Nothing makes a task breeze by like a good song. After all, music is a motivator. And when it comes time to transition from one activity to another, an engaging song makes the perfect liaison– and can be the difference between a job well done or chaos and frustration! The AMTA fact sheet on Music Therapy and Young Children says it best: “Music is highly motivating, yet it can also have a calming and relaxing effect. Enjoyable music activities are designed to be success-oriented and make children feel better about themselves.”
If smooth transitions and independence are goals of your young clients, a fresh new clean up song might be the perfect way to turn the chore of picking up after having fun into a special activity of its very own. (And it’s a great tool for parents, too!) Listen to Stephanie Leavell, MT-BC’s original clean up song in the video below.
Love what you hear? Grab the chord sheet and mP3 for this song and three more (AND a free songwriting ebook!) to use in your sessions!
If you’re always on the lookout for amazing, goal-driven resources, then check out Early Childhood Music Toolbox by Stephanie Leavell, MT-BC. By taking the course, you will:
- Walk away with more than 30 pages of songs and resources to re-energize your practice
- Understand the developmental rationale for using specific musical cues that will inspire the relationship between you and your client to new heights
- Learn how to retool existing songs and resources to fit each client’s unique needs – eliciting meaningful interaction from your clients, using less energy from you!
- Deeply explore the full range of what music has to offer through song form, chord progressions, musical cues, and more!
