March is a perfect time to bring fresh and engaging music games and into your lessons. Students are getting antsy for spring break, and a bit of a change is in order to keep their attention!
Here are some of my favorite March music games and activities for elementary and middle school music classrooms. They’ll keep your students engaged but still reinforce essential music skills.
My Favorite ‘March Madness’ Music Game: Rhythm Trashketball
Rhythm trashketball works well with any grade and for any rhythm level.
Are you a big basketball fan, or got the ‘March Madness’ bug. I’ll be honest, I’m not all that into sports. But trashketball is something I can get behind! Rhythm Trashketball is a simple rhythm game for music class that gets students moving while practicing rhythm patterns.
Divide the class into teams. Each student takes a turn clapping or performing a rhythm pattern correctly. If they do it correctly, they earn a chance to toss a crumpled piece of paper (or a soft ball) into a trash can for bonus points. (Full instructions here).
This activity works well as a review before or after spring break, or as an end-of-class reward activity at any time of year.
Students can practice rhythm accuracy, steady beat, teamwork, and listening skills. You can create your own rhythm patterns on the board, use flashcards or slides you already have, or try one of my Rhythm Trashketball games for a ready-to-use option.
My Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Music Game: Irish Music Bingo
Lots of fun for any grade!
I love introducing a wide variety of genres and styles of music. Sometimes kids are resistant to new music, and a game format makes students a lot more receptive to new types of music.
Irish Music Bingo is a listening-focused game perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any March music lesson. Students listen to a variety of Irish music – a great chance to broaden your students’ musical experiences.
You could create your own, or if you’d like something done for you, you can purchase my print-and-go Irish music bingo game here. A Spotify playlist is linked and ready to go.
My Favorite Spring Music Game for Grades 4-6: Spring Music Escape Room
Escape rooms are one of the most novel ways to review rhythms, note reading, and music theory. The Spring Music Escape Room is a story-based game that uses puzzles and decoding challenges to reveal Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons. This creates a natural opportunity to introduce this famous piece.
An escape room is the perfect last class before spring break activity to keep students engaged but still learning.
The activity includes two levels to accommodate multiple grade levels.
Level 1:
- Notes on the treble staff
- Eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, and basic rests
- Symbols such as sharp, treble clef, piano, and mezzo forte
Level 2:
- Treble and bass staff
- Sixteenth notes, dotted rhythms, additional rests
- Symbols including natural, crescendo, pianissimo
Suggested time is 30-45 minutes. Students work in small groups or partners, and no extra materials are required beyond printing.
This activity is a great way to keep students engaged while reinforcing important skills and concepts.
My Favorite Spring Music Game for Grades 6-8: Music Mystery – The Case of the Vanishing Vase
Music mystery games encourage critical thinking, and music review of rhythms, notes, and symbols. In this spring-themed activity, students decode musical clues and eliminate suspects to solve the mystery. (Think a simplified murder mystery party made school-friendly and music-centered).
Two levels are included to meet the needs of different grade levels. Students review:
- Note reading
- Musical symbols
- Instrument families
Suggested time ranges from 30-60 minutes, depending on student familiarity with the concepts, and class size. This activity works with any number of students 1-30+
You can find ‘The Case of the Vanishing Vase’ in my shop here.
Free Music Games for Your Classroom
These aren’t specifically March music games, but you can enjoy these free music games at any time of year:
March Music Fun
March doesn’t have to mean chaos or a pause in learning the week before and after spring break. Whether you choose a movement game like Trashketball, a relaxing game of bingo, or a challenge like the escape room or music mystery, these activities keep students engaged while still learning.
