Power of Music 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 Power of Music 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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]]> 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.

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]]> 6 Stretchy Band Songs and Activity Ideas from Music Teacher, Lena Leon https://musicandmovementproducts.com/6-stretchy-band-songs-and-activity-ideas-from-music-teacher-lena-leon/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=6-stretchy-band-songs-and-activity-ideas-from-music-teacher-lena-leon Fri, 27 Sep 2024 20:04:11 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=61863 6 Stretchy Band Songs and Activity Ideas from Music Teacher, Lena Leon Are you looking for more Stretchy Band songs and activity ideas? Lena Leon is an Elementary Music Teacher who shares inspiration for fun, creative, and purposeful music lessons. All of her activities are […]

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6 Stretchy Band Songs and Activity Ideas from Music Teacher, Lena Leon

Are you looking for more Stretchy Band songs and activity ideas?

Lena Leon is an Elementary Music Teacher who shares inspiration for fun, creative, and purposeful music lessons. All of her activities are wonderful for music class, circle time, group settings, and could also be adapted for one-on-one sessions.

She has been sharing so many great Stretchy Band songs and activities and I am thrilled to compile them here, in a blog post.

Keep reading to learn more about Lena Leon and the 6 Stretchy Band songs and activity ideas she has shared!

 

Lena Leon — "The Crafter Teacher"

It has been a pleasure connecting with Lena the last few months over social media as she not only shares Stretchy Band songs and activities but other movement ideas and resources as well. It's easy to see her passion for teaching in the videos and the genuine love and care she has for her students is beautiful and inspiring. Here is a little bit about why Lena calls herself "The Crafter Teacher":

"Hey Everyone!
A few of you have been asking me why I call myself “the crafter teacher” when I’m not even an art teacher lol. Fair enough, fair enough. Bear with me, it’s not about being crafty in the traditional sense. In my little corner of the world, I see myself as someone who tries, every day, to tailor and craft the learning journey to each of my unique and wonderful students. It’s like being a crafter for the mind, putting together music lessons that fit each student, with all the love and care in the world I can possibly bring to my classroom every day. SO these are a few of the things that are VERY close to my heart, and that’s why I feel I am a crafter teacher:

  • Personal touch: I believe every student shines in their own way, and I do my best to make sure the learning fits them, not the other way around. Even though I fail sometimes.
  • Creativity: If possible, I try to sprinkle a bit of magic into our lessons.
  • Diving deep: I’m always diving deep into the ocean of knowledge, hoping to light up their eyes with wonder.
  • Connections: More than anything, I want each of my students to feel seen, heard, and supported.
  • Forever a Student: The world is my classroom, and I’m constantly learning new ways to bring joy into our music class.
  • Flexibility Is Key: If one path doesn’t work out, I’m all about finding another.
  • Growing: It’s not just about the mind; it’s about nurturing the heart.
  • Passions: If I can light even a super mini tiny spark of passion for learning music in my students, then I feel like I’ve done something truly meaningful.

So, here I am, just another crafter teacher on her journey of learning, hoping to make a tiny little bit of a difference.
Here’s to the magic of teaching and the joy of learning, shared together."

6 Stretchy Band Songs and Activity Ideas from Music Teacher, Lena Leon.
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6 Stretchy Band Songs — Perfect Music-Based Activities with the Stretchy Band!

The Stretchy Band songs listed below were shared by Lena Leon @the_crafter_teacher.

All of these Stretchy Band songs and activities are not only fun but also target a variety of skills and goal areas. With the Row Your Boat activity, Lena and her 1st grade class explored the changes in tempo: Adagio, Moderato and Allegro. The children did a great job listening and responding to the music. This also helped train their internal hearing since they sang the song in their heads. While using The Pianists song with the Stretchy Band, Lena and her class rotated the Stretchy Band in opposite directions while also incorporating up and down movements depending on the section of the song.

I have to say, I think my favorite Stretchy Band song and activity shared by Lena so far is Mary Poppins (Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious). I never would have thought to use that song with the Stretchy Band! She also incorporated two Stretchy Bands into this activity. Lena had students using an XL Stretchy Band and then put students in the middle with a size Large Stretchy Band. This adds an extra element of fun and encourages active participation.

A few of the other skills Stretchy Bands can help children develop include: gross and fine motor skills, spatial awareness, cognitive skills, social skills, creativity/creative expression, and listening skills. With a large group of students Stretchy Band activities can also encourage and assist with teamwork, turn taking, and sharing.

Each of the photos below are clickable and will take you directly to the video. That way you can see these Stretchy Band songs and activities in action!

