Streamers Archives - Bear Paw Creek Movement props, bags and totes made in the USA. Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:05:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-Bear-Paw-Creek-Full-Color-Icon-Round-Crop-100x100.png Streamers Archives - Bear Paw Creek 32 32 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.

]]> 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.

    ]]>         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.

    ]]>

    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!
    Share on X

    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.

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

    The post Music and Movement Month 2023 Recap appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>

    Music and Movement Month 2023 Recap

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

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

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

    8 Scarf and Ribbon Movement Activities

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

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

    10 Bean Bag Activities for Music and Movement

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

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

    Best Parachute Movement Actvities for Music Class

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

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

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

    Fun Balloon Ball Music and Movement Activities

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

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

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

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

    Thank You for Celebrating Music and Movement Month!

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

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

    Check out all of the amazing resources, movement props, teaching tips, and more shared during Music and Movement Month 2023!
    Share on X

    Bear Paw Creek Music and Movement Month The Benefits of Music and Movement for Early Childhood Development Best Music Education Teaching Tools Movement Props
    Madison Stephens

    Madison Stephens

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

    The post Music and Movement Month 2023 Recap appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>         9 Different Creative Movement Streamer Options https://musicandmovementproducts.com/9-different-creative-movement-streamer-options/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=9-different-creative-movement-streamer-options Tue, 11 Apr 2023 23:02:42 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=59898 9 Different Creative Movement Streamer Options from Bear Paw Creek Have you ever wondered what kind of creative movement streamer options we have available? Our streamers have been one of our top best selling creative movement props since the beginning. Currently, we have nine different […]

    The post 9 Different Creative Movement Streamer Options appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>

    9 Different Creative Movement Streamer Options from Bear Paw Creek

    Have you ever wondered what kind of creative movement streamer options we have available?

    Our streamers have been one of our top best selling creative movement props since the beginning. Currently, we have nine different kinds of streamers to fit your needs.

    Creative movement streamers are great fun for dynamic movement activities and dance! Sold in sets of six with chiffon scarf or ribbon choices, either a plastic hoop or fabric wrist scrunchie option, and a drawstring storage bag. You can also buy them individually to fit your needs.

    Keep reading to view all of the different streamer options!

    Creative Movement Streamers

    Rainbow Ribbon Hoop Streamers

    These creative movement streamers are made with a plastic hoop and vibrant colored ribbon. Each hoop has six ribbons in the rainbow colors. One red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.

    Children and adults love to use these for a variety of movement activities. The bright and fun colors are sure to bring excitement to your classroom and are even great for virtual sessions.

    Click here to check them out! 

    Rainbow Chiffon Hoop Streamers

    The Rainbow Chiffon Hoop Streamers are also made with a plastic hoop but instead of ribbon, these are made with a soft, flowing chiffon. The material is very similar to our creative movement scarves. Some children and adults prefer the softness of the chiffon over the ribbon.

    These streamers are fun to use with slower songs as the chiffon is more "gentle" and flows smoothly through the air. However, you can still get them going with a fast song as you spin and twirl them as quickly as you can.

    Click here to check them out!

    Primary Color Chiffon Hoop Streamers 

    These streamers are a fun variation of our Rainbow Chiffon Hoop Streamers, the primary color options make it fun to separate students and do call-to-action activities. One child can have the red streamer, another can have the blue, and so on. You can then call out actions such as "Red, jump up and down!", "Blue go side-to-side".

    If you are working one-on-one, you can also allow the client to choose their preferred color. Just like allowing a client to choose their favorite music, allowing them to choose their favorite color movement prop can provide higher motivation and focus.

    Check out the Primary Hoop Chiffon Streamers here!

    Primary Color Ribbon Hoop Streamers 

    The Primary Color Ribbon Hoop Streamers are just like the Primary Chiffon Streamers shown above, except these are made with ribbon!

    Some people prefer the vibrant color of the ribbons over the softness of the chiffon. The ribbon streamers also tend to be used in higher energy activities since they are quick and flashy, while the chiffon streamers are soft and flow smoothly throughout the air during movement.

