Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 2.

I would describe the music experienced in Sprouting Melodies 2 as:
Playful
Energetic
Observation
Exploration
Free movement

Five sentences I could use when speaking to parents about the musical responses of children in SM2 would be:
1. We use the 3 second rule within songs (pauses/silences) in order to create a window of opportunity for the children to respond accordingly (musically, with movement).
2. The bottoms of the feet is how babies take in information, so by keeping a steady beat on the bottom of their foot they are able to organize their body to rhythm.
3. While your child may not be moving their instrument, they are watching what is going on around them, hence observation.
4. Mouthing on instruments is a normal part of exploration and development.
5. Movement is varied during sessions.

Playful, Increased independence, energetic, variety, and exploration.

Sentences to use when talking to parents:
1) It’s okay if your child leaves you to explore the room–we want them to develop independence and feel comfortable here
2) Don’t worry if your child does not appear to participate during the class–they are taking it all in and you may see/hear them doing things at home or in the car that we do here. This is their age of absorption!
3) Your child will most likely not approach other peers yet at this phase, although he/she may approach other adults in the room. The peer to peer social interaction will come later on
4) We will vary between having your child sit facing you as well as facing the group in order to help them increase bonding with you as well as connecting with others in the room
5) We wash all of our instruments between sessions, so if your child puts them in their mouth don’t be too concerned, and just put them into the “wash me” bin at the end of the group.

Potential group plan
Greeting: Hello song
Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly Car
Songs About Me: All of This is Me, Just Like Me
Instrument Songs: Dancing in the Middle (use drum), Sit With Me and Shake (use shakers)–keep shakers for movement
Movement: Can You Follow?
Goodbye: Music Time is Over, Thank You Very Much

Energy, free move (engaging the body), playful, independence and observation.

1. Surprise effect is great tool especially during music making for this age. Mimic is very important as well. 2. Synchronization of sound and movement (even with scarves) is very important. According to that we are helping them to feel the rhythm. 3. Changing rhythm, timbre of the voice, using silence is one of great tools for improvisation and to give them opportunity for choice. 4. Feet should have to be on the floor because it will bring organization to their bodies. 5 our selection of the instruments are safe and adequate for that age. Also we are keeping them clean.

Observation, Exploration, Curiosity, Smiles, Moving

1. Your children will love surprises that they know are coming. 2. It is ok for children to still be mouthing instruments. This is something that will start to decrease. 3. you children will learn to shake a maraca. It is a slow and exciting process to watch develop. 4. It is ok if your child is standing still and observing the class. They are taking it all in. 5. It is ok for you children to move in and out of the activity. They will come back to the music soon enough.

Session Plan: 1. Gathering/Hello Song 2. Bonding/Lap song. 3. Instrument Songs Introduction of instruments to the youngest members of the group. Encourage parents to play along too. Lots of opportunities for starting and stopping songs. Opportunities for driving rhythms and increasing tempos. 4. Movement Songs. March With My Baby can utilize multiple movements (march, hop, walk). Some children at the far end of the age range are moving and grooving on their own! 5. Songs about Me. An opportunity to start with a lower energy but engaging song. Just like Me. Bring the stimulation of the group down a little bit. 6. Goodbye Song

5 Words I would use to discribe Sprouting Melodies 2 are: Exciting, Engaging, Exploratory, Observing, Moving

Phrases I could share with parents are: 1. It’s okay that your baby is just watching right now, they are processing and taking it all in. The learning will come out later at home. 2. We want your baby to plant their whole foot solidly on the floor. This is where they take in the most information, and helps them to process the rhythm best. 3. Your child can roam around the room; we want them to gain independence and to do things on their own! 4. It is okay that your child doesn’t engage much with their peers. They are learning about themselves and how to be independent. This will come later! 5. We want your child to engage with the instruments, and it’s okay that they sometimes will put the shaker in their mouth. This is a step in the process of learning to shake!

Sample Session Plan: Hello/Gathering song to welcome everyone to the group. Bonding song to be able to start with mom/dad, but also bring some movement into the session. Instrument play and movement song (children can keep their instruments if they want to) to keep the energy high and encourage independence in movement/play. For a cool down sing a song about me to encourage bonding. Finish with a goodbye/closing song.

Don’t forget to comment with your session plans! Try to use specific song titles either from the video or from personal use so that you have these session plans ready to refer back to when you facilitate your own SM groups!

