The Music of My Emotions – Discovering Ourselves Through Sound. The Third Workshop as Part of the “Language of the Heart” Project – 6 November 2026 in Oulu.
The third of six workshops in the series “Language of the Heart – Art Therapy in Teaching Polish to Children Living Abroad” took place in Oulu. This time, the main theme was music and its extraordinary power to express emotions.
During the workshop, 11 children aged 6 to 13 had the opportunity to explore the world of their own feelings through music, singing, rhythm, movement and creative activities. The session provided a space for developing creativity, building self-confidence, strengthening relationships within the group and, above all, using the Polish language freely and naturally.
Music, Rhythm and the World of Emotions
Together, we explored what joy, sadness, anger and calmness might sound like. The children identified different emotions, assigned colours to them and then tried to express them through sounds and movement.
There was also plenty of singing Polish children’s songs together, rhythm games and musical improvisation. The children discovered that our bodies can be musical instruments and that music allows us to communicate even without using words.
Creative Workshop – Making Our Own Rainsticks
One of the highlights of the workshop was an arts and music activity during which each child made their own rainstick. Using cardboard tubes, aluminium foil, rice, groats and colourful decorative materials, the participants created unique musical instruments.
The finished rainsticks were then used to make music together. The children experimented with sounds, created musical dialogues and joined forces to form an “Orchestra of Emotions”.
It was a wonderful opportunity to develop imagination, manual skills and cooperation, while learning new Polish words related to music, colours and the activities they were carrying out.
Learning Polish Through Art Therapy
An important part of the workshop was the natural use of Polish in everyday activities. Through singing, conversations, following instructions, naming emotions and describing their own creations, the children expanded their vocabulary and developed their ability to communicate in their mother tongue.
Art therapy allows children to learn in a relaxed, engaging way that is adapted to their individual abilities. By combining music with creative activities, learning Polish becomes more than just acquiring new skills – it also provides an opportunity for self-expression and for building positive associations with the Polish language.
Every Emotion Matters
We ended the workshop with a moment of calm, a conversation and a reflection on our musical experiences. The children had the opportunity to share their feelings and talk about what they remembered most.
The most important message of the session was that all emotions are natural and necessary. It is important to notice them, name them and express them in a safe way.
The third workshop in our series was filled with joy, acceptance, mutual respect and creative energy.
Thank you to all the participants for their enthusiasm, openness and for creating such a wonderful musical atmosphere together!
We believe that through art, music and the Polish language, we can build not only language skills but also a sense of identity, self-confidence and a connection with Polish culture.
This project is financed from the State Budget of the Republic of Poland through the Chancellery of the Senate of the Republic of Poland under the Senate Polonia 2026 programme for the implementation of public tasks within the Senate’s support for the Polish diaspora and Poles abroad.