Top 10 Rhythm Resources For Music Lessons – Part 2
I’ll be honest teachers, rhythm was NOT my forte growing up! I remember always asking my teacher to play my pieces before I had to figure them out, and secretly did my best to remember how the rhythm went! 😂
And trust me, this went out for years! I even struggled with the rhythm in the first measure of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata! My teacher kept telling me to count it out, but I just didn’t understand those 32nd notes, or dotted s dotted sixteenths!! I just had the hardest time internalizing rhythm, which is one of the reasons I do my best to include them in my lessons so that students don’t struggle the way I did.
Anyway! We’re going back to basics here, where I’ll be sharing my FAVORITE rhythm resources I use in my piano lessons. From picture books, to songbooks, to method books, to manipulatives, printable piano games, and more, part ONE will have you covered for LOADS of rhythm fun! I’ll save all my favorite boom cards and printables from other teachers for the Rhythm Blog PART TWO!
Describe
Save by grabbing the bundle below!
Rhythm Potions
Description
Reindeer Rhythms
Rhythm Values
Snow Globe Rhythms (Notes & Rests)
Now that I’ve gotten that amazing story out of the way, I can tell you a little more about this ridiculously fun rhythm method book! However, take it from the author herself:
“Join our rhythms in a thrilling journey to outer space! Students will be challenged to steer the spaceship as they learn their basic rhythms: the quarter note, half note, whole note, and more to make it to Saturn. The method book includes colorful worksheets, games, and challenges for the most exciting adventure.”
I just love how each note is a character (as in, Tom the Quarter note, Henry the Half Note, Dilly the Dotted Half Note, Wally the Whole Note, and Quinn the Quarter Rest).
Candy Jar Rhythms (Notes & Rests)
Using manipulatives is one of my favorites ways to teach! Children and students learn so much better when they have the opportunity to be hands on! That’s why I love using Stephanie’s Rhythm Builder!
Here’s what she has to saw about this Rhythm game: “If you’re looking for unique and educational music teacher resources, our Rhythm Builders are the perfect choice! Made from stunning high-quality birch wood, these music teacher-approved tools are designed to inspire creativity and reinforce rhythm and note-lengths in a fun and interactive way! Featuring durable clear-coated rhythm tiles, these boards are a versatile music teaching tool that you and your students are sure to love.”
I couldn’t agree more! I’ve been using these with my beginner students but if you want some more advanced rhythms, Stephanie has that option as well!
Fish Bowl Rhythms (Notes & Rests)
Heartbeats if a great game to pull out during Valentines, but if you love hearts and love like I do, then you can pull .this out year round! Once you download the board, there are tons of little cards that come with it. Depending on what’s circled, or which way the arrows are pointing, students will have to clap or count that line out loud! If you have total beginners, you can also have them place little pawns on the rhythm you call. There’s always ways you can adapt these games for your piano students!
Here are all the ways you can play:
- Shuffle the playing cards and place them face down.
- Student pulls a card and claps out the rhythm they see on the card.
- They may pull a card that circles the hearts to clap out. When they’re circled, they can play in any direction they want (left to right, or right to left).
- Some cards have arrows with a specific direction (so students will clap out the rhythm in that order).
- Some cards just say to play “any vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line.” Just follow the directions of those cards.
- Some cards say “Find and clap hearts in 3/4” (or 4/4). This means students must find hearts that are next to one another, that add up to 3 beats, or 4 beats total.
- For example:
Rhythm Math
Descrption
Rhythm for Beginners
Descprition
Kodaly Rhythms
What kid doesn’t love a good game of bingo!? So why not turn it into a rhythm bingo game while we’re at it!? With 6 different boards, you could play this game with several students. These bingo boards have all your basic rhythm notes and rests, so this would be a great review of what each rhythm is called!
As a low prep option, this game comes with a rhythm wheel, so you won’t have to cut out all the rhythm cards! All you’ll need to buy, however, is an spinner arrow, which I get on Amazon.
Rhythm Ear Training
Here’s my last rhythm game for you today! Eggs in a Basket is a favorite among my students, and in other teacher’s studios too! It was actually one of the first games I created! I remember it vividly, because it was before I knew about Canva, and I actually paid for the Basket artwork!
This is such a cute rhythm game to pull out around Easter time. In the directions, I suggest that you create a slit in the laminated basket, so that students can actually “put in the eggs” in the correct basket! If the rhythm shown on the egg is in 3/4, they’ll drop it in the “3/4 basket,” and same for rhythm in 4/4, they’ll drop it in the “4/4 basket.”
As you know, I’m huge on saving time, and if a printable game isn’t possible at the moment, you can always opt to grabbing the boom deck version! I’ll share more about that one in Rhythm Resources Part 2!
Simple Rhythms
Here’s my last rhythm game for you today! Eggs in a Basket is a favorite among my students, and in other teacher’s studios too! It was actually one of the first games I created! I remember it vividly, because it was before I knew about Canva, and I actually paid for the Basket artwork!
Lucky Beats
Heart Beats
I hope these resources are helpful and make their way into your music studio! If you have any I haven’t mentioned, that you believe are worthy of being shared, let us know in the comments below! Otherwise, happy counting!
