[Rachel Lighty]

I would love colleagues to come to me and ask questions about how to run successful groups and tips for success if they have not taken this course. Having this information will also help when trying to start groups and when talking to administrators to demonstrate the significance and importance of these groups for this specific age group. I can always share the information that I obtained with families during groups and that piece is so important for these groups. I can also talk about these groups when working with families in other situations if they could benefit from attending a group like this.

[Rachel Lighty]

This course has had a huge impact on my case load because I started early childhood music groups shortly after starting this group. Without the knowledge and resources that were provided and discussed, I don’t think my groups would be as successful as they currently are. I have never done groups like this before and it was so beneficial for me to be a part of this course. I have always been excited about this age group and am thrilled that I can now feel confident in my abilities to provide high quality groups for early childhood and their families.

I would love to start more music groups around the community because there are very few and many of them are not led by music therapists. Hopefully more groups will be able to start in the near future!

[Rachel Lighty]

I have had many different situations happen so far in regards to making sure the child is successful and that the group as a whole is successful. It goes even further to making sure the parents can be successful as well. I have acknowledged many times that a child is “out of the circle”, but is still engaged and have pointed this out to parents. They have given feedback over the last few weeks that simply acknowledging that and bringing it to the attention of the parent really reassures them that it is ok.

I have also had children who have not been engaged and aren’t being harmful. In these situations, I try to involve them by incorporating their movements into a song that is being utilized. I have also involved some of the older kids by having them lead songs that are familiar to them and model movements for younger children.

Right now, I also have one child who is working on behavioral goals and will often throw instruments. His caregiver is very passive and so I have modeled intervening during the sessions and talked with the caregiver after the session to explain what I did and why I did it. Sometimes I can tell when he is about to become aggressive and in those cases I remove all instruments or objects that could harm another child or group member and either don’t allow him to play instruments for a couple minutes or change the plan and move to a scarf intervention.

[Rachel Lighty]

I am looking forward to being able to provide more opportunities for young families to connect and grow together within the family, as well as connecting families with each other to be a support for each other. There is a lack of groups that achieve and work towards these types of goals and it will be great to use this knowledge to help families and the community in this way with our specific set of skills as music therapists.

[Rachel Lighty]

Skills are more cognitive and academic. They are functional and help with day to day things, whereas development is needed to help in the growth of your skills and functional aspects of life. For example, recognizing familiar faces is a part of development which helps in the skills of recognizing people, a functional skill for everyday life.

[Rachel Lighty]

One of the biggest challenges I encounter is trying to keep the energy at a level that is appropriate and not overstimulating for the younger kids while keeping the older kids engaged. One technique I have used to help with this is having the older kids model actions or movements for the younger kids. This does help a lot, but that balance is still difficult to achieve.

[Rachel Lighty]

¥ Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies® 3
Active, Emotions, Creative, Intentional, and Accepting

¥ Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Family Sprouts
Support, Individuality, Sharing, Busy, and Connections

Sprouting Melodies 3 Plan
Instrument Exploration
Hello Song
Sit Down with Me
Bonding Song – Swimming Together
My Brand New Friend
Where is the Music
Instrument Play – Music is the Way
Movement – Jumping Up and Jumping Down
Cool Down – Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb book
Time to Go
Goodbye Song

Family Sprouts Plan
Instrument Exploration
Hello Song
Hey Everybody
Bonding – Hold On Tight
Who’s That
Instrument Play – I Like This Song
Movement – I Really Gotta Jump
Cool Down – Scarves; Book
Music Time is Over
Goodbye Song

[Rachel Lighty]

The level of stimulation that is enough or too much depends on the child and the situation/environment that the child is in. Enough stimulation would allow the child to be positively engaged in some way (observing, actively participating, etc). However, there is a fine line between having enough stimulation and having too much. Often, the child can show signs of overstimulation through a change in emotion, body language, behaviors, and interaction levels. If a child who typically actively participates and then withdraws for interacting, he might be over stimulated. If a child becomes upset in response to music interventions or other events happening in the space, they might be overstimulated and need less happening in their environment. It comes down to being aware of the environment as a whole and how each child is responding to it.

