Music Games
As a music educator, keeping your students engaged and excited about learning can be a challenge. While traditional methods of teaching music are essential, sometimes you need to mix them up to keep your students interested. Here are eight fun music games and activities that can help you do just that:
Name that Tune: Play a snippet of a popular song and see which student can identify it quickly. Playing obscure songs or songs from different decades can make it more challenging.
Karaoke Night: Encourage students to show off their singing skills by hosting a karaoke night. Students can sing solo or in groups, and you can offer prizes for the best performance.
Music Trivia: Test your student’s knowledge of music history, theory, and popular culture by playing a game of music trivia. You can use online resources or ask your questions.
Rhythm Challenge: Teach students a rhythm pattern and see who can play it back quickly and accurately. Increasing the speed or adding more complex rhythms can make it more challenging.
Instrument Petting Zoo: Bring in a variety of instruments and let students try them out. This can help them discover new interests and foster a love for playing music.
Music Bingo: Create a bingo card with music-related terms such as “treble clef,” “major scale,” or “drum kit.” Play music and have students mark off the terms as they hear them.
Improv Night: Provide the opportunity for your students to improvise on their instruments or with their voices in a fun, safe and supportive environment. Give them a chord progression ahead of time and a fun and straightforward melody for them to fall back on.
Music Charades: Write down the names of popular songs, composers, or instruments on slips of paper and put them in a hat- or have your students write them down! Students take turns acting out the prompt without speaking while their classmates try to guess. For a bit of extra fun, allow them to make sounds (but no words!)
These games and activities are just a few examples of how you can make music education more fun and engaging for your students. By incorporating these into your lessons, you can foster a love of music that will last a lifetime.
