Sensory Integration Archives - Bear Paw Creek Movement props, bags and totes made in the USA. Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:33:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-Bear-Paw-Creek-Full-Color-Icon-Round-Crop-100x100.png Sensory Integration Archives - Bear Paw Creek 32 32 Fall Canopy Scarf Activity with Songs https://musicandmovementproducts.com/fall-canopy-scarf-activity-with-songs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fall-canopy-scarf-activity-with-songs Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:33:50 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=65196 Fall Canopy Scarf Activity and Songs If you're looking for a quick, easy, and fun fall Canopy Scarf activity, we have a great one to share with you! Plus, a few songs that you can pair with the activity idea. A few benefits of the […]

The post Fall Canopy Scarf Activity with Songs appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]>

Fall Canopy Scarf Activity and Songs

If you're looking for a quick, easy, and fun fall Canopy Scarf activity, we have a great one to share with you! Plus, a few songs that you can pair with the activity idea.

A few benefits of the Canopy Scarf:

  • Visually and tactilely stimulating
  • A great relaxation tool
  • Folds to a small size (highly portable)
  • Lightweight and see-through
  • Available in multiple colors

Keep reading to learn more about the activity, a link to a Spotify playlist, and video links with more song ideas.

 

Fall Leaves on a Bear Paw Creek Canopy Scarf

Our 9-foot Canopy Scarves function like a parachute, but are less stimulating and provide a calmer experience. This fall Canopy Scarf activity involves using some fall leaves, like these on Amazon, and placing them on top of the Canopy Scarf. I have also seen a few people make their fall leaves out of felt, which could be a great addition to the activity if you have kids or adults capable of safely using scissors to cut leaf shapes out of colorful felt. Allowing an opportunity to practice and encourage fine motor skills.

You can then experiment with different movements, such as up and down, side to side. Try lifting the canopy high and bringing it down fast to get the leaves to float in the air. A benefit of the Canopy Scarf is its see-through material. This allows you to have some kids sit or lie underneath the canopy while you move it around and get the leaves to swirl and float! Another idea is to see if any leaves fall off as you're doing different movements. If they do, you can pause and count how many are left on top in between each up and down section. A great way to practice those counting skills!

Keep reading for some song suggestions to pair with this fall Canopy Scarf activity!

Fall Canopy Scarf Activity and Songs
Share on X

Songs to Pair With the Fall Canopy Scarf Activity Idea

We have a Spotify Playlist with some song ideas from a few of our favorites, such as Stephanie Leavell at Music for Kiddos, Patina Jackson at Music Therapy Joy, and Laurie Berkner. If you have any songs that we should add to this playlist, feel free to send them our way! Be sure to follow us on Spotify and save this playlist for later. Below are a few videos with some song suggestions.

"Toss the Leaves", shown below by Sandra Hendrickson, can also be used with the Stretchy Band! To learn more about that, check out this blog post. Sandra also has a Free Stretchy Band Activity for "Toss the Leaves" Fall Movement Lesson available. Not only would you learn how to use the song with the Stretchy Band, but it would also give ideas on how to pair the song with the fall Canopy Scarf Activity.

Be sure to follow us @bearpawcreek on Facebook and Instagram, and tag us in any videos or pictures if you end up trying this activity!

 

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 Fall Canopy Scarf Activity with Songs appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> 4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas from Elementary Music Teacher Lena Leon https://musicandmovementproducts.com/stretchy-band-activity-ideas-from-elementary-music-teacher-lena-leon/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stretchy-band-activity-ideas-from-elementary-music-teacher-lena-leon Tue, 22 Jul 2025 16:18:53 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=62863 4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas from Elementary Music Teacher Lena Leon We're back with four more Stretchy Band activity ideas from elementary music teacher, Lena Leon! From opposites, slow and fast, flowers blooming, and roly poly, Lena shares some of the best song and activity […]

The post 4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas from Elementary Music Teacher Lena Leon appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]>

4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas from Elementary Music Teacher Lena Leon

We're back with four more Stretchy Band activity ideas from elementary music teacher, Lena Leon!

