Sing and learn some of the songs presented in the video. Share with the board your experiences using these songs.

[Meredith Pizzi]

[Rachel Lighty]

I loved learning and hearing these songs! Sometimes I feel like I get in a rut and seems like I am using the same songs over and over again. These songs will definitely be a great resource, a source for new material for my groups, and has given me fuel to create my own songs for the specific needs of my groups. It was nice to hear and learn how the minor songs were utilized as well because most of the songs that are geared towards this age group are minor and sound similar or have very similar qualities about them. The songs from this course add variety, while still being age and developmentally appropriate.

[Tracy Schoenberg]

I chose some various times throughout the day to practice on my own kids because we had extra time this weekend. My 2 year old loved the bonding songs, especially “Hold on Tight”- he signed and said “more” 3 times and he only does that when he really likes something like cookies or something good. My 5 year old seemed to like the bonding songs as well, and liked being bounced around like his little brother. He likes being treated like a little kid sometimes. The dramatic pause and fermata was really effective in making the songs interesting to him. My older kid is in the control stage and liked to dance and play his harmonica to the songs as well as choose what actions to do in “Will You Come” song. My 2 year old is in the independence stage and prefers to play drums, but has a shorter attention span for watching me play piano and singing. Singing to him without an instrument and the rhythmic chant helped keep his focus as well as using musical surprises with silence, glissando, and loud vs. soft. He really doesn’t like sitting and listening. He prefers to do his own thing while being sung to. Even though it looks like he isn’t paying attention, he does give me that occasional look when I pause or change the tempo so I know he still is engaged with the music.

[Gwendolyn Van Baalen]

I had the opportunity to use “Wiggly Jiggly Car” with a 13 month old with gross motor delay. Though this song is presented in the material as a bonding song, I also found it very useful as an intervention to target strengthening and core control. I think it was particularly effective because of its novelty and because the two contrasting sections appeared to increase engagement. The contrasting sections also provided the opportunity to structure two differing movements of the child on my lap, shifting side to side slowly and bouncing up and down with support on his hips or thighs. Since this child is seen in session with his siblings, songs like this provide a great way for all three kids, each sitting on an adult’s lap, to receive intervention and attention addressing their differing goals and needs.

[Alice Sorensen]

I enjoyed singing and learning these songs, some of which were familiar to me from my time at Alternatives, and some of which were new!

Unfortunately, my kid’s choir is out for the summer so I don’t have any children to test these out on – but when they were in session, a lot of times I’d use the transition song “we’re gonna walk to music” when moving from our rehearsal space to the performance space – it kept them focused on the task at hand, minimized the anxiety of the transition/location, and made them feel purposeful. It made me smile when I later heard kids singing it spontaneously, self-directing on their way into the rehearsal space!

[Jessica Triana]

I greatly appreciated not only the songs but your insights into the potential applications for each song. I am always looking for more songs that highlight the tactile and vestibular senses for my patients with significant hearing loss. I had great success with “Wiggly Jiggly Car” with an individual patient. Our child life specialists now know this song as well so they can incorporate it into their play sessions. I am interested, although a bit apprehensive, to implement some more songs in minor. I am grateful for your compositions to help me ease into the minor modes, especially with groups.

[Anonymous]

It is so wonderful to hear your experiences with the songs in this week’s materials. Beth has a book filled with wonderful songs categorized by type (bonding, transition, etc.) and Meredith has a CD with her songs. Although the songs were originally written for specific ideas, Beth encourages you to broaden their use and find ways they can be used for all different kinds of purposes and to improvise within them. Tracy, like you, I would practice a lot of the songs with my daughter and found how useful they can be with every day life. In particular, many of Beth’s and Meredith’s songs helped with reducing food being thrown from the table, transitioning between activities, dealing with difficult emotions and behaviors, and bed time. Wiggly Jiggly car was a life saver with getting my daughter into the car, so much so I would encourage my Sprouting Melodies families and parent after parent told me how much it helped with getting their little ones into the car seat.

[Cassandra Reyna]

Unfortunately, I do not have access to any small children to practice these songs with! However, I am thrilled to now have these songs to add to my repertoire. During my internship at the children’s hospital, parents expressed enjoyment of new song material because they often knew only the standards, such as Twinkle Twinkle and BINGO. I am excited to start sharing these songs with parents as soon as possible!

