Rhythm Notation Composing Activity

Paper

A pencil or marker

Optional: colored pencils to make the notation more fun

Draw a quarter note on paper — a filled-in circle with a vertical line going up from it. "This gets one full beat. Clap once."

Draw two eighth notes — two filled circles connected at the top by a horizontal bar. "These two share one beat. Two quick claps."

Draw a quarter rest — a zigzag or squiggly mark. "This means silence. You hold still for one beat."

Practice clapping each symbol: quarter note = one solid clap, eighth notes = two quick taps, rest = hands apart in silence.

Give your child a blank line and have them compose an 8-beat rhythm by drawing these symbols in a row. Any combination they want.

Read their composition together from left to right, clapping it out. "Look at that — you wrote real music!"

Compose a second line and perform both back to back for a longer piece.

This is genuinely introducing standard music notation. Quarter notes, eighth notes, and rests are the real building blocks of written rhythm.

Use different colors for each symbol: blue for quarter notes, red for eighth notes, green for rests. Color coding makes reading easier.

When your child plays their composition and it sounds cool, that's composing. Name the piece: "Max's Rhythm #1." It deserves a title.

After clapping, try performing the composition on a drum or xylophone. Same rhythm, different instrument.

Keep the compositions in a folder. Over time, your child's rhythms will get more complex. Watching their growth is rewarding.