    Check them out here!

    DiscoverDance Ribbon Hoop Streamers

    Bear Paw Creek and DiscoverDance have teamed up several years ago to bring you an exclusive set of dynamic movement props in a jeweled color tone. The ribbons on these creative movement streamers are gorgeous!

    If you are looking for something a little bit different from the original rainbow colors, these streamers are perfect for you. You can also check out all of the other movement props in the jeweled tone colors here. We currently offer the Connect-a-Stretchy Band, Balloon Ball, Scarves, and Bean Bags in the DiscoverDance colors.

    Check out the streamers here!

    Primary Color Ribbon Wrist Scrunchie Streamers

    Our wrist scrunchie creative movement streamers are perfect for those who either lack grip strength or who struggle holding on to things. The scrunchie allows you to place the streamer around their wrist which eliminates the need to hold something and can still let the individual experiment with movement.

    Not only can you put these around your wrist, but you can also have fun placing them on different parts of your body. Such as your ankles, up to your elbow, etc.

    Check them out here! 

    Primary Color Chiffon Wrist Scrunchie Streamers

    Yet another creative movement streamer variation, these Primary Color Chiffon Wrist Scrunchie streamers are another great movement prop to add to your circle time, music therapy session, classroom activity, or at-home play.

    The fabric wrist scrunchie streamer was another idea from my fabulous sister, she discovered this need in group participation for individuals that are not able to grasp items.  They are wonderful as you can put them on your wrist, elbows, arms, or even ankles to have your hand free for other movement activities.

    Check them out here! 

    Rainbow Chiffon Wrist Scrunchie Streamers 

    This creative movement streamer option is one of my favorites! It's fun to take these and pretend that the top blue part is a cloud, and the bottom section is the colorful rainbow coming down.

    Streamers can be used for a variety of movement activities and can be adapted to fit many different needs. For streamer activity ideas and inspiration, you can check out all of the different blog posts we have on our site! Click here to check out the blog posts. 

    To check out the Rainbow Chiffon Wrist Scrunchie Streamers, click here.

    Rainbow Ribbon Wrist Scrunchie Streamers 

    Last but not least, Rainbow Ribbon Wrist Scrunchie Streamers. These are just like the ones shown above but with ribbon instead of the chiffon scarf material.

    One of the fun aspects of our creative movement streamers is that they can be used with any type of music. This makes them a versatile movement prop and allows them to be fun for people of all ages. We also offer a solid white fabric wrist scrunchie streamer that is often used by the "leader" of the class or group session. This can help signify to children that you follow the movement of the white streamer.

     

    Check out the Rainbow Ribbon Wrist Streamers here!

    Streamer Activities and Song Ideas

    Now that you have all of the different creative movement streamer options to choose from, you may be wondering, what do I do with them?

    There are so many different songs and activities that you can do with the streamers, it's so much fun to let your imagination soar when incorporating this prop into your music and movement time. It's also great to let your activities be child-led, since they often come up with new activities all on their own.  However, for those days where you lack the inspiration and just don't know what to do, you can utilize the few resources listed below.

    You can also check out the spring themed Streamer activities that Carol Hartery "Nana Carol" sent us by clicking the post on the right. I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog post all about our creative movement streamers! If you have any questions, or maybe even a fun activity idea to do with the streamers, feel free to reach out!

    Check out this list of 9 different creative movement streamer options from Bear Paw Creek.
    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 9 Different Creative Movement Streamer Options appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

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

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

    ]]>

    Music and Movement Month - Celebrating With a Giveaway!

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

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

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

     

    Music and Movement Month Giveaway & Sing Play Create

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

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

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

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

    1.) Connect-a-Stretchy Band

    2.) Set of 6 Primary Color Wrist Ribbon Streamers

    3.) Creative Movement Scarf Kit, Set of 6

    4.) Set of 6 Primary Color Square Bean Bags

    5.) Rainbow Balloon Ball

    6.) Small Play Parachute for Kids

    7.) Balloon Ball Activities for Children

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

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

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

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

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

    Click Here to Enter the Giveaway!(opens in new tab)

    Join the Celebration and Get Bonus Entries!