[Tracy Schoenberg]

which particular song helps with decreasing food throwing (and maybe spitting) 🙂

[Marchele Gilman]

Like Cassandra, I don’t have access to any small children to practice these songs with. However, I enjoyed learning them, and I will look forward to using them in the future. I found it helpful in looking at the form and hearing the catchy melodies to these songs. Hearing songs in minor and how well they are used, has made me open to using songs in other modes. All in all, it helps me to see how I might write similar songs for my clients in the future.

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

Thanks for all these stories of the music. I love hearing how the songs are being used, but I am also eager to hear the songs that you are writing and adapting!
If you are looking for more songs besides the ones notated in “You and Me Makes…We” hop on over to the Sprouting Melodies page. There are lots of new songs which I share on the video blog section called ‘Sprouting Melodies Sing at Home’.

[Alison Albino]

So many of these songs are very familiar to me! With the babies in Sprouting Melodies 1 I’ve used the transition song Good Morning to You over a period of several weeks. One of the families in the class mentioned they sing that song to their son every morning now! I’ve also used In My Little Hand with this group of children. The children have responded so well in their own different ways to this song! Especially when musical pauses are given, they will fill in the gaps themselves, it’s really wonderful to see!

[Anonymous]

Tracy- Music Time Is Over was the one that worked for my daughter. I would change the words to Dinner (Breakfast, Lunch, Snack etc) is over, Dinner time is done, Dinner time is finished, My belly is all full all done. I would do the sign language for all done. Initially I would try to anticipate when the food throwing was going to happen (if possible) and then over time my daughter began doing it herself. I used it for bath time, play time, etc. It really was a great transition for her and prevented a lot of tantrums. I also used it in my Sprouting Melodies and Music Therapy sessions when I find clients were struggling with something ending or transitioning to a new experience.

[Beth McLaughlin]

I have used the song ‘All of Me’ frequently after learning it from Beth several years ago. It’s magic. The students I used it with were 4 and 5 years old on the autism spectrum. They were at varying levels of development but would all eventually learn the movements and even start to vocalize ‘me, me, me’ at the end of the song. We had to create a special song icon for a student’s PECs book to add to his repertoire of preferred songs!

[Elizabeth Ferguson]

The songs presented were wonderful! Earlier in the year I saw Meredith and Beth present and was able to sing some of the same songs! ( Wiggly Jiggly Car) It was very exciting for me to get to the music part of this course. I love learning new repertoire!

[Flora Whitmore]

So, I haven’t had a lot of opportunity to use these songs yet, however, Elizabeth’s song about wanting to make music is super jazzy and I found myself snapping and swinging my knee to it. We have a very similar song we use in my therapeutic playgroup, that is very inviting, in the same key, with a similar rhythmic structure. It was very interesting to watch the kids come from playing to join the group- almost like they were compelled. There’s something to be said for showing with the music, as opposed to having to verbally shepherd them using words. It made for smoother transitions and higher levels of engagement. I also love “Good Morning” and plan to use it next week with one of my groups. That being said, I love Wiggly Jiggly Car. It makes me want to appropriate my friend’s baby to practice singing with. He has chubby little feet that are made for dancing and loves music.

[RaeAnna Zinniel]

I do not have any access to practice these songs with children currently but I hope to use some in upcoming practicums and internship. I really love having more songs at my disposal!

[Ayelet Weiss]

I loved hearing and learning these songs and can’t wait to try some of them with my son! I am not currently working with children but I remember some of these from my field placement at Alternatives. I remember specifically how effective transition songs were. For example: inviting the children to come into the music room one by one, and accompanying children while singing all the way to their school buses!

[Virginia Caldwell]

I do not have any other application for these right now other than my two boys. They are 3.5 and 2. I LOVED all of the songs and saw application for them in home life:-) The car song is great! I like the movement components and appreciate not having to accompany myself with guitar or piano always because to me it is a barrier. I can’t be hands on if I am strapped to a piano. I appreciate that about your method! I sing good morning to my sons and have caught them singing good morning to each other if they are not up at the same time. Super cute! I am excited to add to my music repitoire as I only know the classic kids songs. This was so cool! I appreciated the discussion for application and adaptation.

[Anonymous]

I am glad you are already finding ways to use the songs and seeing how they can be effective in every day parenting. That will be a great resource for the families you work with!

[Author]

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