[Karen Collins]

Well, I have given a lot of presentations within the last 3 years. I present for the child care resources organizations, infant toddler teachers continuing education programs, and other therapists. This keeps me pretty busy.

I make handouts for my early childhood music therapy referrals for MT and development. I also take time after my 1:1 sessions to talk about what we did or during if the parent/caregiver is present.

[Karen Collins]

Well, I am going to be having a meeting with the department of early childhood education in the state of Alabama and the University of Alabama Professors to see how music therapy can be added to the state early childhood iniiative. I also serve on the the junior board for a local nonprofit.

I signed up for this course because I thought it would be a great refresher on early childhood – it was! I think there were some great ideas to make connections ou tin the community with other groups and programs.

[Karen Collins]

The idea of a support forum of like minded MT-BC’s sounds great too.

[Karen Collins]

I really value the way of looking at music development compared to developmental milestones and the similarities. I also really like the idea of a MUSIC THERAPY early childhood program that gains recognition.

[Karen Collins]

I am also tend to try to keep a couple of favorite instruments and when a child has a meltdown I’ll use chimes and sing some familiar songs like twinkle twinkle. Usually the child having the tantrum is focused on the cool toy. Ocean drums work well too.

[Karen Collins]

Transition songs are a must in early childhood groups to help with flow. When children have severe disabilities I try to use low technology AAC devices as well – it’s fun to program parts of the song on Step by step and let the child sing parts of the songs when they are non-verbal.

[Karen Collins]

Singing:
Awareness – make pitched vocalizations
Trust – may imitate some pitches and parts of songs; sing descending intervals
Independence – this is the babbling with melodic intonation, imitate simple sounds
Control – May use some short phrases in song, sing phrase of 3 or more pitches
Responsibility – Child will sing songs while incorporating appropriate elements of music; match pitch,

Instruments:
Awareness – turn eye gaze towards sound source
Trust – explore and reach for instruments
Independence – grasp and shake instruments
Control — use instruments by their function
Responsibility: grasp and play instrument and play rhythmic patterns

Movement
Awareness – moves entire body with reflexive movements
Trust – will tolerate movement of body parts
Independence – bang two objects together
Control – Sustain motor movement like hand clapping to familiar song
Responsibility: can sing and move/play instrument simultaneously

Listening –
Awareness – alter vocalization in response to silence.
Trust – will adjust vocalizations in response to sound source
Independence – seek out sound sources
Control – stop action to listen to musicl
Responsibility – follow the routines and listen to peer

[Karen Collins]

I was trying to figure out how to edit, but it wasn’t working, so sorry for all the posts. But to elaborate from my last two posts:

Playing a two handed instrument – promotes bilateral coordination
Marching, jumping – basic awareness and motor planning
sitting and attending to sit down activities and songs like listening songs – carry over to attending to more preschool readiness skills/school readiness skills.

When a child is singing a song, it is actually processing the elements of music in one side while the actual words and phrasing in the other side of the brain.

If a child can sing a phrase, we can hopefully generalize that skill to speaking a phrase.

[Karen Collins]

I like to introduce new instruments and new sounds. Like this week I introduced the “stirring drum” which was a HUGE hit

It’s interesting to see how they respond to wooden instruments verses shakers. Some of my kiddos with autism do NOT like tamboruines, shakers, but LOVE LOVE LVOE the wooden instruments – sticks, tone blocks, etc.

[Karen Collins]

I do worry about fingers getting stepped on too

[Karen Collins]

Kids are going to have melt-downs and they will trigger multiple meltdowns. I think that is when we use the power of whisper, silence, musical surprises, etc. and why we have to be flexible within our organized structure.

When addressing multiple age groups, I think demonstrating and modeling while also reinforcing the desired behavior will help the flow of the group. There isn’t much talking, but a simple I like how Jack is singing or following directions or something like that can help the other children realize what they are supposed to be doing/encouraged. Now, with the toddlers – responding to their cues can also help.

[Karen Collins]

I think that it’s really important we can articulate the why music promotes development because SO many people know they are supposed to sing to kids… but they do not know why! This is what sets us apart from other providers.

[Karen Collins]

Music can be embedded in daily routines to help a child learn and grow in his/her environment through play and exploration of his/her environment. Families can use music during bath-time routine, play routine, bed-time routines to help the entire process be a little smoother.

In addition, children learn through play and exploration so these play-based music activities promote the development of the whole child. Social development, Physical, emotional , communication skills are all promoted through spouting melodies.

[Karen Collins]

FUN! Exciting! Engaging! RFlexible nConfidence-Building… Social

I love love love family music time opportunities on my family home visits because it gives older siblings ideas on how they can interact with their younger siblings. I remember my own daughter doing some chants with my son when he was just a few weeks old. Very sweet moments that help the family dynamic.

Bonding songs!!
Songs about Me and the World (Puppets, body parts, every day objects, song story books are fabulous)
Bouncing and rocking songs are great too
Instruments with shakers, bells, rhythm sticks

I really love Brown Bear Brown Bear sung to Twinkle Twinkle for families – it’s a book they already have astroturfing home and the older siblings can eventually “read/sing” it to the younger one.

Movement songs are great because mom can work with the oyoungest and if you give a cue like – jump or rock the older siblings can still participate. Same with instrument songs.

I think these are great sessions to help families incorporate music in their daily routine as a family. You know, when all the kids are demanding mom’s attention… she has a set of tools (songs) that she can pull out and engage them all at one time which calms the craziness at home.

[Karen Collins]

I think it’s really important to note a baseline of how each child engages the first week vs. 6 weeks in because there is likely a huge change on how they are participating within the group.

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