8 Music Theory Activities for Kids

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Music is one thing that everyone enjoys. It is something that most of us really want to learn. Every student who wants to learn how to play a musical instrument is always excited about practical music classes but when it comes to the theory part of music, the enthusiasm of the student disappears. Therefore we can involve some music theory activities for kids to learn music more quickly.

Following are the music theories that you can include to make your kid learn it-

  • Use color and games. 
  • Listen to classical music 
  • Using EdTeach. 
  • Listening to my favorite music for homework. 
  • Explain cadences through popular songs. 
  • Music theory treasures hunts and activities. 
  • Cosmic whole note game. 
  • Encourage children to compose. 
  • Learn through play. 
  • Use flashcard games. 

Further, we have discussed these activities in detail for your better understanding.

8 Music Theory Activities for Kids

The teacher should always try to teach the kids the theory of music by having fun. It also helps to develop mathematical skills. There are many activities that can be performed by the student to make the class interesting, boost the student to learn and be the favorite class of the school. The following are some activities that can be performed while learning the theory of music and will also help them to read the music notes properly. 

1. Use color and games

As we all know, kids are more attracted to colorful things. So making learning easy for the kids and colorful will always result in a positive and effective way. Playing the game while learning will never make the kids feel that they are being forced to teach the theory of the music. You should make sure that you are helping the kids to read the music notes.

2. Listening to classical music podcasts

While learning music theory the student should be given an appreciation for the classical genre. So podcasting will help them to give knowledge about the pieces of art. Students nowadays are not interested in classical music but they should get to know about it. For example, Lil Nas X’s album is one of the most mysterious pieces of music.

3. Using EdTech

Using educational technologies the students are able to learn the theory of music interestingly. There are many apps for teaching the theory of music like a missile music school. Learning the theory through the use of technology will be more interesting than learning it in class.

4. Listening to the favorite music for homework

The teacher can give the student the to listen to their favorite music and make notes about what they have listened to. The student will find it interesting to complete the homework as they have to listen to their favorite song.

The students then are asked to give a summary of the time signatures, cadence, chords used in the songs, and the tempo used. This will make the student spend their time completing the homework and learning it.

This activity involves taking different notes of the songs and converting them into words and phrases. the teacher should give the student the choice to select the song and deconstruct their cadence. Firstly the student should look at whether the notes are major keys or minor keys.

6. Music theory treasure hunts and activities

Learning the theory through treasure hunts and activities is a great way to imagine, and recall music theory and problem-solving. The teacher can give the students with pieces of musical information and if the student needs to solve the puzzle. With the puzzle solving the student will be rewarded at the end the student will not only get the rewards but will also have knowledge about how much musical understanding the student has. It is also one of the best ways to make them learn through music.

7. Cosmic whole note game

The cosmic whole note game is played by a slow and repetitive pulse in which the student has to figure out the space between the sounds. The student needs to clap while predicting the next pulse will come. The student can go with a note game as slow as ten beats per minute and as fast as 120 beats per minute. Through the game, students got to learn about the rhythm, tempo, and timing of playing notes.

8. Encourage children to compose

The children being small and new learners of music don’t have knowledge about bad music and good music. The student naturally composes the music while brushing their teeth, going to school, having food, etc.

Encouraging the child to compass the music will help the student to develop a level of confidence in them and will let them have a better understanding of the music, and how the music is formed.

9. Learn through play

The student will learn faster while playing and experimenting with the music. Having fun while teaching makes the student feel relaxed as sometimes the children feel a lot of pressure on them. Learning through play will make the children retain more knowledge. You must try to teach them different instruments.

10. Use flashcard games

Have a competition in the classroom by creating flashcards before the lessons. In the flashcard game the student needs to have cards of every student and after collecting them start to play the notes and start to clap the rhythm. The game is to hear the note and figure out what is being played. 

Conclusion

Age doesn’t matter in teaching new skills. It is always a good idea to have new ways to have fun in life and experiment also. The child just needs to have dedication towards the learning of how to play the instrument and time to practice the instrument. 

FAQ

What is basic music theory? 

Basic music theory is defined as the elements that are used to form harmony, melody, and rhythm. 

What are the 7 keys in music? 

The 7 major scales in Western music are Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. 

William Christie
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