When leading any type of music therapy session or music class, I always make sure that my clients and students aren’t all hyped up when they leave me. Music is a favorite activity for many of my kiddos, so they are usually excited when they walk in the door, but when they walk out, my goal is for them to be calm, cool, and collected.
Making sure children are in the “green zone” when they are finished with music is important for lots of reasons. Transitions are a lot easier when children are calm, because they are in a regulated state. On top of that, teachers, parents and caregivers will be forever grateful to you when their child walks away from music as cool as a cucumber.
Here in New England, there are single digit days left until back-to-school time. The kiddos’ backpacks are packed, first day of school outfits have been chosen, and every teacher I know is buzzing like a bee, making sure their classrooms are ready for that first day.
As a music therapist, that means lots of scheduling and preparing for the new year and the fall season! Personally, I’ve always felt like the school year is a fresh start, so I’ve taken it upon myself every fall to learn new repertoire, create new visuals, and refresh my musical tool kit.
One of the most amazing qualities about music is its versatility. It can pump us up, bring back memories, teach us new skills, and calm us down. There is so much power in our melodies and chords, so let’s use our powers for good, and make sure that our clients and students leave music therapy sessions and music classes in a regulated state.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about What It’s Like to be a Therapist at a Camp for Kids with Special Needs, and I briefly mentioned that I use music to help the campers (and staff!) stay calm and practice regulation strategies. This week, I want to expand on that and let you in on all my secrets for helping children remain slow and in control in situations where that is most appropriate!
How innovative are you when it comes to instruments for music classes, music therapy, and classroom use? Well, I can tell you I’m not even a fraction as innovative as my colleague at Music Therapy Connections, Becky Waddell.
About a month ago, Becky sent me a Slack message: “I picked up tiny cupcakes that I’m turning into shakers for one of my classes if you get an itch to write a song about cupcakes! Ha!”
One of my all-time favorite instruments in my music therapy arsenal is my collection of cabasas! I love them so much, and use them frequently in my music therapy sessions and music classes — probably every day.
When I pass out cabasas, people are often unsure how to use them and typically require some guidance. Because of this, the cabasa is a great instrument for children to explore, be creative, and practicing mimicking.
As I was scrolling through Listen & Learn Music in search of a movement song, I stumbled upon “Move Your Body Along” — a true hidden gem in the L&L catalog.
I have to admit, I listen to so many songs because of my job, that sometimes I forget them. Other times, I have the best of intentions, set out to learn a song and incorporate it into my repertoire, and just never do it. THIS is one of those songs!
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two.
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