A Sound Investment in Our Children

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  • HOME
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    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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    • HISTORY
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    • FINANCIALS
  • PARENT RESOURCES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • MUSIC CLASSES & INSTRUMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
    • MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM
  • AGES AND STAGES
    • BIRTH TO AGE 3
      • FACTS ABOUT HEARING LOSS & HEARING LEVELS
      • TYPES OF HEARING TESTS
      • AUDIOGRAM
      • EARLY INTERVENTION
      • MUSIC ENRICHMENT FOR BIRTH TO AGE 3
    • PRE-K TO 2ND GRADE
      • LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
      • SCHOOL CHOICE
    • GRADE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL
    • HIGH SCHOOL
  • PROGRAMMING
    • MUSIC PROGRAMMING
      • MUSIC TO MY EARS – MTME
        • MUSIC CLASSES & INSTRUMENT SCHOLARSHIP
        • EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS (UP TO AGE 4)
        • INDIVIDUAL & GROUP INSTRUMENT CLASSES (AGE 4 -12)
        • MUSIC ENRICHMENT FOR BIRTH TO AGE 3
        • SCHOOL BASED MUSIC PROGRAMS
      • EARLY CHILDHOOD VIDEOS
      • MUSIC THERAPY
    • EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
      • AGES AND STAGES
      • LITERACY
      • HART FAMILY EDUCATION COORDINATOR
    • CLINICAL & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
      • FREE FAMILY EVENTS
      • DR. NANCY YOUNG, MD
      • LOANER HEARING AID PROGRAM
      • POLICY AND ADVOCACY
  • MUSIC TO MY EARS – MTME
    • MUSIC CLASSES & INSTRUMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
    • EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS (UP TO AGE 4)
    • INDIVIDUAL & GROUP INSTRUMENT CLASSES (AGE 4 -12)
    • SCHOOL BASED MUSIC PROGRAMS
    • MUSIC THERAPY
    • MUSIC ENRICHMENT VIDEOS
  • EVENTS
    • 2023 Rock The Town For Hearing
  • BLOGS & NEWSLETTERS
    • FHSR BLOG
    • NEWSLETTERS
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT
Menu
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • ASSOCIATE BOARD
    • ADVISORY BOARD
    • HISTORY
    • PARTNERSHIPS
    • FINANCIALS
  • PARENT RESOURCES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • MUSIC CLASSES & INSTRUMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
    • MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM
  • AGES AND STAGES
    • BIRTH TO AGE 3
      • FACTS ABOUT HEARING LOSS & HEARING LEVELS
      • TYPES OF HEARING TESTS
      • AUDIOGRAM
      • EARLY INTERVENTION
      • MUSIC ENRICHMENT FOR BIRTH TO AGE 3
    • PRE-K TO 2ND GRADE
      • LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
      • SCHOOL CHOICE
    • GRADE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL
    • HIGH SCHOOL
  • PROGRAMMING
    • MUSIC PROGRAMMING
      • MUSIC TO MY EARS – MTME
        • MUSIC CLASSES & INSTRUMENT SCHOLARSHIP
        • EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS (UP TO AGE 4)
        • INDIVIDUAL & GROUP INSTRUMENT CLASSES (AGE 4 -12)
        • MUSIC ENRICHMENT FOR BIRTH TO AGE 3
        • SCHOOL BASED MUSIC PROGRAMS
      • EARLY CHILDHOOD VIDEOS
      • MUSIC THERAPY
    • EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
      • AGES AND STAGES
      • LITERACY
      • HART FAMILY EDUCATION COORDINATOR
    • CLINICAL & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
      • FREE FAMILY EVENTS
      • DR. NANCY YOUNG, MD
      • LOANER HEARING AID PROGRAM
      • POLICY AND ADVOCACY
  • MUSIC TO MY EARS – MTME
    • MUSIC CLASSES & INSTRUMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
    • EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS (UP TO AGE 4)
    • INDIVIDUAL & GROUP INSTRUMENT CLASSES (AGE 4 -12)
    • SCHOOL BASED MUSIC PROGRAMS
    • MUSIC THERAPY
    • MUSIC ENRICHMENT VIDEOS
  • EVENTS
    • 2023 Rock The Town For Hearing
  • BLOGS & NEWSLETTERS
    • FHSR BLOG
    • NEWSLETTERS
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT
LEARN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL APPEAL

MUSIC ENRICHMENT FOR BIRTH TO AGE THREE:
HOW AND WHY TO CREATE A MUSIC RICH ENVIRONMENT AT HOME

Creating a music rich environment in the home has many benefits for the child; from listening skills to speech perception and development, to turn taking and movement but perhaps the biggest benefit is the joy music gives to a child’s life.

