Musical Abstract Art – Piggyback Painting

Here’s a fun musical piggyback painting activity to brighten up a rainy day! It’s both creative and absorbing and a great way to help kids really listen to the music while encouraging them to connect with how it makes them feel.

This is an activity for a class or group, but also works really well as a family activity too.

Before you start, spend some time Googling a selection of abstract art paintings together. Discuss the colours, shapes, mood and what the painting suggests to you.

Explain that anyone can have their own response to a painting and that different people might see different things. It’s a good starting point to get the imagination and conversation flowing.

The next thing you’ll need is some emotive and inspirational music. Everyone will have their own favourites, but check out these posts below for lots of ideas for which classical music tracks to play.

• 14 Best Classical tracks for kids
• 5 Classical Music Tracks for Fairy Dancing
• Classical Music Tracks for Imaginative Play : Pirates & Adventurers 
• Best Classical Music Tracks for Marching
• 14 Best Classical Music Tracks for Calm and Tranquility

How To Play Musical Piggyback Painting

1. Set some large sheets of paper out on your largest table area, enough for one each.
2. This activity is most fun with paint and paintbrushes but if this is not practical for you, crayons or sharpies work just as well.
3. Play the music of your choice and everyone starts to paint/draw.
4. Continue for 5 minutes (depending on how many people you have to work round).
5. Then stop the music, stop painting and switch to your neighbour’s work and continue working on this painting.
6. Re-start the music, allowing 5 minutes or so each time
7. Encourage everyone to try to do their best work, to make each painting even more beautiful each time.
8. Continue in this way until everyone has contributed to each piece of work( or however many is practical if you’re a larger group).

Musical piggyback painting teaches so many things. Apart from the obvious musical and artistic benefits, it encourages expression and sensitivity and it’s a great way to encourage collaboration and teach the importance of building something together and respecting other people’s work.

The video below shows some little ones thoroughly enjoying their collaborating!