Family Sprouts

Family Sprouts is very BUSY and joyful, it involves individuality, sharing and cooperation.

Plan for Family Sprouts: I would begin with the chant “Come Join the Circle”, and for a bonding song I would provide “Hole on Tight” and encourage swaying and gentle movements and some surprise, but not too much dynamic range as to avoid startling the very little ones. For a song about me, I would lead, “All of this is Me Me Me” – I like the idea of providing that opportunities for the older children to “show off” by ending with a very fast version of this song. For instrument play, I would provide a variety of instruments that would be appropriate for any child in the group and play, “I like this Song”. For movement I would do, ” I can Move Around” to provide opportunity for instrument play along with movement. When it’s time to sing good-bye I would sing, “It’s time to say Good-bye” and provide scarves – to be sure to incorporate everyone in the group.

I imagine that this group would be challenging. Even just thinking about the physical space, some children may be running around while others are not even sitting up yet, they may be laying on the floor in front of their parent. I can imagine that safety, and ‘being careful of the babies’ is often addressed- and could be done so within the music. However,since it most often is a group with siblings it could be a really nice connection for families to share. Providing music that is interesting to older children yet, not too much to startle babies seems like skill to practice, and a balance to be aware of.

Five words to describe Family Sprouts: active, engaging, bonding, playful, accepting

Plan: I think my plan would be similar to SM 2 and SM3 with some modifications made as to address each developmental level. The hello song may be quieter or with a steady beat as to not overwhelm the little ones. Bonding songs that encourage siblings to interact like “Hold On Tight” foster family cohesiveness. Setting up opportunities for success of all participants in instrument play with a variety of instrument choices. Movement songs that encourage parents to rock or dance with the little ones and independence of older children as in “Will You Come.” Making connections with literacy would be a great way to transition to the close of group. Singing a song with a book followed by a goodbye song.

This is the typical type of group that I currently work with. It can be a challenge, but I also see the benefits, particularly in the younger siblings watching and learning from the older children. Some of the younger children are more likely to move away from mom and join in the movement songs when they see the older children in the middle of the circle. If a parent has one young child who is sitting on their lap watching, I make sure that I reassure them their child is watching and taking it in, and developmentally on target. This type of group can get very busy, so I think it is our job to observe and change if the milieu is becoming overwhelming for the little ones. I always have a plan, but I am always aware that the plan may change at any moment.

In responding to your question Beth, I can tell how I approach mixed age groups now and why I am eager to have Sprouting Melodies in the future. Currently the children and care giver come to one of our play groups which include 10 minutes of music followed by fine motor, gross motor and language activities. Today we had 20 children, with some having more than one parent with them! Because of the size of the group it leaves very little time to really talk to parents. I usually touch base with some of them before group if there is something in particular I have noticed about their child. Before each song/activity I explain that there are different levels of participation depending on the child’s developmental level. For example, today we were keeping a beat with paper plates with Irish music. I mentioned before we started that there is no right or wrong way to move, that tapping on the legs is what we would anticipate the younger children to do, moving in different ways spontaneously for other children, and imitating some complex sequential movements for the oldest children.

Why I am anxious to provide Sprouting Melodies is to control the size of the group to make it more individualized. I also feel that we have some parents who would prefer a smaller group, and one that is music based. This training has come at such an opportune time! I also like the 6-7 week format for group consistency and cohesiveness.

What’s difficult about a Family Sprouts class is accommodating the age range you may be seeing. You could be looking at a very large gap in some cases and the music needs to meet the developmental needs of all. It can be a very challenging to incorporate many different factors.

5 words: varying, connecting, energetic, challenging, and inspiring. It will always be a challenge to meet the needs of even a short age span when children develop so many skills in their formative years and inspiring when you find that happy middle ground that works for the entire group.

