Come here often to find the latest tips, news, and activities you can use at home
Celebrating Mother's Day with the Magic of Music
Mother's Day is just around the corner – a special time dedicated to honoring the incredible women who nurture, guide, and love us unconditionally. It's a day to say "thank you" for the lullabies sung, the patient encouragement given, and the unwavering support that shapes our lives. This year, why not explore how the beautiful language of music can help you express your love and create truly memorable moments with Mom? Music has a unique power to connect hearts, evoke cherished memories, and bring joy to any celebration. Let's dive into some musical ways to make this Mother's Day unforgettable.
Katie Beckett Program in Tennessee: Key 2025 Updates & Implications for Families
This blog post details key updates to Tennessee's Katie Beckett Program as of January 2025, building upon a previous introductory article. It highlights significant changes, including a major expansion of Part B, which now offers 4,700 slots (up from 3,000) providing $10,000 annually for healthcare costs via a flexible Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). Enrollment processes for Part B have also been streamlined for faster access. Part A, offering full Medicaid and $15,000 in home/community-based services for 300 children with the most complex needs, saw adjustments to prioritization tiers but maintains its capacity. The post emphasizes the positive impact confirmed by family surveys and explains how families can use program funds, particularly the Part B HRA, for various services including therapies like music therapy (often requiring a Letter of Medical Necessity). It concludes by offering practical steps for families to navigate the application process and access resources
Tips and Tricks for Choosing Your Perfect Keyboard!
Congratulations, you’ve decided to start piano lessons! The first question every student or caregiver of a student often has is what keyboard or piano they should buy. If a real piano is not available to you, it is entirely possible to have a great experience learning with an electric keyboard. The following tips will help you to select the right keyboard for you or your student.
Integrating Gestalt Language Processors in Music Therapy for Specialized Support
Welcome back. Today we will be addressing gestalt language processing and how we adapt music therapy sessions to support our clients who acquire language in this way!
The Importance of Augmentative Alternative Communication Devices
WHAT IS AN AAC DEVICE?
An Augmentative Alternative Communication Device (AAC) is a communication tool for individuals that are non-speaking or minimally speaking. It can take many different forms: a tablet, picture cards, even certain apps on cell phones. Musical Bridges believes that all forms of communication are valid, and that a client’s preferred method of communication should always be presented to them in sessions.
What Makes Musical Bridges Different?
All clients and partners of Musical Bridges are cherished by the staff. We celebrate our clients’ accomplishments and work hard to provide as much support as we can to see them grow and flourish. When you become a client at Musical Bridges, you become a part of our Musical Bridges family. We love to see everyone’s achievements both in and out of sessions, and we do our very best to contribute to those accomplishments and celebrate when they occur.
If you would like to be a part of our Musical Bridges Family, we would love to serve you!
I Want Candy! - Halloween Social Story and More
October is here and that means spooky season is too! All of us here at Musical Bridges love Halloween and all of the fun that comes with it. How to add in seasonal and holiday fun to our Music Therapy sessions is always on our minds, Halloween has an abundance of fun songs and games to incorporate.
4th of July Firework Show Sensory Tips
The 4th of July is almost here! And with this holiday comes the beautiful, yet loud firework shows. Loud noises and bright lights can be difficult for a lot of people but especially for our friends who have serious sensory awareness. We here at Musical Bridges have put together a list of must haves for firework shows, including a fun song to sing on the way!
Autism-Friendly Father's Day: A Musical Celebration
Father's Day is a time of heartfelt appreciation, a day dedicated to celebrating the unique and often deeply felt bonds between fathers and their children. Yet, words can sometimes feel inadequate when trying to express the depth of these connections. In these moments, music emerges as a powerful, universal language, capable of conveying emotions, creating shared joy, and cementing memories that last a lifetime. It acts as a vibrant soundtrack to family life, weaving through daily routines and special occasions alike, enriching the tapestry of our experiences. For families in the Greater Nashville area, organizations like Musical Bridges are dedicated to helping everyone, including those with unique needs, discover the profound joy and connection that music can foster. This early acknowledgement of community support aims to create a welcoming and inclusive space for all readers, suggesting that the journey of musical connection is one that can be shared and supported.
Songs We Loved this Spring!
This spring season is coming to an end and summer will soon be upon us. We have compiled a list of our top five favorite spring songs in three different categories that we have been singing all season!
Tennessee TCAP Testing Tips and Strategies
We know how hard standardized tests can be, not only for the kids but for the parents as well. With exams coming up we put together a little list. We’re here to give you some tips and strategies to help with studying and taking tests. We have tips for at home studying and tips for when your kiddo goes to take an exam.
Easter Social Stories and Songs
Easter is just around the corner, and with it comes all of the fun activities. Like an Easter egg hunt! Whether this is your first hunt or your tenth, they can be a little overwhelming. Easter egg hunts aren’t your run of the mill past time, for most at least, meaning this could be something you only do once a year!
I Ain’t Worried Adapted Music
For today’s resource share, we’ve got the ever-popular Top Gun hit I Ain’t Worried by One Republic. You can play this song on piano, xylophone, boomwhackers, handbells, recorder, and more. The options are endless.