Rhythm was my weak point as a student, so as a teacher I am always looking for quick and easy music rhythm games to help my students get a better understanding of timing.
All you need for our 3 easy music rhythm game ideas today is a set of rhythm flashcards.
You can use the rhythm flashcards in Rhythm Reef (which also has a gameboard for students to track progress) or just get our Beginning Rhythm Flashcards here.
Then, you can keep these ideas in your back pocket to pull out in just seconds anytime your students need a little extra rhythm help.
Now, for our 3 quick and easy music rhythm games!
1. Rhythm Slap Jack
Who didn’t love Slap Jack as a kid? It is a very easy game for children of all ages to play, and you can make it into an easy music rhythm game by using rhythm flashcards.
- Play with the whole deck of rhythm flashcards BUT assign 1 special card to be “Jack” (the card you slap)
- You might start with the whole note (semibreve) as “Jack.” Every time a whole note is laid, the players race to slap it. Then, change it to the dotted half note (dotted minim), where players slap only the dotted half note.
- You can work your way through ALL the different notes to help your students learn the names of all of the notes.
- Bonus: remember, you can also slap doubles for extra cards!
2. Note Slap
What can I say? I like slapping games.
Here are the instructions to use this game with Rhythm Reef, but you can also play it without a gameboard.
- Lay four cards face-up so students can see notes and rests.
- Say one note or rest (e.g. eighth note/quaver)
- The student to slap the correct card first gets to keep the card.
- When a student has collected 3 cards, they get to move forward on the Rhythm Reef board and the cards get reshuffled and you start over.
- First player to “Finish” wins.
You can also adapt this game to be played with beats instead of note values (e.g. “one beat” or “one beat of silence” instead of “quarter note/crotchet”)
3. Rhythm Speed
If you want to help your students gain speed with note recognition, then this is the game for you!
- Flip up a card, if the student identifies it correctly, then flip up another.
- Give the student 3 seconds to answer correctly before their turn is forfeited so they don’t take forever.
- Keep going until the student either runs out of time or says a note incorrectly.
- Then it’s the next student’s turn.
- The student with the most cards at the end wins.
You can also adapt this game for students to review note rhythm names and then how many beats each note gets.
Bonus Easy Rhythm Games: Rhythm Reef!
I have mentioned Rhythm Reef a few times in this blog post already.
Rhythm is tricky and it seems like students need constant review.
Well, Rhythm Reef is a fast-paced and FUN rhythm game that will get your students learning note values quickly (especially rest values!).
Based on my childhood favorite game, Egyptian War (also called Egyptian Rat Screw, Slap, Snot, or War), Rhythm Reef focuses on rest values and agility.
You can play it with 2-8 players in just one round or several rounds with the gameboard.
Here is the gist of Rhythm Reef easy music rhythm game:
- Deal the cards evenly between all players
- Discard in the center like “Slap Jack”
- When a rest card is discarded, the next player has to “pay” as many cards as the rest is worth (e.g. a whole rest = 4 cards, half rest = 2 cards)
- You can slap doubles!
- Whoever ends up with all the cards at the end wins!
See how Rhythm Reef printable game is played here.
Here’s what you’ll get with the Rhythm Reef printable download:
Here’s what you’ll get with the Rhythm Reef printable download:
- Rhythm Reef game in 2 sizes: US letter & A4
- Rhythm Reef game board
- 48 note cards (rests & notes)
- 9 ocean creature game pieces
- Rhythm Reef success poster
- Print release
- How to Play tutorial video
You will get the digital file to print and laminate (optional) for your music studio in both letter size (US) and A4 size (international).
Music Game Club members will also get:
- Rhythm Reef activity sheets in 2 sizes: US Letter & A4
- A3 & Poster-sized game boards
- Note Guide
- Tutorial videos with bonus gameplay ideas
Membership is only open twice a year. Check out our membership page here for more details.
Rhythm Reef was our May 2024 Game of the Month.
Rhythm Reef is available for purchase in our shop here.
But there’s more!
Digital Music Rhythm Flashcards
If your students always forget to review printed music rhythm flashcards, then it’s time to try digital games!
We have four Rhythm Reef decks perfect for rhythm review and teaching.
- Deck 1: Easy Note Rhythms
- Deck 2: What Time Signature is Needed? (2/4, 3/4, 4/4)
- Deck 3: Match Rhythm – Notes to Rests
- Deck 4: How Many Beats? Simple Rhythm for Beginners
- Get all four in a bundle 20% off here
To get a better look inside, watch our Rhythm Reef Boom™ Cards walkthrough.
What Easy Music Rhythm Games Ideas do You Use?
Comment and share YOUR best easy music rhythm games. We love hearing from other teachers!
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