Fun Back-to-School Music Activities for the First Days of School
Welcome students to your elementary music classroom with fun and engaging Back-to-School music activities.
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Welcome your students with fun interactive Back-to-School music activities that will hook them on the first day of school. Help them settle in and positively interact with each other as you set the tone for a positive new school year.
Take a peek at the activities below that will engage your students in singing, moving, playing, and learning music skills on the first days of school and beyond.
Plan activities that you and your students will enjoy!
What’s in this post? Click to open the Table of Contents
Teach Music Classroom Rules with Fun Interactive Activities
Who says that learning rules and procedures has to be boring? Consider setting your classroom rules to rhythm patterns. Students can learn and practice rules using body percussion, Orff instrument activities, Boomwhackers, and more.
Download our “print and post” FREE Rhythm Rules Posters. Mount each rule on colored paper to match your classroom decor and your first bulletin board is done!
Lessons Include 4 Days of Rhythm Activities
Need a complete, ready-to-teach resource? Take a peek at these Rhythm Rules Orff Activities. This comprehensive resource includes no-prep lessons designed to be taught over 4 class sessions.
- Day 1 – Body Percussion
- Day 2 – Rhythm Instruments
- Day 3 – Boomwhackers
- Day 4 – Rotation Stations
See this blog post for detailed directions and video demonstrations – 4 Fun Ways to Teach Music Classroom Rules.
Happy Teachers Using Our Music Rules Rhythm Activities
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rachel – I love how this helped my students remember our classroom rules while teaching them rhythms! Genius!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you for the work you put into this so! The Kafooty is silly and the kids like this as well! I really like the incorporation of instruments. There are so many ways to use this and you’ve added so much in there from a fun and easy-to-understand rubric, as well as how to differentiate and pace out the lesson for all grade levels.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Natalie Y. – There were so many activities I did with my students using these rhythm rules!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Andrea H. – I really like this resource a lot, and I am looking at your other resources because of how organized this was!! I also like that I am able to change around the rhythms so that I can match the PBIS rules for my building. It was a little tricky to do this, but I am getting the hang of it, and your resource is very editable and customizable. The students are engaged and I look really organized in the process!! 🙂
Music Mixer Movement Activities to Get Students Moving
Returning students have missed their friends, and new students need help getting acquainted. Music Mixer movement activities get students singing, moving, and interacting positively from day one.
Don’t have time to create music mixer activities? Click to preview the no-prep activities below. These fun movement activities will become go-to resources for years to come. They’re perfect for Back-to-School, after a break, or when a new student joins your class.
Focus on Elementary Music Literacy
Yearly planning charts simplify lesson planning, saving you time throughout the year. They ensure that lessons are sequential and there are no gaps in learning.
Get your free Free Yearly Planning Charts today by subscribing to our elementary music teacher email list. Use the charts to create a quick outline of the music elements you teach at each grade level. Add these charts to your lesson planner for easy reference when making your weekly lesson plans.
Lesson Planning Tips to Develop Music Literacy Skills
Developing students’ music reading skills requires a thoughtful, sequential approach.
- Use a lesson plan template to ensure balanced lessons.
- Schedule short music reading activities at the start of each class.
- Teach fun music literacy lessons that students enjoy.
- Introduce only one new musical element at a time.
- Plan sequential lessons that build on each other.
Click to preview these time-saving Music Reading Activity Bundles.
No-Prep Music Literacy Activity Bundles
No Kodály training necessary to teach these guided music reading lessons.
Click to “Follow Mi” on TpT so you’re notified when new resources are posted.
Fall Holidays are Right Around the Corner
Do you celebrate Oktoberfest in your elementary music classroom? Does your community have a local celebration? If so, consider scheduling students to sing at the festival. Oktoberfest is a less well-known celebration that makes a nice addition to your elementary music lessons.
Oktoberfest Activities for the Elementary Music Classroom
My students have always enjoyed the opportunity to sing at our community celebration. Performing with a real polka band was a highlight of the school year. But, finding school-appropriate Oktoberfest activities can be challenging.
Oktoberfest Activities Included
- Simple German Folk Song
- Orff accompaniments
- Boomwhackers notation
- Hand clap activities
- History of Oktoberfest, and more.
Don’t speak German? No problem. Two screencasts are included to teach German counting to 10 and the pronunciation for a simple German folk song.
Take a peek at these Differentiated Oktoberfest Activities with fun options for Grades K-5.
Crowdfunding Platforms Can Help
TpT has a crowdfunding platform to help teachers raise money for classroom resources. They have also partnered with DonorsChoose. Talk to your administrator and consider starting your class fund at one of these helpful sites.
**Always get prior approval before beginning any fundraising.
Featured Storybooks 📚
Welcome your students back to school with one of these storybooks.
Hook Your Students on Day 1
Choose Back-to-School music activities that engage your students and guide them to interact positively with each other. The first day of school sets the tone for the whole year. Prioritize and plan but be flexible. Show up with a smile and do your best every day – that’s all anyone can ask.
Best wishes for a FABULOUS school year! Let us know how we can help.
Prioritize Your Classroom Needs and Develop a Plan
There’s always so much to plan at the beginning of the year, and it can be overwhelming. But you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time.
This easy-to-use Free Elementary Music Resource Guide features a detailed “at-a-glance” index of music elements. The visual index makes it simple to find the perfect activities for your classroom, including many free and paid resources.
More Fun Lesson Plan Ideas
- How to Create Back-to-School Music Mixer Activities
- 4 Fun Ways to Teach Music Classroom Rules
- Elementary Ideas and Activities for September
- Two Free Interactive Elementary Activities Your Students Will Love
Meet the Author
Terri Lloyd is an experienced music educator with over 25 years of teaching in elementary music classrooms. She holds a Master’s in Education, an Instructional Technology Certificate in Curriculum Design, and a Bachelor of Music. Her resources are designed to help music teachers develop students’ music literacy and performance skills while enjoying learning.
She presents music education workshops, develops curriculum, and writes for her blog. She is on the music staff at her church and leads a children’s program. She performs as a active community musician with a local Big Band, pit orchestras, and at various events.
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