Music Activities for 4-Year-Olds

Sit in a circle and pass cups in rhythm to a song — tap, tap, pass! A coordination challenge that gets hilariously tricky as the tempo increases.

Tell a story while your child adds musical sound effects — stomping for a giant, shaking bells for magic, drumming for thunder. Stories come alive with sound.

Pass a ball or beanbag around the circle while music plays — when it stops, whoever holds the potato does a silly dance! No one gets out, just giggles.

Play a cooperative version of musical chairs where everyone finds a spot — no one gets out! Perfect for teaching listening and movement transitions.

Play different music clips and ask your child how each one makes them feel — happy, sad, scared, excited? A powerful way to connect music to emotions.

Lay out every instrument and noisemaker you own and let your child explore each one freely — a hands-on discovery station for budding musicians.

Build a drum set from upturned pots, boxes, and containers of different sizes — then learn to play simple beats on your very own kit.

Make high sounds and low sounds with your voice and instruments, then have your child guess — is it high or low? A pitch awareness game that trains the ear.

Dance wildly to music, then freeze into a creative statue when it stops — whoever holds the silliest pose wins! Builds listening and body control.

Take turns showing off your best dance moves while the family cheers — each person picks a song and gets the spotlight. Everyone's a star tonight.

Play music from different cultures — salsa, African drums, classical waltz, Bollywood — and try dancing in each style. A world music exploration through movement.

Your child waves a baton and controls the family band — louder, softer, faster, slower! A leadership game that teaches musical dynamics through play.

Wave ribbons or streamers to music, creating flowing patterns in the air.

Take a familiar story and sing it instead of reading it, making up melodies for each page.

Stretch rubber bands over a box to make a simple guitar and strum songs.

Match pairs of containers by the sounds they make when shaken — a listening memory game.

Make a simple kazoo from a comb and wax paper, then hum your favorite songs.

Build a rainstick from a paper towel tube, filling it with rice and nails for a soothing sound.

Tap rhythm sticks together in patterns, following a leader or creating your own beats.

Walk around chairs while music plays and sit when it stops — a classic party game.

Fill glasses with different water levels and tap them to hear different pitches.

Sing a familiar song but leave out key words — your child fills them in! A listening game that builds memory, prediction, and pure musical joy.

Go around a circle and sing each person's name in a fun way — clap the syllables, change the melody, add a rhyme. Everyone gets their own musical moment.

Build a rainstorm using only body sounds — rubbing palms for wind, snapping for raindrops, clapping for rain, stomping for thunder. A group favorite.

Sing a short phrase and have your child sing it back — a call-and-response game that builds pitch awareness, memory, and the joy of making music together.

Use your body as an instrument — clap, stomp, pat your thighs, snap fingers, tap your chest — to create layered beats without any equipment at all.

Hum a familiar song and have others guess what it is — a fun listening challenge.

Act out a story through song and dance, moving like animals, weather, or characters.

Create and repeat stomp-clap patterns, building rhythmic memory and sequencing.

Use clapping, stomping, snapping, and patting to create rhythms using only your body.