Now that we’re all back into our school year groove, it’s time to jump into the first theme of the school year: FALL!
Ah, fall: that magical time of year when all of the leaves change colors, we go apple picking, take trips to the pumpkin patch, pull out all of our cozy sweaters…I could go on, but you get the picture! I like to bring seasonal and holiday themes into my music therapy sessions and music classes in order to change up my repertoire while still remaining goal-oriented.
Some of the goals addressed in these songs:
- Increase verbalization
- Increase knowledge related to the fall season
- Improve object identification
- Improve color identification
- Improve fine and gross motor skills
“Fall Into Fall” is a perfect introduction to the fall season. The chorus is easy and memorable for children to learn and sing along to, and the verses detail all of the unique aspects of fall. Due to the naturally repetitive nature of music and the simple lyrics, there are so many opportunities for children to practice verbalizing “fall”, that “f” sound, or even just the “all”.
Because “Fall Into Fall” is so descriptive, visual aides can be incredibly helpful in encouraging our clients and students to make the connections between the words they are hearing and the images they are seeing. Visual aides can also be used to challenge children to identify what they see. Once children are familiar with the song, I like to leave out keywords, and encourage children to fill in the blank, usually with the aid of the visuals.
One of the most popular props I use in my music therapy sessions and music classes are colored scarves. My kiddos are so obsessed, it’s not even funny! At this point, it’s a given that I have to do scarves every session or class. To incorporate the fall theme into scarves, I love the song “Falling Falling From the Trees”.
“Falling Falling From the Trees” is a relaxing and sweet song that is the perfect way to end any music therapy session or music class. The lyrics talk about the different colors of the fall leaves, and how those leaves gently drift to the ground.
As each verse discusses leaves of a specific color, I encourage clients and students to either wait and wave their scarf until they hear their color in the lyrics, or encourage them to choose a scarf from the pile that matches the lyrics. Alternatively, silk leaves of different colors can be used to add another fun fall element.
Both of these songs focus on fall and are goal-oriented! They are great introductions or reminders of fall that will keep children engaged and motivated throughout music therapy sessions or classes.
Let me know in the comments below: What are some ways you’re bringing fall into your music room?
You can listen to all of these songs in their entirety right here. Lyrics, chords, mp3, and instrumental track for these original songs are available for download. As is the case for all Listen & Learn Music creations, we invite you to adapt this song as needed to best serve your students and/or clients.
