Every month we send our free email list an exclusive kiddo friendly music resource. We call our email list the Music Moment of the Month Club, if you want to join you can scoot to the bottom of any of our web pages to sign up with you email. We wanted to share an original tune that discusses the importance of daily affirmations that we shared to our Music Moment of the Month Club back in September 2021.
This musical experience is an exercise in practicing positive self-reflexive language and regular affirmation. The lyrics in the chorus repeat: “I can be sunshine ‘cause I am warmth to all my friends/I can work hard for what I’m working towards ‘cause I’m loyal to the end/ I am strong, there is strength in who I am/ And who I am when I’m shining bright is who I’ll be again/ I can choose what I want to be today and tomorrow I’ll choose again.” The lyrics in the chorus and throughout the song emphasize the importance of practicing self-kindness (both as children and as grown-ups). This socio-emotional skill is beneficial to both individual development throughout early childhood and to a child’s wider social experience. Coupled with the reassurance that we can choose what language we use with ourselves, we hope this song provides a means to help the children in your life see themselves in a positive light and regard themselves with compassion, disregarding rigid ideas of who or what they “should be” on a daily basis in favor of genuine emotional well-being. This musical moment is also an opportunity to engage in gross motor play, highlighting words like “Sunshine” with extended arms in a “sunshine” pose and “Strength” by flexing muscles, pantomiming “strong arms” to symbolize the value of inner strength. We also invite listeners to sing along with the verse using neutral syllables “Doo-Doo-Doo” and engaging vocally throughout the song.
In addition to the video, we are also including an “Affirmative worksheet” which gives the opportunity for kiddos to draw a small self portrait, captioned by an “I am…” statement that can serve as a regular affirmation (more details and explanation on the worksheet). We also provided an explanation of the word 'affirmation' in the kiddo friendly video so skip to 1:58 to hear just the musical experience.
We use affirmations daily as adults. We see and feel the difference they can make in moments of anxiety, sadness, frustration or anger. We want to be examples to kiddos of all ages and abilities that the way we speak and think to ourselves makes a large difference in the day and in life.