[Maura Nicholson]

Chew those words!! I love it.

[Maura Nicholson]

5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies®
1. touch 2. connected 3. bonding 4. intimate 5. secure

5 sentences you can use when speaking with parents about musical responses of children in SM1:
*Look how you’ve naturally situated yourself about 12 inches from your babies’ face. That distance is perfect and where your baby can see you best.
*We’re going to be singing very softly while keeping a steady beat. You can tap somewhere on your baby’s body to keep a beat.
*During this song you are moving your baby up down and all around. See which way they are comfortable- they could sit, stand, or be cradled. They will let you know!
*As we paused within the music, did you notice how he anticipated the next part of the song with his whole body?
*As you repeat the sounds that your baby makes to you, try adding a movement like a rocking motion that syncs with the vocalizations you are now making together.

Plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies 1 session:
Allow group to settle in and greet one another.
Start with “Hello” and transition into “Hey! Hey! Come and Play!” Then move in to “Wiggly Jiggly Car” and repeat as indicated by the vibes of the group. Next, “Sit with me and shake”. Depending on if the group seems to be enjoying instrument play can add, “I like this song”. Next, “As big as can be”, and start to wind down with “Just like me”, and finish with “Goodbye”.

[Maura Nicholson]

Zoe, your post really resonated with me. I definitely feel like I need to push myself out of my comfort zone to ask questions and make the exchange of information regarding culture a comfortable one. And I so agree that youtube videos have become the norm for traditional music for kids!!

[Maura Nicholson]

The families I work with are in great need of socialization with other families. I feel this is a broad issue around many communities during the pandemic as families are still so nervous to be around others. I feel like offering a small music group would be extremely beneficial– even if it had to be outside! Just watching the videos of the live classes this week made me miss all of my families so much. While we are facilitating virtual groups, it still feels so far from the in meaningfulness of an in person interaction. My goal at the end of this course is to start small Sprouting Melodies groups for families that may be in the same neighborhood, or circle of friends, or feel safe being with a small group of new friends. This would provide a unique opportunity for children and parents to share an organized activity together during a very socially isolating time.

[Maura Nicholson]

Music therapists provide a unique opportunity to support bonding and social interaction through music for young families. We also provide an understanding of development and how it relates to music in order for therapists to create an optimal developmental music environment.

[Maura Nicholson]

While I am normally in a family’s home proving music therapy services, I have become very aware of the feel of the different homes and especially the background noise. I’ve been in many homes with a newborn baby with a loud TV on and family’s speaking loudly to compete with the TV volume. I have definitely noticed in those scenarios the baby putting his hand over his face or turning away from sound. I have had the conversation with parents about the importance of setting up their baby’s environment to help them be the most comfortable. But now, considering the developmental levels, particularly awareness and trust, from the musical experience perspective offers a very helpful tool when explaining to parents the impact that environmental sounds have on their baby.

I also will never think about “Head shoulders” the same way again! It is certainly a commonly requested song. I thought about about how I typically do that song with kids- I go very slow and they like to build up to going faster. Naturally, the faster we go the more uncoordinated and silly we all get-which is also fun. But of course that would be a tough song for little ones to maintain the melody, while remembering meter and pulse of the song until they are moving into the responsibility developmental level.

[Maura Nicholson]

Zoe, That was a great moment you chose to reflect on! I have also enjoyed looking back on some of my experiences with little ones and now being able to view them with a different and much more insightful perspective. I really enjoyed reading about your experience!

[Maura Nicholson]

Jezin, that’s great you were able to be with a little one in person! I so miss it!!

[Maura Nicholson]

I used “Wiggly Jiggly Car” during my telehealth group. I noticed during the ascending “Oh, oh, oh” I REALLY got the attention of every child on the screen. I repeated the song a few times and each time you could truly tell they were anticipating the song speeding up.
During an individual session I also used this song with a child who has been having a very difficult time with the telehealth model. To my surprise, the family was in their car for the session! The child was climbing in and out of his seatbelt but we started the song once mom pulled him into her lap and gave him a great big hug during the seat belt lyrics and then he loved bouncing around on her knee. Tight quarters but they made it work!

[Maura Nicholson]

I love when a family of a different culture is excited to show me how their child enjoys music specific to their culture. For me, it is an amazing glimpse into their lives. I have had a few different families where they would play a song of their choice and the parent and child would sing and dance together. As purely an observer, watching the pair experience the music together gave me so much information about how they bond, and we continued to either start or end our sessions with a song of their choosing. When I am only in homes for one hour a week, and now, I am on a screen for even less time with a family- It can be tricky to really get a sense of how the household functions. I think it is always crucial to meet the family where they are, and not to be afraid to ask questions to better understand their cultural identity.

