Friday Five: Hap Palmer songs you should know

So I'm going to take you back a couple decades to the Hap Palmer era. Hap Palmer earned a Master's degree in dance education in the early 80s, but was writing children's songs years before that, in the late 60s. The songs were written to enhance a number of developmental skills in young children. Below are five videos I found when conducting a youtube search, though you'll find he composed hundreds more.

The videos below can be used as is in session. But if you find these dated, I encourage you to let them inspire your own creativity! If you have any Hap Palmer songs of your own that you love, or any other ideas for that matter, please share!

Weekly Rap


Tap Your Sticks


Bean Bag Alphabet Rag


Let's All Clap Our Hands Together


The Mice Go Marching

Missing Costume Game

I was recently asked to plan a music session for a child's birthday party (the many shoes we wear as MTs, right?). This is a child I know well, diagnosed with autism, cerebal palsy, and epilepsy. Many of his friends are also on the autism spectrum. This is one of the many activities we did, perfect for use in special education and adaptable to other populations as well.

Being that it is the same month of Halloween, I prepared a Halloween-themed game for kids. It takes a small amount of time to prepare.

To begin, I got a thick, sturdy board (the foam posterboards work well). I used a few websites (listed below) to make several cards of costumes. To see and use what I made, click this sentence. I used small velcro pieces to attach the cards to the board so that they can be easily removed.

To begin the game, show each costume card one at a time to the kids and talk about what it is. Stick it on the board as you introduce each card. When all the cards are on the board, tell them, "Get a good look at what is on this board..."

Then turn the board toward you (so that no kid can see it) and remove one costume while you sing:

To the tune of "Frère Jacques"
What is missing, what is missing?
Can you see? Can you see?
We're missing a costume, we're missing a costume
Please help me, please help me.

Turn the board around and have the kids figure out which costume you took away. Return the missing card to the board and play again.

With a little more effort, this game can be used all year round using colors, animals, numbers, other holiday themes, etc.!

The websites I used in making the costume cards:
http://www.jupiterimages.com
http://www.picnik.com

Adapted instruments

One of my favorite projects in school was an assignment from Dr. Alice-Ann Darrow. In our Music in Special Education class, we were asked to adapt an instrument as though it were for a student with a physical disability. We could either find an adapted instrument or create one. The adapted instrument I chose was deskbells.


I'm sure most of us are pretty familiar with the colorful handbells sold at West Music. But fewer of us know about the adaptation to those same handbells that make it much easier to produce a note. With a button on top of its handle, the bell can be set on top of a flat surface and ring by being tapped. If a person can move a part of their body, they can play this instrument.

Many of my classmates constructed their own awesome adaptations using household items. If your client is limited in mobility, think carefully about what sort of accommodations you can make. Some assembly may be required.

If you are not up to creating your own device, you can find deskbells at West Music, or check out other companies that specialize in other adapted instruments. A Day's Work is one of these. If you are reading this and know of another place to find adapted instruments, please leave a comment.

New article posts music ideas for children with Down's

I discovered an awesome article! The title says it all: Activities Using Music With Down's Syndrome Children.

It gives ideas that would be very useful in therapy. It includes:

Mirror songs
Sing songs in front of a mirror so the child can see how he/she looks when the tongue or mouth is moved. You might also sing songs about the parts of the face, emotions, and facial affects.
Memory
Use a song to teach sequencing. Teach a child to count, learn their address name, learn their phone number, etc.
Music Movement
Dance activities are always awesome. Catch a ball in rhythm to music. To work on cognitive skills, ask the child a question every time they catch the ball (e.g. name a word that rhymes with "cat").