Here are some listening activities. You'll can find listening selections under the Educational Videos tab (above), MusicPlay Online (see below) or YouTube.
Create a Dance Routine
Take a piece of music, whether it be a pop song, a classical piece, jazz or whatever, and create a dance routine for it.
Draw or paint a response picture
Play a piece of music and have your child create a picture to represent the music. When I’ve done this with students, some of them draw the instruments that they hear, some of them draw a scene that they imagine happening in the music, while others use colours to represent the mood. Play the music over and over again while your child creates.
Folk Cloud
Listen to folk and traditional music from around the world at folkcloud.com. A world map let's you explore the music of the country that you want to visit. Click here to go to the site.
Listening Walk
Take a walk with your family and listen to all the sounds you can hear. Can you find these musical terms in your sounds? Tempo (speed), Dynamics (loud and soft) Pitch-(high and low)? How many can you find? Have fun!
Musical Movie Night
Plan a MOVIE NIGHT with the family and watch a classic musical movie. Here are some oldies but goodies:
- The Sound of Music (1965)
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Mary Poppins (1964)
- James and the Giant Peach (1996)
- Alice and Wonderland (1951)
MusicPlay Online Listening Kits
MusicPlay Online is rich with fun, easy-to-follow resources. Log on as a student (ask Mr. Smith for the access code) and click on “Listening Kits” in the sidebar.
Peter and the Wolf
Listen to the story, “Peter and the Wolf”. This is a story told by a narrator with musical instruments playing the characters. You will find a video of it embedded on my website here.
- See if you can tell when each character’s music is being played.
- Pretend you are playing the instruments when you hear them.
"Statues" ("Freeze Dance")
Play this with your friends or with your family!
Before You Start:
How To Play:
Before You Start:
- Make sure that you have a good space to play that is free from obstacles.
- Choose a piece of music and get it ready to play.
How To Play:
- Everyone walks or dances as the music plays. I often tell the kids to show me what the music sounds like by the way they move.
- Pause the music the music. The kids have to freeze. Anyone who moves a muscle or makes a sound is “Out.” (I don’t get anyone out at the Kindergarten level.) They have to stay frozen until the music starts again. When the music stops, each player must freeze immediately and hold that position until the music begins again.
- There are various options you may choose from for students who are “out.”
- Have them sit on the floor during the next turn, then they may rejoin after that turn is over.
- Have them do 10 jumping jacks or 10 push-ups.
- Get creative! I’m sure there must be tons of other possible ideas. But be sure that the consequences are not so much fun that the children get “out” on purpose.