Activity Inspiration: Autumn Scarf Movement

This week, I’m sharing an easily adaptable fall movement activity to Concerto No. 3 (“Autumn”) from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. I love incorporating classical music into music therapy sessions whenever possible because it is always age appropriate and provides a fantastic opportunity to introduce clients to a range of musical styles and genres. The programmatic nature of this Vivaldi piece pairs well with concrete seasonal concepts such as leaves changing color and falling off the trees, making it a highly successful activity for clients of all ages and levels of functioning.

For this activity, you’ll need:

• Scarves
• Yarn
• Laminated leaf images (3-4 per scarf)
• Recording of Vivaldi’s “Autumn”

First, I decided on some leaf images that were realistic in color, size and shape.

I laminated them for durability, punched a hole in each and tied them to some scarves with yarn. Using a simple slipknot, I made a loop at both ends of each scarf so that clients can easily grip it or slide it on their wrists if needed.

Scarf with Leaves Attached

Scarf with Leaves Hanging

During this activity, clients are encouraged to move their leaves along with the rise and fall of the music. Clients without physical restrictions are free to stand and move around the room if desired. Throughout the activity, I model a variety of movements for clients such as:

• Lifting the scarf up and down
• Swirling the scarf around
• Waving the scarf
• Making the leaves bounce
• Spinning slowly in a circle

Additional adaptations of this movement activity could include:

• Music and art: Encourage clients to draw a picture of the story depicted in the music as they listen.
• Music and relaxation: Dim the lights and have clients move their scarves slowly in their seats.
• Sharing and teamwork: Pair students together and have them share one scarf. The students must work as a team to move the scarf without talking.

Below is a great version of Vivaldi’s “Autumn.” Happy Fall, everyone!