From opposites, slow and fast, flowers blooming, and roly poly, Lena shares some of the best song and activity ideas on her Instagram page, @the_crafter_teacher. We love her creativity when it comes to incorporating our movement props in her classroom. It is also clear in the videos she shares that her students love the activities as well.

Keep reading to learn all about the 4 Stretchy Band activity ideas!

4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas from Elementary Music Teacher Lena Leon
Share on X

4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas

Activity #1: "Slow and Fast" by Hap Palmer

With this Stretchy Band activity, Lena and her students sat in a circle on the floor while playing the song "Slow and Fast" by Hap Palmer. The music starts very calm and quiet as the students lift the band up and down in time with the music. Then, the song switches from slow to fast! Students rotate the band around and around as fast as they can in time with the music. This activity encourages listening skills, teamwork, and gross motor skills. Not to mention, the quick change in tempo always excites students as they race to get the band around as fast as their hands can go.

Activity #2: "Cross Dance" by Shenanigans

To create a fun and expressive music and movement activity, Lena used two Stretchy Bands (size Large and Extra Large) at the same time. Two groups sat in circles on the floor, the group with the XL Stretchy Band sat on the outside while the group with the Large Stretchy Band sat within the bigger circle. This activity is perfect for practicing active listening skills. While the song "Cross Dance" played, students had to listen to each section to do the following actions. A section: represented flowers blooming/move front, move back. B section: represented the wind blowing the pollen away/pass around to the right, then to the left.

Activity #3: Roly Poly, Roly Poly

Everyone stands in a circle holding on to the Stretchy Band for this activity. Lena stood in the middle while everyone chanted this fun Roly Poly song: "Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up! Roly poly, roly poly down, down, down. Roly poly, roly poly, wait, wait, wait. Roly poly, roly poly, POP!" On each roly poly section, the students walked around in a circle. As the song continued, they had to listen carefully for the action, on up, up, up, the students lifted the Stretchy band up in the air. On down, they went down low to the floor. With wait, they had to freeze. When the POP came, everyone let go of the band!

Activity #4: Opposites Chant

"This is high, high, high! This is low, low, low. This is fast, fast, fast! This slow, slow, slow. This is soft, soft, soft. This is strong, strong, strong! This is wait, wait, wait. This is...let go!" This song and activity encourages active listening skills, teamwork and group participation, and also helps teach opposites. The opposites chant could be done with different group sizes, but would also work well in a one-on-one setting using a small Stretchy Band or Connect-a-Stretchy Band.

Videos of the Stretchy Band Activities in Action

Linked below are videos of all 4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas in action! Just in case you missed the other blog post with more ideas, The Crafter Teacher, you can check out 6 Stretchy Band Songs and Activity Ideas from Music Teacher, Lena Leon.

If you don't have your own Stretchy Band and are interested in getting one, you can check them out here.

Let us know what your favorite activity is if you end up trying them out! And, if you have more ideas you would like to share, tag us in your photos and videos on our Instagram and Facebook @bearpawcreek. We love to see our props in action and are so inspired by the creativity you all have when it comes to music and movement activities!

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 4 Stretchy Band Activity Ideas from Elementary Music Teacher Lena Leon appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> 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 […]

The post Top 3 Movement Props with Activity Ideas for Music and Movement Month appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]>

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
Share on X

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.

The post Top 3 Movement Props with Activity Ideas for Music and Movement Month appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]> 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 […]

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

]]>

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
Share on X

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.

]]> 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 […]

The post 6 Stretchy Band Songs and Activity Ideas from Music Teacher, Lena Leon appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

]]>

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.
Share on X

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 […]

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

]]>

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
Share on X

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!

Free Rainbow 'Round Me Printable!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.
    Built with ConvertKit
    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.

