Originally published April 4, 2021
Last Update April 9, 2026
Looking for simple and fun ways for your music classes to be active and engaged outdoors? Check out these easy outdoor music and movement activities for kids! Why outdoors? To enjoy the weather, quiet time during testing, or just a change of scenery for a brain break.
Table of Contents
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Net Games
Use multiple setups for whole class play or just one for a station in learning centers. (see images & video below)
The GOAT (A Reverse HORSE Steady Beat Challenge)
The GOAT is a cooperative elementary music passing game where students work together to keep a steady beat while singing. Inspired by the basketball game HORSE, this version flips the idea: instead of earning letters for mistakes, students earn letters when they succeed.
🏆 The goal is simple: earn the letters G-O-A-T by singing and passing the ball correctly.
📋 This game encourages students to focus on the beat, teamwork, and accurate singing while staying fully engaged.
🔹 How to Play the GOAT Game
- Students are in 2-person teams on opposite sides of a net. (4 total)
- Both teams sings a familiar song or chant a rhyme while passing a ball on the *main beats.
- Each pass or bounce should match the beat of the song.
🐐 If the teams sing the entire song without mistakes, they earn a letter. G.O.A.T.
🐐 When the teams spell GOAT, they win the challenge!
🔹 You have to start the song over if:
- the hand touch on the ball isn’t on the *main beat (if the hand touch is on beat 1, the bounce is probably going to be on beat 2)
- everyone isn’t singing
- the ball doesn’t go over the net
*Passing to a STEADY beat isn’t the goal. Passing on the MAIN beat is the goal so their singing tempo may adjust to make it work.
🔹 What songs should I use to play GOAT?
Choose songs already in your elementary music curriculum that have a strong, predictable beat. Folk songs and rhythmic chants work especially well because they are repetitive and easy for students to remember. Examples are Big Fat Biscuit, Dusty Bluebells, Pease Porridge, and I Never Saw a Purple Cow.
How to Set Up the Net
You can use 2 chairs and a piece of yarn for the cheapest and easiest setup!
Ask your PE teacher if they have these special nets or purchase for yourself.
I created GOAT after watching this PE class game in the video!
Big Fat Biscuit
This jumping game is perfect to take outside for a fun competition! Check out the origin and game instructions on The Big List of Elementary Music Games!
Pat, Clap, Snap (Rock, Paper, Scissors)
I learned about this game from our PE teacher and kids LOVE it. I tried to reconfigure it for music and came up with Pat, Clap, Snap. The objectives-
- brain break
- using body percussion
- team building
Directions:
- Two teams in rows. (red and blue above) The object of the game is to get your player from one end of the hula hoops to the other before the other team. Players must jump (2-footed) from one hoop to the next.
- One person from each team begins. Those out go to the end of the line & the next person on your team begins at the beginning.
- The red team begins at the green hoop. The blue team begins at the yellow hoop. The configuration of the hoops can be in any design as long as there are starting (ending) points for both teams. (In the gym or outside you have lots of room to curve the course all over the place.)
- If your music room isn’t very big or you can’t use the gym or go outside, I think sit spots or bean bags would work. Instead of jumping IN the hoop, you’d jump over each spot/bag.
- At some point the two players will meet (be facing each other) and that is when they’ll play Pat Clap Snap.
- Instead of Rock, Paper, Scissors’ fist-fist-rock/paper/scissors, they will clap two times and then the third beat will need to either be a pat, clap, or snap. If they do the same motion, it’s a tie and they do it again until there’s a winner. The image above is a visual to help them remember what beats the other.
- The winner keeps jumping, the loser goes to the end of their line and a new player for that team begins jumping, hoping to stop the other player. Here is the Rock, Paper, Scissors version.
Earth, Wind, and FIRE
Take any upbeat song such as Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “Let’s Groove Tonight” and create easy movement.
How to Move
- Intro (stand and bounce to the beat)
- Verse (lots of words so keep it simple-WALK to the beat)
- Chorus (easier lyrics so stop and do simple choreography)
- arms up, arms out, arms down, arms out (repeat)
- Bridge (freestyle)
Walking and freestyle are a snap! Just something simple for the chorus and BAM, you’ve got it.
