Enriching lives through participation in music
Music Therapy Services of West Music
School’s Out for Summer!
06/07/23
As a music therapist with two school aged children who just finished up their 4th grade and 4-year-old preschool school year and will be home for the summer, therapist Kelly finds herself with a lot of kid time on her hands, particularly because she also just completed her first year of a PhD program! She wondered what she can pull from her “music therapy bag of tricks” during that time with kids. In case you are in the same boat, here are a few of her favorite activities:
Five Green & Speckled Frogs
I have several colored soundshape drums that I put on the ground as lily pads. I then get out my big bag of colored egg shakers, and I ask my 4-year-old to match the colors of the egg shakers to the colors of the drums. Coincidentally, there are about 5 different colors, and 5 egg shakers of each color. We then 5 Green and Speckled Frogs (or really, 25 Green and Speckled Frogs). Each time a frog jumps into the pool, my daughter retrieves one of the eggs and throws them back into the blue (pond) bag. I use my ukulele to provide the rhythmic structure. My daughter LOVES this activity, and I do too! Because we have so many eggs, this activity lasts quite a while, and my daughter is fully engaged the entire time!
Call & Response
Both of my children are enamored with my Bahia Buffalo Drum (who am I kidding, I am also enamored). They like to take turns being the “leader” and play the most complicated and long rhythm they can fathom while the rest of us try to copy their rhythm on our instruments (shakers, soundshapes, whatever we want).
Parade
If your house is as full of Bluey fans as mine is, you have probably already tried “Follow The Leader”. We play “Parade” instead, and we each take our favorite instrument from my music therapy bag, and march around the house playing our instruments and singing our favorite songs.
If you have favorite musical activities you play with your children…please share with musictherapyservices@westmusic.com!
You’ll be helping this mom who is home all summer!