    ]]>         Five Winter Scarf Songs for Music and Movement https://musicandmovementproducts.com/five-winter-scarf-songs-for-music-and-movement-circle-time-songs-for-kids-best-creative-movement-scarves/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=five-winter-scarf-songs-for-music-and-movement-circle-time-songs-for-kids-best-creative-movement-scarves Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:21:27 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=60919 Five Winter Scarf Songs for Music and Movement I have been seeing so many great winter scarf songs and activities on social media and thought I would compile a list of just a few of my favorites. It's always fun to do seasonal activities with […]

    The post Five Winter Scarf Songs for Music and Movement appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>

    Five Winter Scarf Songs for Music and Movement

    I have been seeing so many great winter scarf songs and activities on social media and thought I would compile a list of just a few of my favorites. It's always fun to do seasonal activities with our creative movement props and our friends on social media always have great ideas!

    Our scarves have been growing in popularity and have quickly become one of our best-selling products. From individual scarves in varying sizes to creative movement scarf kits, we have several different options that can fit your needs. Here is the list of five of my favorite winter scarf songs:

    • "Cozy" by Narwhals and Waterfalls
    • "Make a Snowball" by Miss Katie Sings
    • "Dance Like Snowflakes" by Jbrary
    • "Blowing in the Wind" by Stephanie Leavell
    • "Swirling and Twirling" by Patina Jackson

    Keep reading for details on how these songs can be used with our creative movement scarves along with links and video resources for each one!

    1. "Cozy" A Winter Scarf Song by Narwhals and Waterfalls

    Our new friends Paige and Adrian at Narwhals and Waterfalls wrote an adorable song called "Cozy" that is perfect to use with creative movement scarves. It's also a good family-friendly song to sing together at home during this cozy season. This song goes through all things winter. From warm jackets, hats and gloves, to playing outside in the snow, to hot chocolate and cookies, it's an interactive and engaging song that pairs well with scarves.

    Click the YouTube video linked on the right to watch the official "Cozy" video and read the lyrics. You can also check out the two videos Paige shared on Instagram that demonstrate this winter scarf song in action. Click here to watch the first video and here to watch the second! Be sure to follow Narwhals and Waterfalls on social media and check out their website for more great learning resources.

    2. "Make a Snowball" A Scarf Circle Time Song for Kids by Miss Katie Sings

    I ran across Miss Katie's YouTube channel a couple of weeks ago and found this fun winter scarf song that has you make a snowball with your scarf. At the end of the song she has you throw your "snowball" up into the air!

    This song encourages active participation and is great for practicing important listening skills as well as following directions. Plus, who doesn't love making a snowball, getting to throw it up in the air and then watch it fall slowly back to the ground.

    You could add another element of fun by having each child pick a different colored scarf. Then, when it's time to throw the snowball, call out a color and that child would throw their scarf up in the air. This would add the skill of sharing of taking turns while also learning or practicing color recognition.

    Be sure to check out the rest of Miss Katie's videos on her YouTube channel. You can also check out her website and Patreon community as well as her Instagram page for more songs and videos.

    3. "Dance Like Snowflakes" A Winter Scarf Song from Jbrary

    I love Jbrary's resources and was excited to run across this Scarf Songs and Rhymes playlist they created, which is where I found their video for "Dance Like Snowflakes". This winter scarf song is called "Dance Like Snowflakes" and is sung in the tune of Frere Jacques.

    The lyrics are: Dance like snowflakes, dance like snowflakes. In the air, in the air. Whirling, twirling snowflakes. Whirling, twirling snowflakes. Everywhere, everywhere.

    This song could easily be adapted to use while sitting or standing. You could have your children or students sit and sing this song while doing the arm and hand movements shown in the video. Or, allow them to stand and move their whole body while dancing like snowflakes with their creative movement scarves.

    For more music and movement resources along with great book suggestions for story time success, go to Jbray's website. You can also subscribe to their YouTube channel and follow them on Instagram for more inspiration.

    4. "Blowing in the Wind" by Stephanie Leavell at Music for Kiddos

    "Blowing in the Wind" by Stephanie Leavell at Music for Kiddos is one of the best scarf songs ever, and for good reason! This isn't just a good winter scarf song but can also be used year-round. I have seen some fun fall/halloween adaptions and it also fits in well during spring and summer.