Tips for Safety & Success
There were sidewalks around my school so we did this as we walked through the neighborhood!
I checked w/the principal because technically we were leaving the campus. (Some classes did NOT go out into the neighborhood but we walked around the building.)
SAFETY:
🚦Single-file line
🚦no touching of people, property, or nature
🚦no crossing of streets unless I was there (so the leader had to stop and wait for me)
Materials Needed: a portable speaker (JBL Flip) and a good song!
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Parachutes
If you have a portable speaker like the fabulous JBL Flip, you can do lots of extended parachute activities.
Sidewalk Chalk Rhythm Activities
Swap Hoops for Chalk
Instead of hoops, you can draw chalk squares on the sidewalk or playground to play this beat game!
Sidewalk Rhythms & Meter
Chalk Rhythms
I divided a sidewalk square into 4 sections and then assigned students to ONE square where they draw a rhythm notation. (single notes) The activity then is to move down the sidewalk and perform each 4-beat pattern.
LOTS of Sidewalk Chalk perfect for special area teachers! Great per stick price!
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Multi-Age Chalk Rhythm Activity
- Here’s a fun and engaging multi-grade music activity that gets students outside and moving!
- Head out to the sidewalk and on every other large square, use chalk to draw a big plus sign (+), dividing it into four equal sections. This simple setup becomes the foundation for an outdoor rhythm game your students will love.
- Older students can take the lead by writing a simple 2- or 4-beat rhythm pattern in each smaller section. Encourage them to decorate around their rhythms to make each square unique.
- Once everyone has finished, let the older kids walk from square to square to read and perform the patterns their classmates created. It’s a fantastic way to reinforce music notation reading and celebrate creativity.
- Later, bring out your younger students.
- In pairs or groups of four, have them rotate through the squares, performing each rhythm pattern aloud or with body percussion. Use a sound cue or signal to let them know when it’s time to move to the next square.
All the Benefits
This elementary music activity with sidewalk chalk supports collaboration, movement, and joyful music-making for all ages!
If you don’t have sidewalks, draw the squares on other concrete/asphalt surfaces such as around playgrounds.
Jump Rope
From individual jump to long rope to double-dutch, jump rope rhymes help kids speak and keep the beat!
Here are examples of “A” My Name is Alice and Teddy Bear.”
Make “Alice” into a creative writing unit of study. GREAT for subs or quiet learning times! Take those clipboards outside under a shady tree.
Singing/Clapping/Chasing Games
An Outdoor game that is no prep and needs no equipment!
A cappella singing with a game works GREAT for an easy outdoor music and movement activity.
- Charlie Over the Ocean
- Double Double This This
- Bluebird, Bluebird
- Let Us Chase the Squirrel
- ANY cup game on a playground flat surface
- Miss Mary Mack
- Pass the Pumpkin*
*or seasonal changes 🤣 Pass the flower, shamrock, turkey, butterfly, baseball, football, etc. You have to come up with an appropriate rhyming ending!
Human Match Game-Instruments
Every student in the class, except the players (game 1 version), sits in a formation (grid, circle, random placement). Give each student an instrument picture that they keep face down on the floor in front of them.
Game 1: Play with 2 or 3 student players who are trying to get the most matches. Students with the pictures are not playing other than showing their picture when called upon. Like the traditional game, each player chooses two students, trying to make a match. If they make a match, they get the pictures and get to guess again.
Game 2: Let everyone with a picture have a turn. The first player shows their picture and then tries to find a match. If they match, they get that person’s picture and they get to choose two other students and try to match. But if they don’t match, go to the next player. If the next player still has their picture, they show it and then tries to find a match. And if they don’t have their picture, they choose two students, trying to make a match.
Tips:
-a circle formation gives everyone a good view of the pictures
-putting the pictures in a plastic sleeve will keep them tidy and free of rips/tears
This PDF is in black and white (made from Pixabay images) and includes 17 instrument images, each 8.5 x 11. Copy TWO of each picture to make your match game cards.
Here’s the PDF!
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