5 words: Movement, (Anticipated) Surprises, Energy, Exploration, Changes

5 sentences:
1 – Your baby is at the point where anticipated surprises can be really fun for them – and for you!
2 – That is fine if your baby goes outside of the circle or explores other areas of the room – this is part of the process of gaining more independence.
3 – We really want your baby to experience the feeling of these movements and rhythms – try placing your hands on the outside of theirs to help them experience the movement and rhythm of clapping.
4 – Your baby is starting to create a sense of independence but they still need that sense of security that comes from being close to you – that’s why we’ll be doing a mix of songs that focus on interactions between you and your baby and other songs that focus on interacting with the group.
5 – It’s possible that your baby could get overstimulated if we continue with all really high energy songs – let’s slow it down a bit for a rest.

Sample Session Plan:

Instrument Exploration using appropriate items such as little drums, shakers and maybe some scarves as well. Use some embedded songs about playing instruments to facilitate exploration as everyone gets settled into the group.
Hello song: I have a hello song that I’ve written that I think would work well with this group – greets each child by name and says hello.
Lap Ride/Bonding: Hold on Tight followed by Wiggly Jiggly Car. Emphasize the surprises in these songs more as the babies learn to anticipate them.
Instrument Play: Sit with me and Shake (with shakers) followed by In my little hand
Gross Motor Movement: March With My Baby (higher energy with movements like jumping, etc.) followed by a slightly less energized movement song such as Pick Your Hands Up High (with scarves)
Cool Down: Can You See Me using the scarves used in the last movement song.
Goodbye: Music Time is Over

-5 words: moving, secure base, freedom, fun, surprises

-5 sentences: 1.) It’s completely normal and even healthy for your child to be exploring this space and moving away from you. They need to be given opportunities to start gaining some independence, but it’s also important that they come back to you when they need some security. You’re their home base to run to. 2.) Make sure the flat part of your child’s feet are flat on the floor when they’re moving because they learn through their feet and it better supports their development of coordination. 3.) Your child loves these surprises in the music at this age. Use these elements of surprise at home for a fun time of interaction with your child. 4.) It’s okay and normal for your child to be standing still right now. They’re actively absorbing all that they’re observing right now, and you’ll probably see them do this later at home. 5.) Have fun! Let’s play together. Move around and sing with your child!

-Sample Session: 1.) Hello/Gathering – I would use Beth’s “Hey! Hey! Come and Play!” and make sure to provide surprise moments as was suggested in the video. 2.) Body Percussion – I would have parents set their child on their lap and place their child’s arms over their own as was suggested in the video for those who may not yet have the ability to clap their hands or pat their knees. I would use a song I developed called, “I Really Like to Move Around” and lead the parents and their child to clap their hands, pat their knees, touch their nose, etc. in each verse of the song. 3.) Lap Ride/Tickles – I really like the “Wiggly Jiggly Car” song, and I would use this song during this time. 4.) Instrument Play – I would make sure each child has at least one or two maracas and using Beth’s song, “I Like This Song,” I would encourage the parents and children to play, pause, shake fast, slow, up, down, etc. with the music. 5.) Gross Motor Movement – With maracas still in hand, I would lead the group in Meredith’s “March With My Baby” song as we saw in the video. – I really like this song and the way you’re utilizing it! 6.) Cool Down – After putting our maracas away, I would use the song “Matilda the Gorilla” and encourage the parents and children to sing along, especially during the “ooh-ooh-ooh, ah-ah-ah” phrases to encourage clear, articulate vocalization. 7.) Goodbye – I would use my original song “It’s Time to Say Goodbye” and encourage parents and children to wave goodbye to one another.

Five Words: Engaging, Development, Exploration, invigorating, interactive

Sentences to use when speaking with parents: 1) It’s fine if your child is not moving along the way I am demonstrating, he/she is still watching and remaining engaged the way he/she feels comfortable. 2) It’s fine if another child tries to engage with you and your child in your lap- this is a great setting to develop social interactions with others! 3) All the instruments are washed between each class, so it is completely fine for the children to explore the instruments with their faces or however they want! 4) Meet your child’s energy level where they are- feel free to move with them however fast or slow they are going to best engage and interact at the level they are experiencing. 5) It’s absolutely normal for your child to want to take a break and sit out or sit back and just watch- they are still absorbing the information and benefiting from their observations.

