Brushin’ My Teeth

To round out tonight’s three-part self care series, here’s a song that teaches the correct way to brush teeth. This can be a difficult task, so anything to make it a little more fun can help. The tune is recognizable and catchy; you’ll most likely find yourself humming it tomorrow :) Check it out:

I’m brushin’ all my teeth to keep them clean,
Nice and white, not yellow or green.
I brush them in the morning, noon, and night,
This is how I do it right.

First I get my toothbrush nice and wet,
Squeeze the toothpaste and then I’m all set.
Now I’ll put my toothbrush in my mouth,
Brush east and west, and north and south.

Brushin’ up and down and side to side,
Keep my mouth open nice and wide.
Don’t forget my tongue, I’ll clean it now,
Brushin’ is easy when I now how.

Last I’ll rinse my toothbrush and put it up,
Take a sip of water from a cup.
Rinse my mouth, and now I’m done,
Brushin’ my teeth is so much fun!

This is the Way We Wash Our Hands

Another essential self-care skill: hand washing. The lyrics are repetitive, making it easy to learn and fun to sing. All while the child learns how to correctly wash his or her hands! That is my goal: to make learning enjoyable, so that it doesn’t feel like learning. Here’s the song:

This is the way we wash our hands,
When our hands are dirty we wash our hands,
After we use the bathroom we wash our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands.

First turn on the faucet with our hands,
Then put the soap in our hands,
Rub the soap all over, in our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands.

Wash the tops of our hands,
Wash the palms of our hands,
Wash between the fingers on our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands.

Next rinse off the soap from our hands,
Then turn off the faucet with our hands,
Use a paper towel to dry our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands.

This is the way we wash our hands,
When our hands are dirty we wash our hands,
After we use the bathroom we wash our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands.

To The Bathroom I Go

This week I’m featuring a three-part series on self-care songs. I receive requests from teachers all the time for songs about using the bathroom, keeping clean, and other related topics, so I thought I’d share them with you. So here goes Part One:

Potty-training. It’s not a fun job, but it has to be done. This simple song is set to a familiar tune and uses repetitive lyrics to deliver step-by-step instructions for using the potty. Take a listen:

I have to go to the bathroom,
I have to go to the bathroom,
I have to go to the bathroom,
So that is where I’ll go!

I’ll shut the door to the bathroom,
Pull down my pants in the bathroom,
Sit down on the toilet and that is when
I’ll let it all come out!

I’ll let it all come out, I’ll let it all come out.
I’ll let it come out in the toilet,
And keep my pants all dry!

I’ll take some toilet paper,
I’ll take some toilet paper,
I’ll take some toilet paper,
And wipe from front to back!

Put the paper in the toilet,
Put the paper in the toilet,
Put the paper in the toilet,
And flush it all away!

Then I’ll pull up my pants, and wash my hands all clean.
I’ll wash my hands when I’m finished,
And now I can leave!

More About Me

You’ve learned a little about me, but I’d like to tell you more. Specifically, how I got here and why I do what I do. Here goes:

I grew up singing. At home, school, church, community theaters, anywhere they’d let me, really. By high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue music as a career, and everyone encouraged me to go after my dream. So I applied to several college music programs, and ultimately chose to attend Rollins College, a small liberal arts college in Winter Park, Florida.

My experience at Rollins was amazing. There I was exposed to top-notch musicians, and I received voice training from a world-renowed opera singer. As fabulous as this experience was, it taught me that I really did not want to be an opera singer. I loved singing in my women’s trio; showtunes and pop were really more my speed. But nonetheless, I continued my studies while rethinking my future.

I knew music had to be a part of the equation; I just didn’t quite know how it fit into the puzzle. Then I was assigned to research and write a paper about a topic of my choice related to music. While doing a little googling and exploring, I stumbled upon music therapy. I had heard of it in passing, but didn’t really know much about it. The more I researched, the more I fell in love with the idea of it.

The professor of that class, who also happened to be the chair of the music department, was impressed with my paper and my interest in music therapy. He put me in touch with a local music therapist, who I job-shadowed for the remainder of the semester. I was so excited with the possibility of studying music therapy that I finished my degree a year and a half early, so that I could move on to graduate school.

I spent two years at Illinois State University, where I was a student in the music therapy graduate program. I completed clinical practicums in the field, wrote a thesis, and then spent a year in St. Louis interning with a private practice. Not once did I question my decision to pursue music therapy. I knew it was what I’m meant to do.

After completing my internship in St. Louis, I was ready for the real world. Luckily, there was a job waiting for me as a full-time music therapist at the Hope Institute, a school for children with multiple disabilities in Springfield, Illinois. My work at Hope allows me to work with students in both group and one-on-one setttings, and here I put my creativity to work in coming up with songs and activities.

So that brings us to the here and now. I’m always working on new songs and looking for topics to write about. My students are my biggest source of inspiration, but suggestions and requests are always welcome. I hope you are able to take something away from my blog, and that it keeps you coming back for more.

Fall Into Fall (Part 2)

This is a song I wrote last year, and I was happy to take it back out this fall. This song can be used to reinforce location of body parts, while at the same time teaching that not all scarecrows are scary. It was inspired by the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz — one of my favorite movies of all time — and I picture him every time I sing it. I bet you will, too!

Out in the field in a row of corn,
Stands a scarecrow so forlorn.
Crows on his head and crows on his feet,
He’s the saddest scarecrow you’ll ever meet.

Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Crows on his head and crows on his feet,
He’s the saddest scarecrow you’ll ever meet.

Out in the field in a row of corn,
Stands a scarecrow so forlorn.
Crows on his elbows and crows on his knees,
The scarecrow’s even scared of a little breeze.

Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Crows on his elbows and crows on his knees,
The scarecrow’s even scared of a little breeze.

Out in the field in a row of corn,
Stands a scarecrow so forlorn.
Crows on his nose and crows on his ears,
The scarecrow’s crying scarecrow tears.

Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Can’t scare the crows, oh no no!
Crows on his nose and crows on his ears,
The scarecrow’s crying scarecrow tears.