TME Tuesday: Lummi Stick

One of the things that I like to do is to use things that I learned a long time ago and then discover the therapeutic benefit contained within. This is a hold-over from being raised by an Occupational Therapist. My sister gets a bit disgruntled every once in a while when she realizes that most of the "fun" we had growing up actually had a therapeutic motivation. Then she laughs and uses the same "fun" things with her second graders.

Lummi stick play is something that we learned in Girl Scouts, and the idea has so many therapeutic elements that it is a natural for a therapeutic music experience (TME). Don't let the fact that it is labeled a "traditional children's game" fool you. You can use these stick patterns and this TME with many different people (with some adaptations, of course. Use your music therapy-trained brain to come up with tweaks that will make this work for your clients). Enjoy!!

By the way, if you are interested, we have a quarterly newsletter that includes TMEs, a calendar of upcoming events, and product spotlights. You can sign up on the website.

Lummi Sticks

Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC

Therapeutic Music Experience

 

Purpose: To encourage social interaction; fine motor skill development; upper extremity gross motor skill development; spatial relationships; entrainment to external beat; sequencing; sustained attention to task; patterning

Source: Traditional children’s game. TME development © 2015 by Mary Jane Landaker, MME, MT-BC

Additional Sources:

1.      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lummi_stick
2.      http://www.gsvsc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/lummi_sticks.pdf
3.      https://www.schooltube.com/video/45bb8ce07a464fed9616/Lummi%20Stick%20Beat!

Materials: A pair of lummi or rhythm sticks per group member; music either live or recorded – must have steady beat; OPTIONAL: visual aids as prompt for patterns

Environment: Group members must have space to participate with a partner without touching other group members

Song/Chant/Words: Variable – may start with just a beat, but may also use other music to encourage movements and patterns.

Procedure: R = Reinforcement opportunities; C = Redirection/Cue opportunities; A = Assessment

1.      C= start beat source.

2.      A= assess whether group members respond to the beat in any manner – tapping, clapping, head movements, etc.

3.      R= reinforce all beat responses.

4.      C= pass out lummi sticks to group members.

5.      A= assess what group members do with the lummi sticks – are they clicking them? Rubbing them? Playing with the beat?

6.      R= reinforce all desired rhythmic behaviors.

7.      C= demonstrate the initial pattern of “tap down, tap together.”

8.      A= assess whether group members can complete pattern, meet at midline, and repeat the pattern to the beat.

9.      R= reinforce group members who are able to complete desired movements, and redirect group members who need additional assistance.

10.  C= continue to practice lummi stick movements (from http://www.gsvsc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/lummi_sticks.pdf)

a.       Flip

b.      Tap front

c.       Tap Side

d.      Tap Cross

11.  A= assess whether group members can complete basic individual movements. Continue to practice until group members can complete most of the basic individual movements.

12.  R= reinforce all attempts to complete basic individual movements.

13.  C= ask group members to make a pattern of basic individual movements (e.g., tap cross, tap cross, tap together, tap front).

14.  A= assess whether group members are able to complete pattern development

15.  R= reinforce all group members who engage in the process.

16.  C= direct group members to complete pattern generated by group.

17.  A= assess whether group members are able to complete the pattern, entrain to the external beat, and repeat the pattern.

18.  R= reinforce all efforts to complete the pattern.

19.  C= once group members can complete all of the basic individual movements, direct group members to find a partner.

20.  A= assess whether group members can find a partner.

21.  C= start practicing the basic partner movements:

a.       Toss left

b.      Toss right

22.  A= assess whether group members can coordinate movements with partners. Assess whether group members can complete release, toss, catch pattern to successfully complete movements.

23.  R= reinforce all group members who complete patterns. Reinforce group members who attempt the patterns appropriately.

24.  C= ask group members to make a pattern of basic movements (e.g., tap cross, toss left, tap together, toss right).

25.  A= assess whether group members are able to complete pattern development

26.  R= reinforce all group members who engage in the process.

27.  C= direct group members to complete pattern generated by group.

28.  A= assess whether group members are able to complete the pattern, entrain to the external beat, and repeat the pattern.

29.  R= reinforce all efforts to complete the pattern.

30.  Repeat steps 24-29 as appropriate for group attention and participation.

Therapeutic Function of Music:

Music provides the foundation for the patterns. A steady beat offers predictability and opportunities for entrainment to allow persons with motor coordination difficulties with set patterns to coordinate movements.

Adaptations:

•  Only use two movements from the basic individual movement list.
•  Set up simple patterns to work on entrainment to an external beat.

Extensions:

• Increase speed of patterns.
• Increase complexity of patterns to encourage memory recall and sequencing patterns.