Birds, Birds flying everywhere! After a dynamic presentation featuring birds from the Master Gardeners, the Senior Champions from Our Saviour Lutheran Church were stimulated and energized with a bird themed music therapy session.
Our session began with a relaxing wellness and deep breathing exercise to instrumental music. We then “shook, shook, shook” with bird feeders (shaker bloxes from Interactive Rhythm) emphasizing our names and inviting creative large gross motor movements!
Then the bird puppets were distributed to invite each Senior Champion to Look, Listen, Feel and Discuss the colorful birds. The Book and CD: “Common Bird Songs” was utilized to hear the beautiful songs from the various birds. Then the birds went a flying with two large scarves to allow the senior champions to work as a team to keep them on the scarves.
We sung “Mockin’bird Hill” and discussed various sounds of Mockingbird “trilsl”. We also discussed the mood of the song (heart filled with gladness and lighthearted) and shared memories of our own “home sweet home.” Each Senior Champion drew a picture of their “home sweet home” on a sound shape drum.
We then transitioned into playing “Home on the Range” on the Suzuki tone chimes and closed the activity by singing several verses of the song. Lastly, the Senior Champions relaxed with a deep breathing activity to an instrumental “Bye Bye Blackbird” song on the Piano. Reflective comments included: “wonderful, moving, loved it, tweet tweet, educational, beautiful, chirpy, Awesome, Joyful, and relaxed!”
