[Kelsy Gati]

Connecticut music therapy services, the company I work for, is working to implement sprouting melodies groups beginning the end of April! We are looking forward to teaching by example and providing these services and the information connected with it to our community!

[Kelsy Gati]

Moving forward I will use the information about early childhood development in planning sessions that are more developmentally appropriate. I will also continue to apply the music that has been modeled in the content videos to my sessions. My work has been enriched by this program and I look forward to using the new information moving forward as a clinician. It was wonderful working with and learning from you all!

[Kelsy Gati]

I will use music that is appropriate, repetitive, predictable and well understood! Beyond that, I will use my music therapy training to assess and gain an understanding of group needs versus individual needs and plan activities that appeal to that assessment. I will also bear in mind the different developmental levels that we have discussed over the weeks and how that information pertains to and impacts each group.

I will also be sure to provide encouragement, direction and assistance to parents as needed to provide opportunities for them to feel settled and comfortable. I think if the parents have a certain level of comfort it will impact the child’s ability to be open, free and independent within music time!

[Kelsy Gati]

I am most looking forward to fostering and exploring social connectedness in these very different early childhood settings! Each developmental level is so unique and warrants distinctive activities and experiences to enhance those differences. I am also looking forward to encouraging children and parents to feel safe in the knowledge that each child is different and those differences are to be embraced and celebrated! Creating a fre expressive environment for self exploration and social development will be so exciting and rewarding!

I am also curious to have a greater understanding of hosting early childhood groups that are not specifically “music therapy groups”. It is my thought that facilitating in a less goal oriented way will create new types of professional opportunities and learning experiences.

I am also, of course, looking forward to exploring the different music experiences we learned over these past weeks!!

[Kelsy Gati]

The main challenge would be to make sure music activities are accessible, enjoyable and meaningful for all age groups. There needs to be a balance of appropriate activities all children will enjoy while still bearing in mind their differences developmentally and the interests that correlate with that. Ima,so this it is challenging to ensure that children are all receiving equal attention and opportunities. It is also important to maintain experiences within the music and to not allow for too much excess talking from parents and children. The talking distracts from the music!!

[Kelsy Gati]

Music for development is when music is used to aid or accent the natural developmental process. It enhances the skills and milestones that they will already reach by providing a safe environment to explore those natural instincts. Music for skill building is used to create opportunities to learn societal norms and social techniques that are not know as natural milestones but are important for a growing, learning child to be exposed to in a safe supportive environment!

[Kelsy Gati]

Sprouting melodies 3: deliberate, independent, creative, playful, social

Hello song: I’m glad you’re here today!: greet all kids by name, provide opportunities for everyone to meet and know each other
I’d like to Ride a Bike: an activity that allows for movement with instructions through movement to allow opportunities for independence.
My eyes are on my face: body awareness! (Perhaps do another body awareness song here like head shoulders knees and toes)
I like this song: free instrument exploration, create social and listening opportunities through turn taking?
Movement: a simple marching song that incorporates moving fast and slowing down to prepare for the end of group
Goodbye: closure and transition out of music

Family sprouts: busy, supportive, teamwork, cooperation, sharing

Hello: come on let’s make some music!: introduce all kids by name and perhaps acknowledge show is siblings with whom?
Wiggly jiggly car: allows for independent movement and group movement for those kids who still need assistance
That all makes me: individual body awareness
Just like me: social connectedness and opportunity for peer interaction
I really gotta jump: independent jumping and jumping with caregivers
Shaker song: up/down and fast/slow directions.
Can you follow?: more peers interaction opportunity
Goodbye

[Kelsy Gati]

-Chiquitas: the small size, lightweight, bright colors and subtle sound are very enticing to kids this age!
-Maracas: Similar reasoning to the Chiquitas. Instruments with handles are great for kids this age!
-Nesting Drums: Smaller size for kids ready to try to play a drum independently. Larger for kids sitting with their parent or who might benefit from a larger surface area to explore.

[Kelsy Gati]

exploratory, playful, surprise, engaged, spontaneous

Possible Session Plan:
Hello: Everybody Hello! I love how this song involved two words, it is so simple and appropriate to greet each child and their caregiver, it provides an opportunity to greet one another and give everyone a chance to be acclimated to the space and get to know one another!
Lap Song: Wiggly Jiggly: Love this one, I think it is so different if used in this age group, there is a new developmental level of anticipation with this age range. I think emphasizing closeness between caregivers and child and having those anticipated bounces as well as the safety of having the caregivers arms around the child is beneficial when creating connections
Just Like Me: I think this promotes great body awareness and opportunities to form relationships and connections between child and other people
In my Little Hand: With Shakers: To encourage instrument playing
Movement: March with my Baby: Use fast, slow, stop and go cues!
Goodbye: Thank you Very Much: to close the session and thank everyone for being present, also to provide a definitive and predictable ending.

Possible sentences to parents:
-Thats wonderful that your child is singing the songs at home! When they are ready they will share that in group!
-Don’t worry if your child is not copying or focused on me the entire time! 45 minutes is a long time for a baby, they are still listening and being a part of the group!
-I am so happy to see everyone exploring! That means they are comfortable and finding where the fit within the space!
-Look at how they are starting to anticipate those stopping and starting points! They are learning!
-If your child puts their instrument down thats okay! Offer it to them again in a few minutes and maybe they will want to try again!

