Inject some fun into your music classes with these 3 simple rhythm games. Your students will enjoy playing these games and along the way they will even learn something! These games are a fun way to review and assess rhythm reading with your students. Try using the games as part of a center, or just as a fun activity.
Memory
This is a classic game that never seems to get “old”. I have used this game with my youngest to my oldest students, and they all love playing it.
All you need are some rhythm patterns printed onto card. Make sure that you have 2 of each rhythm. Have students place all the cards face down on the playing surface. Each player then has the chance to turn over two cards. If the cards match, they get to keep them, if the cards don’t match, then the cards are put face down again.
You can make this game harder with a simple adjustment – if the cards match, then the player must clap the rhythm correctly before keeping the matching pair. If they get it wrong, they must put them face down again and the next player has a chance to collect the cards if they clap the rhythm correctly.
The game ends when all the matching pairs are collected, the player with the most pairs at the end of the game wins.
If you would like some FREE rhythm cards, click here to get your own copy.
Match My Rhythm
For this game you will need two sets of identical rhythm cards for each player in the pair. You will also need something to place as a barrier between the two students. I like to use folders or books clipped together with a paper clip or something similar.
To play this game the first player selects a rhythm card. The second player must ask a series of questions about the secret rhythm until they guess and clap the correct rhythm.
This game is great for encouraging students to ask questions and communicate. They can ask things like –
Does the rhythm have # notes in it?
Are there notes with a value of # in it?
Does the rhythm have joined notes?
Are there pairs of notes joined together?
Does the rhythm start with a ….?
Does the rhythm end with a ….?
The person with the rhythm can only answer with yes or no. The game continues as long as you want, players just keep taking turns with the rhythm/guessing. The game can be made more complicated by simply adding 2 or more rhythm cards together.
Rhythm Review
This game is best played as a whole class with students either working individually or together in small groups. Each group/student has the same set of rhythm cards in front of them. The teacher/leader selects a rhythm in secret and claps or performs the rhythm. The whole class then echoes back the rhythm. Next the leader claps it again and each group then chooses which rhythm was performed and holds it up. For each correct rhythm card, the student or team gets a point. At the end there should be a winner.
You can make your own rhythm cards, but if you want to save yourself some time and energy, grab this FREE set here.
I hope your students enjoy these 3 games as much as mine have in the past
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Until next time
Happy Teaching
Julia form Jooya