Musical notation games

Notation means written communication.  In music, a composer writes out his musical ideas using notes and a staff, so that others can read and play what that composer created, such as a piece of music, a song, or a symphony.  I use notation games in my basic music classes with children as young as 3 years old.  I do so after the children have experienced tonal (sound) and rhythm patterns with their voices and their bodies in many different ways.

My notation game cards (yellow, white, blue, red, green) give children objects they can touch and rearrange in many different ways.  Tracing the pattern with the finger enhances the kinesthetic memory and leads the children directly to reading when they trace the notation and repeat the sound presented.  (source: Music Matters/Musikgarten) These card games allow for repetition, which establishes comprehension of the concepts. And they are fun to play!

These pattern cards allow children to compose their own melodies, their own chants, and ultimately, their own music.  And who doesn't like to play and read their own work?  http://palmbeachmusicclasses.com and http://musikgarten.org