A Close-up Look Into the Sophie’s Place Amazon Wishlist!
Giving Tuesday is just around the corner and Sophie’s Place made an Amazon Wishlist this year to create an easy way YOU can support music therapists across the United States. Here’s a quick look into the types of items on that list and how they might be utilized by music therapists to help their pediatric patients!
Before we get started, though, here is a link to the Wishlist in case you would like to contribute!
1.) Musical Instruments
Much of our list is made up of musical instruments that will help facilitate movement, expression, and fun for our patients! Many of these instruments have handles or straps for easy accessibility for all types of patients. They are also often colorful and fun to contrast from other equipment in a hospital. Don’t let that contrast fool you, however, these instruments are medicinal tools just the same.
2.) Recording Equipment
Something often done for pediatric patients by a music therapist is called a heartbeat recording. The music therapist records a patient’s heartbeat and then records themselves playing music over it, with the heartbeat as the beat of the song. This can be so special for patients receiving a heart transplant so that they can have a piece of their original heart with them. It is also an amazing treatment for babies in the NICU who can’t be with their mothers but would be soothed by her heart beat, as well as for the families of terminal patients.
3.) Board Books
According to Meredith, one of our own music therapists: “Board books are so important for patients and families in the hospital. Often those stories are familiar and a way for parents or caregivers to connect with their child by simply reading or singing along to them! They are also crucial to infant development and often used in our neonatal intensive care unit. These books can help with recognition, tracking, and overall connection between caregivers and patients."
4.) Non-musical Toys and Storing Bins
You may notice that some items on our list are non-musical! Even non-musical toys like fidget toys or rainbow scarves can facilitate movement to music in a way that is adjacent to physical therapy goals. They can also help patients relax and feel that they are in a fun and safe space. The storage items you see on the list are for storing instruments, books, and these toys.
5.) Gift Cards
The gift cards on the list will be used for anything else our music therapists need throughout the coming year! This may be more expensive but needed items like computers or tablets, or something less expensive like disinfectant for the instruments!
Overall, we are so grateful for any contribution to our Wishlist, however big or small. Every contribution is big to us and our patients.
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