At-Home Activity: Today's Soundtrack
Music has a proven effect on our moods and the way we connect with others. Kids can benefit from creating and listening to music as a way to manage their emotions, reduce stress, and communicate their needs.
Try using a streaming app like Spotify to find a playlist with a certain mood like “Happy Songs” or “Music to Relax To.” Notice the patterns. Do certain instruments make you feel a certain way? What beats convey the strongest emotions?
Then, guide and collaborate with your child using the following steps to make music that reflects how they have felt throughout the day. You don’t have to be a professional musician to help your child create sound to build their social, emotional, and leadership skills! All you’ll need is the following:
An instrument or found objects that you can use to create sound
A recording device (optional)
First, have your child reflect on their day. What did they do today? What emotions did they experience? Have them come up with a few that really stuck out.
Now, allow your child to find and choose an instrument to play out these emotions. Percussion instruments, such as drums, are great for channeling and expressing emotions like irritation or anticipation due to their deep, vibrant sounds. If you have musical instruments at home, that’s great, but you can also find objects around the house that make sound too. An empty tissue box with some rubber bands stretched across it can mimic the calm vibrations of an acoustic guitar. Buckets and wooden spoons make a great drum kit. Get creative with finding instruments that could express the emotions they felt today!
It’s time for your child to let loose and play! Invite them to not give it too much thought. Just channel their emotions one by one and create a musical piece for each. Encourage them to listen and observe how they’re different as they go.
BONUS: Have your child record their creations to compare soundtracks in the days ahead.
After your child is done, ask them the following questions:
What was it like channeling your emotions by creating music?
Did it help you relate more to your experiences today?
Did it feel good to express them in a creative way?
Talk about how everyone in the family felt and expressed their emotions from the day through music. It’s a great conversation starter that can lead to learning more about the people you love.