Spring is in full bloom, and summer’s just around the corner! That likely means your little ones will be spending more time outside. Or, at least, you’d prefer them to spend more time outdoors. If that sounds like you, you’re in luck; we have eight great outdoor musical activities you can do with your kids this spring and summer!
Outdoor Musical Activities
Thankfully, there are many ways for you to bring music outside. What’s more, these musical activities are all super simple to set up with things you likely already have around your home.
Let’s dive into our eight great outdoor musical activities without further delay!
Outdoor Xylophone
Most young kids already enjoy banging on wood or metal pipes with a stick. Making a garden xylophone adds a little musical flare to their fun! All you need are pieces of wood or metal of varying lengths. Another option might be to use PVC pipes secured around a large pole or tree truck.
Keep in mind that your goal is to make something that can create different sounds—that’s it! Don’t be too concerned with creating a xylophone that can play a full scale or even specific pitches, especially with younger children. Your kids will have fun exploring the different sounds and tones they can make!
Music & Water
What better way to cool off during the summer months than by exploring the different ways water can create and change sounds?
The easiest and most common outdoor musical activity involving water is creating water xylophones! All you have to do is add different levels of water to different glasses. For added fun, use a few drops of food coloring to give each one its own shade. Like the first xylophone we discussed, you don’t need to worry about getting the tones just right; instead, concentrate on making them each different. The point of this experiment is to show them that the tone changes as the water level changes!
Create a Musical Garden
Many people have already written about this idea, so there are all sorts of ideas to find and try! Really, this is the most flexible outdoor musician activity there is!
If you’re good with building things or just feeling crafty, you can use whatever odds and ends you’ve got on hand. Remember to make it easy on yourself because, as fun as this idea is, it isn’t meant to last forever.
If you’re lucky enough to have trees in your yard, it’s easy to hand empty cans of different sizes or old pots and pans from low-hanging branches. Maybe add a few glass jars and shaker-style instruments to shake things up. Then, let them explore the different sounds and simple melodies they can create.
Musical Hide & Seek
A twist on an old favourite, this game can help your child improve their listening skills! Instead of you or your child hiding, try hiding something that can play music, like a toy, a small Bluetooth speaker, or even your phone. Let them listen to the music and try to find the source. Move it to a tricker spot every time it’s found, and start again!
Musical Chairs
Musical chairs, another classic game, is great for parties, classrooms, or the backyard and is fun for all ages.
In case it’s been a while and you need a refresher: set up chairs in a circle, being sure to have one less chair than the number of people playing. Turn on your kids’ favourite music and let them walk around the circle of chairs as it plays. When the music stops, everybody has to take a seat as fast as they can. The player left standing is out, a chair is removed, and a new round begins. Play until there is one winner!
You might also make things more interesting by encouraging them to dance while they circle the chairs
Musical Statues or Freeze Dance
This game goes by different names in different places, but the core concept is always the same:
Get the kids together in a space with enough room to dance. A parent or adult plays music and encourages the kids to dance enthusiastically. Then, the parent stops the music randomly. All the dancers must freeze in place when it stops, like a statue. The last child to stay still is out, and you play the next round. Like musical chairs, the game continues until there’s only one person left.
Encourage the players to dance wildly and boldly! You might even show off a few moves yourself! Adults running the game can also experiment with different kinds of music and music with different tempos to keep things lively.
Visit an Outdoor Concert
With the sun setting later in the evenings and those nice warm temperatures, it’s about this time of year that outdoor concerts start popping up in parts and other public areas. These are great opportunities for outdoor musical fun!
One of the great things about outdoor concerts is that they are usually very informal. This is great for younger kids who cannot sit still for an entire concert. They can run around in the park or jump and dance as the music plays!
Your best bet for finding events like these is to check your local municipality’s events calendar. Also, keep an eye out for musical theatre productions or storytelling events for kids. These often include music and are another great opportunity.
Campfire Sing-Along
If you’re in the mood for an outdoor musical activity specifically involving singing, why not go back to basics? The campfire sing-along has been around for as long as there have been campfires and songs to sing around them (probably). And the best part? You don’t actually need a campfire. All you need is a circle and your voices! But if you want to add that extra element but don’t have a campfire, use flashlights and tissue paper!
Then, simply sit in a circle, either with logs or benches, or straight on the ground, and sing something the whole group knows or can learn quickly. If you can play the ukulele, guitar, harmonica, or other instrument to accompany the singing, even better!
Closing Thoughts
If you’re looking for more fun outdoor musical activities for your kids this summer, check out The Music Studio’s summer camps! We offer a variety of exciting camps for kids aged four to sixteen! Make sure you sign up while there’s still space!