6 Ways You Can Use Music at Home

6 Ways You Can Use Music at Home Most people inherently respond to and enjoy music- but are you using it to its full potential? You don’t have to be a professional musician, music education major, music therapist, or even musically inclined to take advantage of all the ways music can benefit you! Here are a few simple and practical ways you can use music at home!1. For relaxation or motivationMaybe you’re doing this already! This is the most obvious way. Music can easily set the scene and the mood, so take advantage of the easy access we have to music these days. Technology allows us to listen to any kind of music, at any time! (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Pandora, etc.) You may already have music that you turn to when you’re feeling stressed, to help you sleep, or for just a bit of self care time. If not, search for relaxation playlists that are mostly instrumental, without a lot of lyrics or voices. This article published by the University of Nevada  says that science has shown that the most relaxing types of music are: Native American, Celtic, Indian stringed-instruments, drums, flutes, nature sounds (rain, thunder), light jazz, easy listening, and Classical. Check out the linked article for specific ideas, create your own playlist, or check out A Suite Sound’s Spotify Playlist, Progressive Relaxation & Stress Reduction, created by a board-certified music therapist.For motivation, find something with an upbeat tempo. This will help you feel more motivated and active, so make sure you have it on for your home workouts or cleaning sessions! You’ll find yourself dancing around the kitchen in no time.Lastly, parents, try it out to calm the atmosphere in your home! We sometimes forget, as parents, that our kids experience stress and long days just like we do. Maybe having something really non-stimulating in the background (with nothing on a screen, just over a speaker) will help create a more calming and peaceful presence in your household. Worth a try!  2. As an aid in transitionsThis one is also for parents. Do you dread leaving the house because it feels like it takes hours to get out the door? It is what it is (especially with toddlers), but singing transition songs could help! For example, let’s take a common tune everyone knows: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”- and let’s make a piggyback song. (This is a common technique used by music therapists where you take a familiar tune and change the words to create meaning or achieve a purpose). Let’s change the words to “It’s time to put your backpack on.” Now you have a silly little ditty that your little one will respond to more than your repeated plea, “get your shoes on!” over and over again (trust me, I’ve been there!). Example below, but it is silly and can be anything you want it to be! It’s time to put your backpack on, backpack on, backpack onIt’s time to put your backpack on, backpack on, backpack onAnd get in the car 3. Outlet for expressionThis one is multi-faceted, depending on your level of musical ability. While not required to know how to play an instrument, it is greatly beneficial to express your inner emotions through the medium of music! Any instrument- guitar, piano, drums, violin, cello— just to name a few, can be an avenue for you to explore various sounds, and making music can feel so rewarding. However, even those with no musical training can express themselves through song lyrics (writing your own, or finding songs with lyrics you relate to!), journaling to music (as simple as it sounds, having inspiring music on in the background while you journal can help you be more expressive), or just singing along to music that resonates with you (musical pun intended).  4. Learning/ReinforcingOkay, this one is for parents with younger kids OR anyone who may be an auditory learner! Ever tried teaching or learning a task by putting it in song form? Here’s a silly example, but just try it and I can almost guarantee you it will help! At the very least, it makes it more fun.To the tune of “Freres Jacques,” a common childhood nursery rhyme tune:Brush your teeth, brush your teeth,Back and forth, round and round,First you get the front ones, then you get the back ones,All around, all aroundI made this up in thirty seconds and you know what? It can get the job done! ;) Maybe you have goals for the new year (remember those? It’s April now, but don’t give up yet on those resolutions!) that you were going to learn a new skill. Maybe it’s making sourdough, learning how to knit, crochet, embroider, how to tie certain knots, how to do CPR, making origami, etc. Skills that have a particular process or order of events to complete are going to work best for these, as you can memorize the steps more easily by putting them to music!In addition, music can help reinforce academic concepts. Think about how you learned the ABC’s, your phone number, or all of the United States and/or their capitals. You probably learned it through a song! Music can aid in memory, so teaching a concept through a song is incredibly useful.   5. Use it as a timerThis is an idea I got from a blog written by Creative Soul Music School. What’s more stressful than an alarm or timer blaring at you? Instead, use a song as your timer! (or multiple songs, depending on the amount of time needed). If you have kids, have them clean up until the music stops. Or maybe you challenge yourself to do a task (fold the laundry, get dressed or put on makeup, wash the dishes, etc.) within an allotted amount of time determined by the length of the song(s)! This is so much more fun and motivating than just drudging through the tasks without music.  6. Relational ConnectionLast but not least, music is amazing for connecting with the ones you love. Using music at bedtime can help relax you and/or your child(ren) and also aid in bonding with them. Having a special song to sing or dance to can create closeness. Dance in the kitchen for some extra special family memories or have a song with your significant other!  There you have it! Can you think of any other ways to use music? Is there anything in particular you do at home with music? We’d love to hear it, comment below with your ideas! Written by:Molly Harrell, MT-BC References: Counseling Services. (2024, March 15). Releasing stress through the power of music. University of Nevada, Reno. https://www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-through-the-power-of-music Jolly, Meredith. (2021, November 21). 11 Ways to include music in your daily life. Creative Soul Music School. https://www.creativesoulmusic.com/blog/11-ways-to-include-music-in-your-daily-life