By bringing music into your deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) child’s life in a joyful and meaningful way it can provide a respite from the doctor’s appointments and therapies giving the child and their caregiver a special bonding experience.  

Music is everywhere in your home: from the doorbell to the windchimes and the pots and pans- almost anything can provide a beat, a rhythm or a melody. You do not need fancy instruments although they are great if you have them. We recommend a few small simple instruments such as an egg shaker, a drum and a scarf to get you started on your musical journey. These percussion instruments provide tactile feedback and help the child associate the movement with sound. The scarf or piece of fabric helps with flowing movement.

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As a mom of a child who was born deaf and received implants at the age of 6 months old, I have a personal passion to give the gift of music to children just like my son.  Our early childhood music enrichment classes are some of my fondest memories of his infancy and I know that this in depth exposure assisted him in his listening and language development.

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WATCH WEBINAR
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MUSIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM WEBINAR

Kristen Van Dyke (FHSR) & Sally Blandon (Merit School of Music) discuss how playful interactions at home with music and movement stimulate cognition and foster sound production, a precursor for language development for newborn children with hearing loss, discussing the benefits of incorporating music in a Deaf or Hard of Hearing child’s life along with best practices for creating a music-rich home environment.

Through sharing a variety of musical techniques and approaches, Sally and Kristen dig into the science-based pedagogy that further enhances the overall development and habilitation of young DHH children.

MUSIC AT HOME TIPS

CONSIDER THE CONTENT

Simple songs that are repetitive are best - use just your voice, trust us even if you cannot sing your baby will think your voice is beautiful! And Repeat Repeat Repeat babies never get tired of hearing the same song. For children with hearing loss they need to hear a word or phrase many more times than a normal hearing child. Classics such as “You are my sunshine” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” are a perfect way to start. These tunes can also be updated with words of your own, almost anything works!

MAINTAIN FREQUENCY

Ritualize your time together: Set aside music time each day, making it a part of your routine. Start with just a few minutes and gradually increase the time.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

Reduce background noise and distractions if possible, use your natural voice and start at a SLOW tempo and keep your volume at a comfortable level for your child.

ENSURE PROXIMATY

Get down on the floor with your baby and make sure your face is clearly visible and sing a lullaby to your baby.

APPLY FOR AN MTME EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOLARSHIP

The Music To My Ears Scholarship Program allows all deaf or hard or hearing children, regardless of financial need, to attend weekly music enrichment classes and experience the joy of music with their caregivers and hearing peers.

The scholarship will provide one year of tuition-free music classes to (up to 4 years of age) who are deaf or hard of hearing and living in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Apply for a Scholarship
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Donate today to support this great programming

ADD MOVEMENT TO YOUR MUSICAL HOME

Use touch to move your babies arms and legs in time to the song. A great example here is “Wheels on the Bus” or “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”.

Sway and slow dance with your baby - this is an incredible way to bond with your child and even if they cannot hear your voice they will feel your breath change and your chest rise and fall which can be quite soothing for your little one.

Add a Visual: Add a puppet to your musical routine: this simple toy can help your child associate sounds with the movement of the puppets mouth - a great song for this one is “Old McDonald’s Farm”.

Remember to incorporate childhood songs that attach movement to words that rise and fall similar to sentence structure and conversations to encourage your child’s language development.

OUR VIDEO SERIES!

