25 Fun Summer Music Activities that Kids, Parents, and Teachers Will Love

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

If your students are ready to sing rounds and simple harmonies, Row, Row, Row Your Boat is a classic choice. Younger children will enjoy singing the song in unison. This storybook is a fun way to introduce this traditional tune.

Don’t forget to check your local library for other books you can read and sing together. Raffi, in particular, has a wonderful series of books that your kids will love.

We’re Going on a Lion Hunt

David Axtell’s We’re Going on a Lion Hunt is a spin on the classic camp song, Goin’ on a Bear Hunt. To make the storybook interactive, read it one phrase at a time as an echo chant.

Set the tempo by patting “footsteps” on your lap (alternating hands) and then add sound effects and actions to match each part of the story. This is a fun and engaging way to bring the story to life.

Add motions and sound effects as you read about each section.

• Grass – rub hands together
• Lake – swimming arms
• Swamp – stepping hands on lap as if stepping through thick mud
• Cave – tiptoe hands on lap with whisper voices

As you “make your way back home” to safety, increase the tempo of the story to simulate running. This adds an exciting ending to the story.

Have You Tried Garage Band?

If you have an iPad or a Mac computer and your students are up for a challenge, try using GarageBand. Encourage older elementary students to compose and record their own multi-layered accompaniments. With GarageBand, the possibilities are endless!

Free No-Prep or Low-Prep Summer Music Activities

Think of the following activities as loosely planned PBLs (Project Based Learning). But, don’t do all of the work when introducing the activities.

Sound Scavenger Hunt

Step 1: Collect Sounds

• Ask students to listen carefully to their environment and identify a variety of sounds.
• They can either write a list or use a device to record the sounds they hear.

Step 2: Classify Sounds

• Challenge students to organize their sounds into categories.
• Example categories:
  • Natural or man-made
  • Animal or insect types
  • Indoor or outdoor
  • High or low
  • Pitched or unpitched

Step 3: Create a Sound Project

• Use their collected sounds to create an original piece of music or sound art.
• Encourage students to be creative and experiment with different ways of arranging their sounds.
  • Create sound loops
  • Add an original melody
  • Create a graphic score
  • Make a video collage to accompany their sounds

Let the students take the lead on this project-based learning activity. The more they plan and create, the more they will learn!

Write and Perform a Play

Sometimes, all it takes to overcome summer boredom is a few simple prompts that ignite creativity. Provide your kids with some basic ideas and let them create their own plays.

• Act out a favorite storybook
• Rewrite a fairy tale with a unique twist
• Create an original script

Depending on their age and interest, kids can add costumes, simple sets, or props—or keep it minimal with a black-box style performance using only their voices and movement.

Record the performance to capture their creativity and share it with friends or family. It’s a fun way to celebrate their work and build confidence.

Puppet Shows Can Take Many Forms

Some kids who are shy about performing on stage feel more comfortable acting behind a puppet. Puppets can be simple paper cutouts on craft sticks or decorated socks. Or they can be more detailed and elaborate, depending on the materials and time available.

Shadow Puppets – To make a shadow puppet show, hang a white sheet and shine a flashlight or lamp from behind. The puppets perform between the light and the sheet, casting shadows for the audience to see.

Host a Recital, Concert, or Talent Show

You can organize a live in-person recital with a small group of friends or family members, or schedule an online performance using Zoom, Google Meet, or another platform. Or, you could film performances and share them online.

Tips for a Successful Recital

To ensure a successful recital, provide your kids with the following guidelines:

• Help them choose a suitable piece of music and stick to their selection.
• Set a date and time for the event and send out invitations or save-the-date announcements.
• Allow enough time for kids to refine their performances, but not so much that they lose interest.
• Schedule daily rehearsal time to help them feel confident and ready to perform.
• Provide simple performance tips and rehearsal techniques to guide them.
• Hold a dress rehearsal and record the event to help them overcome performance anxiety.

Encourage kids to stay focused, be confident, and enjoy their performance on the big day.

Film a Movie or Music Video

Making a movie is different from putting on a play since it involves filming scene by scene rather than performing live. Every summer, my cousins would come and stay with us on our farm and we had a tradition of making a movie during their visits. Usually, we did not have a fully formed script when we started filming and the storyline developed as we filmed.

The unpredictable plot twists and turns of our movie projects led to some unique and imaginative finished products which were often inspired by the costumes and props we could gather up. Take a deep dive into your closets and find some existing props and costumes. Then give your kids pencils and paper to see what they create.

We still cherish these videos as family keepsakes. Don’t assume that your kids have outgrown this activity. We’re now on our second generation of movie-making, though admittedly not as frequent as before. Nowadays, our children are the ones taking the lead roles.

Whether you’re in a school or home setting, guide your aspiring “movie stars” and begin shooting!

Chrome Music Lab

Chrome Music Lab is a fun way for kids to experiment with music. The Song Maker tool lets them create original melodies. They can use it to set a poem to music or write their own lyrics.

Students can turn their creations into background music for a short play, film, or puppet show—or share them in a class recital or talent show.

Try out the other Chrome Music Lab tools for more ways to explore sound and music.

• Shared Piano
• Create Rhythm Loops (Remember to use rests.)
• Spectrogram
• Sound Waves
• Arpeggios and Chords
• KANDINSKY
• Voice Spinner
• Melody Maker
• Chords