1. Gathering Song – Let’s make some music. Start out quieter, grab the attention and cohesion of the group first. Observe the little ones reactions and play with the dynamics as the older ones need the stimulation. Play with pauses while looking for startling or over-stimulation in the younger children. Every song in these sessions means a constant balance in maintaining engagement without overstimulating. Facial expressions and reactions to changes in the music are things to pay attention to.
2. Hello song – great opportunity for older kids to interact with their peers and also help introduce and interact with their siblings. They love being helpers and showing off their baby sister or brother.
3. Lap song. These are always fun when the siblings are close enough in age for both to be on mom/dad’s lap at the same time or practice taking turns. When the other sibling is still very small, it’s a nice bonding time for the parent while I or another parent offers their lap for the song, and maybe switching off so the older one can have a little parent attention too.
4. Instrument Song – the parent can model playing the instrument with the little one, or they can sit up and hold a maraca while the older kids can be active and interact with each other. When the movement might be a little overstimulating for the younger kids, I like to give musical directions and cues that help redirect older kids. Changes in dynamics and musical pauses help control the energy in the room.
5. Marching – mom/dad can hold the younger one while the older sibling walks independently. Sometimes you might see a little bit of rivalry/attachment/etc with the older child wanting to be held too or instead and in these instances, I try to encourage marching on their own with an instrument. If both children can walk, it can be motivating for both to participate independently.
6. Calm down song – scarf canopy. big kids can help while little ones take in the experience.
7. Goodbye song – Practice the same skills as the hello song. Big kids will probably want to strum the guitar and little ones are still taking it all in. Make sure to give them a couple extra repetitions with the sign for “me” on their turn.

5 words: Busy, fun, sharing, together,and family

Facilitating groups with multiple ages can be tricky, but also very rewarding. One challenge is making sure that the musical experiences aren’t too intense for younger siblings, yet providing adequate stimulation for older siblings. Another challenge is watching out that a parent isn’t too overwhelmed helping multiple children during the class.

Gathering Song-Come and join the circle. invite everyone to participate. make sure each individual is equally addressed and ready to go for the class. I would probably do 2 gathering/greeting songs with this class.
Bonding Songs: Wiggly Jiggly car, this song identifies with something both siblings encounter each day…car seats and moving around in the car.
Songs about Me: All of This is Me. I really like this song with siblings. It is nice to relate to each other and perhaps an older sibling can help a younger sibling identify themselves.
Instrument Songs:I would do a few of these using maracas and perhaps a gathering drum.
Movement Songs: I can move around and a circle song that stops and goes, slow and fast.
Goodbye: I would probably bring the intensity of the class down a bit with a short lullaby or rocking song. I think it nice to end the session being together and bonding a bit before we sing goodbye. A nice goodbye song for this group would be It’s Time to say Goodbye using scarves.

So I’m reading this as Family Sprouts is going on in the next room and your descriptors are right on target!! 🙂 What a joyful, fun and busy group – accommodating all individuals and active throughout!
Thanks for all of your insights here everyone! It is wonderful to see and read all of your thoughts on the Sprouting Melodies classes! You are all really absorbing the information presented and finding lots of ways to apply it! Thank you!

5 words: bonding, inclusive, interactive, joyful, sharing

Plan:

1. Come and join me in the circle- keeping it steady and rhythmic, so that it is energetic and engaging, but not over stimulating for the youngest children.
2. Hello song- greet all children by name.
3. Bonding songs- Hold on Tight and Wiggly jiggly Car can be appropriate for all ages, again modifying dynamic range and amount of stimulation based on the reaction of the kids.
4. Songs about me- All of this is me- I like the idea of doing the song faster at the end for the older ones. I just starting working with two preschool groups, and have discovered that they are most engaged by any song that we can do fast, faster, and super fast!! Of course in the case of family sprouts, there are limits based on what the youngest ones can tolerate, therefore one must gauge variations based on the composition of the group.
5. Instrument song- I can move around- I like how this combines movement and instruments, and allows opportunities to incorporate elements such as start and stop. Again variations on the song can be adapted based on the composition of the group and guaging their reaction in the moment.
6. Movement- might use my froggie in the pond song, as it works well with the parents bouncing the little ones, while the older kids like to show off how high they can jump.
7. Goodbye- I like the idea of the gentle, soothing “It’s time to say goodbye” with scarves.

