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Let the Games Begin: Music Class Favorites for Every Grade!
- Sarah King
- Nov 2
- 4 min read
Teaching music over the next few months can feel like a never-ending marathon! We made it through Halloween and Diwali and now we're onto Thanksgiving, holiday preparations, concerts, sing-alongs, and more, all while dealing with sugar-fueled students.
That’s why I’ve created a collection of classroom-tested music games that make review time fun, meaningful, and easy to manage — whether you’re planning centers, sub plans, or a well-earned “game day.”
These games are designed for a wide range of grade levels and help reinforce music concepts through play and teamwork. Here’s a quick look at each one.
🎺 🪘 Musical Instrument UNO — 2 version: String & Percussion Edition and Woodwind & Brass Edition
Are your students obsessed with UNO? I had no idea this game had made such a huge comeback, but I brought up the idea of creaitng a music version and my students went bananas! UNO meets music class! Students match colors, instrument families, or instrument names while practicing recognition of musical instruments. Gameplay follows traditional UNO rules with a fun musical twist — a great way to review without a worksheet in sight.
👀 Spot It! – Music Edition
If you haven't played Spot It! yet, I cannot recommend it enough! A fast-paced favorite-- each pair of cards has exactly one matching musical symbol — and students race to find it first. This game builds quick visual recognition skills while keeping students engaged and laughing. Great for all grade levels and easy to adapt for different difficulty levels. I'm even guilty of bringing this one home and playing it with my own family outside of school because it's so much fun for kids and adults.
🎻 Instrument Matching
Students learn (or review!) instruments of the orchestra by matching the instrument picture to its name. Perfect for grades 1–8, this game works beautifully in centers, small groups, or as a substitute activity. It’s simple, visual, and gets students talking about music vocabulary without even realizing they’re studying!
🎶 Memory Race — Music Edition
A high-energy classroom game that gets students up and moving while reviewing musical symbols! Teams race to transfer a completed grid of symbols from one side of the room to another using only their memory. The first team to recreate the grid correctly wins! Perfect for brain breaks, teamwork, and active learning days.
👑 King of the Mountain
Students compete to “climb the mountain” by correctly speaking rhythm patterns in time. The "king" starts by saying "I have..." and then reading their rhythm card, then asks "who has..." and reads another rhythm. It’s one of those games that students beg to play again!
Directions: King of the Mountain
Students sit in a circle and everyone gets a rhythm card.
One student is the “King” (I always make the rhythm ta ta titi ta the King, but you can do whatever you want)
The King always starts the round by saying “I have....” and then reads their rhythm card followed by “Who has...” and reads another rhythm card.
Play continues until someone messes up, isn’t following the steady beat, or does not respond when called.
The player who is “out” then moves to the bottom of the mountain (either directly to the left or right of the King).
Everyone else moves “up” the mountain
Repeat
For added fun (and challenge!) I give the easiest rhythms (4 quarter rests, 4 quarter notes) to the kids directly under the King position since they will usually get called on the most. I call them “danger rhythms” because they’re so easy that they are used frequently by other students.
💰 Bundle & Save!
Grab all six music games in the Music Games Mega Bundle — a $20 value — for just $15!You’ll have an entire library of ready-to-play music activities to use all year long.
Whether you’re setting up learning centers, prepping sub plans, or surviving the holiday chaos, this bundle gives you fresh, easy-to-implement options that keep your students engaged and learning through play.
🖨️ Printing Tips for Perfect Cards
Follow these steps to make your game cards look professional and last for years:
Download the file.
Print onto cardstock for best results (it’s sturdier and looks great!).
The hardest part is lining up the front and back of the cards — but these tips will help:
Print the back using a color printer.
If your printer is older or tends to pull pages unevenly (mine definitely does!), load each sheet by hand into the bypass tray for the most accurate alignment.
Do a test round first to make sure you know which way to reload the paper so the front prints opposite the yellow circles.
Print the fronts next — again, one sheet at a time for best results.
Once all 10 pages of cards are printed, laminate them for durability.
Cut into cards and play!
✨ Teacher Tip: Save yourself tons of time and frustration with a quality paper cutter!I personally use this one from Amazon (affiliate link)
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