    "Blowing in the Wind" is very catchy, making it easy to learn! As an added bonus, there is a lot of learning going on when using the song. Oftentimes kids don't even realize that they are practicing important skills, they're too busy having fun.

    Check out this blog post from Miss Kathy at Tuneful Teaching to learn more about the skills targeted in this versatile scarf song. You can click the linked video shared by Miss Kathy to see how scarves are used with the song and can also click here to watch the "Blowing in the Wind" lyric video.

    Stephanie has generously allowed this song to be a free download! Click here to get your free Blowing in the Wind download.

    Be sure to follow Music for Kiddos on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel. If you haven't taken time to look through all of the incredible resources available on musicforkiddos.com, you definitely should. Stephanie is well known for her high-quality children's music resources for music therapists, music educators, and parents.

    5. "Swirling and Twirling" by Patina Jackson at Music Therapy Joy

    When I first saw this video on Music Therapy Joy's Instagram I thought right away, "That would be a PERFECT scarf song!". I love Patina's writing and music style and am excited to share this one with you.

    "Swirling and Whirling" is about a snowflakes journey as it falls to earth. Patina wrote, "As I was writing this song, I was imagining the journey of a softly falling snowflake… but no sooner had it landed than a gust of wind picked it up! It swirled and twirled and whizzed and whirled (can you picture snow swirling in the wind??) and started to land, but was picked back up…and started to land but was picked back up… til it finally found its home in a blanket of white!

    By having your children or students use a scarf, they can mimic the actions of the snowflake by twirling it around. Left to right, up and down, twisting all around! You could either have your students sit for this song and just follow the movements with their arms and hands. Or, you could have them stand and move their whole body with the scarf like the snowflake. I love the anticipation in this song as well, it starts slow and smooth and then speeds up as the snowflake is moving faster and faster.

    To listen to "Swirling and Twirling" on Spotify, click here. Be sure to follow Music Therapy Joy on Facebook and Instagram. For even more teaching and learning resources, check out the Music Therapy Joy website! Patina also recently started a YouTube channel that you definitely want to subscribe to. With Patina's positive energy and infectious joy, your kiddos or students will love watching her videos and will be having fun while learning.

    Winter Scarf Songs for Circle Time and Music Class

    I hope you enjoy these five winter scarf songs and find them useful and fun for you next music class, circle time, library story time, music therapy session, or just at home with your kids.

    To get your own creative movement scarves or to add to your scarf collection, check out our Individual Chiffon Scarves here or our Creative Movement Scarf Kits.

    If you have more scarf activity or song ideas, feel free to send them to us! You can email us at info@bearpawcreek.com or DM us on Facebook or Instagram. If you use any of these songs with our scarves, be sure to tag us @bearpawcreek and the song artist. We love seeing videos and pictures of our products in use and are thankful for the opportunity to provide you with quality music and movement resources.

    I also want to say a big thank you to all of the amazing artists mentioned above. They are wonderful people and we are so thankful for their willingness to share inspiring and educational songs with all of us.

    Now, go have fun with some scarves and winter songs!

    Blog Post by Bear Paw Creek: Winter Scarf Songs for Music and Movement
    Share on X

    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 Five Winter Scarf Songs for Music and Movement 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.

    ]]>

    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
    Share on X

    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.

    ]]>         New Book and Creative Movement Scarf Set with Once Upon a Dance https://musicandmovementproducts.com/new-book-creative-movement-scarf-set-once-upon-a-dance-music-movement-activities-preschoolers-kindergarteners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-book-creative-movement-scarf-set-once-upon-a-dance-music-movement-activities-preschoolers-kindergarteners Mon, 06 Nov 2023 21:34:33 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=60674 New Book and Creative Movement Scarf Set with Once Upon a Dance We have collaborated with our friends at Once Upon a Dance to bring you a new book and creative movement scarf set. Kids will love dancing along with Tammy, Ballerina Konora, and their […]

    The post New Book and Creative Movement Scarf Set with Once Upon a Dance appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>

    New Book and Creative Movement Scarf Set with Once Upon a Dance

    We have collaborated with our friends at Once Upon a Dance to bring you a new book and creative movement scarf set. Kids will love dancing along with Tammy, Ballerina Konora, and their new friends in this sweet adventure that’s perfect for preschool, 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.

