Sub Tub:

No Touch Music Activities for

the Elementary Music
Classroom

By: Stacy Werner

Rhythm Jedi Game

Materials Required: None

Student Spacing: If possible, spread students out in large circle,

keeping students as far apart as possible.

Game Directions: Select one student to go outside the classroom.

Select another student to be the leader. The leader keeps the beat on
various body parts (knees, shoulders, head, toes), and the other
students in the circle follow and change movements when the leader
does. Once students are moving, invite the student outside the
classroom to come back. It is this students job to figure out who the
leader is. Once the leader is found, select a new student to go in the
hallway and a new leader.
ABC Hide and Play

Materials Required: Write ABC’s somewhere that students can easily

see, simple rhythm instruments if available.

Student Spacing: Students face forward, spread out as much as

possible.

Directions: Write ABC’s somewhere in the classroom that students

can easily see. Speak and clap the words to the poem together (do
not sing at this time). Ask a student to select 1-2 letters to erase.
On the letters that are erased, don’t say that letter out loud. Instead,
students play the sound of the letter using body percussion (clap, pat,
snap, or stomp), or on an instrument if available. Repeat, and ask
another student to select 1-2 letters to erase and speak the poem
again. Change up what body percussion movement or instrument you
use to make the sound of the letters you erase. Continue until all the
letters of the alphabet are gone.
Freddy the Frog

Materials Required: Frog puppet, or whatever stuffed animal you have

available.

Student Spacing: Students face forward, spread out as much as

possible.

Directions: Select one student to go outside the classroom. Select

another student to help you hide the frog puppet somewhere in the
classroom. Remember – you are the only one who can touch the
puppet, but the student can direct you on where to hide it. Some part
of the puppet needs to be visible. Once the frog is hidden, the
student outside the classroom can comes back in. The rest of the
class gives hints using body percussion movements or simple rhythm
instruments if available. The students play louder if the student is
getting closer, and softer (or stop playing) if the student moves away.

Use this activity as an opportunity to review the following dynamic

terms after students play a few rounds of the game:

Forte ~ Loud
Piano ~ Quiet
Mezzo Piano ~ Medium Quiet
Mezzo Forte ~ Medium Loud
Crescendo ~ Gradually Louder
Decrescendo ~ Gradually Softer
Mystery Instrument

Materials Required: Large bin or box, various non-pitched percussion

instruments.

Student Spacing: Students face forward, spread out as much as

possible.

Directions: Select a variety of percussion instruments from the bins in

the front of the classroom. Show and play each of the instruments for
the students. Place instruments in empty bin so students cannot see
them. Play one of the instruments and have students guess the
instrument.
Instrument Tic-Tac-Toe

Materials Required: Draw a tic-tac-toe grid somewhere in the

classroom that students can easily see. You will also need the
instrument flashcards.

Student Spacing: Students face forward, spread out as much as

possible.

Directions: Select 20 of the instrument flashcards and go through

them with the students. Split the class up into X’s and O’s. Show one
of the instrument flashcards. Ask a student from one of the teams to
say what the instrument is. If they are correct, the student can pick
where they want to place the X or O on the tic-tac-toe grid for their
team. Continue until one team gets a line.
Number Concentration Game

Materials Required: Drum or instrument to keep the beat.

Student Spacing: Students face forward, spread out as much as

possible.

Directions: Speak the poem below, keeping a steady beat on your

drum or other instrument, and students keep the beat by patting
their knees:

Don’t forget your number,

Don’t forget your name.
When you’re ready,
Start the game!

Assign a number to each student starting at one. Speak a number

out loud, and the student speaks back their name. Try going through
all the numbers one at a time for practice, then mix up the numbers.
When students are familiar with the game, you can play this as a
elimination game – if you don’t respond with your name after your
number is spoken, you go out. Change the tempo or speed of the
game to make it more challenging!