[Olivia Todd]

Music therapists provide many things to young families. One thing that music therapists provide is a safe space to have fun and bond with their child. It is more than okay and encouraged to be silly with your children! Music therapists can also provide assurance to young families. It can be an intimidating time to be a new family and there are so many things to keep track of, a music therapist can assure a parent that it is okay that their child threw an instrument or is putting it in their mouth.

[Olivia Todd]

Like MacKenzie, I have always been aware of what kinds of experiences I am providing for a group and follow a similar structure each time (when appropriate). I start with a hello song, then some kind of sitting movement song or instrument song, then a standing and more energetic movement song, then a listening song, then goodbye song. I like to explain the structure to teachers almost like a bell curve of energy, I won’t leave them with children that were just jumping around the carpet! However, this week’s readings and videos have helped me to be more intentional with what kind of experience I am choosing, and what I am looking for in those experiences. Since starting at Roman Music Therapy and learning about the gathering songs I have used them in each session. Sometimes students are just making their way to the carpet or others need a little more time or assistance to transition to music therapy. The gathering songs are a great way to ease into the music and pique their curiosity. One week I had a student walking around the room and not engaging with the teacher who was trying to get him to the carpet and as soon as I started singing he stopped walking, turned, and made his way to the carpet. He was so excited to play the tambourine!

[Olivia Todd]

Singing: A- Infant will vocalize on a pitch. T- Infant will vocalize on a matching pitch half of the time. I- Infant will vocalize with melodic inflection. C- child will recognize and sing familiar phrases with two or more words using pitched intervals. R- Child will sing familiar songs.

Instrument Play: A- Infant will recognize different types of songs, sedative vs. play. T- Infant will briefly play on a beat. I- will grasp a maraca and shake it. C- will participate in a start/stop song. R- play along with a song and maintain a steady beat.

Movement: A- Rocking will calm child down. T- will wiggle side to side to music. I- Will wave hands on a beat. C- will clap hands or stomp feet. R- will participate in a movement song.

Listening: A- will turn gaze toward a familiar voice. T-will face a familiar song. I-will react to a glissando, suddenly slow or fast music. C- will stop playing their instrument to listen to the guitar R- will follow the routine of the session.

[Olivia Todd]

While observing and facilitating sessions in preschools, I saw many students in and between the control and responsibility levels of development. In the classes with mostly three year old students, I noticed students singing along to the songs and following the contour of the melodies, however the lacked the tonal center and often sang longer or shorter rhythms. They appeared to really enjoy pounding on the frame drum or ocean drum. The slightly older students sing along to the familiar songs with more pitch and rhythm accuracy. I also noticed how differently each student danced. When it was time to dance, some students began randomly jumping around, flailing their arms, and twisting their bodies. This relates to the control level with spontaneous dancing. However, some students had much more coordinated/complex dance moves and moved along to the beat, which relates to the responsibility level. I also noticed the awareness level in a baby I observed in the NICU. The MT started singing and he immediately turned his gaze toward the sound.

[Olivia Todd]

Awareness:
1. turn eye gaze towards music 2. reach for a shaker that the parent is playing 3. look away from the music being played

Trust:
1. put a shaker or instrument in their mouth to explore, move to the music (not necessarily in time), babble or “sing” melodies during the music.

Independence:
1. may use both hands to play a tambourine or drum in front of them, babble or “sing” with more inflection to the music 3. a child may smile or laugh when hearing a familiar song

Control:
1. may imitate words in a familiar song 2. pound on a drum with hands to the music 3. Sing really loud or quiet

Responsibility:
1. imitate the rhythm of a familiar song 3. intentionally use dynamics in a song 3. listen to a peer or other play their instrument

[Olivia Todd]

I have not used these songs yet in sessions, but I am so excited to try them this week! “I Have a Car on my Knee” will be a great song to use in some of my preschool groups, as the teachers wanted to increase their peer to peer interaction. A car might be a little difficult to use on a rug, so I will try it with a small ball or shaker, something that can roll easily. The students can sit in a circle and each student will get a chance to have the “shaker on my knee, a shaker on my toes, a shaker on my belly now it’s time to goooo!”. On “gooo” they will roll it to a peer of their choice and say their name. These songs are great to sing as they are written and like Elizabeth said, they are easily adaptable to what is needed for the specific child/children!

[Olivia Todd]

Hi everyone, I have enjoyed reading everyone’s responses to this week’s prompt! I resonated a lot with Camryn and Lydia’s hope of encouraging autonomy and empowerment for children and their parents. I have heard so many parents apologize for their child throwing something, or putting it in their mouth, or even just for squirming or babbling when it was quiet. It is exciting to be able to provide a safe space in music for children to be children as well as a nonjudgemental space for parents. I also really like what Daniel said about bringing a sense of joy and wonder to each session. By encouraging play and wonder and joy in our sessions we are helping the child develop and grow.

[Olivia Todd]

My most valuable take away from this week was the breakdown of ages and milestones. Children are constantly growing, developing, and learning. A four year old preschool student has different skills than a three year old and it is important and helpful to keep that in mind when planning and in sessions themselves. It is also beneficial to understand the breakdown to help educate parents about the development of their child. Some times children have big feelings and they might not know how to process or name it yet! Assuring parents that it is normal for children to have a defiant stage and they aren’t purposely “misbehaving” can help parents feel more confident in their parenthood and interacting with their child. Something that I had never thought about was that babies imitate what they see, which is why they wave backwards sometimes!

[Olivia Todd]

Hi Lydia! I will be beginning in a children’s hospital setting soon and I am so excited about it! I look forward to seeing your contributions to the forums and how the Sprouting Melodies course will apply to your work.

[Olivia Todd]

Hi everyone! My name is Olivia Todd, I am currently a music therapist at Roman Music Therapy Services in Wakefield, MA and just moved to Boston. I received my undergraduate degree in 2022 from Nazareth College and completed my internship at the Augusta VA Medical Center in Georgia in June 2023. Throughout my undergrad and internship I had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of clients and settings. I will be primarily working in schools and medical settings for my work at RMTS, including a NICU and burn unit.

I hope to learn more about developmentally appropriate responses to music, as well as parental involvement in music making and bonding. I am excited to learn and share with you all!

[Author]

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