Submitted by Tami Mangusso, Colorado
Idea posted March 16, 2011
The majority of these games can be found at any large department store or game retailer.
1. Don't Break the Ice: You can use this game for any concept. I use this game to teach note syllables. I use Michiko Yurko's Blue Jello syllables from Music Mind Games. I ended up making my own Blue Jello pictures. Michiko's materials do have the pictures on them now, but there are a few that I don't like, so I am using mine own creation. I made 1" x 1" squares on card stock, and each square has a picture of the syllables on it (e.g., a picture of a bowl of jello, syllable for two eighth notes). I cut and taped each square onto one of the ice cubes. I expose all my students to all the notes I expect them to master by 5th grade, so I have syllables for all the notes on the cubes. Then I made a deck of cards that has the real notes on in it. Students take turns flipping a card over, then finding the cube that matches the card. Once they find the cube, they hammer the cube out. They play until the polar bear falls through the ice. You can use this game for any music concept, and you could just write on the cube with a permanent marker. (I tape the squares on so I can change the game without have to buy a new one.)
2. Jenga: I use this game for rhythm reading. I used Avery Pro Label program to make rhythms on return address labels. I put one label on each block. Students make the tower and take turns trying to remove one block without knocking the tower down. If they are successful at removing a block, then they read it and place it on the top of the tower. You can put whatever you want onto the block (e.g., note names, recorder fingerings, clues about an instrument, etc.).
3. Don't Spill the Beans: I use this game to practice note values. I made a deck of cards and one music note chart. The cards just have the note, but if students don't know how many beats the note gets, then they can look at the chart. You could even make cards with music math equations (e.g., 5 plus a whole note). Right now, I am just using notes. Players take turns turning over a card, and they place the correct number of beans onto the bowl (e.g., half note = 2 beans). The goal of the game is to work as a team to get all the beans on the top of the bowl.
4. I have also made a music sequence game that you play just like the Sequence board game. I made one with rhythms and one with non-pitched percussion instruments. Students try to get 5 in a row.
5. Play dough notes: I made a deck of cards that has the notes on them. Students make them out of play dough.
6. Log Jam: This game is similar to Don't Break the Ice, but now you have a beaver who sits on the top of the logs. Students must remove the log without upsetting the beaver. I made 1" circles that I printed onto card stock, and I cut and taped them to the log. The logs have the picture of the syllable, and the deck of cards has the notes on them. (You will need to buy this game online.)
7. Piranha Panic: This is a pricey game, but my students love it. I use this game to work on note values. The deck of cards has the note and how many beats the note gets. The card tells them how many spaces to move (e.g., two eighth notes = 1 space). The goal of the game is to get your 3 fish to the top of the river before the piranhas attack.
I like to use many different games and adapt them to music. I have discovered that many of my students have never played these board games, so this is good exposure for them.