Fun Friday: Toys in Therapy Sessions

I have been playing with some of my Star Wars toys this week in my music therapy sessions. I have some VERY cool Star Wars toys, including lots of R2-D2 toys that beep, move, and need voice activation to get going. I enjoy taking in my cool things every year during this week (because it is almost May the Fourth!), and I find it interesting to watch how my clients do not know how to play.

My piece de resistance is my voice-activated R2-D2. He is obstinate, refuses to listen to any and all commands, and does such a great job of ignoring my students that I just want to hug him! They express their frustration with his defiance, and I can use that as an exemplar of why others are often frustrated with their defiance. There are times when their eyes show a bit of understanding - for a split second.

I use toys in my therapy sessions quite often. Some of my students do not want to interact with me, but they will play with me if we have some toys available. So, if you open my cabinets, you will find blocks and balls and card games and squishy things and small animal plush toys. There are so many things that we can use to develop our therapeutic relationship while simultaneously addressing personal goals.

My "Six Things" rule applies to any and all of my toys. If I want to keep the object/toy in my clinical space, then I have to think of six completely separate ways to use said object/toy before I can keep it. R2-D2 does not fit this category, so he stays home for most of the year.

I have WAY too many things in my music therapy tool kit.

When I look around at my stuff, I am easily overwhelmed by how much I have collected in 31+ years of being a music therapist and the 20+ years I had before that when I was a child and then a child-care provider in lots of places. I like stuff, but I have way too much. I tried to get some of the local music therapy students to take some things, but my message did not get passed on to the students because no one took me up on my offer. I have file folders and pictures and things that no one makes any more.

I wonder if other people would be interested in kits for use with specific populations or for specific goals... I don't want to write more about it all because I don't want other people to take my idea, but I am thinking about it all over here in between the stormy weather and my job.

It is time to get going. Thanks for reading!! Have some fun today, okay??

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