The first week of school has come to a close and we are off to a great start in music therapy! Many of my students are in new schools or have new classmates; therefore, it was important to encourage social interactions. In order to learn each other’s names and improve awareness of others, we played a game where we passed a tambourine around the circle until the music stopped. Whoever was holding the tambourine got to play, while everyone else waited. Music therapist, Kate Legge was nice enough to share her awesome song, Pass ‘Round the Circle, with me. You can listen to it below:
It works well because instructions are embedded directly into it and they are easy to follow. You can also give it more of a rock and roll feel for older students. Learn more about Kate at her website, Music Matters.
I used a tambourine with a reflective surface to assist individuals who have visual impairments. 
It has a radiant pattern that acts like a prism and students can also see their reflection in it! For larger groups, we passed two tambourines around the circle. You can also choose different instruments to pass. Other goal areas this activity addressed include improving motor skills, self esteem, tracking and impulse control.
