Thursday, July 2, 2015

The Oddballz: MusicTherapy for Children with Disabilities

Music therapy has been used to support social, cognitive and language development for children with disabilities. The use of music therapy has become increasingly popular, especially for children with autism spectrum disorders. According to the American Music Therapy Association (2012), "Music is a very basic human response, spanning all degrees of ability/disability."

As a special educator and mother of  two children with autism,  I am always looking for music that will captivate and promote learning.  I was browsing YouTube for music and came across a picture of a cartoon boy in a wheelchair and was curious.  I clicked the link and was immediately surprised by how high-energy the music was with a modern up-tempo beat and knew right away it would be a hit with my kids, but it was when the song ended that I was even more impressed.  I went to the website associated with the account and discovered a program called "The Oddballz."  Previously, I had never thought of a program aimed specifically at accommodating students with disabilities. The Oddballz allows children with autism spectrum disorders the traditional benefit of music therapy.  Additionally, it deepens their investment in the therapy by specifically infusing the personally relatable status of disability.

The Oddballz offers the benefits of music integration while promoting awareness and acceptance of children with special needs. Their program takes the "dis" out of disability by utilizing popular children's stories and songs. By incorporating a creative flare, the programs offered will get grab your kids' attention and engage them in the learning process. The resources are so diversified that children with and without disabilities will enjoy following the stories and moving to the music! The site is so awesome; I plan on using the resources at home and potentially integrating it into my classroom activities! I would encourage anyone who works or lives with children on the autistic spectrum, or those who have a disability, to visit http://www.theoddballz.com and take in and enjoy lively music and charming characters created with our wonderful children in mind.

Dr. Marquis Grant
My Life My Autism

Parent, Educator & Advocate
Click the link: http://www.theoddballz.com

2 comments:

  1. This is so great!! I have never heard of the odd ballz but will definitely be checking them out! Great resources for parents with a child on the spectrum!

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