[Lauren Caso]

5 words: Engaging, sensory/stimuli, bonding, calming, joy.

5 sentences (I hope I am interpreting this correctly): 1.) By singing the Hello song together, you and your child are getting to know the other children and adults in the group, helping to build a community. 2.) Using the guitar (etc.) to sustain the music, this can help to fill in spaces in order to decrease a child’s startle reflex within songs/activities. 3.) It’s best to start with music familiar to your baby such as “Row, Row”, and then modify the words/activity. 4.) Singing and holding props 12″-18″ away from baby’s face is best for engaging them and getting their attention. Move scarf/prop slowly from side to side, and be sure it’s within this range of sight. 5.) Tickle baby in the middle of their hand to trigger their grasp reflex in order to hold a shaker. Tap the back of their hand to trigger their reflex to release the instrument.

Sample session/’set list’:
Instrument exploration: Putamayo CD on with gathering drums and shakers on floor
Hello: Hello Song (NR)
Body Percussion: Toe-Knee-Chest nut Nose I love you (Tony Chestnut knows I love you)
Lap Song: Choo Choo to Boston
Instrument: B-I-N-G-O
Gross Motor: My body makes music (English and Spanish)
Cool down: Twinkle, Twinkle (with prop stars)
Goodbye: Goodbye Song

[Lauren Caso]

I would guess that many families in this area either have 2 working parents, are single parents, and/or have a caretaker or have their child attend Day Care in the morning. Many families consisting of school aged sibling tend to seek out morning or weekend sessions, while others look for afternoon activities for both siblings. Most families in this area are somewhere above middle class financially, and there is a somewhat high interest in the arts and sports among children. I think that groups here would be most successful if offered in the morning, afternoon (“after school”), and weekend mornings.
When I was running Music and Movement groups aged 0-3 at The Boston’s Children Museum, I found that many children came with their Nanny’s to the museum almost every day, as a ritual, and observed how they formed a small community of support, friendship and peers, for both the children and their accompanying adults alike!

[Lauren Caso]

We, as music therapists, offer a variety of expertise to children and families. We have extensive clinical training and experience among a wide range of populations and abilities, creating a solid skill set as both clinicians and researchers in the field. Our knowledge and awareness of the developmental levels of clients, and appropriate musical responses, allows us to provide educational moments in a session to caregivers. Using the open source model or framework of a SM session allows us to customize and adapt our sessions to meet the needs of the children and caregivers individually, within their family, and as a community group. The format we typically use to structure a session allows us to use our own song repertoire, or adaptations of songs, in order to engage the children and caregivers, allowing them an opportunity to adjust to their surroundings, offering a solid foundation in which to learn and grow. We as leaders strive to engage those in the group, create a safe and fun environment, and encourage caregivers to take the songs with them as “tools” in their child’s upbringing. Once parents/caregivers experience positive (and/or therapeutic) moments in a session, they will be able to recognize the value we can offer as music therapists leading the SM group!

[Lauren Caso]

Singing: echo nonsense sounds and real words/phrases, encourage singing vocables such as “la” to a modal vamp, singing favorite foods, name or “hello”
Playing instruments: encouraging staff to allow able children to take their own “time” to play the lollipop drum without hand-over-hand assistance, in response to the music. Sometimes, I find staff are too eager to help child play an instrument right away, when I observe they are still positioning the drum and stick into their hands and finding a suitable grip.
Moving: jumping up and down with children more, to experience the free movement they are feeling in their bodies.
Listening: looking for nonverbal cues, mouthing and babbling children may show in response to “questions” or content in music. Most of my groups with early childhood end this week, although I was able to make some observations and implement some changes based on the material presented in this course thus far.

[Lauren Caso]

Everyone has had such great ideas on their charts, so I will try my best to state some new ideas!
Key:
1.) Awareness 2.) Trust 3.) Independence 4.) Control 5.) Responsibility

