Seth's story

A film about engaging a young child through music using the Little Amber resources

  • Who is in the film?

    This video features Seth, three years old and blind, Seth’s mother Zoë, his sister Sadie and Little Amber Practitioner, Gary. Julia and Adam, Trustees of Amber, speak about the Little Amber scheme.

  • Background

    Seth and his family are at home having one of their regular Little Amber sessions with Gary. Sessions, which last up to two hours, are intended to give families ideas for engaging with their child through music using innovative resources in the form of Little Amber activity cards and instruments. The cards are freely available to download, along with recordings of 64 specially composed songs.

  • Aim

    The film aims to show the potential importance of music for a blind or partially sighted child in the early years, both as an enjoyable pursuit in its own right and to promote wider learning, development and wellbeing. The role of the family in offering rich and relevant musical experiences and promoting musical engagement, and the potential function of the Little Amber scheme in supporting families, are also highlighted.

  • What does the film cover?

    The kind of musical activities that work

    The film shows a range of musical activities in which young visually impaired children and their families can engage without needing special musical expertise, using the Little Amber resources that are available. The activities are fun and pitched at the right level to appeal to young children. They are of value both in their own right and to promote wider learning, development and wellbeing.

    Giving families the confidence to have a go themselves

    The film shows how to introduce the Little Amber resources in a way that gives families the confidence to have a go themselves.

    The Little Amber scheme in action

    The film introduces the two elements of the Little Amber scheme – the pattern of visits by a practitioner, and the resources that families are given – and illustrates the scheme in action. The nature and function of the activity cards and recorded online materials are explained and are shown being used.