    Keep reading to learn more about this new book and creative movement scarf set!

    "Tammy the Troll: A Dance in the Forest" Children's Book by Once Upon a Dance

    Tammy the Troll: A Dance in the Forest is the first book in a series of prop-based movement stories that take kids on an imaginative journey using objects such as parachutes, bean bags, cushions, or balloons. In Tammy the Troll: A Dance in the Forest, readers are invited to stretch, spin, jump and more as they act out the journey to find Tammy. This book uses scarves and instructs the kids to use it as a backpack, paddle, butterfly wings, a towel, and a pillow which enhances the fun and allows children to explore movements, dance fundamentals, and early-learning concepts.

    The book and creative movement scarf set is ideal for ages 3-6. As you read through the book and kids move along with the diverse characters, they explore levels, direction, spatial awareness, emotions, balance, movement quality, and more. The movements and concepts you will find in the book are:

    Included Movements:

    • Tiptoe • Forward Stretch • March • Squat • Spin • Crawl • Jumping Turn • Toe Tap • Flex/Point • Sashay/Chassé • Lifted Leg Side/Front • Bow/Curtsy • Roll • Twist

    Featured Concepts: 

    • Identifying Body Parts • Shoulder/Arm/Wrist/Finger/Neck Isolation • Direction: Forward/Backward/Sideways • Levels • Shapes • Movement Quality • Tactile Sensation • Cross Lateral Movement • Emotions • Following/Personal Space

    Dance stories are a wonderful way to combine books and movement for kids who love both. 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. If you’re a caregiver, daycare provider, or teacher working with preschoolers, kindergarteners, or first-graders, your kids will love this active adventure. Tammy the Troll is a collaboration with Pacific Northwest Ballet instructor Dina McDermott, who used this story in her creative movement classes for decades.

    New Book and Creative Movement Scarf Set with Once Upon a Dance and Bear Paw Creek
    Share on X

    Creative Movement Scarves

    We always love finding music and books that fit well with our products and are so excited that Tammy the Troll encourages participation with creative movement scarves throughout the entire book. Our brightly colored chiffon scarves provide visual and kinesthetic reinforcement as they move through space with beautiful and flowing movement. They can help reinforce concepts of shape, size, colors, space, and also encourage active participation and hands on learning.

    A few of the skills the book explores while using creative movement scarves are:

    • Direction
    • Spatial Awareness
    • Balance
    • Listening Skills
    • Hand-eye coordination

    Scarf play is also a wonderful sensory activity that can benefit children of all ages and even adults. Swaying scarves along with music can encourage self-regulations skills while tossing scarves back-and-forth helps in the development of fine motor skills. Using creative movement scarves to hide objects helps develop focus and memory skills. Using scarves while dancing and following cues enhances listening skills. Creative movement scarves are an open-ended tool of infinite possibilities, limited only by the user’s imagination!

    Book and Creative Movement Scarf Set

    The book and creative movement scarf set combines all of the wonderful activities and learning opportunities in Tammy the Troll with all of the benefits of creative movement scarves into one literacy and movement bundle.

    You can click here to check out the book and creative movement scarf set. To celebrate, it's on sale for a limited time!

    If you're a teacher with a large class size or a parent with multiple children and need more than the two scarves in the kit, you can order more individual scarves to fit your needs here. You can stick with the purple and green provided in the kit or, you can get creative by expanding your scarf colors with the many options we have available.

    Be sure to check out Once Upon a Dance and all of their other amazing creative movement stories. You can follow them on Facebook and Instagram as well to be notified when they release more books. If you use the book and creative movement scarf set with your children or students, be sure to tag us @bearpawcreek if you share any photos or videos. We would love to see the set in action!

    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 Book and Creative Movement Scarf Set with Once Upon a Dance 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 […]

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

    ]]>

    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!
    Share on X

    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.

    ]]>