Singing: 1.) vocalizations, babble 2.) verbalizations such as “hi”, maybe with a wave, during hello song 3.) sings with some melodic contour. Sings or shouts “stop” after cue in music 4.) Imitates/echoes therapist playing a slide whistle 5.) can sing words closer to pitch, timing and Tempo
Playing instruments: 1.) does not resist to hand-over-hand assistance to play Lollipop Drum 2.) starting and stopping shaking instruments shortly after cue 3.) plays instruments with both hands, or drum with two sticks 4.) plays drum without prompting, and passes it when musical cue directs child to pass 5.) plays lollipop drum without assistance, and passes it just before musical cue to pass, as if to predict directions in song
Moving: 1.) bouncing when music starts or stops 2.) bouncing or movement towards (or to show) parent during song when activity which requests/invites movement 3.) Will dance “solo” in middle of circle 4.) can dance with a partner/friend when prompted in song 5.) can chain movements or dance, or name/create a movement when prompted, without necessarily needing a choice.
Listening: 1.) eyes follow source of sound 2.) attention engaged by parents’ voice. Can point to correct body part sometimes 3.) mouths or moves mouth to words during song 4.) can identify/point to body parts correctly, or peers according to name, during song. Can speak or sing words in response to therapist questions in music 5.) can attend throughout entire song, following directions in music

[Lauren Caso]

In and around Boston, there are many Italian, Irish and Latino families, as well Christian, Jewish, Caribbean, Asian and others. I often emphasize multicultural/world music, specializing in West African culture, when teaching general music. However, I don’t always find it appropriate or applicable for practical use, when in a music therapy session consisting of several children from different cultural backgrounds. My fear is I will lose connection with some clients, perhaps?
I do try to use culture themed music surrounding holidays; although certain schools have been requesting less holiday themed music, as to not exclude any one culture. Other schools request Christmas sing-a-longs, etc. Sometimes it is difficult to separate folk songs from religious ties, be it Pagan, Catholic, etc. I have one child this year in a public school who is a Jehovah’s Witness, and is not permitted to celebrate more secular US holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween or birthdays, which has been a challenge for me this year. But in general, I do try to sprinkle in global songs throughout the year, and find most children respond positively!

[Lauren Caso]

I love using the movement songs, particularly “Gather ‘Round”, because children seem to enjoy the anticipation of the tempo change from slow to fast, and delight in the “fast” section. The piggy back songs for “Ants Go Marching”, etc. are also effective if the melody is familiar to children. I enjoy adapting the songs to the specific groups I’m working with; whether it’s varying the words, actions, name substitution with children’s names, or word substitution reflecting the choice of an animal/food/instrument theme, etc.

[Lauren Caso]

I would say I see many children in the “Control” stage, at one of my present Music Therapy preschool sites. Most children are able to choose an instrument without prompting from an adult, and are able to “echo” simple call and response of simple melodies. During movement activities, many of the children at this site are able to rhythmically move their body up/down or back and forth to the beat, regardless of whether or not they can imitate the movement precisely. When I start playing the guitar, many children spontaneously start swaying or rocking their body to the beat. Gross motor skills seem most prominent here, and often both arms mirror movement with a rhythmic pulse. Some children still use both hands to play a drum or shaker instrument, while others are beginning to be able to hold a lollipop drum and stick in separate hands, moving toward independence.
Specifically, I have one student who is nonverbal and has down syndrome, who starts rocking in her special chair to the beat whenever I start playing a song. She uses both hands to wave “hello” during Hello Song, and sways on her feet when standing up during movement activities. She initiates to help “clean up” nonverbally on her own recently, upon completetion of an activity using props/instruments.

[Lauren Caso]

I would also have to chime in on processing some sort of “natural ability” to make connections with children and families to some degree. Although I do not have any children of my own yet, I have workeded with early childhood as a music teacher in both public schools and private settings, as well as in music therapy group and individual sessions for several years. I am also less than 5 ft tall, so perhaps I am less intimidating to children 😉
Can I ask a question here?
I am really enjoying learning about the milestone markers per age range, and understand these parameters are unique to the development of each child. However, I don’t think I would feel very comfortable bringing up the subject of a “red flag” to a parent/provider. Is that something we are expected to do as a Sprouting Melodies provider? Should we be providing the suggested information only if the child’s provider brings up the subject, or rather in assessment
and/or documentation? I know we’re probably getting into some ethical values here, but I’m hoping Meredith or Elizabeth may be able to comment on this subject at some point in the future! I’m really enjoying the breadth of this training, and exploring some personal reflections!

[Lauren Caso]

Hello! My name is Lauren, and I am a board certified music therapist from the North Shore of Boston. I graduated from Berklee College of music in 2002, and currently work at Roman Music Therapy Services as a Music Therapist. I also teach music both privately and in public schools. I am working with several early childhood classes this year, and want to learn more about the Sprouting Melodies framework. I previously ran therapeutic music groups for ages 0 to 3 at the Children’s Museum in Boston, and would love to learn more techniques with this population! 🙂

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