Lawrence musician Megan Helm strummed her guitar as she sat Friday evening on the floor of the Lawrence Visitor Center, 402 N. Second St.

Helm had a captive audience of eight Lawrence toddlers and children as she started into a song they recognized.

“Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go…” she sang amid the clicking and clacking of maracas, drums and other percussion instruments.

Owen Musser, 2, earlier had played his ukulele.

He danced around his parents, Noah and Virginia, until he heard a train whistle as the cars rumbled by just out the window. His mother boosted him up for a peek.

Helm was bound to lose the children’s attention part of the time, but for the most part she kept them engaged with different gadgets and songs as part of the Friday Night Family Music Jam.

Once a month, Helm turns the session into a musical lesson and mixes in some language and motor skills in a light-hearted way.

“What doesn’t music do? It’s really the first art form little kids can hook into right away,” she said.

Friday was Owen’s first time at the jam.

“It was a lot of fun. He likes music, and he’s always around it because we have a bluegrass band,” Owen’s father, Noah, said.

Helm has organized the monthly sessions since January, and she sends reminders through an e-mail list. Information is available at her Web site, www.wonderchildmusic.com

“I prefer working with the little kids because they give back so much,” Helm said.