Familiarity and repetition - Help children learn and can also help them to feel safe.

I was invited to take part in a team training session recently for a Speech Therapy organisation that I work closely with. It was a wonderful group of people and we were having a very good and very collaborative conversation about the importance of helping kids feel safe and helping them  feel comfortable when they are in our therapy sessions. 

One of the things that was the key takeaway was about repetition. We think of repetition mostly when talking about repeating the same skill or activity over and over until mastery occurs. But we were talking about repetition in a different way. Specifically, the repetition of sensory experiences and interactions they can expect as soon as they walk into the room.  

I have been known to provide a few surprises, like me dressed up for Easter or Halloween, but typically, each session starts with the same experience. They will see, feel and hear the same things.   Each child may  experience a few differences as I individualise the experience for them.  Yet, they are used to the things I have created for them to help them feel comfortable and motivated to want to come in and start having some fun, and learning while we are doing it.

One recent session is a great example. When my first little 3-year-old walks in the door, I don’t go to meet her, I sit in my room and have her Mum bring her into my room. I look up with a smile and say hello and wave. I do this each session. Then I let her walk around so she can find all the toys I have placed around the room which I know she enjoys seeing. After a few minutes of exploring I sit down on the mat and start singing my greeting song. Her Mum would bring her to me for the first few months, and she would sit on Mum’s lap and listen to the song while having a little snack. Nine months after commencing therapy, she now comes and sits with me with little to no assistance and is excited to hear the song and find out what will come after. We hold hands, and I sing with fun, love, and a calmness that helps her know we are going to do all the things that she loves doing, knows how to do, and more.  

That welcome song is a constant for me every morning. It’s only six sentences long, and I might do it twice, but it’s the same song each time. Sometimes, I might change a couple of words in it to change it up a bit or because my memory may not be as good as I think it is. :)  But the tune is always the same, and how I am engaging with her is always the same.

I just made this song up. I got the bones of it from a music therapist/musician I worked with at a school for children with Autism in London. One of my jobs was supporting the music sessions, and I got to sing, dance, bang on drums and shake maracas. I worked with her for 6 years, creating fun songs and actions for the different classes. The one thing we always did was start each session with our ‘Hello’ song. It was a great way to start, and the rest of the session flowed from there. I loved these music sessions, as it really helped me connect with all the kids. I may have even learned how to hold a tune (hmm not sure about that).   

I think that it’s an excellent way of starting the session, and over time, helps most children feel really comfortable and familiar with what is about to happen.    

I think it would be good if everyone did a little singing to open a session with young children. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re a good singer. I just think singing should be part of any session that you’re doing with little kids. I will write more on the benefits of singing and music in your therapy sessions or classrooms soon. NO IPADS and YOUTUBE CLIPS, PLEASE - children need to be looking at us and hearing us sing.  

So, I will give you my ‘Good Morning / Hello’ song.  Please feel free to adapt it. Please make up your own. Don’t worry if you feel you can’t sing. Kids are much nicer about this than adults. We may not be Taylor Swift, but we can still rock a little Hello song  to 2 - 5-year-olds. :)  

I dedicate this to Caroline Chan, the musician who helped me live, love and learn through music with the kids. You were and still are an inspiration. Caroline is still rocking it with the kids and doing other things if you are interested in checking her out.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7QXcBZQBoo