There is no denying that summer is here in Miami.

Hot temperatures, afternoon rainstorms, staying inside to soak up the AC. Yup, summer is definitely here!

At the Children’s Resources Summer Camp, there’s a different theme for each week of camp. I love this, because it gives me a creative jumping off point for planning therapeutic music experiences. Last year, we did a Musical Game Theme, a Pirate Theme, an Ice Cream Theme and a Camping Theme that was a blast for the students.

This summer, the first theme was Hawaii.

I decided to go all out – I broke out my Hawaiian lei, my sunglasses, and of course my ukulele.

To start off, we sang an Aloha Song with the ukulele, in lieu of our usual Hello Song.

Then, we used the Rainbow Handbells to play the chords for “How Far I’ll Go” while we sang. You can find the complete instructions for facilitation here. This musical experience is a fantastic way to target attention goals.

Following that, I pulled up a YouTube video of traditional Hawaiian music. I found one that also had some pictures of Hawaii rotating through as the music played.

Then, I passed out blank paper, crayons, and colored pencils to each student.

I told the students that as they listened to the traditional Hawaiian music we were going to draw a picture of Hawaii or what we thought was being depicted in the music. For most students, it was more concrete for them to draw what was on the screen and that was just fine! They put their own spin on it, and I loved seeing all the creative touches they added: volcanoes, birds, and tropical flowers.

This activity was a way for the students to be introduced to Hawaiian music while also having the opportunity for express themselves artistically.

All the research I did for this session theme made me want to take a trip to Hawaii. Anyone else feel the same way?

The post Combining Music + Art: A Hawaiian Theme for Elementary Students appeared first on Wholesome Harmonies, LLC.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to put my summer session plans away just yet!

I love using my uke and singing about relaxing days at the beach.

There are so many creative ways to design sensory, cognitive, and movement activities around a beach theme (click here to check out some of those ideas that you can implement right away).

I have a few more ideas to share that have worked out well:

– Book ‘n Songs (aka singable stories): “Beach Day” by Karen Roosa, “Beach Feet” by Lynn Reiser, “Beach Day” by Maggie Smith, and “Summer Days and Nights” by Wong Herbert Yee…and my FAVE which I mentioned last week: “To the Beach” by Linda Ashman.

– Beach Ball: Toss the beach ball on the parachute while moving it up and down like ocean waves.

– Suntan Lotion: Rub suntan lotion on different parts of the body to work on body part recognition AND to provide oflactory stimulation (I love the smell of suntan lotion, don’t you? Takes me right to the beach.)

– Bubbles: Pop bubbles to work on finger isolation and the “p” sound as the children say “Pop pop pop!”

We have a few more weeks to enjoy some beach activities in our music therapy sessions and then it will be back to school time!

Hope you’re having a great summer and that you can use some of these ideas in your sessions this week!

The post Need More Beach Theme Ideas? appeared first on Wholesome Harmonies, LLC.

I love a good themed session, don’t you?

I like using themes because they help me think outside the box to find new ideas to use, and really inspire me to be creative in how I help my clients meet their goals.

This month, it’s all about the BEACH!

Here are some of the experiences I included in this themed session:

– Greeting each other by saying “Aloha!”

– Counting Seashells song – To work on counting actual objects (versus rote counting)

– Feeling Seashells song – To provide sensory stimulation for the 0-2 age group and to work on descriptors with the 4-6 age group. I sing “What does the shell feel like? Is it rough or is it smooth?”

– Beach Book ‘n Song – Using “To the Beach” by Linda Ashman

– Counting Fish song  – To work on numeral identification 1-5 (see picture!)

– Moving like ocean animals song – We move like the fish, dolphin, crab and octopus (see picture!)

For many  of the songs I either use my ukulele or set a reggae accompaniment beat on the keyboard and it really adds to the “beachy” feel of the session.

If you’d like a complete plan for your summer themed sessions, check out the Sensational Songs & Activities E-Book. You’ll find a Multisensory Beach Themed session plan, plus other themed session ideas and sheet music for your work with children who are sensory learners.

The post It’s Beach Theme Time appeared first on Wholesome Harmonies, LLC.

