Fun Ways to Incorporate Music With Speech and ABA Therapy

We always hear that music is a universal language, but is that true with young people that have difficulty communicating?  If someone struggles with other forms of language, is music any different?  The answer is an emphatic YES.

Patty Shukla has over 20 years of experience as a music educator, and she’s seen the difference music has made in the lives of her students, especially those on the autism spectrum.

“The fact is that nearly all children have an inherent love of learning about and making music. From singing to dancing to playing musical instruments, kids of every description and from every walk of life just naturally seem to gravitate toward music.

But who really seems to get a giant educational benefit out of music? The very beautiful, very special set of promising minds that make up today’s growing autism community.”(excerpt from https://www.eparent.com/exceptional-blog/music-therapy-and-autism-does-it-work/)

So, we are clear that you can use music as a part of speech therapy to connect with kids, but how?  Here are some fun ways to incorporate music into your learning routine:

1. Make musical instruments and use them as you sing songs.
   They can be simple creations. Water bottles filled with a few beans make great shakers.  Old coffee cans make great bongos.  There are many options to create, but you can use these moments as opportunities to gauge listening and word identification skills.
2. Use simple drumming to help with retention and word recognition.
   Have your child play the drums and then practice concepts like starting and stopping, tempo changes; fast and slow – even act out an emotion by pounding on the drum, can or even a table top.
3. Play some hot potato.
   Pass a bean bag back and forth as music plays. When the music stops, have the child with the bean bag say a favorite word, or tailor it, so they have to name their favorite color or food.
4. Use music as a reward.
   If you have a child who loves music, reward their behaviors with opportunities to play instruments, sing a favorite song together or listen to their favorite song.
5. Get creative.
   There are many ways to incorporate music into your therapy sessions. Think outside of the box for ways that you can help your child find a voice with music.

Peak Potential Therapy is committed to helping your child find their voice.  We incorporate innovative ideas and techniques like music therapy into our sessions and plans so that your child can connect in ways they feel comfortable.  Contact Peak Potential today and let us expand your child’s world through ABA therapy!