Music Activities for 6-Year-Olds

Teams race to a drum, play a specific rhythm, then race back. Combine speed and musical accuracy in this high-energy relay that brings music to the yard.

Learn simple music notation symbols for quarter notes and eighth notes, then compose an 8-beat rhythm on paper and perform it. Real composition, simplified.

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.

Hum or play the first few notes of a song and see who can identify it fastest — a musical guessing game that tests everyone's listening memory.

Set up an obstacle course where each station has a musical task — bang a drum three times, shake a maraca, sing a line, dance for 10 seconds — then race through.

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.

Listen to clips from jazz, rock, classical, hip-hop, country, and reggae — rate each one and discover what kind of music your child loves most.

Plan, film, and star in a homemade music video for a favorite song — choose costumes, locations, choreography, and camera angles. Your child is the director.

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.

Start a music journal where your child draws or writes about songs they hear — what they liked, how it made them feel, what instruments they noticed.

Set up a karaoke station with a makeshift microphone and sing along to lyric videos — everyone takes a turn being the star on stage.

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

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.

Cut drinking straws to different lengths and tape them together to make a pan pipe — then blow across the tops to play a real scale. Pure science and music.

Learn the viral cup song rhythm — tap, clap, and flip a cup in a repeating pattern set to music. A coordination challenge that's addictively fun.

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

Pick a song and create a dance routine with specific moves for each part — then perform it for the family. Real choreography, kid-style.

Learn basic bucket drumming beats on an overturned five-gallon bucket — start with a simple bass-snare pattern and build to a full rhythm.

Tap, clap, and stack plastic cups to a rhythmic pattern. Combines music, coordination, and sequencing into one energizing game.

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

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.

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

Kids create rhythmic beats using only their body — claps, stomps, snaps, and pats — then layer them into a full percussion performance.

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.

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

Play Simon Says with musical actions — Simon says clap four times, Simon says hum a high note, Simon says tap your feet. Listen carefully or get caught!

One person sings a short melody on 'la' and everyone tries to sing it back on the exact same notes — a pitch-matching game that trains musical ears.

Learn classic hand-clapping games like 'Miss Mary Mack' and 'A Sailor Went to Sea' — partner rhythms that build coordination, memory, and connection.

Take turns creating increasingly complex clapping rhythms for the other person to echo back — a friendly battle that builds listening and pattern skills.

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