A little bit of harmony

SHORELINE — Preschooler Setti Hadtai is non-verbal, but on Tuesday morning, she smiled, her eyes twinkled and she even made a little noise.

This is the progress preschool teachers and music educator Wendy Zieve were hoping to see. The teachers received a grant through the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council to bring Zieve to their classes. The goal of the grant was to bring children together in different social settings while incorporating music.

In her private practice, Zieve uses music as a therapy tool for children with developmental delays, she said.

This grant brings together children from Head Start and the Early Childhood Special Education preschools housed at Meridian Park Elementary.

Preschoolers from both programs combine into small groups and use music and rhythms to work with each other, strengthening their social interactions.

Music is a key tool in bringing the children together, Zieve said, and she has seen it work well.

“I know preschool children with developmental delays benefit,” she said.

Special education teacher Layna Marab, who helped write the grant, said she sought for a way to bring children from the different preschool groups together.

“We want to integrate more with Head Start kids,” Marab said. “Music is the perfect way to do that.”

The children sing, dance, clap and tap to the beats provided by Zieve, either on musical instruments she brings with her or on prerecorded songs.

Zieve said she likes to partner children from the two preschools with each other, so they are exposed to different people.

“They are going to make new friends because they’re with different children,” she said.

At this age, children are eager and not judgmental, so it is an important time to bring them all together, Zieve said.

“It’s the perfect age to try inclusive things,” Zieve said.

This is also a great way to help some of the special-needs preschoolers develop further, Marab said.

“Through these experiences, our goal is that most of these children will be able to enter a regular education program,” Marab said.

On Tuesday morning, Zieve brought out a huge, colorful elastic band that the children each held onto as they sat in a circle. The kids passed the band through their hands and around the circle, singing along with the music.

This type of group work encourages the students, Marab said.

“Having that physical band there is a way to be part of a group,” she said.

Matching children up with different partners also strengthens their social skills and stimulates them, she said.

“We want it to be something that they can remember (as being) very positive,” Marab said.

Head Start teacher Becki Clark said bringing music into her classroom also has been beneficial.

In her class of 19 children, there are nine different languages spoken. But with music, they can all communicate without obstacles, she said.

This is the second time Zieve has worked with children in preschools at Meridian Park. In her private practice as a music therapist, she often works with children with cerebral palsy, autism and other speech and language delays.