[Maura Nicholson]

I have been working with a heavily involved child for a few years now. She has Laryngeal cleft stage 4, a trach, among several other diagnoses, and will likely never have a voice. She is now 4 and I began seeing her when she was 7 months old when she came home from the hospital for the first time. It was fun to think of my time with her over her life span and going through these stages. Most notably, her Independence stage when I would place the guitar on her lap and she would rest her head on it to feel the vibrations. She would also attempt to climb on top of it to lay down on the guitar, and even lick the guitar strings!

[Maura Nicholson]

Awareness:
1. A non-verbal, immobile child wears bells on her ankles. Therapist leaves off a familiar lyric in a song and the child lifts her leg to make a sound in the lyric’s place.
2. During an intimate moment with parent and infant, Parent imitates infant’s cooing. While sustaining eye contact, the pair make repetitive vowel consonant sounds back and fourth. The parent develops a rocking motion that syncs with the vocalizations.
3. During the business of a group, therapist chimes together finger cymbals and children turn their gaze toward high pitched sound.

Trust:
1. During a familiar song, therapist Therapist leaves out a phrase in a song, the silence heightens children’s attention as it is not what they are used to hearing.
2. When presented with a shaker, child will will grasp it and shake during familiar song.
3. During a familiar song, child will move his whole body in response to music.

Independence:
1. When presented with a selection of 2 instruments instruments in the middle of the room, child will use her means of movement to go choose which one she wants to play with.
2.Therapist moves around the group with guitar, child reaches to guitar and strums using his whole hand.
3. When therapist is sitting facing a child with guitar, child pulls guitar to her lap and puts her cheek to the body of the guitar. Or proceeds to lick the guitar strings!

Control:
1. When playing the drum, child understands instructions paired with actions to play fast, slow, quiet, or loud.
2. If a therapist suddenly quiets the volume of her singing, the child stops beating on the drum to attend and hear her more clearly.
3. When a child is sitting in a group setting and hears the beginning of a familiar song, she knows to reposition herself and stand up as the song involves jumping up and down.

Responsibility:
1. When drumming, the therapist gives a non verbal cue to play softer, the child is able to recognize this cue and follow along.
2. When therapist strums a chord to a familiar tune, the child will identify the song and start singing the majority of the lyrics independently.
3. As therapist facilitates turn taking with a drum around a circle, a child is able to listen to his peer play the drum and wait for his turn.

[Maura Nicholson]

Hey Zoe,

I have been trying to brainstorm what music therapy groups would like like now too. I’ve been doing an EI virtual music group since April or so. There are so many factors that go into it. Some kids really thrive, and there are some who I see for only a few minutes during the entire group as attending and interacting with the screen is hard! I use a TON of visuals and fun backgrounds but I know there are a lot of other tools out there to really enhance the virtual experience. I still have a lot of work to do.
In regards to in person groups, in my area parents are dying for some sort of organized activity for the little ones to socialize and have some structure. As I am working toward starting more private work, I think there could be an opportunity to cautiously facilitate small groups within neighborhoods for example, perhaps with 5 or so kids who have already socialized together. It is all so tricky!! I just know we have a few towns where the preschools aren’t opening at all for whole year and parents are desperate to get their kids involved in something.

[Maura Nicholson]

I have always LOVED doing groups. I will often say, “Groups are my jam”. The kids energize me so much and I feel like it is the most natural and enjoyable part of my work. I just love watching them become familiar with different songs and giving them a way to express themselves-especially when the words may not be there. I also love providing the opportunity for children and their parents to experience music with one another.
I took a group music therapy course in grad school but I am so grateful to have this course now that I have several more years experience in the field.

[Maura Nicholson]

I definitely agree that this was a great refresher for early development. Working in EI, sometimes my perception becomes a bit skewed, so it is helpful to go through the “typical” milestones and what to expect. I feel like I’m working with so many families who’s kids are under a microscope because they have been home with them for so long and they are picking up on every little thing that might be “wrong” with their child. So hard for them. I often wonder about the developmental impact this whole quarantine period could have on these little ones who have been socially isolated- especially the families with children on the spectrum who are at a great risk of regressing.

And Erika, I am glad you mentioned having this book as a working resource especially with creating goals which I sometimes tend to overthink!

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