Teaching Safety Skills Through Song

Teaching Safety Skills Through Song | Listen & Learn Music

Music is such a powerful and flexible tool, as we’ve witnessed firsthand both through our own life experiences and the work we do with children. Most of us have learned so many things through music…I mean, Schoolhouse Rock, anyone?!

I learned so much through music and I love seeing my clients and students learn things through music as well. Children latch onto music very quickly, so it is the perfect vehicle to teach important skills, like safety rules.

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Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple - Music Therapy Applications for Drums, Scarves, Rhythm Sticks and Shakers

Last week, I told you that my colleagues and I were hard at work on a new resource centered around our go-to props and instruments: drums, rhythm sticks, scarves, and shakers. Today is the day we get to share that new resource with you!

Keep It Simple: 16 Goal-Based Applications for the Instruments & Props You Already Own is here, and I can’t wait for you to check it out and start putting the applications to use.

In this comprehensive downloadable PDF, we are sharing:

  • Overviews for each instrument/prop, which include a list of general objectives that can be targeted using those materials, additional intervention ideas, and 10-15 extra songs that pair well with each instrument/prop. We created Spotify playlists for all 4 categories, which are linked in the overviews.
  • 16 applications that you can easily put to use in your own sessions. Each application includes a demonstration video and link to lyrics/chords, along with a detailed facilitation guide outlining the targeted objectives, procedure list, and multiple adaptations.
  • A quick reference spreadsheet containing an overview of the objectives for each application. Although many of the songs may seem simple or you’re familiar with them already, we have found a variety of ways to facilitate them in order to help our clients meet their goals.
  • 2 extra applications that can be used not only with the big 4 instruments/props, but also incorporate many meaningful signs that can be used across populations. Sign language demonstration videos are included.
Keep It Simple - Music Therapy Applications for Drums, Scarves, Rhythm Sticks and Shakers

These tried-and-true applications have been effectively put into practice in schools, hospitals, early childhood centers, senior living facilities, and private practice, and our clients ranging from 3 months old to 90+ years old have benefited from them. We hope that your clients will, too.

Give your instrument- and prop-based repertoire a big goal-based boost with Keep It Simple, created by our team of 4 board-certified music therapists. You will find all of the details and option to purchase right here!

Spring is All About… {Free Download!}

One of my favorite things to bring into my music therapy sessions and music classes is visual aides. I LOVE visual aides! For many of my clients and students, visual aides help them connect the dots from the lyrics to the objects or concepts in the songs.

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the goals and objectives that can be targeted when I put the instruments away and utilize visual aides. Although I typically create my own, “Spring is All About…” already has beautiful visual aides that you can get for yourself right now, because this song is a free download!

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My Go-To Instruments & Props

My Go To Instruments and Props | Listen & Learn Music

As a new music therapist, I was constantly on the hunt for new, unique, and unconventional items to add to my instrument and props collection. And although they were fun and different at first, the novelty wore off quickly…especially when I realized they weren’t super versatile for use across settings and populations.

It took a few years, but I finally came around to the fact that the most traditional instruments and props in my collection are also (usually) the most effective.

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