A Special Coupon Code to Save on Movement Props

If you don't have your own Stretchy Band yet, you can click here to shop our different size options. You can also use the code LENA10 to save 10% on your entire purchase!

For links to Lena's TPT store, YouTube Channel, Amazon Store, and a link to subscribe to her email list, click here.

I hope you and your kiddos enjoy these Stretchy Band songs and activities, if you share any photos or videos on social media be sure to tag us @bearpawcreek and @the_crafter_teacher. We love seeing our products in use and I'm sure Lena would love to see her activity ideas in action.

As Lena said, "Here’s to the magic of teaching and the joy of learning, shared together."

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 6 Stretchy Band Songs and Activity Ideas from Music Teacher, Lena Leon 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.

    ]]>         Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers https://musicandmovementproducts.com/boom-tote-storage-bag-for-boomwhackers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=boom-tote-storage-bag-for-boomwhackers Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:07:32 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=61128 Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers® Have you ever played with Boomwhackers®? Have you ever tried to keep them organized? You wouldn't think a bunch of little tubes could be so hard to keep together but it's like they have a mind of their own. […]

    The post Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

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    Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers®

    Have you ever played with Boomwhackers®?

    Have you ever tried to keep them organized? You wouldn't think a bunch of little tubes could be so hard to keep together but it's like they have a mind of their own. They just keep...rolling.

    There is a solution: The Boom Tote, a Boomwhacker® storage bag with a closeable drawstring top to make them all stay in one place and a mesh top so you can see the colorful Boomwhackers®. Plus, a zippered pocket for your extras!

    Keep reading for more details on the Boom Tote for Boomwhackers® plus a fun giveaway with Haleigh at Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy.

     

    The Boom Tote for Boomwhackers®

    Back in 2012 a friend, Michelle Erfurt MT-BC, reached out to us with the idea of the Boom Tote. She says, “I happened to have a standard set of Boomwhackers® but had a hard time carrying them around. So, I made the Boom Tote. I guess the saying 'Necessity is the mother of invention' is true! Thank you so much for checking out the Boom Tote, I know it will help you carry around your instruments.”

    The Boom Tote storage bag can hold a full octave (or 8 Boomwhackers®). It has a gusseted fabric bottom which extends the fabric area on the bottom allowing the Boomwhackers® to fit well. The drawstring has a cord lock to keep the bag securely closed and features a mesh upper section so that your instruments are visible. The Boom Tote also as adjustable shoulder straps for easy carrying.

    The outer zippered pocket on the Boom Tote is large enough to easily hold a set of Octovator™ Tube Caps, keys, wallet or business cards. The Boom Tote measures 9" x 29"  with the pocket measuring 6.5" x 8" x 2". One of the best parts, the Boom Tote is machine washable!

    We discontinued the Boom Tote for several years while we worked on redesigning it. With several requests and people reaching out asking when it would be available again, we worked hard to finalize the design and are excited to have this product back on our website! With the help of our Bear Paw Creek Insider's group, we decided to stick with black for the Boom Tote. By keeping the Boom Tote black, it really allows the colors of the Boomwhackers® to pop.

    If you're interested in learning more about Boomwhackers®, how they work, and what they're used for, you can check out the About Us page on www.boomwhackers.com. This article also has some great information on Boomwhackers® and their history.

    Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers® — Finally back on the Bear Paw Creek website!
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    Boom Tote and Boomwhackers® Giveaway!

    You know we LOVE giveaways here at Bear Paw Creek. So, to celebrate this product being newly released (again), we're doing a giveaway!

    Bear Paw Creek and Helpful Harmonies Music Therapy are teaming up to give away:

    • A Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers®
    • A C Major Diatonic Scale of Boomwhackers®

    The Boom Tote giveaway is open up to those in the USA and Internationally! To get the details on how to enter for you chance to win, check out our post on Instagram or Facebook. (HINT: You can enter both places for even more entries!)

    Best Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers Boomwhacker Organization Music Educators Music Teacher Resources for Music Therapists

    This giveaway ends on March 11th, 2024 at 11:59 pm CST. One winner will be drawn and announced on March 12th, 2024. Bear Paw Creek will contact you directly if you have won and will NOT require a payment method of any kind, so please be wary of any strange messages requesting payment info!

    If you're like me and want the most giveaway entries as possible, enter your name and email below for an automatic 5 bonus entries. Good luck to everyone and thank you for your continued support!

    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 Boom Tote Storage Bag for Boomwhackers 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) […]

    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.

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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.

    ]]>         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.

    ]]>         “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 […]

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

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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.

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