Despite the ever-present cold in Minnesota, it is FINALLY baseball season again and that is definitely something to celebrate! To get into the spirit of the season, I led this activity designed as a fill-in-the-blank songwriting intervention for early childhood mental health inclusion classrooms. For the intervention, I used a parachute and several small stress fidgets shaped like a baseball, basketball, football, and soccer ball. Goals could include peer interaction, self-regulation, gross motor, and following directions. For each verse, have the students do “mini-shakes” to keep the ball in the middle of the parachute. During the last line of each verse, do one big shake to toss the ball out of the parachute. Here are some favorites from today’s session!

Baseball: (little shakes) Take me out to the ballgame; Take me out to the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks; I don’t care if I ever get back.

For it’s root, root, root for the home team. If they don’t win it’s a shame.

For it’s one, two, three (large shake) strikes you’re out at the old ball game!

Basketball: Take me out to the ball game; take me out to the crowd.

Buy me a hot dog and lemonade; I don’t care if I ever get back.

For it’s root, root, root for the home team. If they don’t win it’s a shame.

So we bounce, dribble, and slam dunk the ball at the old basketball game.

Football: Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd.

Buy me some popcorn and bottle of pop; I don’t care if I ever get back.

For it’s root, root, root for the home team. If they don’t win it’s a shame.

So we run, throw, and touchdown the ball at the old football game!

Soccer: Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd.

Buy me some ice cream and chocolate sauce; I don’t care if I ever get back.

For it’s root, root, root for the home team. If they don’t win it’s a shame.

So we run, pass, and watch the ball soar at the old soccer game!