.com

    In this video Kathy and a child she does music therapy with are using the Hand and Desk Bells from MiniArtis. With the call and response technique, the child is able to learn and practice important listening skills. It also encourages focus and engagement.

    With this activity, you could also incorporate our creative movement streamers with the call and response. For example, when Kathy is playing a pattern of three sounds, she could have one be a silent sound where instead, you lift up a streamer and use your voice to make an ascending "whhooop!" sound. You could also turn this into a color recognition activity. By using a set of primary ribbon streamers, the instructor could hold up a color streamer, and the child would then make a sound with the matching hand bell.

    Coupon Code for MiniArtis' Musical Toys

    If you're interested in purchasing some of MiniArtis' musical toys to use in your next music therapy session, at home for fun, or maybe even in a classroom setting, they have generously given us a couple of 15% off coupon codes to share with you all. You can use the code 15BEARCREEK when you purchase one of their products on Amazon.com. Or, you can use the code BEARPAWCREEK15 when shopping directly on their website! The coupon codes are valid from Saturday, November 21st through Wednesday, November 25th.

    Be sure to check out their social media pages as well. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. We hope you find this new resource to be helpful and beneficial as you continue to enrich children's lives through music and movement.

    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 MiniArtis — Montessori and Musical Toys that Inspire Creativity! 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.

    The post Back to School Giveaway — Worth Over $900! appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>         New Creative Movement and Music Kit https://musicandmovementproducts.com/new-creative-movement-and-music-kit/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-creative-movement-and-music-kit Sun, 07 May 2023 12:51:55 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=59999 New Creative Movement and Music Kit with Sprouts and Friends Inc. We have a new Personal Student Kit available and are excited to tell you all about it! The Creative Movement and Music Kit was designed by Ms. Kristin from Sprouts & Friends, Inc. and […]

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    New Creative Movement and Music Kit with Sprouts and Friends Inc.

    We have a new Personal Student Kit available and are excited to tell you all about it! The Creative Movement and Music Kit was designed by Ms. Kristin from Sprouts & Friends, Inc. and put together by us at Bear Paw Creek.

    The music kits are a newer addition in the last several years, and we have continued adding to them. They first came together in 2020 with the goal of providing music and movement opportunities while still keeping distance and staying healthy and safe during the pandemic.

    Ms. Kristin designed this music kit with the goal of bringing families with children together through music. Keep reading to get all of the details on what is included and learn more about the three different options available.

    Bear Paw Creek Best Personal Student Kits for Early Childhood Development Sprouts and Friends Inc Best Resources for Music Class Teaching Tools for Parents Music Kit

    Options for the Creative Movement and Music Kit

    We understand that each child and family is different and what they require varies. That's why we have three of the Sprouts & Friends, Inc. Creative Movement and Music Kits available. Currently, we have the Essential Kit, Small Kit, and Deluxe Kit.

    The DELUXE Creative Movement and Music Kit

    This kit includes:

    The SMALL Creative Movement and Music Kit

    This kit includes:

    • 2 Scarves
    • 2 Castanet
    • 2 Egg Shaker
    • 1 Lollipop Drum
    • 2 Bean Bags
    • 2 Rhythm Sticks
    • 1 Drawstring Bag

    The ESSENTIAL Creative Movement and Music Kit

    This kit includes:

    • 1 Egg Shaker
    • 1 Castanet
    • 1 Scarf
    • 1 Pair of Rhythm Sticks
    • 1 Bean Bag
    • 1 Lollipop Drum

    Check out Bear Paw Creek's Newest Creative Movement and Music Kit in Partnership with Sprouts & Friends, Inc.
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    Sprouts & Friends, Inc.

    If you're interested in learning more about Ms. Kristin and Sprouts & Friends, Inc., you can click here to check out their Facebook page or here to check out their Instagram! You can also check out Ms. Kristin's book, Five Little Seals, coming out on May 13th, 2023. This is a fun finger-play book about "Five little seals went out one day. Over the waves and far away. One by one the little seals leave on their own adventure, until finally they return safely to Mama seal."

    You can click here to get your copy! We ordered ours and can't wait to try and incorporate it into some fun music and movement activities.

    As always, we love getting to partner with other people and business to continue bringing fun movement props, instruments, and more to your lives. We hope you'll take the time to check out Sprouts & Friends, Inc. and maybe you will want to order one of the Creative Movement and Music Kits for your next day of music fun!

    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 Creative Movement and Music Kit appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>         Music and Movement Month 2023 Recap https://musicandmovementproducts.com/music-and-movement-month-2023-recap-movement-activities-early-childhood-education-teaching-tools/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=music-and-movement-month-2023-recap-movement-activities-early-childhood-education-teaching-tools Mon, 01 May 2023 11:00:43 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=59946 Music and Movement Month 2023 Recap It's hard to believe that April is already over and that our Music and Movement Month celebration has come to an end. We had so much fun highlighting music and movement activities, resources, movement props, and more over the […]

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    Music and Movement Month 2023 Recap

    It's hard to believe that April is already over and that our Music and Movement Month celebration has come to an end. We had so much fun highlighting music and movement activities, resources, movement props, and more over the last month with Sandra from Sing Play Create. And, if you know us at Bear Paw Creek, you know that we LOVE giveaways. Getting to pull one together with Sandra worth over $150.00 to celebrate and give someone the opportunity to incorporate music and movement into their lives was wonderful.