I think the challenges of multi-age groupings is that such an enormous amount of development occurs between the ages of 0-5…probably the most over any other five year span!!! The developmental needs are so diverse and so different, that it is challenging to meet individual needs while still containing the group. It is challenging to give the older kids adequate stimulation, energetic and dynamic range while not startling the little ones. That being said, it is nice for the older children to serve as role models for the younger ones., which is a huge benefit to both. The younger ones are motivated to imitate the older ones, and the older ones gain confidence by being viewed as the model. It is also a nice opportunity for family bonding.

5 words: Sharing, Supporting, Engaging, Musically Fun, Inclusive

5 words: cooperation, easy-going, bonding, consistent, diverse

Family Sprouts session: Since it can be challenging to create a suitable environment for this diverse population, I would like to start the session with two gathering songs to really engage the group. The first gathering song would be free and inviting, and I would use the second song to gradually increase the energy of the group. One of these songs would be used to personally greet each member. “Row it Faster” and “Wiggly Jiggly Car” would be fun to use as bonding songs, with the oldest child sitting between the parent and the other sibling. If the oldest child is able, he or she could even act as the parent with the sibling on their lap and the parent watching and assisting if needed. I would use “All of This is Me” for the song about me and also a song that talks about similarities so that the families can find special things they have in common (hair color, eye color, everyone has one nose, etc.) for a different twist on the song about me. “Music is the Way” would allow the family to create their own musical accompaniment while bonding, and “I Can Move Around” works great with different age groups. To close, I would use “Music Time is Over” followed by “Thank You Very Much” for extra closure.

Personally, I feel that the greatest challenge of providing multi-age groupings is to create a predictable yet exciting environment that allows everyone to participate at their own level while feeling comfortable and engaged. It is important to both entice the older children and soothe and support the younger children. One way of accomplishing this may be to focus on the family unit as a whole, emphasizing bonding and working together throughout all of the musical experiences. Give the older children a sense of responsibility, reminding them that it is their job to help out the younger children. I would definitely vary the energy levels throughout the session while avoiding drastic changes. I also like the idea of having a few moments for the older children to shine, just like Meredith demonstrated in the video by speeding up “All of This is Me”. I think the trick is finding ways to incorporate energy and excitement without the group feeling overwhelming for the little ones.

The 0-5 Music Together sessions I used to do did not often have siblings. If they had more than one child, maybe parents felt that music would be their special one-on-one time with that child. Having all the parents feel they and their child were getting what they wanted out of the class and keeping “control” through the music was a challenge. So glad I had years of doing music therapy and teaching Suzuki piano method with all ages and disabilites or learning differences before I started doing Music Together. I was used to adlibbing when I saw the need to veer from my session plan to create a positive,successful environment. I feel everyone came away with a positive experience and organically incorporated music into their daily lives that stemmed from the class. That being said, I think having the understanding of the SM Early Childhood developmental approach will help me create a much, much more rewarding and functionally musical experience than ever before!

Words: Chaotic, diverse, cooperative, busy, rivalry

Plan: I would imagine for me, this being set up more as a Sprouting Melodies 3 class. Overall, I would like to “use” the older children to pass instruments, selecting instruments, help with cleaning up and in general, leading. This does not just pertain to their family.
Gathering song: “Come and join the circle” and “Hey everybody”
Bonding Songs: I feel these are especially important for this group. Atleast 2 could be placed during the class as needed, expcially if things begin to get a little out of control:)My favorites are Hold on Tight and Wiggly Jiggly. I like Row your boat too!
Songs About Me: “That all Makes up me” and “Just like me”
Instrument Songs: I enjoyed “I like this song” and see how it could carryover with all ages.
Movement Songs: I can Move around
Goodbye: “See ya later alligator” and “Music time is over”

The challenges are very obvious, as the parents are well aware. But we are at an advantage of helping the parents establish stratagies that they can use at home with their children to have a family activity. When the challenges are occuring, I feel the parents would benefit from using their situation as an example. I would have loved if someone had done that with me when I had 3 children winning the battle over me! What are acceptable behaviors. When do you use that firm voice. What can I do to have them particiapte in the same activity? All of these are challenges on a daily basis for families. Can we can give our opinions and provide support.