Whether you’re hosting a party, looking for ways to spruce up your curriculum, or just looking to get your kids moving with the music on a rainy day, you’ll want to add these unique activities to your repertoire! Activities that involve or are based around music will provide your kids with a variety of skills and knowledge that are vital to brain development. So, get ready to feel the beat—check out these awesome 31 examples of games that will help you incorporate music into your days.
1. Tape Ball
This cool idea requires some advanced prep from you, but your older kids with good manual dexterity will love it. Start by wrapping a number of small gifts separately in paper. Then, tape the presents to each other one at a time—creating a bigger and bigger gift as you go. To play, have all your players sit in a circle while you control the music. Give your pre-wrapped package—your “tape ball”— to one player. As the music starts, that player will attempt to unwrap as much of the package as possible; collecting any small gifts they discover within, until the music stops. When it stops the person must pass the to the next who will then repeat the process.
Learn More: YouTube
2. Musical Hula Hoops
This clever twist on musical chairs follows the classic rules but your players will hop into hula hoops instead of sitting on chairs which gives you plenty of options for making your own variations to the game that will engage your kids’ imaginations and motor skills. There are multiple “levels” of gameplay so you can tailor it to your kids’ ages and skill levels.
Learn More: Harmony Lodge Music
3. GoNoodle
Ask any of your elementary students what their favorite brain breaks are and they’ll tell you that they enjoy dancing along with these cool cats! The GoNoodle crew models easy dance moves for your kids to follow and they do a good job of getting little ones to move their bodies and get their blood pumping! These fun videos are an easy, zero-prep way of bringing music into your day.
Learn More: YouTube
4. Just Dance Now
Turn any room into a dance floor with one of the most popular games out there. Just Dance is like an online dance lesson/competition for your kids. Did you know there’s a version that doesn’t require gaming consoles? Just an internet connection and a screen will have your kids dancing in no time!
Learn More: Just Dance Now
5. Karaoke Party
Give your kids the chance to express themselves and have a good time as they belt out their favorites! With a wide variety of price points, there is a karaoke setup perfect for everyone’s needs and price point.
Learn More: Karaoke Party
6. Virtual Drumming
Percussion is an excellent way to develop your kids’ sense of rhythm! If you don’t have full drum kits on hand, try a virtual option. Your kids will be learning and having fun while challenging each other to match the same beat patterns and more with this interactive drum set that can be enjoyed on a smartphone or computer.
Learn More: Virtual Drumming
7. Music Memory
This is a clever way to use music to promote memory, attention, and coordination skills. Turn your tablet into a musical memory game where your kids will recreate the patterns they hear. As your little ones gain skills, the patterns will get progressively harder; increasing the challenge and the fun!
Learn More: Apple
8. Fire and Ice Freeze Dance
Encourage your kiddos to get up and move with a friendly game of Fire and Ice Freeze Dance! A freeze dance video does all the work for you—the lyrics will talk your little dancers through the various steps and actions. This is a great idea for a movement break that will promote listening skills as well as increase activity levels if you’re looking to tire your little ones out.
Learn More: YouTube
9. Musical Dress Up
Ready, set, let’s get dressed! This hilarious musical activity has your kids pass a bag of random dress-up items around while wearing blindfolds. Then, when the music stops, whoever’s holding the bag has to pull an item out and put it on. Once the bag is empty, let everyone remove their blindfolds to see how they all look. This is a fantastic activity for parties that will leave your kids in stitches!
Learn More: Easy Party Ideas and Games
10. Form a Creative Band
Creating musical instruments is an activity that your younger children will love. Almost anything can be used as an instrument, give your kids some supplies and a few suggestions, and watch their imaginations get to work! Give your mini musicians some time to experiment with different ways to put together their instruments. Then, help them engage in a fun performance with their friends!
Learn More: YouTube
11. Name That Tune
Name That Tune will develop your kids’ listening and memory skills. Simply pick a theme or genre that you know your little ones are familiar with, and let the fun begin. If you want to do this in your classroom, you can split your class into teams and have them create cool team names before getting started.
Learn More: YouTube
12. Charades (The Musical Version)
Charades is a classic game that works for any occasion. It enhances communication and critical thinking skills. To prepare, make a list of well-known music and have your pupils team up before they start miming away.
Learn More: Confessions of Parenting
13. Create a Step Club
Step is a form of percussive dance that promotes social skills and is a great way to introduce little ones to rhythm. Invite your kids to beat rhythms on their legs, with their feet, and through clapping. This activity has a long-standing history with college fraternities and sororities as it provides a social way to get active and feel the beat.
Learn More: YouTube
14. Name That Instrument
This fun classroom game can get your kids interested in music and expose them to instruments in the classroom. Your kids will be shown images of instruments, along with sound clips of them playing. Then, they’ll have to match them up! You can invite everyone to work independently or in groups to figure the answers out.
Learn More: YouTube
15. Create Musical Drawings
We all know what music sounds like… but what does music look like? Using classical, rock, and other engaging genres, prompt your students to utilize music and their listening skills as inspiration for their artistry. All you need to do is play clips of songs and ask your kids to create art based on what they hear. This simple activity does not have to take up a lot of time or use a lot of tools to drive home how artists can be inspired. It will get your learners thinking differently as they translate hearing into seeing.
