Background and aims: Jenny is a music therapist who shared some of her methods with us on our Kick-Off event. She uses this activity to get the young people she works with to open up a bit. Through playing an instrument, they can demonstrate how they’re feeling without verbalising – the dynamics and their mode of playing can show a lot about what is going on with them.
Step 1: Each participant takes an instrument, or object that can produce sound.
Step 2: The facilitator invites everyone to play in turn for a few seconds, in a way that represents how their day (or week) has gone so far. Movement can be used as a well as sound, and the result doesn’t have to be ‘musical’ – it can be whatever each participant feels like playing. If the young person wants to verbally describe any aspects of their day alongside the playing, they can, but it’s equally valid to leave the description as sound only.
