Name That Tune Family Game
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.
What You'll Need
- 1Optional: paper and pencil for score-keeping
What You'll Need
Optional: paper and pencil for keeping score
Just your voices and ears
How to Play
Decide who will be the first "hummer" — the person who presents the musical clue.
The hummer thinks of a well-known song and hums just the first 3-4 notes. No words allowed.
Other players try to guess the song title. First correct guess wins a point.
If no one guesses from 3 notes, hum 4 more notes. Still stuck? Hum the entire first line.
The player who guesses correctly becomes the next hummer.
Mix up presentation methods: hum, whistle, tap the rhythm on a table, play on a toy xylophone, or even just clap the rhythm without pitch.
Play to 10 points. Keep a running tally on paper.
Tips
Start with songs everyone knows: nursery rhymes, movie theme songs, holiday songs, popular radio hits. The game is only fun when songs are guessable.
Tapping JUST the rhythm (without the melody) is the hardest version. Try it — you'll be surprised how difficult it is to recognize a song by rhythm alone.
This game exercises musical memory — the ability to recognize patterns of pitch and rhythm that you've stored in long-term memory.
For mixed-age groups, give younger kids easier songs or extra humming time before others can guess.
Keep a list of "stumper songs" — ones that took many notes to guess. These are fun to revisit in future games.
Age Adaptation Tips
School-age kids can take more ownership. Let them lead the activity, experiment with variations, and explain what they learned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this activity take?
This activity takes about 20 min, with 0 min of preparation time beforehand.
What materials do I need?
You'll need: optional: paper and pencil for score-keeping.
What age is this activity for?
This activity is designed for 5-8 years. You can adapt it for younger or older children by adjusting the complexity.
Can this be done indoors or outdoors?
This activity works great both indoors and outdoors, giving you flexibility based on the weather or your space.
How difficult is this activity?
This is an easy activity that requires minimal setup and supervision. Great for busy days or when you need something quick.
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