On the Road Again: 10 Must-Have Items for Traveling Music Therapists
Are you traveling between homes, clinics, schools or hospital settings as an on-the-go music therapist? Then you already know a smooth workday requires a mix of preparation, creativity, and practicality. Packing efficiently reduces stress and gives you more time and energy to focus on your clients. Here’s a list of 10 essential items for traveling music therapy sessions to keep you organized, comfortable, and ready to make music anywhere.
No more awkward armchair sessions! A portable, lightweight, durable stool for music therapy sessions is a game-changer. It ensures proper posture and comfort whether you’re in a small living room, therapy space, or outdoor setting. Lightweight and easy to clean, it’s perfect for staying focused during sessions.
Bring your music anywhere with a portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker. Use it for background tracks, passive music interventions, or movement activities in your music therapy sessions. Choose one that’s rugged, has good battery life, and offers reliable sound so you can confidently lead a session in any environment.
3) Water Bottle
It’s simple, but hydration is key for music therapists on the go! Long days on the road and back-to-back sessions can take a toll on your voice and overall health. A leak-proof water bottle ensures you stay hydrated - without worrying about spills on instruments or in your car.
A trunk organizer helps keep music therapy instruments, sanitizing supplies, worksheets, and props neatly sorted. It eliminates frantically searching for session materials and helps you stay prepared when moving between locations.
Perfect for reusable lyrics, music therapy worksheets, or handouts! Slide in any sheet, have clients write on the pocket using dry erase markers, wipe it clean, and reuse. This saves paper, keeps materials organized, and works well across multiple music therapy clients or groups.
A lightweight, foldable music stand supports sheet music or tablets anywhere. Essential for hallways, bedrooms, small offices, or rec room corners, it allows hands-free access to music and proper posture while playing.
Between sessions, this clever tool provides a stable workspace to organize session notes or enjoy a quick snack. A steering wheel desk for traveling therapists helps you stay organized on the go.
Transport instruments, equipment, and materials with ease. These collapsible carts for music therapy open up to hold a lot, and fold for easy trunk storage. Staying organized across multiple locations becomes seamless and stress-free.
Keep your sheet music, lead sheets, and session plans in one place. Music therapy binders and tablets make it easy to switch between clients, groups, or instruments. Add labeled dividers or playlists for extra efficiency.
10) “Rhythm Band” Bag + Extra Strings
Keep a bag filled with small percussion instruments such as hand drums, shakers, wood blocks, tambourines to keep sessions engaging. Include backup strings for any stringed instruments you play. This ensures continuity, keeps sessions flowing smoothly, and works across populations of all ages.
Why These Items Matter
These items can help you stay creative and organized while making music on the go! Each of these tools is designed to save time, reduce stress, and maximize the impact of your sessions. Whether you’re running a group, one-on-one sessions, or a PRN hospice visit, being prepared means you can focus on what really matters: your clients.
Additional Tips
Prepare a small emergency kit: extra batteries, picks, tuners, wipes, hand sanitizer and a change of clothes.
Pack a “comfort items” bag: shelf stable snacks, things you can use for mental breaks, electrolyte packets, etc.
Label everything
Customize your cart or bag depending on client age, session type, and mobility requirements.
Traveling music therapists: what are your “can’t-live-without” tools? 🎵
Share your favorites in the comments below!
And if you’re looking for specialized tips, stay tuned for our upcoming posts: one focused on hospice music therapy essentials, and another for developmental and pediatric sessions.
Stay organized and let the music follow you anywhere!