Winter Camp Jam
Last December, I had the pleasure of being part of The Music Therapy Center of California’s Winter Camp Jam. This awesome event involved interactive music experiences that focused on having fun as well as increasing social skills for individuals with special needs. One of the experiences that was a lot of fun was doing a songwriting activity using the tune “Deck the Halls.” Participants were asked to think of something that they liked or would typically see during Christmas time (Christmas cookies, Christmas lights, etc.), and then they would incorporate that into the song. It was great to see how helpful this songwriting experience could be with orienting individuals with special needs to what happens during this holiday. I learned that this type of songwriting tool could be utilized with any type of subject. Another experience that was a lot of fun was the drum circle. It was wonderful to see individual’s take leadership roles by getting up in front of everyone, and cueing the group on how to play. Some of the participants were initially shy, but then were motivated to lead the group after they saw their peers successfully perform the drum cues! This fun winter camp also entailed decorating Christmas cookies, as well as making fun arts and crafts. It was great to see how much fun everyone had at the Winter Camp Jam, and I’m glad I got to be a part of it with the MTCCA’s wonderful staff and volunteers! To view a video of Camp Jam, you can visit The Music Therapy Center of California’s website at http://www.themusictherapycenter.com/, click on “Our Services”, and select “In-clinic programs.”
-Brandon Wright
