The Best Songs to Reduce Anxiety in Kindergartners

I am not a music therapist. I am a mom who has used music therapy theory in an attempt to reduce my child's situational anxiety. Several years ago we lost our clown fish, Nemo #1, to a nasty crab.

Recently I became aware of my son's situational anxiety when he told me that he could not find Nemo #2 and he thought the fish might have gone to the ocean to be with his dad.

The next sign that our child was having some serious situational anxiety was when he came running into our room in the middle of the night and woke me up to tell me that he had seen Nemo #2.

I let his father explain why he was not seeing his fish as often as he liked while I went to work finding the best songs to reduce anxiety in children.

Songs to Reduce Anxiety in Kindergartners - Bob Marley, Three Little Birds

This song was an easy one. My son and I were listening to Bob Marley's Three Little Birds when my child sang, "Don't worry about Nemo, cause every little thing is gonna be alright."

Bob Marley is a favorite of mine and I love that many of his songs are child friendly. Three Little Birds is on the CD we listen to during our morning commute. In Three Little Birds Bob Marley sings about waking up to the message of not to worry. This is a great song for any child who has anxiety or worries about going to school in the morning. You can also sing it to chase away situational anxiety.

Songs to Reduce Anxiety in Kindergartners - Bobby McFerrin, Don't Worry Be Happy

When I ask my son when he thinks of when he listens to this song he says, "Listen like good children. Be happy!" What I love about the song, Don't Worry Be Happy is that it acknowledges that things are not always perfect. We make a frown and then smile when we hear this line: "When you worry your face will frown and that will bring everybody down."

There are no bad words in this song. It does contain some references that your child might not understand but they are not obscene. I emphasize the part that says, "I hope you learned it note by note like good little children." Combine that with a little tickle to evoke a smile in your children.

Songs to Reduce Anxiety in Kindergartners - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Summertime

Summertime is the perfect song to sing when your child needs to feel safe and comforted. I have been singing Summertime to my baby since he was born. It started as a lullaby and has turned into a song I sing when my kindergartner is scared or feels uneasy. Some children react to change with anxiety and apprehension. The repeated lyrics that we as parents will be there seems to calm our child and reduce his stress.

Songs to Reduce Anxiety in Kindergartners - Cab Calloway, Minnie the Moocher

Minnie the Moocher contains some adult themes but you can sing it in such a silly manner that it your child will not even notice through their giggles. Chase any stress and anxiety away with this song. When you want to district your child from their anxieties and worries put on this song to sing and dance all of the stress away.

Songs to Reduce Anxiety in Preschoolers and Kindergartners - Weezer, Island In The Sun

Sing this song with your kindergartner to reduce anxiety and worries. The lyrics are clear and child friendly. Island In The Sun is a visually powerful song that encourages forgetting about the present so you can take your kindergartner to calming place in their mind.

Sources:

American Music Therapy Association
http://www.musictherapy.org/

Music Therapy Relieves Health Anxiety
http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/12/16/music-therapy-relieves-healthanxiety/3513.html

Personal Experience