Going On a Car Ride!

Going On a Car Ride!

As a kid, I absolutely LOVED long car rides. My brother and I found ways to entertain ourselves for hours at a time, which was lucky for our parents. But I know very well that we were probably the exception, and most parents don’t have it quite as easy as mine did.

When I put out a Facebook call for song topics, the mother of one of my students responded that a song about long car rides would come in handy (although it was a little too late, since they’d already made a trek that day!).

But I’ve got her covered for next time, and with summer vacation season coming up soon, hopefully this song will get lots of use.


Let’s face it…car rides can be super boring, especially here in the Midwest where for the most part, the only scenery is cornfields. But if you put an “adventure” spin on them, maybe that will help. At least, that was my thought when I wrote the song :)

What are your favorite songs, tricks and tips for making long car rides bearable — both for the little ones and yourself?

Look Into My Eyes

Song for Making Eye Contact

One of the goals that I’m constantly targeting with many of my music therapy students is eye contact. And while there are many ways to build this into other interventions and activities, I’ve never written a song specifically for this purpose…until now.

I kept the lyrics very simple and very repetitive, with one main directive: “look into my eyes”. I also included some opportunities for movement — not only to make the song more interesting, but also to show that you can still make eye contact while moving in different ways. As with all of my songs, these verses are meant to be adapted as needed to fit your students’ abilities and specific objectives.


What are your favorite ways to work on eye contact? I would love to hear about specific songs and interventions you use, or even ways you might change up this song to get the most out of it.

The Magic Word

The Magic Word

We all heard it as children, and most likely even say it now: “What’s the magic word?” It’s probably the most frequently used method for reminding a child to say “please” — so I wrote a song about it.

The idea for The Magic Word came to me as I was brainstorming language and social skills topics last week. I was surprised to realize that I hadn’t touched on this particular topic in all my years of songwriting! But now I have, and here is the finished product:

As I was writing the song, I wanted to include specific examples of the “magic word” in use. What I like about the verses is that you can easily replace those examples with your own sentences and questions, targeted to the specific child or group with whom you are working. Or better yet, let them come up with their own!

To check out the entire Listen & Learn song collection, click here. And remember, I’m always up for song topic suggestions, so feel free to share your ideas with me.

Anywhere, Anytime



I’ve been working closely with one of my school’s speech therapists for the last couple of months, and the other day she came to me with a new song idea. She told me that she was sitting in church, singing the African American spiritual “I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me” with the rest of the congregation, when she realized that it would make a great tune for our students.

The three things she always reminds the kids to do are: listen, work, and practice.  Those three words are the basis of this adapted song, and they really do apply to most things in our kids’ lives.  Whether it’s a skill they are learning at school, a chore they are responsible for at home, or even a fun new experience such as riding a bike, all of those things require listening, working, and practicing.

I’m gonna listen so I can learn more,
Anywhere and anytime.
I’m gonna listen, so I can learn more,
Anywhere and anytime.

I’m gonna work so I can do more,
Anywhere and anytime.
I’m gonna work so I can do more,
Anywhere and anytime.

I’m gonna practice so I can be more,
Anywhere and anytime.
I’m gonna practice so I can be more,
Anywhere and anytime.

How could you apply this song to your own students’ lives?  I’m thinking of singing it with my piano students at the end of each lesson, especially those who often “forget” to practice!

Happy Face, Happy Voice

Whining. We all do it from time to time, whether you’re a child, mature adult, or my dog at 4 in the morning.  For kids, whining comes naturally in unfavorable situations, or even just when they’re tired and cranky.  How many times have the words “stop whining!” come out of your mouth?  Probably quite a few if you’re a parent, teacher, or anyone else who spends time with children on a regular basis.

But that phrase may fall upon deaf ears after awhile, so how about a new way to help nip this bad habit in the bud?  That was the strategy for one of my consult clients, who requested a custom-written song about using a “happy face and happy voice” instead of whining.

When you are unhappy and feeling blue,
There are just a few things that you need to do.
Just listen up, and you’ll be fine,
As long as you don’t whine.

First you need to find your happy face,
Then you need to find your happy voice.
When you talk without a whine,
And smile, you shine.
You’re making the right choice!

Simple and to the point. It’s amazing how such basic songs can be so effective, as long as the message is clear. What other bad habits might be addressed through a song like this?