I Have a Bean Bag

by | Listen & Learn Music

I Have a Bean Bag Album Cover

This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned what a HUGE fan I am of the movement props created by Bear Paw Creek. Their stretchy bands and connect-a-bands are both staples in my collection, and I just recently added their bean bags as well.

There are so many ways to incorporate bean bags into my music therapy sessions and early childhood music classes, but I knew exactly how I wanted to introduce them for the first time — with a brand new song, of course :)

I wrote “I Have a Bean Bag” with several goals in mind: listening skills, body part identification, and imitation. An added bonus skill this song addresses is balancing, which is funny to watch my kiddos try to do once they’ve placed the bean bag on the correct body part.

Although this song was written with bean bags in mind, I’ve already adapted it for scarves in bigger groups where I don’t have enough bean bags to go around (yet!).

A special thanks goes to Janet Stephens, owner and creator of the products at Bear Paw Creek, for her support of Listen & Learn Music. Everything in her shop is made right here in the U.S.A. and is of the utmost quality. Please check out her movement props and other resources if you haven’t already!

The Body Song

by | Resources & Tips

I’m currently on maternity leave, and some of my colleagues have been kind enough to share their expertise through guest posts throughout the summer. The following comes to you from Michelle Erfurt, MT-BC.

This is the “Body Song” from Psalty’s Singing Song Book. Just like the name implies, the song talks about the purpose of a few body parts… the eyes, brain, heart, arms and ears. In this video, I share the song and an activity tip.

Listen to the recorded version here.

Michelle Erfurt

Michelle holds a B.S. in Music Therapy from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania as well as nationally recognized Board Certification. Michelle has also completed specialized trainings in Neurologic Music Therapy and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Music Therapy. She currently provides music therapy clinical services at Treasure Coast Hospice. Michelle also serves as the Membership Committee Chairperson and Student Advisor for the South Eastern Regional chapter of the American Music Therapy Association. Michelle also shares her tips for other music therapists through her blog, Music Therapy Tween.

 
 

The Five Senses

by | Uncategorized

The Five Senses

Writing this song was meant to be, as I found out upon returning from Europe last week. First, my sister-in-law asked me if I had a song about the five senses (for my nephew’s classroom) on the way home from the airport, and then I came home to an email from a reader requesting this very topic. Fate, I tell you!

I had fun writing this song, and envision it being used interactively. During the middle section, the verse just SCREAMS for the song to be paused so that students can identify what they see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. You’ll understand what I mean once you take a listen:


With school in full swing for most kiddos, I’m expecting lots of requests for songs that are educational in nature. That makes my job much easier, since it takes a little more effort to come up with new and in-demand topics during the summer months.

‘Dem Bones, ‘Dem Bones

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

How about a Halloween song that almost everyone knows, or at least has heard once or twice? It’s actually an old spiritual, but over the years has become a staple for this time of year. Most of my students instantly recognize this when I begin singing or playing one of the many versions that has been recorded for children.

My favorite is in the style of a barbershop quartet, and you can find it on the album Wee Sing for Halloween. What’s great about “Dry Bones” is that it doubles as a fun way to work on body part identification.

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around,
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around,
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around,
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

The head bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the foot bone,
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

I usually pass out rhythm sticks for this song, and yesterday, one of my students did the cutest, most clever thing with them. She made a “skeleton” out of an entire tub of sticks, and then pointed to each different “bone” as it was sung. Seriously, these kids never cease to amaze me.

Fall Into Fall (Part 2)

by | Uncategorized

This is a song I wrote last year, and I was happy to take it back out this fall. This song can be used to reinforce location of body parts, while at the same time teaching that not all scarecrows are scary. It was inspired by the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz — one of my favorite movies of all time — and I picture him every time I sing it. I bet you will, too!

Out in the field in a row of corn,
Stands a scarecrow so forlorn.
Crows on his head and crows on his feet,
He’s the saddest scarecrow you’ll ever meet.

Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Crows on his head and crows on his feet,
He’s the saddest scarecrow you’ll ever meet.

Out in the field in a row of corn,
Stands a scarecrow so forlorn.
Crows on his elbows and crows on his knees,
The scarecrow’s even scared of a little breeze.

Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Crows on his elbows and crows on his knees,
The scarecrow’s even scared of a little breeze.

Out in the field in a row of corn,
Stands a scarecrow so forlorn.
Crows on his nose and crows on his ears,
The scarecrow’s crying scarecrow tears.

Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Crows on his nose and crows on his ears,
The scarecrow’s crying scarecrow tears.