[Rachel Lighty]

Playful, Energetic, Spontaneous, Timbre Variety, and Exploratory

Your child might wander from you and interact with other parents because he trusts that you will still be there and are a safe place for him. Children typically interact with other adults before interacting with their peers. Notice when your child puts the instrument in and out of his mouth, he is aware of the changes being made (music vs. no music). This age group loves surprises when they can be anticipated. When helping your child jump, make sure they land flat footed on the ground so they can feel grounded and safe.

Plan:

Instrument Exploration
Hello Song
Body Percussion – Hey, Hey Come and Play
Lap Ride – Wiggly Jiggly Car
Instrument Play – Sit With Me and Shake
Gross Motor Movement – March with My Baby
Cool Down – Can You See Me; Book; Scarves
Goodbye Song

[Rachel Lighty]

I have been using Chiquitas, toddler tambourines, toddler shake set, scarves, and ribbons. The brand for most of these instruments is Hohner. I would love to have a gathering drum and access to more drums for this age group.

[Rachel Lighty]

I mostly work with older kids, but during my internship at a children’s hospital we worked with infants and babies on the NICU. Much of what I did was exploratory and encouraging that exploration through the music. The sessions also encouraged bonding with the infants and parents by utilizing songs that were used at home by the family, entraining to the swaying motion/tempo of the parent in a rocking chair or rocking back and forth while holding the child.

[Rachel Lighty]

Gentle, Bonding, Cuddling, Quiet, and Swaying.

Don’t be afraid to get close to your child so they can see you and what you are doing.It isn’t uncommon for young children will get startled if the music stops suddenly or if there is a change in volume (dynamics).Your child is turning towards the music and is aware of what is occurring around him.His body language changed as we moved from a play song to more of a lullaby song. He is aware of the change that happened.He might reach toward the sound or turn away and that is alright.

Plan:

Instrument Exploration
Hello Song
Body Percussion – Hey, Hey Come and Play
Lap Ride – Wiggly Jiggly Car
Instrument Play – Make a Little Music; In My Little Hand
Gross Motor Movement – Pick Your Hands Up High
Cool Down – Just Like Me; Book; Scarves
Goodbye Song

[Rachel Lighty]

I think music therapy is much needed in the community. These groups bring people together for a common purpose and can provide another support system when they might not have had one before. Similar to what was described in this week’s videos, the Sprouting Melodies groups allow parents to meet other families that have children around the same age and are most likely experiencing similar life changes and obstacles. This allows them to bond and build a relationship with another support system they might not have had otherwise. I feel that is one of the most important roles of music therapy groups in the community.

[Rachel Lighty]

I think the most important thing that music therapists bring to these families is knowledge. We have a unique compilation of knowledge that includes developmental knowledge, specific music knowledge, and how to use elements in music to help with developmental goals or any other goal we wish to work on.

Another important aspect is the word “therapy”. In our training we have learned how to think on our feet, be flexible, and provide opportunities for success as therapists. This training not only allows us to be client focused, but to pass on this information and these techniques to parents or caregivers to help them build the best relationship they can with their children.

It is also simply a fun experience to be a part of where you can still understand the reasoning behind the song or instrument, but once again continue to build a relationship that is positive and fun.

[Rachel Lighty]

The needs of the families that I am currently working with definitely fits in with the portion of the presentation that discussed educating parents. The parents are not sure what is ok for their child to do and they want their child or children to sit perfectly on the carpet and do exactly what they are “supposed” to do. Educating the parents on these things and also reassuring them that everything their child is doing is okay is a definite need in my groups.

The needs within the community appear to be educating about the difference between music therapy and a person using music in groups. There are many music groups in my community (young children groups at the library and in schools), but very few that are led by a credentialed music therapist. Getting into more schools and educating the community about what music therapy has to offer and the value it can have on young children can be very powerful in starting and growing programs.

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