Graduation can be a very special occasion as it signifies reaching one of the first (if not the first!) academic milestones in a kid’s life. Whether your school is having a formal celebration or not or you’re looking to add an uplifting song to a slideshow, we can make this event extra special with affirming & encouraging songs.

Phonological awareness is the ability to play with the sound of language without thinking about the meaning. It typically develops without direct instruction and the majority of children learn these skills through osmosis simply by being read to, by talking with adults or by participating in play. Research shows that roughly one third of students do not learn these skills through participation in childhood experiences.

Movement songs are one of my favorite ways to engage kids. The right movement song can give children an opportunity to regulate their sensory systems so they’re better prepared for learning, listening, engaging with their peers, and working on their goals.

Whether you are a music therapist or a music educator, more likely than not, you have come across or worked with a child that was labeled as “challenging” or that perhaps had “failed” out of other classes or therapies.

Celebrating diversity, celebrating all kids and making sure that kids are represented in music are some of the things that Katie Norregard, better know as Miss Katie, cares about. She is a children’s musician, an early childhood music educator and content creator based in Chicago. Her songs and resources are focused on anti-bias & anti-racist education and social-emotional learning for young kids.

When it comes to songwriting, some of us love it, and others find it intimidating. If you feel like songwriting might not be for you, keep reading because I’m sharing three different tools that I use specifically when I write music for kids under the age of six.

Some of the questions that music educators and music therapists might be asking themselves when it comes to creating inclusive and equitable early childhood spaces might be:

• How can I create social change in my early childhood music classes?

• How can I talk to young children about topics related to race, politics, landownership, disabilities, etc.?

My all time favorite song category are movement songs. Why? Because movement songs provide endless opportunities to engage children and can give them an opportunity to regulate their sensory systems.

Communication skills can be addressed and developed through music, and this is what music therapist Alyssa Stone, MT-BC discusses further in the eight episode of the Music For Kiddos Podcast.

Is there anything more pleasing and enjoyable than a good book? Especially music books with engaging visuals, an interesting melody, and that have a really clear song form. There's nothing else I have that will hold a child's attention like a singable book!