This is a great game to play when you’ve just got a few minutes left in the lesson. It takes no prep, can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes, and is loved by kids.

What You Need:

• Notes on the staff flashcards
• Cards with the letters A-G (optional)

Setup:

• None

How to Play:

• The student draws a letter card. This determines which note to look for. (If you’re not using the letter cards, just decide on a note.)
• The teacher holds the deck of note flashcards and flips them over one at a time into a pile within easy reach of both people. When the student sees the note, she slaps the pile of cards. If she slaps it before the teacher gets the next card down, she gets a point. If she doesn’t, then the teacher gets a point.
• Continue playing until all the notes with that name have been found. Then choose a new note, shuffle the note flashcards, and play again until you run out of time.

Variations:

• To make it easier, limit the cards in the deck. For example, only C position notes, or only treble clef notes, etc.
• To make it harder, flip over the cards faster. Or play with interval flashcards instead, looking for all the thirds or fourths, etc.