Music therapy activities for children, adults and older adults: examples

What are music therapy activities, and how are they classified?

In music therapy, activities and techniques often mean the same thing: what people do with music during a session. The American Music Therapy Association describes receptive experiences, such as guided listening, and active experiences, such as performing familiar music, writing songs, and improvising.

• Guided listening: listening to a piece of music with a purpose, such as relaxing, recalling memories, or putting an emotion into words.
• Re-creation: singing or playing existing songs, alone or in a group.
• Improvisation: creating music in the moment with the voice, drums, or simple instruments.
• Composition: writing an original song or lyrics with support from the music therapist.

What makes an activity therapeutic is its purpose: there is an agreed goal, someone observes how the person responds, and the plan is adjusted. For the full picture, read what music therapy is.

Which music therapy activities work for children?

For children, almost everything is approached through play. These music therapy exercises are commonly used with children and are always adapted to each child's age and needs:

• Rhythm and turn-taking games: an adult plays a pattern on a drum, and the child repeats it or responds. This addresses attention, turn-taking, and listening.
• Percussion improvisation: playing drums, claves, maracas, and xylophones together. This addresses expression, coordination, and the feeling of being heard.
• Action songs: singing and making the gestures described in the lyrics. This addresses language, memory, and coordination.
• Movement to music: walking, stopping, and changing speed in response to the music, as in freeze dance. This addresses self-regulation and body awareness.
• Sound stories: accompanying a story with instrumental sounds. This addresses attention, vocabulary, and imagination.
• Hello and goodbye songs: a consistent musical routine at the beginning and end. This provides a sense of security and helps with transitions.

For autistic children and children with Down syndrome or ADHD, the music therapist adjusts the volume, tempo, and structure. We discuss this in our guides on autistic children, Down syndrome, and ADHD. For a broader overview, see our guide to music therapy for children.

If you also want your child to learn an instrument, percussion lessons for children and early music classes develop rhythm through play.

Which music therapy activities are used with adults experiencing stress or anxiety?

Adults often seek a space to express what is hard to put into words and to ease tension. Some activities used include:

• Guided listening and relaxation: listening to a calm piece of music while following the breath or doing a body scan. Afterward, participants discuss what came up. This addresses tension and present-moment awareness.
• Choosing and discussing meaningful songs: the person brings songs connected to important moments and talks about them. This addresses identifying and expressing emotions.
• Songwriting: writing lyrics about a situation, a loss, or a wish, and setting them to a simple melody. This addresses emotional processing and a sense of accomplishment.
• Free improvisation: playing without rules using drums, a keyboard, or the voice. This addresses expression without words.
• Singing and breathing: gentle vocal exercises and familiar songs. This addresses breathing, voice, and physical well-being.

For depression, the 2017 Cochrane review included 9 studies with 421 participants. With moderate certainty, music therapy added to usual treatment may reduce depressive symptoms in the short term without additional adverse effects. The authors call for larger studies.

If you want to ease stress by learning music at your own pace, that is a different approach that can also help: see learning music to manage stress.

Which music therapy activities help older adults and people with dementia?

For older adults, the focus is on companionship, mood, and memory. Songs from their youth are often a powerful starting point because they are easy to remember. These are the most common activities:

• Reminiscing with songs from their youth: singing or listening to music from the person's younger years and discussing the memories it brings back. This addresses autobiographical memory and conversation.
• Group singing: familiar songs, with lyrics available if needed. This addresses mood, a sense of belonging, and breathing.
• Simple percussion in a circle: using a tambourine, claves, and maracas to keep the beat of a song. This addresses attention, coordination, and participation.
• Seated movement: moving arms and feet to the beat while sitting in a chair. This addresses gentle mobility and energy.
• Listening and relaxation: quiet music at a low volume during moments of restlessness. This focuses on calm.

For more ideas beyond music therapy, see the benefits of learning an instrument for older adults and our guide to music therapy for older adults.

Overview: music therapy activities, who they are for and what you need

What happens in a group music therapy workshop?

A music therapy workshop is a series of group sessions with a shared goal and a recurring structure. Workshops are used in schools, care homes and centers for older adults, rehabilitation centers, and workplace teams. A music therapy workshop for adults, for example, may focus on stress management.

A typical structure for a 60-minute group session:

1. Sung welcome: a hello song that names each participant.
2. Warm-up: group movement or rhythm to get started.
3. Main activity: improvisation, singing, or songwriting based on the group's goal.
4. Calm closing: listening or relaxation, followed by time to discuss the experience.

Small groups allow everyone to participate. The workshop is planned in advance: the music therapist determines who will take part, what the goal is, and how to assess whether it worked.

Can you do music therapy activities at home?

You can sing with your children, play your grandmother's favorite songs, or improvise on drums in the living room. These are good ideas, and there is nothing wrong with them. Still, it helps to be clear about what each involves.

If you are unsure which option fits, reading music therapy or music lessons can help. And if you want a child or an adult to learn to play or sing, that happens in a music lesson, not a therapy session.

What you can do at home

• Sing songs the person enjoys, without expecting them to sing in tune.
• Play rhythm imitation games with hand claps or a pot and spoon, and practice keeping the beat with the metronome.
• Create a playlist for specific moments, such as relaxing before bed.
• Let the person choose the music, even if it is not what you would choose.

Where can you find music therapy in Bogotá or online?

At Gissi, we offer music therapy in 60-minute sessions, usually held weekly, led by music therapists with master's or doctoral degrees. Sessions take place in your home in Bogotá or by video call. The first session is an initial assessment, and goals are agreed on with the family and reviewed through ongoing progress monitoring. No musical knowledge is needed.

We also work with institutions, including care homes and centers for older adults, schools, and rehabilitation centers. To receive a proposal, contact us on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions