In this article, written by Kimberly Senna Moore Ph.D – a respected music therapist – from Psychology Today, Moore brings light to new research showing that synchronized movements may encourage empathy and altruism (“prosocial behaviors”) in individuals. The researchers behind the experiments speculate that synchornized movements and the “predictable, rhythmic oscillations” underlying the movements are the main reasons for inciting these prosocial behaviors. Moore speculates that based on the data from these experiments, individualistic and personal prosocial behaviors may lead to increased group cohesion. Learning this new research has encouraged me to find more movement activities to incorporate into my sessions, especially with my SLC classes in order to potentially support the growth of their interpersonal and social skills.
So, I went ahead and compiled a small list of possible movement strategies to use in my sessions during March – our animal themed month! Here are some great songs and strategies I found. Feel free to use them in your own classrooms and homes!
- Animal Movement Cards – use these along with a favorite animal-themed tune like “In the Jungle” or any groovy tune!
- “The Goldfish” by Laurie Berkner – follow along with the movements in the video
- “The Fish In the Ocean” – sung to “Wheels on the Bus;” cute and fun movements to mimic the ocean animals in the song
- Movement Songs Galore!
- “Walking in the Jungle” – this song focuses on gross motor skills and following directions. To stretch this strategy and song even more, I would stop the song briefly after an animal sound is heard so that the students could work on their active listening and identification skills as well.
I hope that this list gives you some ideas on how to incorporate movement into your days with your students. And hopefully, we’ll all see an increase in prosocial behaviors and group cohesion in all of our sessions and classes!
Music Therapy with Ms. Esther 