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You are here: Home / Musical Activities For... / Preschoolers / Animal Rhythm & Listening Game

Animal Rhythm & Listening Game

June 5, 2014 By Sara Mullett 6 Comments

This Animal Rhythm & Listening Game is a great way for little ones to learn about note recognition and note values.  But while they’re having such fun with all the farmyard impersonations, they’ll also be developing valuable listening skills.

Building listening skills is such an important thing for small children, because it supports all sorts of other learning and development, and not just the music!

Animal Rhythm Game with Free Printable Rhythm Cards

The animal rhythm & listening game would be a perfect activity to go along with some farm songs. Therefore encouraging the kids to explore and improvise with different percussion instruments and sounds to represent each animal.

rhythm-cards

How to Play the Animal Rhythm & Listening Game

1. First, print off the flashcards above and laminate them or mount them on card. Look at the cards together, ask the children to identify each animal and what sound they usually make.

2. Next make sure everyone is familiar with the percussion instruments that you will be using. Here we suggest maracas, tambourines and rhythm sticks in addition to just clapping. But you don’t have to stick with the ones on the flashcards provided, you could easily substitute different ones if you like depending on what you have around.

3. Have a little practice together where you hold up an animal card and a percussion card, and ask each child to choose the correct instrument and see if they can make the correct rhythm and sound.

4. Now you are ready to place the cards face-down into two piles, one of animals, and one of instruments. If you like you could put them into two different bags or boxes, to prevent them from getting mixed up.

5. Each child should have a turn picking one card from each pile or bag, and playing the correct animal sound with the correct instrument.

6. For older children, you can take the game a stage further, and each child can take turns to hide their eyes and see if they can identify which animal rhythm and instrument (without the help of the vocal sound) is being played just by only listening carefully.

Filed Under: 5+, Musical Memory Game, Preschoolers, Rhythm & Percussion Activities Tagged With: Free Printables, Listening Game, Note Recognition, Rhythm Games

Please note, the posts on Let’s Play Music include affiliate links for your convenience.

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Comments

  1. Daniel says

    November 26, 2014 at 4:47 am

    Thanks, I really love your posts and your ideas…
    Greattings from Costa Rica!

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      November 26, 2014 at 10:11 am

      Thank you Daniel from Costa Rica! That brings a little sunshine to this dark November day 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sue Mueller says

    October 23, 2014 at 4:09 am

    Like the activity above…Would appreciate ideas for early childhood music/rhythm activities..printable pictures etc.

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      October 24, 2014 at 4:55 pm

      Thanks Sue, We’ll be bringing out some eBooks early next year with lots more rhythm activities and printable resources, if you sign up for our newsletter (http://www.letsplaykidsmusic.com/sign-lets-play-musics-newsletter/) we’ll keep you up to date.

      Reply
  3. Ruby Martin says

    July 4, 2014 at 2:25 am

    I love your musical ideas for my class. It seems like lots of fun.

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      July 27, 2014 at 11:52 am

      Thanks Ruby! I’m glad you’re finding them useful!

      Reply

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