!You To Birthday Happy

Happy Birthday to me (Sue) and Happy First Full Day of Spring to all!

What better way to celebrate both, than by writing this 3^rd blog and sharing a music experience?

Yes, it’s true – I turned another year older today, yet still long to turn back the time just a few years. With this in mind, have you ever considered singing the traditional “Happy Birthday” song lyrics backwards?  Well, I have and I hereby challenge you to do so.  I suggest you rehearse it several times, however, before singing it this way publicly, because as you know, old habits die hard!

Music therapy experience name:

!You To Birthday Happy

Materials needed:

Name card for birthday person

Tape

Song lyrics (Optional: song sheets per person or write lyrics on black/white board)

Song Lyrics:

You to birthday happy

You to birthday happy

(Name) dear birthday happy

You to birthday happy!

Procedure:

Tape the name card of the birthday person to his/her back. Invite everyone in the room to stand up and walk around to discover who the birthday person is, by looking at everyone’s back. Return to your seats and proceed to sing the song. At the song’s end, tell the birthday person that even though they were sung to backwards, you wish them a “right ways, forward, very happy day!” Have fun!

Extension:

If you choose to make individual song sheets, laminate them or put each one into a plastic sleeve protector. With a dry erase marker, have all participants practice writing the birthday person’s name on the line. Note: Observe how many write their own name and wish it was their birthday!

Liz and Sue  

Pass the Beat!

Greetings from Liz and Sue!  We are so excited about our blog that we just couldn't wait to share another idea!  Writing original songs for our music therapy sessions is something that we love to do.  Here is a song that Liz has used with students who are on the autism spectrum, students with cognitively impaired and students who are multiply impaired.  It's a really adaptable song that can be used with most any age group as well! 

Music therapy experience name: 

Pass the Beat

Materials needed:

Drums, sticks or other percussion instruments

Sheet music for "Pass the Beat" (see below)

accompanying instrument (optional)

number cards, foam number puzzle, dry erase board, etc. (optional)

Procedure:

Have students play their instruments together while the song is sung.  Sing once or several times depending on your group's needs.  Once you complete the song, use number cards, numbers that you write on a dry erase board, a number from a foam number puzzle, and/or tell students a number verbally.  Then go around the circle and have students individually play the designated number of times.  Repeat this procedure having students play a different number of times after each chorus. 

Extensions/Variations:

Let students choose the number of times that the group will play.  Using number cards or a foam puzzle allows non-verbal or low verbal students to make choices.  If you have a group that needs a challenge, have them imitate or read a rhythm pattern when they are taking turns passing the beat around the circle.

Here is the sheet music for "Pass the Beat".  Sing it with a bluesy feel.

This music therapy experience is so adaptable!  It can be done a cappella or using accompaniment.  I've done it both ways--depending on the group.  You can work on engagement in task, number identification, making choices, playing as part of an ensemble, taking turns, etc.  We'd love to hear how you use it with your groups!

Liz and Sue

Greetings from Liz and Sue. We are extremely passionate about Music Therapy and are excited to share our ideas with you in this newly created blog..   

Since St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, we thought we would share an idea for this holiday.  Sue came up with this music therapy experience and it has been very successful for her.  She uses it with students who are on the autism spectrum, but it could easily be adapted to use with many different populations.

Music therapy experience name:

Bean Bag Coin Toss

Materials needed:

3 bean bags

Velcro

6 gold coins

Pot or other container to throw bean bags into

Chant (see below)

Preparation and assembly:

Attach one gold coin to each side of each bean bag with Velcro. 

Make a line on the floor for students to stand behind when they are tossing.

Optional:  Make an Irish backdrop with target hole cut out (as pictured below).

Procedure:

Say chant.  Have students take turns throwing the bean bags into the container.  Count the total successful throws for each student.  Applaud the winner!

Chant:

Gold coin bean bag throw,

Not too high, not too low.

Toss it in the center now,

Count your score and we’ll say, “Wow!” 

We hope you found this useful.  We would love to hear from you with your ideas for St. Patrick's Day.

Looking forward to future idea sharing!

Liz and Sue