Summer is winding down, the kids have been out of school for what seems like years, and you may be running out of things to do. Never fear: here’s a bunch of fun music-related activities you can do with your kids before sending them back off to their teachers.
Make Some Tasty Treats
What do kids love more than food? Food that looks like other things they love! Round up your little ones and try your hand at making xylophone cakes or cookies. Bake a sheet cake and cut it into small rectangles or grab your favorite rectangle shaped cookies, decorate them with colorful frosting and m&m’s, and make tiny mallets using pretzel sticks and mini-marshmallows.
Freeze Dance Painting
Coffee Cups and Crayons has a great idea. Dancing+Spinning+Paint+Kids=A good time? Only if all of that happens outside! Take advantage of the last weeks of summer to get your kids out of the house for messy musical fun with a fun game of freeze dance painting. Spread out a big canvas or piece of paper and pour some paint onto paper plates that your kids can dip their feet in. Have them dance while the music plays and then freeze when you stop the music. If you use a few types of music, you can have them try to create different patterns based on what they hear. Read more here.
Play-Doh Music Notes
Break out your Play-Doh and have your kids sculpt music notes and symbols. This activity can be adapted for all ages and skills. If you have kids that have already been taking instrument lessons for a few years, you can clap rhythms for them and then have them make them with play-doh or create a staff and have them point out certain notes with play-doh balls. For children that have no musical training or are still young, print out music notes and symbols and have them shape their play-doh to look like what they see.
Peace and Quiet (For Mom and Dad)
With long days that make up an even longer summer, sometimes everyone just needs a break and time to themselves. When your kids beg to spend some time playing on the computer, you can direct them to this website and turn their screen time into learning time. Here you’ll find a bunch of fun, musical games sorted by theme. Now go grab a cool drink, put your feet up, and relax while your kids get a chance to make music on their own.