Counting My Blessings
As the school year is winding to a close, I'm sharing a song and video resource with you. In my opinion, this is the best creative movement song for scarves ever created. It is extremely quick and easy to learn and a hit with kids year round.
This song is being provided as a FREE download! Keep reading to get to the link, or scan the QR code in the video.
For a little bit of background information about the video, I'm going to tell you about two tremendous blessings that have transpired in the last couple of years. Both involve virtual relationships, although thankfully I have had in-person interactions with these special people as well.
Story Behind the Song & Video
Blessing #1: I learned how to structure effective learning experiences virtually and have become a master at using a green screen on multiple virtual learning platforms. As a result of this, I've had the opportunity to teach a long distance "music class" with my nieces in Missouri. Sadie and Skylar are the youngest children of my sister, the founder of Bear Paw Creek.
Blessing #2: The second relationship that has evolved is a virtual friendship and collaboration with Stephanie Leavell over at Music for Kiddos. Stephanie is a prolific producer of high-quality, "non-cheesy" children's music who is also a board certified music therapist. In 2021, I collaborated with Music for Kiddos to produce and market my view-on-demand course titled "Literacy for Littles: Using Music to Develop Reading & Communication Skills."
I am also a member of the Music for Kiddos online community, an extremely supportive and active group of professionals dedicated to helping our youngest citizens thrive in all areas of development. I can't put into words how wonderful this community has been. Through that community, I was introduced to my all-time favorite scarf song for creative movement—"Blowing in the Wind." True Story: Stephanie wrote the song with her daughter!
Skills Targeted & Building a Foundation for Handwriting
The song has a unique sound in a minor key and is SO easy to learn. Kids love this song and frequently request it by name. As always, there is also a lot of learning going on. This song incorporates these skills:
- directional concepts (foundation for literacy, click here to learn more)
- crossing midline (important skill for learning to read and write)
- creative movement (simply imitate any movement the child initiates)
- fine motor skills (needed to scrunch the scarf into a little ball)
- impulse control to WAIT until it's time to throw (so far, EVERY SINGLE CHILD has experienced success with waiting for the right time to throw the scarf. This isn't by chance, but is made possible by embedded musical cues.)
You may have noticed that Sadie (7 years old) and I are both forming a "figure 8" with the scarf. This is also called a "lemniscate" or a "Lazy 8" in Brain Gym. Believe it or not, this an incredibly effective way to work on handwriting skills. By starting with a gross motor movement that crosses midline and forms circles both to the right and the left, we are laying the foundation for motions that are needed for the fine motor skill of handwriting. If you are interested in learning more, check out this video on "Lazy 8s & Alphabet 8s."
Here is a quick video of Sadie singing the song after hearing it only three times! I have had the same thing happen with kids who have a speech delay. It's just that memorable and easy to learn. Oh, and stick around to the end of see little Miss Skylar (23 months) who is "so cute." If you watch closely in the full length video, you will notice that she is ALSO singing the words.
Link to a FREE mp3 Download
Where can you find this song? Lucky for both of us, Stephanie Leavell is extremely generous with her talents and song treasures. Click here for your own free download of the lyrics, chords AND mp3 recording!