Parent and baby/toddler voice workshops
In this workshop for parents and their babies/toddlers,
we let the little ones lead the way.
It is a voice workshop that guides the parents in developing their vocal power and expressiveness but in ways that are very compatible with pre-language vocal expression.
We voice and play together!
Did you know that before we learn language, our voices are open to expressing – and our ears are more open to hearing – a much wider range of sounds?
A newborn baby might be seen in sound and voice terms as a kind of blank canvas. Before they learn what will become their native language(s), they vocalise freely, expressing a wide range of sounds that we call baby babble or similar terms. Sometimes in English we write it out as goo-goo ga-ga, which I think is cute.
Then, we start to teach them language, right? We start saying certain combinations of sounds (words) in meaningful ways, and reward them when they repeat it correctly. Of course! They need to learn the language of the environment they grow up in.
After a while, the ear starts to adapt to the sounds of the language, and it becomes harder to hear other sounds that are outside it. That makes it harder to pronounce them! I still have so much trouble pronouncing the “y” vowel sound in Swedish! Part of increasing our vocal expressiveness is opening up to more sounds. As we call back in forgotten sounds, we reawaken colours and textures in the voice, and our regular speaking or singing voice becomes richer and stronger.
I hope you’ll join! It will be so much fun, as well as a way for parents to do some therapeutic and development work in a way that is a lovely experience for the little ones, too.
Some have asked me how young the babies can be, and I leave that to the discretion of the parents. I had the idea that a baby might be harnessed to the parent’s chest to feel the sound vibrations.
The workshop capacity is 8 parents with up to 2 little ones, prices are per parent:
220kr per workshop
If you book 3 or more sessions, you get a 20% discount: please email kim@kimgajraj.com for the code. I’m afraid you’ll need to sign up for the 3 workshops separately.
