Makin a Brew

EARLY YEARS MUSIC and STORY MAKING.

Makin a Brew, delivered by Gica Loening & Claire McNicol, is an Early Years /CPD project which specialises in working with vulnerable families, through Child and Family Centres. It offers a 8-10 week programme of live participative music and storytelling for babies up to four year olds, and includes a CPD session with nursery staff and parents. Through weekly music and story sessions, Makin a Brew aims to build skills and confidence in singing, rhymes, games, and storytelling. A song booklet accompanies the programme and is issued to each family. Simple accessible materiel is used, along with weekly repetition, to engage and opens doors for vulnerable children and their families. Parents are invited to take part alongside their children. A special feature is the introduction of aural storytelling, live fiddle playing, and connection to Scots traditional song and story.

Claire and Gica will discuss if / when a standalone staff CPD session would be useful. Staff are encouraged to take part fully and to practice leading songs and stories throughout the programme

Simple rhymes, songs, and aural storytelling are a vital part of the early years experience, and when shared with parents and family, can contribute to the bonding of parent and child, supporting wellbeing, self esteem, and family connection, as well as supporting young children to build motor skills, phonological awareness, listening skills, and positive connection to others. This has a huge impact on their academic and mental health and wellbeing development.

Staff Feedback:

“This was a fantastic group time for our children and on a couple of occasions parents. We have continued using the songs and story telling. We are in the process of purchasing new musical instruments for the children”.

“57 children and 14 parents accessed the three sessions that we ran, who would not have had an opportunity to access music making groups otherwise.  Staff were delighted about the parent engagement, and stated that there were dads attending who had not attended any groups, until they came to Makin a Brew.”

YMI outcomes for this project are :

• Young people who would not normally have the chance to participate take part in music making opportunities.