The first of our series is a collection of 4 videos created for parents / caregivers and their newborns with hearing loss.  The videos were thoughtfully put together to walk parents through the key areas of creating a music rich home environment, while encouraging a bonding experience with their baby, by lead FHSR Music Instructor, Sally Blandon

VISIT OUR MUSIC VIDEO PAGE
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RESOURCES

OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC

Large selection of children’s song books that are perfect to help you create a music rich home.

SHOP SONG BOOKS

VIDEOS

YouTube is an excellent resource for early childhood music videos

VISIT YOUTUBE

EVERGREEN CHILDREN'S MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS

Laurie Berkner Band, Ella Jenkins, Raffi, and Justin Roberts

BABY BOOKS THAT CAN BE SUNG

Language simple but rich books, such as Frosty the Snowman, Brown Bear Brown Bear, Moo Baa La La La! and The Big Red Barn, offer all kinds of happy moments to sing and make noise with your baby.

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We (mostly my husband) made up songs for basic family routines such as cleaning up, bathtime, brushing teeth, remembering to turn the lights off when you leave a room and more… the songs are silly but as I used to joke, my home life is like living in a Broadway musical.  Some more book titles to the musical ones… Doobie Doobie Moo!, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Tiki Tiki Tembo, Punk Farm and Punk Farm on Tour… I know I will think of more but these are a good start.  I personally loved when baby toys used modern rock songs instead of lullabies as their music base… we had a baby safe guitar toy that played The Police and a baby piano that played the Jackson 5.

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EARLY INTERVENTION

FACTS ABOUT HEARING LOSS & HEARING LEVELS

TYPES OF HEARING TESTS

AUDIOGRAM

HEARING TECHNOLOGY

Every contribution to FHSR helps improve the lives of children with hearing loss. 

We hope you will consider making a gift to support these children.  Thank you!

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A Sound Investment in Our Children

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  • HOME
  • PROGRAMMING
    • MUSIC PROGRAMMING
      • MUSIC TO MY EARS – MTME
        • EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS (UP TO AGE 4)
        • INDIVIDUAL & GROUP INSTRUMENT CLASSES (AGE 4 -12)
        • SCHOOL BASED MUSIC PROGRAMS
      • EARLY CHILDHOOD VIDEOS
      • MUSIC THERAPY
    • EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
      • AGES AND STAGES
        • BIRTH TO AGE 3
        • PRESCHOOL
        • GRADE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL
        • HIGH SCHOOL
      • HART FAMILY EDUCATION COORDINATOR
      • LITERACY
    • CLINICAL & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
      • LOANER HEARING AID PROGRAM
      • FREE FAMILY EVENTS
        • CHEERS FOR EARS
        • BOWLING WITH FRIENDS
        • MOVE FOR KIDS
      • POLICY AND ADVOCACY
        • SPEAKER SERIES
  • PARENT RESOURCES
  • PARTNERSHIPS
  • EVENTS
  • ABOUT US
  • INSIGHTS
    • BLOG
    • NEWSLETTERS
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT
Menu
  • HOME
  • PROGRAMMING
    • MUSIC PROGRAMMING
      • MUSIC TO MY EARS – MTME
        • EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS (UP TO AGE 4)
        • INDIVIDUAL & GROUP INSTRUMENT CLASSES (AGE 4 -12)
        • SCHOOL BASED MUSIC PROGRAMS
      • EARLY CHILDHOOD VIDEOS
      • MUSIC THERAPY
    • EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
      • AGES AND STAGES
        • BIRTH TO AGE 3
        • PRESCHOOL
        • GRADE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL
        • HIGH SCHOOL
      • HART FAMILY EDUCATION COORDINATOR
      • LITERACY
    • CLINICAL & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
      • LOANER HEARING AID PROGRAM
      • FREE FAMILY EVENTS
        • CHEERS FOR EARS
        • BOWLING WITH FRIENDS
        • MOVE FOR KIDS
      • POLICY AND ADVOCACY
        • SPEAKER SERIES
  • PARENT RESOURCES
  • PARTNERSHIPS
  • EVENTS
  • ABOUT US
  • INSIGHTS
    • BLOG
    • NEWSLETTERS
  • DONATE
  • CONTACT

FHSR is a qualified 501(C)(3) tax exempt organization. Tax ID number 36-6082810.

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