Learn More: Teach Rock
16. Create Your Own Music
The Chrome Music Lab is the perfect digital tool to get your kids experimenting with basic rhythms, beats, sounds, and tempo—and best of all, it’ll introduce them to music on their own terms as they compose as many songs as they like! Y
Learn More: Chrome Music Lab
17. Soda Bottle Organ Activity
Combine science and music as your kids learn how to play a variety of musical notes using old soda bottles, various levels of water, and a stick. This low-tech classic is a wonderful introduction to acoustic principles and cause and effect—and it’s perfect for classroom environments because it uses very few resources but is sure to impress your students!
Learn More: How Stuff Works
18. Bucket Drum Club
Start a bucket drumming club and help nurture auditory-motor development in your kids. If your school doesn’t have a bunch of instruments lying around, or lacks the budget for a band or music program, this is a way to still offer something fun and musically stimulating—using homemade drums! Drumming on buckets might sound childish, but it’s a surprisingly effective and creative way to teach numerous musical skills. And let’s face it—percussive instruments are always popular with kids no matter their form!
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
19. Musical Hot Potato
This is a fun way to utilize some funky music and either a real potato or a ball of scrunched paper. Have your kids pass around the potato while the music plays—encouraging them to move and sway to the beat or sing along! When the music stops, whoever gets stuck with the potato must run a lap, or complete another task depending on what you want to do. This is an easy game of suspense that will get your kids moving while also teaching them focus and cooperation.
Learn More: YouTube
20. Tie Reading to Music
It’s essential to give your students a rudimentary grasp of rhythm before expecting them to dive into more complex activities. Practice understanding the concept of rhythm by using familiar words that are broken into syllables. First, divide your class into two groups—one for “tea” (representing a quarter note) and one for “coffee” (representing two eighth notes). Once your students have grasped that the syllables represent musical rhythms, you can have some fun chanting the words and introducing new ones.
Learn More: Solfeg
21. Koo Koo Roller Coaster
You and your kiddos may already be familiar with the most popular Koo Koo dance, Pop See Ko. The duo’s musical take on a roller coaster incorporates physical movement, music, and energy. All you have to do is play the fun video and invite your little ones to join in on the singing and actions. This would be a perfect transition activity after your pupils have been working quietly for an extended period of time.
Learn More: YouTube
22. Math Vocabulary Practice
Music really can be incorporated into any content area! This clever idea requires that your students work individually or in pairs to create lyrics for instrumental music. The twist you ask? They’ll be writing songs that incorporate math terms that you’ve taught! This is a great example of interdisciplinary learning as your kiddos will be applying music and rhythm principles while also focusing on their math skills. And the result will be a catchy song to help them study for math tests!
Learn More: Edutopia
23. Create an Atmosphere
Music projected with images on a whiteboard taps into auditory and visual senses. When you begin a new content unit with your learners, it can be helpful to first create an environment that supports their learning. For example, if you’re starting a new geography unit, you might consider setting the scene by playing traditional music from the region- perhaps over images of local landmarks or geographic features.
Learn More: YouTube
24. Learn the Parts of a Plant
Music activities for your kids can do more than expose them to melodies and rhythms. This song incorporates music, movement, and vocabulary to teach them introductory science terms. Your children will enjoy the simple song and hand motions while they learn the basics about plant structure—and the catchy tune will make it easy for them to remember these new facts!
Learn More: YouTube
25. US States and Capitals Song
Learning US geography can be challenging! With fifty states and fifty capitals, many of your students struggle to memorize all 100 places. This song is a great place to start as it combines location names with visuals of each state; all set to a tune that will help your students get those details into their heads!
Learn More: YouTube
26. Planet Song
Learning about the solar system is required of all elementary school students. This fun song will easily help you introduce them to the planets—and it can help with memorization after repeated viewings. The catchy song includes the names and the order of the planets and their most important characteristics.
Learn More: YouTube
27. Balloon Dancing
This easy activity only requires one prop for dancing: an inflated balloon. Turn on any music you like. While it’s playing, challenge your kids—as individuals or as a group—to keep one or several balloons off the ground. You can better control the pace of the game by adjusting the tempo of the music.
Learn More: Reach for Montessori
28. Adjectives and Emotions
Older students will be able to work on their descriptive writing with this music-based activity. Start by selecting five songs and playing them for your class. As they listen, task each of your students with listing adjectives and emotions that they associate with each song. This can lead to an insightful class discussion as your kids compare their answers.
Learn More: Teaching English
29. Word Snake
This is a straightforward way to combine music with vocabulary review. First, have all your students sit or stand in a circle and pass a ball around as you play music. Whoever has the ball when the music stops must write a word on the board from a category that you select. Play as many rounds as you want; varying the music based on your learning units or the season!
Learn More: Teach This
30. Amend the Song
Looking for a quirky way to reinforce synonyms or antonyms with your kids? Change up a song! Start by selecting a well-known song or a song linked to your current content area. Then, have your students listen to the song and select words to replace—with either synonyms or antonyms. You could also amend the song yourself in advance; giving your students the changed-up version and challenging them to “correct” it!
Learn More: Busy Teacher
31. Music Shop Multiplication
Math and music have a lot in common. This fun, online game combines music, instruments, and multiplication. Your students will have to multiply two- and three-digit numbers to try to locate all the instruments in the fewest number of moves.
Learn More: Math Playground
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