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

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

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

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

    It's Music and Movement Month! Click here to get the details about our BIG GIVEAWAY and find out how you can join the celebration.
    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 Music and Movement Month – Celebrating With a Giveaway! appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>         Best Creative Movement Song for Streamers https://musicandmovementproducts.com/best-creative-movement-song-for-streamers-music-and-movement-activities-kids/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-creative-movement-song-for-streamers-music-and-movement-activities-kids Fri, 31 Mar 2023 17:35:02 +0000 https://musicandmovementproducts.com/?p=59804 Best Creative Movement Song for Streamers One of the fun aspects of our creative movement streamers is that they can be used with any type of music. This makes them a versatile movement prop and allows them to be fun for people of all ages. […]

    The post Best Creative Movement Song for Streamers appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>

    Best Creative Movement Song for Streamers

    One of the fun aspects of our creative movement streamers is that they can be used with any type of music. This makes them a versatile movement prop and allows them to be fun for people of all ages. Selecting their favorite music can motivate children, teens, and adults to get excited about streamer movement activities.

    One group of professionals that has found a use for streamers is music therapists. Music therapists have discovered many creative ways to use various songs with their clients and they often use our movement props in their sessions.

    Choosing fun music makes sessions more enjoyable for both the therapist and the client. In addition, streamer activities that are used with individual clients can also be used in group music class settings. The possibilities are endless! 

    What is the Best Streamer Song for Encouraging Creative Movement?

    Kathy Schumacher, board-certified music therapist and creator of Tuneful Teaching, has discovered that Lindsey Stirling’s music works well for streamer activities. Lindsey Stirling is a violinist who writes and performs electronic violin music. Lindsey is known for dancing while she plays her violin which means that her music tends to be easy to dance to. This makes it great for music therapy movement activities. Kathy’s favorite streamer song to use with her clients and with her music class groups is “The Arena” by Lindsey Stirling. Kathy calls this song the “best streamer song ever!”

    “The Arena” works well with streamers because the song has both slow and upbeat sections. This allows many different movements to be incorporated and is also a great way to keep the participants engaged and focused on the activity. This song can be used for all age groups and in various settings. Many common streamer songs are written specifically for children, making it difficult to find songs appropriate for all age groups. “The Arena” is an instrumental song appropriate for people of all ages!

    The benefits of these streamer activities are numerous, one of them being physical activity. Whether they are sitting and just moving the streamer(s) with their arms, walking in a small circle, or jumping up and down, each participant is able to join in some way and get exercise. The various movements are beneficial for forming brain connections as well. Being able to learn the sequence of the song and respond to the song cues by moving your body in a specific way helps build executive functioning skills of working memory and sustained attention. 

    Using a movement song intentionally in this way also helps kids with sensory regulation when their bodies are starting to get wiggly and they are having trouble focusing.

    Best Creative Movement Song for Bear Paw Creek Streamers
    Share on X

    Step-by-Step Movement Instructions

    Kathy recently posted a video on her Tuneful Teaching YouTube channel to show how she uses “The Arena” with streamers in her sessions. This video was from a virtual music class session. The children, located in a completely different state from Kathy, were able to mimic Kathy’s movements on the Zoom video.

    Kathy and her students were able to dance to Lindsey’s music together using the streamers, which also created social connection and bonding. Below you will find some timestamps in the song with specific movements that Kathy has found work well when she is using “The Arena” with our streamers. These timestamps refer to the original audio for “The Arena.”

    As you can see, this song provides a great opportunity for participants to experience a variety of movements. The next time you are looking for a fun streamer activity, give “The Arena” by Lindsey Stirling a try!

    Janet Stephens

    Janet Stephens

    Janet is the founder, designer, and one of the seamstresses behind Bear Paw Creek's made in the USA line of creative movement props, and bags. She is passionate about her faith, family, and loves the journey of learning and growing this life provides.

    The post Best Creative Movement Song for Streamers appeared first on Bear Paw Creek.

    ]]>