1. Famnig Hjärta (Heart cushion) $4.99
Imagine the possibilities of showing how to keep a beat with this lovable cushion! I love the constant visual reminder that the beat is steady, like our hearts! Also, I asked about if they were going to have mini-versions and they said they will have them around Christmas. Guess who will be making a special trip for those :) 2. Kalas (cups) $2.49 for 6
I bought a class set of these for cup games. They are the perfect size for kids' hands, and the colors and durability make them a sure winner for both students and teacher. In addition, I thought they might be used as a nice visual to show form in music.
3. Titta Djur (Finger Puppets) $4.99 for 10
Finger puppets are great for kindergarten students! Use them as beat buddies to keep the beat. Have them sing to their puppets. Use the puppets as inspiration for movement (ex. move the way your puppet would, now trade with a friend). They also could be used to show patterns in music. And that fact that there's a shark in there will thrill them! It might even convince me to do the baby shark chant this year, which is great for practicing beat. 4. Sötvatten (smoothie straws) $1.99 for 100
There are lots of uses for straws such as tapping the beat or using them as replacements for mallets for that ONE student who can't seem to stop touching the instrument when you are giving directions. But when I went K-12 and taught choir, I learned that these thick straws can help students understand how it feels to breathe correctly when they sing. Using a regular sized straw doesn't have the same affect, you want the thick smoothie straws. Have students breathe in while holding the straw in their mouth. Make sure they are standing tall and don't let them lift their chest. Voila! They now have used their diaphragm! 5. Gestalta (artist's figurine) $5.99
This is my FAVORITE find! Talking about movement with students, this figurine makes a great visual. Use it as a reminder for that one move they aren't doing right when teaching choreography. Better yet, have students make their own freeze dance figure while the other students dance, then pause the music and have the class copy what the gestalta is doing! What finds have you made at Ikea?? Please email them to me at noteworthybyjen@gmail.com.
Catch you next time I find something noteworthy!