    With over 500 entries and hundreds more bonus entries, your response to the giveaway was fantastic! A big thank you to everyone that entered and participated in the giveaway.

    Sandra has so many amazing music and movement activities on her website and TPT store. On top of that, she created several more over the last month just for our celebration! Just in case you missed them, you can find all of the resources linked below.

    8 Scarf and Ribbon Movement Activities

    The first of several movement activities shared by Sandra was, 8 Scarf and Ribbon Activities. Not only are there eight activities, but she also gives you the details on how to do them. Plus, there are two songs for scarves and ribbons you can use too! Below you will find the time stamps for the YouTube video which clearly demonstrates each activity.

    • INTRO: 00:00-2:10
    • 2:10-SECTION 1: Scarf and Ribbon Warm Up Activity
    • 6:55-SECTION 2: Scarf Activity Song
    • 11:05-SECTION 3: Teach High and Low
    • 14:12-SECTION 4: Loud and Soft
    • 18:10-SECTION 5: Expression and Social Activity
    • 24:34-SECTION 6: Tempo Game
    • 30:15-SECTION 7: Vocal Explorations
    • 32:37-SECTION 8: Teach Form (Vivaldi's Spring Concerto)

    10 Bean Bag Activities for Music and Movement

    Bean Bag activities are just what you need if you’re looking to keep engagement high. In this blog post, Sandra shares interactive games and activities that have students singing, playing, and moving using our Bean Bags. Games are a great way to teach children because often, children don't even know they are learning, they're just busy having fun!

    • 1:01 Easy Warm UP Bean Bag Game
    • 2:00 Grizzly Bear Bean Bag Game
    • 5:08 Introduce and Teach How to Play with Bean Bags “Hello Song” Freebie
    • 5:57 Upper Elementary Bean Bag Games for Music Class Learning and Assessment
    • 7:19 Old Mac Donald Bean Bag Game
    • 10:10 The Farmer in the Dell Bean Bag Game
    • 12:19 Snail Snail Kodaly Song Bean Bag Game
    • 14:35 Doggie, Doggie Where’s Your Bone Bean Bag Game
    • 16:30 Vocal Warmups with Bean Bags
    • 18:10 Movement Activities with Bean Bags
    • 19:50 Songs with Bean Bags
    • 21:00 Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
    • 21:54 There’s a Chocolate Chip Cookie on My Head Sing Along
    • 24:00 Bean Bag Activities for Transitions, Games, Anytime!

    Best Parachute Movement Actvities for Music Class

    Did you know that parachute songs, games, and movement activities can teach musical and movement concepts? And that they give students opportunities to explore through creativity and improvisation?  And yes, they make a great movement break for fitness. They also help with SEL (Social Emotional Learning), social skills, beat, and form activities as well as singing.

    In this blog post, Sandra shared some fun parachute activities that you can use in music class, circle time, music therapy session, or during at-home play. Click here to check out the blog post and learn about all of the different parachute activities, plus get a creative movement song made specifically for play parachutes! You can also watch the YouTube video HERE.

    Check out our Small Play Parachute featured in the video here.

    Fun Balloon Ball Music and Movement Activities

    Balloon Balls are a great movement prop to add to your home, classroom, or clinic. This is a great music therapy tool for little ones to learn how to catch and throw as it is so light weight. With the lightness and softness of this ball, it’s great to kick around without worrying about somebody getting hurt. Sandra shared several different Balloon Ball movement activities including steady beat activities, rhythm games, and songs!

    To read the full blog post, click here. And, to check out the YouTube video demonstrating the activities, click here!

    You can also check out her other blog post: 10 Ways to Use Balls in the Music Classroom

    Check out all of the fun Balloon Ball variations from us at Bear Paw Creek here! You can choose from a variety of patterns and designs. From the classic rainbow, to a pumpkin, apple, galaxy theme, floral, and more.

    Thank You for Celebrating Music and Movement Month!

    We absolutely loved celebrating Music and Movement Month and are so thankful to all of your for participating! Seeing videos and pictures of you incorporating Music and Movement with your students made it extra special.

    Our hope is that over the last month, you were able to learn more about Music and Movement and the benefits it brings for people of all ages and that you will continue to incorporate it into your life and the lives of your children and students. Not only is it a great way to learn and teach important skills, it's also so much fun. We are also hoping to make this an annual event, so stay tuned for Music and Movement Month 2024!

    Check out all of the amazing resources, movement props, teaching tips, and more shared during Music and Movement Month 2023!
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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 2023 Recap appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

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