The Big List Of Music Games For Elementary Students

Beep (Grades K-5)

I love to take general ed classroom ideas and modify for the music room. Originally called Buzz for a spelling game, I’m calling this music version Beep!

Musical Objectives: practice rhythm patterns, beat, meter (a great way to introduce 3/4 or 5/4 meter)

Object of the Game: To be the last one standing.

How to Play

Give the class a rhythm pattern. Starting at one point in the circle, use an object to pass around as each student is in charge of speaking a single note. (ta ta ti ti ta) This pattern would involve 5 students. The next student, #6, says BEEP and is out. Continue until you have one person left who is the winner.

Other options

• K-1: Continue with the same pattern round and round.
• 2-3: Each student is in charge of a BEAT not a note so (ta ta ti ti ta) would involve 4 students and the 5th one would be out.
• 4-5: Change patterns continuously. Have a stack of patterns and change it after each pattern.

Here’s a ridiculous example of how to play it!

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We Are Dancing In the Forest (Grades 2-?)

My students BEGGED to play this game all the time.

I couldn’t place an upper grade level suggestion on this one. I can see older kids playing but you know, it just depends… The amount of engagement of elementary music games is hard to predict sometimes.

Musically you have quarter notes/rests and eighth note pairs and mi so la.

Object of the Music Game

To not let the wolf see you move!

Equipment

None

Preparation

• Learn the song

Play

• Wolf turns/goes to the corner so they can’t see the rest of the students. Students sing and dance around the room, freezing at the end when the wolf is allowed to turn around.
• Wolf calls out anyone they see moving. My rule was, “The wolf is always right!” so if they said they saw you, get out. I sat in the opposite corner of the room so I could see everyone and had those who got out come sit on the floor by me. (“Idle hands are the devil’s playground.” Professor Harold Hill, The Music Man) 😆
• Those who are out remain out as long as you decide. (a couple of plays or back in immediately is up to you) Everyone wants to be the wolf so making them stay out a round or two prevents students from moving carelessly. If you aren’t in the game, you can’t be picked to be the wolf!
• When the wolf’s time is up, they pick a new wolf to begin the game again. It’s one of those elementary music games that kids will play over and over again.

Variations Strategies FAQs

Additional rules you might need to create based on these actions: Some will want to move when the wolf turns their back and get very close to them. Some will get very near the wolf’s corner during the song. Some will try to go under items in your room. (tables, chairs, etc.)

Talking Drums (Grades 4-6 )

Drum historically have carried information and conversation with no speech involved.

This is a challenged I created to lengthen and strengthen learning stamina, get into a musical flow state, and give children an different opportunity to communicate through music.

This can become quite a magical experience as you see each other across the circle but only communicate with your drum.

Object of the Music Game

See how long your class can play without stopping.

Equipment

Create a drum circle-drums, seats, optional percussion such as claves, gonkogui, shekere beside seats or in the middle.

Preparation

• Show students complementary rhythms. While they keep a steady beat, T plays an easy ostinato. Switch. T plays the beat and Ss find an ostinato that they like.
• Learn a stopping rhythm. Here’s one but you can create your own. T speaks and plays, “This is the end on 1, 2, 3.” The students speak and play, “1, 2, 3.” At some point you want to get to the place where the Ss recognize this pattern without the words because our goal is to be speech-free.

Play

• Use a timer and see how long you can play.
• T begins with a steady beat and Ss come in with their complementary rhythms.
• If you go a minute or two, T stops playing and lets Ss continue without them.
• T can pick up another instrument and add some new sounds, putting the instrument down shortly and going back to the drum.

Variations Strategies FAQs

Put a drum in the center of the circle with a small wad of paper on it and have the kids play very quickly and rumble. The vibrations will knock the paper off (usually). This is a fun way to end a session.

Drum circle playing is a great example of “Less is more.” This is an important concept to get across to kids and rids them of the idea that loud and fast is all that there is to music.

Sevens (Grades 3-6 )

Hand clap/tap pattern using 7 beats then 1 beat of rest. Objectives: patterns, rhythms, tempo

Object of the Music Game

To remember the patterns as you increase your speed.

Equipment

None. Can be done on your lap although using a desk is nice.

Preparation

• Learn the patterns, each is done twice. They build on one another so let’s start at the end. The last pattern is
  • Pattern 4: pat both legs-cross arms & pat legs-back to both legs-clap own hands-snap-clap-pat legs
  • Pattern 3: Pat, clap, snap, pat, clap, snap, pat
  • Pattern 2: Pat, clap, pat, clap, pat, clap, pat
  • Pattern 1: 7 pats

Play

• Put it all together starting with a slow tempo. The entire form is Patterns 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1. Lot to think about!
• Then try faster tempi to add additional challenges.

Drum Tag (Grades 2-6)

You need some open space to play this game.

Objectives: Moving and anticipating patterns and rhythms.

Object of the Music Game

To be the last person to get tagged.

Equipment

One drum.

Play

• Drummer plays patterns or a beat and everyone else is allowed to take one step for every drum beat, trying to tag others and not get tagged yourself.
• If you get tagged you sit out.
• However, both sit out if two students tag each other at the same time.
• If you take extra steps, you are out.
• If you are the last one standing, you get to be the new drummer.

Variations Strategies FAQs

Teacher may want to always be the first drummer to set a standard for playing. A slow steady beat with some pauses would create some time for strategies. An ostinato with some pauses (quarter, two eighths, quarter, rest) would be interesting too. Lots of possibilities.

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Black Snake (Grades 2-4)

This African-American singing game is a chase game.

Objectives: half note, syncopation, drm sl

Preparation

Play

• Original-one child (the snake) hides as the other children sing and taunt the snake. Eventually, the snake reaches out/chases and catches someone who then becomes the snake.
• Other versions below