Hey hey! I’m back for another Saturday Song Share!

Today’s song was one of the very first ones I wrote when I started my job at UCP’s Early Beginnings Academy back in 2006. I figured since summer is in full swing it would be appropriate to share a song about Flora the Fish (see pics above!)…

I have a second verse that I didn’t record because you may have a fish that you use with different colors. The second verse goes like this:

I have a blue tail and two yellow fins,
They help me to move and they help me to swim,
I’m Flora the Fish and I like to swim,
All day long.

What are your favorite ‘fishy’ tunes to use during the summer months?

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Multisensory Stimulation

I recently got back from vacation in beautiful Naples with my boyfriend. This trip inspired me to do a post on one of my favorite themes for my summer music therapy sessions – a Trip to the Beach!

I have used this session plan for  groups of children on the autism spectrum and also those with severe and profound intellectual disability. Both groups of children benefit from multisensory experiences involving tactile, visual, auditory, and olfactory stimulation.

Here are some of the activities and items I use to make them feel as if they are really at the beach …

A Trip to the Beach

 – Suntan Lotion: Rub suntan lotion on the arms and legs of each child. Encourage them to smell the lotion OR put it on your finger so they can smell it. (For older children, this can also be a teaching opportunity about the importance of wearing suntan lotion in the summer!) “I Like to Put Lotion on My Skin” is an original song I sing during this activity.

– Palm fronds: Use palm fronds (real ones if you are lucky enough to live in a subtropical environment OR just stop by Target!) to provide tactile stimulation and promote relaxation. Run the palm fronds over the arms and legs of each child. This activity also allows for the opportunity to work on identifying various body parts. “Feel the Leaves” is an original song I sing during this activity.

– Ocean drum: This is one of my favorite instruments because of the unique auditory, visual, and tactile stimulation it provides. It goes without saying that this instrument is perfect for simulating the sound of the ocean. “Listen to the Ocean Drum” is an original song that I sing during this activity.

– Beach Ball: This is a great item for encouraging gross motor movement. I play the Beach Boys CD in the background and toss the beach ball around the circle.

– Sand, Seashells, and Water: During various trips to the beach I have collected real sand and seashells that I put into Tupperware containers. I pass these around along with a bowl of water and sing the original song “I Like to Go to the Beach.” Sand and shells have unique textures, and water of different temperatures provides unique tactile stimulation for a child. For older children, you can encourage the use of adjectives by asking them to describe how the sand, shells, and water feel (rough, smooth, warm, cold, etc.)

– Bubbles: These are always a crowd favorite! Bubbles are great for encouraging behaviors in various domains. In the cognitive domain, bubbles can be used to encourage visual tracking, visual processing and direction following. In the motor/physical domain, they can be used to encourage gross motor movements such as reaching, bilateral coordination, and bringing arms to midline. In the communication domain, bubbles can be used to encourage lip closure (when the child blows); verbalization of bilabials (“pop!” or “more”); and sign language (“more” or “finished”). Did you have any idea bubbles were so amazing? “Bubbles, Bubbles” is the original song I sing during this activity.

– Ocean Animals: I pass around my large my large stuffed fish, lobster, and crab for tactile stimulation. For older children, this part of the session can be used to work on identification of body parts and colors, as well as to teach facts about fish and other ocean animals (where they live, what they eat, etc.) “The Fish in the Sea” and “Flora the Fish” are original songs I sing during this activity.

– Mangoes: This is one of my favorite fruits and luckily it is plentiful in South Florida! I sing my original “Mangoes” song and allow the children to feel, smell, and taste the sweet, squishy mango. It is a little messy, but it’s worth it!

– Creative add-ons:

To add an extra summery flare, I distribute fun sunglasses with star-shaped lenses and colorful leis for each child to wear. (All purchased at the Dollar Tree)

I use my favorite instrument, the ukulele, to give the session a “beachy” feel (hey, it works for Jack Johnson!) Basic hula dancing steps are a fun dancing activity for children of all ages.

Are you looking for even more sensory ideas to incorporate into your music therapy sessions with children with autism and other special needs? Check out the Sensational Songs & Activities E-Book: it is jam packed with creative session planning ideas!

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