[Kelsy Gati]

In this age group, as mentioned in the video, it is important to not overstimulate the kids by maintaining a presence and energy level that matches that of the children in the group. Babies of this age certainly want to have musical experiences that have energy, an element of predictable surprise, excitement and authenticity. Having a persona that is authentic and true excitement allows for the child to truly feel that the facilitator is sharing and enjoying the experience along with them and their caregivers. I think that overstimulation can also stem from instruments that have too strong, prominent or harsh of a sound (such as a tambourine). Certain sounds are loud and inconsistent without the strength or control that comes at an older developmental stage. It is also beneficial to use songs with simple, repetitive and predictable lyrics with a consistent structure. This level of consistency is important week to week to enhance stimulation and see how the child responds, learns, interacts in the music and changes from week to week.

[Kelsy Gati]

When parents and their baby enter the room have recorded music playing, allow time for each parent to set up and mingle and greet people as they arrive!

Start with a greeting song: Use this to connect with each child in the group, incorporate calling out each child’s name so that everyone in the group gets to know each other and get use to saying hi to everyone!

Movement: Wiggly Jiggly Car or Row it Faster: This lap movement song involves bouncing movements and an opportunity for closeness between child and caregiver! I would follow this with a slower movement song that introduces elements of body awareness. One that includes stomping, hand clapping, opening and closing hands etc. I think having a joint caregiver and child activity, such as Wiggly Jiggly Car followed by a copying activity would provide nice variety!

Instruments: In my little hand: to Explore instruments! I also might do a team rhythm stick playing activity at this point. Caregivers could hold one stick and the child could grip the other, then as a team they could hit the sticks together to make the sound…

I also might add a familiar song element, particularly when sessions are first established. I know caregivers will learn the music, but I would want there to be a couple of songs that they can sing along to so that the child has can react to their caregivers voice and in turn become comfortable in the music environment faster!

Goodbye: A parting, definitive closing to the group and an opportunity to let the music exploration time settle!

[Kelsy Gati]

Most of my experience with children 0-9 months is in a one to one setting. I have not yet experienced this age range in a group setting!

Clinically I work with children with severe visual impairment 0-9 months. Typically in these sessions the main caregiver is present and they typically will offer to hold their child in session. This is greatly encouraged as a child’s expression and comfort level is completely different when they are sitting with their caregiver versus when they are sitting in a chair or sitting with me. Having their mom or dad to support them, sing to them or assist the child in whatever way is needed increases the child’s comfort, which, in turn creates more opportunities for connected music experiences. In my opinion, the most beautiful thing, particularly with this age range, is witnessing the way a child responds to their main caregivers voice. There is always such clear recognition and connection there. The child knows their parents voice best and therefore responds to it in a way that they will not respond to any other voice.

Beyond that it has been a joy to watch my niece who is now 2 years old grow. I remember so clearly her from birth to 9 months and it is such a broad range! So much changes in that 9 month time! It felt like every day she was learning a new amazing skill, for example, one day she didn’t know how to reach for and grab a rattle and the next day she could purposefully reach for it and pick it up! Then the next day she could shake that rattle. Each day is exciting because so much is being learned so rapidly! I still feel that way way, she is still constantly learning and growing her vocabulary and becoming accustomed to the world around her. It is something I love so much about early childhood, everything is exciting because everything is so new to them!

[Kelsy Gati]

nurturing, supportive, expressive, exploratory, safe

Possible sentences to parents:
-Exploring is good! It means they are comfortable in this space.
-All sounds are welcome here! It is so wonderful to hear your child’s voice!
-Thank you for singing, your child knows your voice the best so it helps them get better connected to the music!
-Your child might just not feel ready to try an instrument, let them decide when its time. Everyone likes to try new things in their own time.
-Wow! I’m so excited that your child did the movements to that song today! Sometimes it takes a few classes and a few repetitions and today they did it!

[Kelsy Gati]

Community based music therapy, to me, is an opportunity for people to connect through music in a supportive, exploratory and comfortable environment. I think the beauty of music is that it has the ability to bring people together and creates opportunities for connection in a unique way. More specifically, as music therapists we are trained to be flexible, goal oriented, task specific, to adapt to the needs of the clients on any given day and to observe and respond to those observations. Our specific skills are so valuable to community music because we can apply theses skills as needed. In the first video you mention that Sprouting Melodies Classes do not have the same structure, methods or specificity of a typical music therapy session. I think that we can certainly maintain that relaxed, exploratory environment but maintain our training and music therapy thought processes to enhance the community early childhood classes in a unique way!

[Kelsy Gati]

I so loved reading everything that was written! Its true, there is so much we have to offer and we do so in such a unique way.

I think that we are able to encourage and facilitate the development of so many crucial skills in ways that no other discipline can. We are able to access those skills in a way that does not feel like work to the child but rather feels like play. We create opportunities for a child to express themselves freely while creating opportunities to work towards goals in a safe and open space. We are able to connect with the child through music and then use that music as a vehicle for growth.

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