Great to be Back!

It was a great time being back with our music circle at Robertson House. Some excited kids I met during previous sessions welcomed me, very excited that I was back and to have fun with our singalong.

Highlights of the class were the high energy and excitement. We sang classics like Wheels on the Bus and did lots of actions. Our movement songs was Zoom Zoom Zoom, and it was a blast (off!) getting ready and putting our astronaut suits and helmets on. Jamming to Baby Beluga was also a memorable moment.

A Lovely Return!

I saw some new faces and some familiar faces for RSF's return to Yorktown.  All of the parents were quite keen to be singing, even if they took a few rounds in some songs to pick up on the words. Each time one of their kids reacted with a clap, a wave, or a sound, I could see the parents' faces lighting up, which in turn got them more engaged in the music. I encouraged them to sing with their kids as much as possible on their own time, emphasizing that the more we repeat these songs, the more the kids will react to them with that same enthusiasm, and pick up on the words and melodies sooner than you think. There was even a grandma in the room, and she was one of the liveliest dancers, especially during 5 Little Monkeys! Can't wait to sing more with this group in the coming weeks.

Lighting Up Smiles

The energy was high at Arise today, as some of the older kids were practically bouncing off the walls (and occasionally bouncing off the couches)! The grownups in the room laughed along and encouraged the enthusiastic participation, but it became clear quite quickly that the kids were more engaged in more game/play-based songs, so we ran through songs like The Hokey Pokey, Walk and Stop, and 5 Little Monkeys, with some spontaneous additions, and even made up our own new song for the Floor is Lava game. One of the kids seemed to be a bit disconnected and perhaps not having the best day, but the other kids and grownups were very caring towards him and kept him involved without pushing him into it, and by the time we brought out the music bag I saw a smile on his face when he started clicking the castanets. I really felt the way music can brighten someone's day in that moment.

Loud, Soft, Fast and Slow

The session began by everyone getting acquainted with the instruments; the music therapist ran a brief demonstration of the instruments and everyone played different sounds with energy, joy and enthusiasm. The group then began a few warm up games using clapping. There was lots of smiling and laughter throughout the games as players tried to stay on track with their claps. The group then requested to dive into music making with the instruments. Each participant chose an instrument and the group engaged in a group improvisation. In the verbal debrief that followed, one group member shared that it was fun to play with others and that the music sounded pretty. 

The group then played a second improvisation; this time group members were invited to take a solo on an instrument of their choice. Every single group member decided to take a solo during the piece. Participants played enthusiastically and expressively during their solos. We then moved into a leadership exercise using music conducting. Each group member had the opportunity to play the role of music conductor with the group, there were four cues: louder, quieter, faster and slower, with corresponding gestures. As the group was led by each conductor, group members laughed and played alongside the respective directions. 

We then played a short bell choir exercise where each group member played a colourful bell with a specific note in the musical scale. The group played the bells together to create different chord progressions and patterns. 

To conclude, group members chose to do a singing exercise and a listening exercise. Group members engaged in a call and response game where they sang four different phrases and everyone repeated them back while playing different instruments. Finally, one group member chose a favourite song for the group to listen to to end the session. 

Sharing is Caring

Some of the families were a bit late to our class this week, so things started off with a mini guitar lesson for the older siblings who arrived early. I showed the kids how to strum with a pick and some simple fretting patterns, and I have no doubt they'd like to learn more. Once the families arrived, there were a lot of babies who were still asleep, but the mom's sang to them regardless, as the lively babies took cues from their older siblings. For our Instrument of the Week we passed around the Vibraslap, which was a huge hit, but the bigger rewards were in how the kids passed it around among themselves without much fuss; they all just seemed happy to get to play with new instruments. The drum prowess of the older kids was very much present during our jam, and we ended off in a good mood as I said goodbye to this group for this part of the fall session. Many thanks to the staff at Robertson House for being so helpful!

Solos and Spoons

At the beginning of class this week the children seemed to have a lot of energy they needed to get out, so we started with Shake Your Sillies Out, and an activity called the shakedown. This seemed to help them release some of those "sillies," and after moving our bodies we sang a spooky Halloween song called Shut the Door. They enjoyed this, and even wanted to try performing the song solo/one at a time for the group. I also brought back the "musical spoons" as our featured instrument, and they had a blast getting to try them out.

Superwoman

Today was the first time we met for music therapy this fall, and there were a few familiar faces. As a way to introduce ourselves to each other, the moms answered the ice breaker question: “If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?” There was laughter in the room and shared connection between the women as they discussed their superpowers and how their lives would be different if they had these superpowers.

We then moved onto a drumming activity where the women got to explore the drum and play a few games. They then played a steady beat on their drums to Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley, and they shared how powerful the lyrics were. To continue exploring songs with powerful lyrics, we sang Stand By Me, Lean On Me, and Three Little Birds. 

As the session came to a close, we started an activity where the women would create their own superwoman logo with an affirmation of what makes them a superwoman. We will be completing this activity during the following week. 

Time to Solo!

The group began by listening to a requested song shared by a group member. Some group members were already familiar with this piece of music. The group then learned how to play and sing the chorus of the song on a variety of instruments including guitar, ukulele, kalimba and various drums. The group played the chorus with alternating improvised verse sections. Group members shared that it was fun to learn how to play a song so quickly just through listening. The group was then invited to play a selection of musical games. The group shared laughter, silliness and connection throughout the series of activities and games. Group members then got the opportunity to improvise with one another and perform a short solo if desired. Four group members chose to take a solo on a variety of instruments. The group played together and at the cue of the music therapist, the soloists each got the chance to play their solo. Participants played expressively and beautifully with each solo. The group discussed how good it feels to play a solo and how we can sometimes get nervous when put on the spot like this. 

On Our Feet!

This was a very lively class at Robertson House! There were an equal number of older siblings and young babies, and the older kids and parents were very engaged. I especially appreciated the enthusiasm of the siblings, as they recognized all of the classic songs that we warmed up with, especially If You're Happy and You Know It. The enthusiasm eventually spilled out into some running around the room, so we made an emergency stop with Shake Your Sillies Out, and focused on dance and movement songs to keep everyone in the circle. We jammed out with some clave sticks to the rhythm of 5 Little Monkeys, and finished off the jam with an amazing percussion section from the kids who were quite keen on the drums. Things were so lively that other families kept trickling in throughout the class!

Falling Leaves

In this week's class we continued with some fall-themed songs, and pretended to be the falling leaves from the trees as we sang, "Falling falling falling leaves, mother nature did you sneeze?!" We also did the Itsy, Bitsy, Spider, and the children got creative and wanted to show me their best yoga spider poses. For the instrument feature, I brought out the "musical spoons" for the first time and everyone was intrigued, including the staff member!