Simple and Enjoyable Music Activities to Do with Kids

There are so many fun and easy music activities to do with kids. These are activities that your children will love to do, and that you will enjoy as well. According to the U.S. Department of Education, children who have musical training show significantly higher levels of mathematical proficiency, reading comprehension, and spatial reasoning IQ than those who don't. Many studies have shown the positive effects that music has on babies, on learning, and on development.

Aside from these obviously significant benefits, music is just plain fun. Musical accompaniment makes any activity more enjoyable. Here is a list of easy and enjoyable music activities to do with kids. Most of these are easy to do, fun to participate in, and take virtually no preparation.

• Clean Up Time: Make clean up time more enjoyable with a song or CD. Encourage children to do household tasks by adding this fun twist to a mundane job. If you use the same songs every time there is a specific job to do, children will quickly associate the music with the activity and will know what they need to accomplish.
• Creative Movement: Turn up the music and get moving. Children love personal interaction, and when they see you uninhibited and having fun, it validates their desire to be silly and move creatively.
• Clap and Stomp: Even babies can get tremendous pleasure from music with this simple but enjoyable activity. Clapping and stomping helps children to learn about rhythm and tone and it helps them to incorporate movement and dance into their daily routine.
• Make an Instrument and Put on a Show: Whether it's a rain stick from a mailing tube, a tambourine from a paper plate, or a slide whistle from an empty lipstick applicator, kids love this project. This is one of the music activities to do with kids that allow them to have fun creating something new. Using their creation in a performance or at a home show gives children the feeling that they're center stage.
• Play an Instrument. If you have a piano or keyboard, sit your children down and play a little. Children, even very young ones, love this experience as it is a personal time with you and it allows them to touch the keys and to make their own music.
• Enjoy Musicals: For a special occasion, treat your child to a night out with music. Disney On Ice, for example, is something that they will love. Or, let your child watch a musical at home. Nothing beats Mary Poppins for a good time!
• Make Learning Fun: Learn the names of different instrument by coloring pictures, and teach them the different sounds. For older children with a thirst for knowledge, help them explore the origins of different instruments. Bring them to the library, or go online together to research the history of an instrument or music style.
• Karaoke: One of the most enjoyable music activities to do with kids, karaoke is a hit every time. Adults and child alike will have hours of entertainment with this fun and easy activity.
• Mystery Sounds: Use household objects to create a musical symphony. Have children close their eyes and guess what you are using to make a certain sound. Then close your eyes, and give them a chance!
• Language Skills: Music activities to do with kids can also enhance their verbal skills. Play a piece of music, and have your child describe the music or how it made him feel. For less verbal children, have them draw what they feel as they hear the music.

These are some of the many music activities to do with kids. Once you get your creative energies flowing, there will be no end to the possibilities that music provides. Research has shown that children benefit in many ways from music; incorporate music into your life and watch your children dance to the tunes and sing to their heart's content!