Melody Matching with Voices Game

Nothing — just voices and ears

Explain the game: "I'll sing a little melody on 'la,' and you try to sing it back on the exact same notes."

Sing a simple 3-note melody on "la la la" — move up or down in clear steps. Keep it slow.

Have your child sing it back. Listen for whether the pitches follow the same pattern — up when yours went up, down when yours went down.

Gradually increase difficulty: 4 notes, then 5 notes, with more interesting intervals.

Try different syllables to keep it fresh: "do do do," "bah bah bah," "moo moo moo." The sillier the syllable, the more fun it is.

Switch roles — let your child create a melody for you to echo. This is harder for them (and reveals their musical creativity).

End with a stretch goal: can you both accurately match a 7-note melody?

Pitch matching is one of the foundational skills for singing. Regular practice genuinely improves a child's ability to sing in tune.

Don't worry about perfect pitch. If the melody shape is right (up when it should go up, down when it should go down), that's a win.

Use a keyboard or xylophone as a reference if you want. Play a note, have them match it with their voice. One note at a time builds the skill.

Some children are natural pitch matchers and some need more practice. There's a huge range of normal, and almost everyone improves with repetition.

This game works beautifully as a warm-up before any other singing activity. Think of it as stretching before exercise — but for the musical brain.