Learning games / Music Games for Kids
Music games for kids
Tap back a rabbit's drum rhythm, read your first notes and write a song for an animal band. These games teach the same early music skills as an elementary music class, no instrument needed.
Music game for kids
Rhythm, reading notes and writing songs · 1 game
More games with rhythm and sound
Patterns you can hear, syllables you can clap · 2 games
What kids learn in early music
Music class in the early grades starts with feeling a steady beat and copying short rhythms. Then kids learn to read them: a quarter note is one beat (ta), two eighth notes share a beat (ti-ti), a rest is a quiet beat and a half note lasts two. Next comes pitch: hearing high and low, then reading a few notes on the staff. Along the way, kids make up their own little songs.
Which game practices what
- Burrow Band (ages 5 to 10): echo rhythms on a drum, read quarter notes, eighth notes, rests and half notes, play back high and low sounds, read notes on the staff and play them on colored bells. In Make a song, kids arrange notes on a grid and see their tune written as real music.
- Pattern Parade (ages 4 to 7): every band member plays a note as it marches, so each AB or ABC pattern can be heard as well as seen. Patterns are the building blocks of rhythm and melody.
- Rhyme Rockets (ages 4 to 7): clapping syllables, like but-ter-fly, is a favorite music class warm-up, and rhyming trains the same careful listening.
Fair to every tap
Every phone, tablet and computer has a small sound delay, which can make rhythm games feel unfair. The first time your child plays Burrow Band, a quick tap check has them tap along with the drum and lines up their taps with the music, so a tap on the beat always counts. After that, a soft count of 1 2 3 4 comes before every rhythm, and the notes appear after each echo so kids see what they just heard.
Tips for grown-ups
- Clap names. Clap the syllables in everyone's name at the table. Then try favorite foods.
- Kitchen drums. A pot and a wooden spoon make a fine drum. Take turns echoing short rhythms.
- High and low. Sing a note high, then low, and have your child point up or down.
- Ask for a concert. Have your child play you the song they wrote and tell you its name.
No ads, no accounts, no tracking
Our learning games have no ads, no accounts, no chat and no purchases, and they don't use analytics. Progress stays in the browser on your device. For more, see our feelings games for kids, our science games for kids or all our learning games.
Questions
Does my child need an instrument or to read music?
No. Kids tap on the screen or keyboard, and Burrow Band teaches reading rhythms and notes from the very first one.
What age is Burrow Band for?
Ages 5 to 10, roughly kindergarten to 4th grade. Pattern Parade and Rhyme Rockets are good for ages 4 and up.
Why does a rhythm game need a tap check?
Every device plays sound a little late. The tap check measures that delay once, so taps on the beat are counted as on the beat.
Are these music games free?
Yes. They're free in the browser with no ads, no purchases and nothing to download.
Are they safe for kids?
Yes. No ads, no accounts, no chat and no tracking. Progress is saved only on your device.