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Building healthy habits through music and mindfulness

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Fiona Alston

Sep 09, 2025

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Hey Dee Ho Educational Services provides more than just music sessions. Its suite of themes, spanning healthy habits, emotional literacy, safety awareness and more, represents an evidence-informed approach to early learning that supports children’s brain development, wellbeing, identity and agency in the crucial first five years.

Educators can move beyond observation to active partnership, embedding Hey Dee Ho experiences into everyday practice, planning cycles and quality improvement processes.

Developmental Benefits in the Early Years

Neuroscience confirms that the first five years of life are foundational for brain development, with over one million neural connections formed every second. During this window, experiences that are multisensory, social, and emotionally safe are particularly impactful.

Hey Dee Ho’s programming aligns with key developmental milestones:

Toddlers (1–3 years): respond to rhythm, movement, repetition; beginning of symbolic play
Preschoolers (3–5 years): develop self-regulation, cooperative play, and emerging abstract thinking

By scaffolding experiences across these stages, through songs about brushing teeth, calling 000, or naming emotions, educators can support:

Executive functioning and memory
Language acquisition and comprehension
Gross and fine motor skill development
Emotional regulation and expression

Each themed session provides opportunities to observe children’s responses, document progress, and plan future learning aligned with the EYLF and NQS or plan the program on the current interests at the service.

Empowering Educators: Partnering Through Music and Movement

Creating healthy habits in young children is most effective when learning is joyful, engaging and embedded in everyday experiences. Hey Dee Ho Educational Services brings this to life by integrating familiar routines, such as dental care, emergency response, nutrition and emotional regulation, into playful music, movement and mindfulness sessions.

These experiences are more than entertainment. They are powerful, evidence-informed tools that support holistic development across physical, cognitive, social and emotional domains. Hey Dee Ho’s suite of programs nurtures brain development, wellbeing, identity and agency during the foundational first five years.

To fully realise these benefits, educator engagement is key and Hey Dee Ho recognises educators as invaluable partners in the learning process. When educators participate actively, they enrich each session by modelling movements, echoing key phrases, and scaffolding children's learning in real time. This partnership approach not only deepens engagement but also extends the impact of each experience well beyond the session, enhancing connection, consistency and continuity across the learning environment.

To maximise the program, Hey Dee Ho encourages a partnership approach that empowers educators to confidently extend learning:

Participate actively during sessions: model enthusiasm, echo key language, and support children's engagement
Reinforce learning throughout the day: revisit songs and messages during transitions, routines, and group discussions
Use themes as planning catalysts: link sessions with current interests or key calendar events such as Dental Health Week
Integrate with documentation and planning: align observations with EYLF learning outcomes and QIP focus areas

Embedding music and movement into daily practice doesn’t require a musical background, just a willingness to explore, connect, collaborate and have fun. With practical tools and educator-focused strategies, Hey Dee Ho positions educators as co-learners and co-creators in an inclusive, enriched learning environment. When embraced as part of a shared vision, the program becomes a dynamic platform for reflection, engagement and meaningful growth for both children and educators.

Enrichment That Elevates: Embedding Hey Dee Ho Within the NQF

Hey Dee Ho is more than a weekly session, it’s a meaningful enrichment program that integrates seamlessly with the National Quality Framework and enhances every aspect of the early learning environment. Through music, movement and mindfulness, the program supports:

Educational programs and practice (Quality Area 1)
Children’s health, wellbeing and safety (Quality Area 2)
Relationships with children (Quality Area 5)
Collaborative partnership with families and communities (Quality Area 6)

With flexible themes such as Healthy Habits, Off to School and Body Safety services can proactively plan and embed relevant learning experiences that align with QIP goals, seasonal events, or emerging interests within the group.

Hey Dee Ho also strengthens connections with families. Themed resources, take-home visuals, and familiar songs help bridge the gap between centre and home, reinforcing key messages and supporting continuity of learning in meaningful, accessible ways.

Voice of the Child: Supporting Emotional Literacy

Across all programs, children are encouraged to name, notice and express their feelings. This supports:

Recognition and labelling of emotions
Empathy and peer connection
Reflective thinking and language development

Activities associated with songs such as "Take a Deep Breath" and "Hand on Your Shoulder" help children access mindfulness strategies in age-appropriate ways. Songs like "Do You Eat Your Vegetables?" and "One Day When I'm Older" fosters discussion, imagination and identity formation.

The use of Auslan signs, visual prompts, and consistent repetition reinforces accessibility and inclusion.

Supporting the Educator, Supporting the Child

With a growing library of resources, including YouTube sessions, access to audi via streaming services and extension guides, Hey Dee Ho equips educators with:

Scaffolding tools for daily practice
Themed resources for program planning
Embedded links to the EYLF and NQS

More importantly, it provides a bridge for busy educators and families to connect through song, story and play. In doing so, it enriches the learning environment for all participants.

To learn more about how Hey Dee Ho can support your team and children, visit: www.heydeeho.com.au

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