Session Plan- 1. Gathering song- Sit Down With Me- I like how the tempo of this song can be altered to gain attention and uses a familiar melody. 2. Bonding Song- Wiggly Jiggly Car- this is just a fun song that all the kids could enjoy. 3. Songs About Me- Move To The Rhythm- An adapted melody from a Nordoff Robbins tune that is very interesting and engages different body part awareness. 4. Instrument play- I Like This Song- this is a great opportunity to introduce accompaniment instruments- the accompaniment that goes with this is engaging and really helps facilitate instrument exploration. It is definitely on my list of piano accompaniments to get under my fingers. 5. Movement- Pick Your Hands Up High- after the exciting instrument play, this one would be a good one to wind down just a little bit. 6. Goodbye- Music Time Is Over.

1.energetic, spontaneous, free moving, surprises, timbre variety
2. Parents you need to synchronize your rhythms and beats to the tempo your child is setting. Follow your child’s lead. It’s OK that your child is watching right now instead of doing the action. He is observing and internalizing the actions and you will see him do them at home or in the car after he leaves. Play is the work of children and please get down on the floor and play with your child. They learn through movement and play. Position your child so that she can organize her body for rhythm. Put her arms over your arms, and hold her so that the bottoms of her feet, and not her heels, touch the floor firmly when she bounces. These instruments we are using– chikitas and small drums that they can hold themselves safely–are chosen to help your child successfully move towards independence.

3. Gathering- sing the Hello song and include each child by their name. Then do a lap bounce, using “Hey! Hey! come and Play”song. Bonding-sing and move to “Wiggly, Jiggly Car.” Include surprise pauses to build anticipation. Do movements with parent to piggy back song, “This is the Way we Clap Our Hands, etc” Songs about Me-sing and move to song, “Can You see See See Me”, and “Just Like me.” Instrument songs- sing and play chikitas to song ” Sit With Me and Shake.” Use gathering drum and all play it, singing, “Dancing in the Middle.” Movement song- stand sing and do named movements to song, ” I can Move around.” Do movement with a scarf to song pick Your hands Up High.” Good bye song- sing same good bye song as in SM1, and then sing”Thank You Very much” to each child before leaving. Offer to shake their hand, and then help children shake each other’s hands.

Five words to describe SM2- curious; fun; suprising, toddling and observing

Five sentences to tell parents- 1. It is OKAY if your baby or toddler is not keeping the same beat as the music. 2. Match your beat to your babies… if they are bouncing at their own tempo follow them! 3. Your baby is starting to explore because they know they have you as a secure base to come back to. 4. Your baby may not interact very much with their peers yet and that is okay… they will become more and more aware and curious of their peers as they develop 5. Have fun with your baby all the time by singing these songs at home… change the words to work for you… Instead of “do you want to make some music” sing “do you wanna splish splash… splish splash in the bath”, etc.

A typical session plan would start with a Hello Song… I really like the Good Morning to You song… not a lot of words but a lot going on musically… Then warm up the kiddos with a gathering song like Hey! Hey! Come and Play!. For main activities I would most likely utilize a bonding song like Wiggly, Jiggly Car or Hold On Tight (my kids love that one!). Also some songs about “me” and some movement songs. Depending upon how well the kids transitions I may save the instruments songs for last so they can keep them the rest of the session. I always like to cool things down with a relaxing, seated (if possible!) movement song. Last would be a goodbye song and “Thank you very much” (I love that idea!). It models appropriate social interactions in a fun way!

Exploration. Discovery. Energy. Anticipated Surprise. Observation.

1) It’s perfectly fine if your child doesn’t exactly follow the cues. They are exploring what it feels likes to engage in and respond to the music. 2) Now that we know that song, let’s do it again! This time, we’ll pause throughout and see what happens. 3) It’s okay if the maraca goes in the mouth; he’s exploring. When he’s finished, you can put it in the “Yucky Bin” up there. 4) Play is the work of children, and work can be exhausting or over-stimulating. When you child seems to “just” sitting, she is observing everything! You might hear her humming this song on the way home or later this week. 5) Children get a lot of sensory input from the soles of their feet. If you’re helping them stamp, make sure the whole foot is making contact, not just the toes or heel.

Sit Down with Me – Gathering, Hey Hey Come & Play – Greeting, Wiggly Jiggly Car – Bonding, All of This is Me – Song About Me, In My Little Hand – Instruments, I Can Move Around – Instruments/Moving, Can You Follow – Movement, Music Time is Over – Closing