“Music is often a shortcut to a person’s heart and soul…” -Ian Wilkerson
Ian Wilkerson, founder of Bay Area Music Therapy, visited Camp We Go in the summer of 2012 and brought us all to our dancing feet with his creative musical activities and natural connection with children. We are happy to announce that Ian will be back for Camp We Go this year!
Here is a great list of 5 benefits of music therapy which Ian co-wrote with Chrissy D’Agostino:
Chrissy loves to play ukelele with children
1. Music is innate – It is a universal language that transcends boundaries and fosters connection. When all other forms of communication break down, music remains strong and allows for organic spontaneous expression and social development. When making music with others, children have the opportunity to listen, but more importantly (particularly for children with special needs), they have the opportunity to be heard. It is this empowerment that makes building social connections through music so potent. When words fail, the music can tell all that needs to be told.
2. Music allows children with social and communication disorders to engage in reciprocal interactions with others, building a foundation for relationships and shared experiences
3. Music provides opportunities for kids to experience peer interaction without the pressure of processing and producing spoken language, which is a common challenge in developmental disorders such as autism.
4. Music opens a venue for kids to express themselves socially and emotionally, regardless of their spoken language abilities
5. Music is clinically proven to reduce anxiety, a common and immobilizing challenge for many children with developmental disorders. When anxiety is reduced, children’s brains are more available for learning, communicating, and connecting.
-Ian and Chrissy
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Here is a new video that tells the story behind Love Me for Who I Am – Songs Celebrating Children of All Abilities, featuring the students at the Celebrate the Children School in New Jersey, who inspired musician Brady Rymer to create a joyful album for children with special needs.
Camp We Go will be incorporating this song into our circle time this summer!