Self expression through Music

Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay

This is a 3-part exercise. First we ask each other, how can we express ourselves without using words?  Through movement/ dance and with music.

I use this as another method of the Wisdom Share, see the second part of my earlier post, Wisdom is a shared experience.

Part 1:  Story

To inspire, I read the story, The Story of Blue Elk retold by Gerald Hausman. In this story, a boy was born who could not speak. He was befriended by and given a tremendous gift from a great elk.  The elk taught him how to bring the flute to the people and to express himself through music. So like the boy, Blue Elk, we too can express ourselves through music and with our bodies.

Part 2: Making instruments

Make kazoos using a toilet paper roll, wax paper and a rubberbands. Use markers or crayons to decorate.

Paper Roll Flute and Kazoo Directions

Hum into these to create music.  Vary the tone and tempo to express mood and emotion.

Part 3: Self-expression

I next put the children into groups and have one of them offer a story that they will all work together to express through movement and music for the other children. Choose a simple story of something that happened in daily life. The children may choose what roll they would like to have, playing an instrument or dancing the memory.  I work with the children to help them fit the music to the story.  Is the tempo fast or slow? Is the story uplifting or tragic?

Next they perform the story and when finished the children in the audience interpret the story.

This is a great exercise for children who do not speak when it their turn in circle.  They blossom when given an alternative method of communication.

Home Practice

1. Charades- what did you do at school?
2. Do this activity during your family meeting
3. Expressing through art is also very effective in dealing with anger and sadness

💗Karen