When it comes to getting your students to understand note values and keeping a steady beat, it is essential to have some fun music rhythm gameplay ideas up your sleeve!

There seems to never be enough rhythm practice we can do with our students!

So if you already have a handful of music rhythm gameplay ideas, we hope this blog post will simply add to your list.

First, I’ll give you a look inside Compound Cones (purchase here) and Stacking Snowmen (purchase here).

These two rhythm stacking games focus on helping students master both simple and compound rhythms.

Secondly, I’ll share 7 fun music rhythm gameplay ideas that you can use in both group music lessons or individual music lessons (some of them are pretty crazy fun!).

Finally, I want to hear from you!

What fun music rhythm gameplay ideas do you have?

Let’s keep the music rhythm gameplay conversation going!

Compound Cones: Compound Music Rhythm Game

Helping students understand how compound rhythm works can be tricky!

But with Compound Cones, your students will be begging to build luscious ice cream cones as they work on their compound rhythms. 

Mix ‘n’ match ice cream sundae tops, middles, and bottoms to create a delicious treat then top it off with the correct time signature spoon.

Here’s what you’ll get with the Compound Cones Music Counting Game in Compound Meters:

• Compound Cones game file in 3 sizes: US letter, A4, A3
• Compound Cones game board in 3 sizes: US letter, A4, A3
• Compound Cones cards
  • 10 ice cream tops, middles & bottoms in 6/8
  • 10 ice cream tops, middles & bottoms in 7/8
  • 10 ice cream tops, middles & bottoms in 9/8
  • 10 ice cream tops, middles & bottoms in 12/8
• Compound Cones success poster
• Compound Cones activity sheet in 3 sizes: US Letter, A4, A3
• Print release

One of my favorite aspects of Compound Cones (besides their complete mouth-watering-ness!) is that the cards are marked for easier and more challenging rhythms.

That way, you can easily play it with your younger students or older students as needed.

Get Compound Cones music rhythm game here.

Watch and see how easy it is to play Compound Cones:

Don’t see the video above? Watch it here.

Stacking Snowmen: Simple Music Rhythm Game

Our students have loved building their own snowmen as they play this music counting game in simple meters.

The gameplay is simple: mix and match snowmen tops, middles, and bottoms to build snowmen!

But you have to watch out – because the snowmen must be created with all three correct time meters!

In addition to creating 16 mix ‘n’ match rhythm snowmen in each meter, some students like to match the exact rhythm for each snowman piece (e.g. two quarter notes for the top, middle, and bottom).

However you choose to build your snowmen, finish up with clapping and counting the snowmen.

Here’s what you’ll get with the Stacking Snowmen Music Counting Game in Simple Meters:

• Stacking Snowmen game in 3 sizes: US letter, A4, A3
• Stacking Snowmen game board
• Stacking Snowmen cards
  • 16 snowmen tops, middles & bottoms in 2/4
  • 16 snowmen tops, middles & bottoms in 3/4 
  • 16 snowmen tops, middles & bottoms in 4/4
• Stacking Snowmen success poster
• Stacking Snowmen activity sheet in 3 sizes: US Letter, A4, A3
• Print release

Just like Compound Cones, Stacking Snowmen cards are also marked for easier or harder rhythms so you can customize the game for any level student.

Get Stacking Snowmen music rhythm game here.

Watch and see how easy it is to play Stacking Snowmen:

Don’t see the video above? Watch it here.

7 Fun Music Rhythm Gameplay Ideas

Whether you are using Stacking Snowmen and Compound Cones in private lessons or group music classes, we have some fun music rhythm gameplay ideas for you!

1. Basic Rhythm Building Puzzle

The basic gameplay for both Compound Cones and Stacking Snowmen involves building puzzles of sorts.

You will mix all of the tops together, the middles together, and the bottoms together.

From there, your students can pick tops, middles, and bottoms until they find matching meters.

Now, there are two versions to do this:

• Students find any matching meter (all 2/4, all 6/8, all 4/4, etc.)
• Students hunt for identical measures (the top/middle/bottom music be 2 quarter notes each or the top/middle/bottom must be 12 eighth notes each)

Both of these music rhythm gameplays have their benefits.

For individual play: student and teacher will take turns drawing cards until they have built their entire snowman or cone. Student can also play by themselves, drawing cards and creating snowmen or cones across the room.

For group play: all students will take turns drawing cards until they have built their entire snowman or cone.

2. Build a crazily huge rhythm puzzle!

Have you ever built a snowman with more than 3 balls?

Or stacked your ice cream cone as high as you could (maybe so high you couldn’t walk back to the restaurant table with it)?

Well, you can do both with this fun music rhythm gameplay idea!

Once a student has established the top, they can add all the middles possible to create the craziest, huge snowman or ice cream cone!

For individual play: student and teacher compete to see who can build the tallest snowman or cone first. Student can also play by themselves and see how long it takes to build the snowman or cone.

For group play: divide your group into two teams and have them compete to see who can build the tallest snowman or cone. Each team can go for the same or different time signatures.

3. Rhythm Sequence Pattern

This is a similar music rhythm gameplay idea as #2, however this time, everyone works together to build a rhythm sequence.

The first player selects the top card to start with and claps and counts it.

Player 2 must find a middle card in the same meter and clap both the first and the second card.

Player 3 finds another middle card in the same meter and must clap all three measures.

The gameplay continues around the room, with each student adding to the rhythm pattern and clapping the entire thing.

This is a great way to help students learn specific rhythm patterns well, as they will hear it clapped and counted multiple times.

For individual play: teacher and student keep taking turns adding to their snowman or cone for a set amount of time or cards.

For group play: each student takes a turn adding a card to the pile and clapping the sequence up to their new card.

4. Rhythm Relay Race

If you have students with a little extra energy, encourage them to run it out while they work on rhythm!

Place the cards on one side of the room and the game board on the other side.

Students sort through the cards and select one then run to the board to build their snowman or cone and have to run back to select the next card in the measure.

For a student to complete their set, they must clap and count it.

For individual play: your student can race against the clock and see how many snowmen or cones they can build in five minutes. 

For group play: Divide the students into teams. Print multiple games. Each team has their own set of cards and must race to find a card and bring it back to the team. You can determine the winning goal: a certain number of snowmen or cones, the entire team clapping & counting the pattern accurately, or building one snowman or cone in each meter.

5. Rhythm Memory Match

You can create as small or large of a memory match game as you’d like.

Just be sure there is a complete snowman or cone of each meter.

Lay the cards face down and have students take turns flipping over three cards to find a matching snowman or cone (note: the matching can either be for the meter in general or the exact rhythm pattern). 

When they find a match, they must clap or play the rhythm correctly to keep the set.

For individual play: play student versus teacher or let the student play alone if they want to.

For group play: be sure you have enough for each student to build at least 1 snowman or cone. Students take turns making matches.

6. Rhythm Tic-Tac-Toe

Lay the rhythm cards face-up in a tic-tac-toe fashion (3×3).

Students must correctly clap & count 3 in a row to win.

This game is a fun idea, because you can use different meters! (if different meters is too hard for your student, you can definitely keep them in the same meter)

Students have to pay close attention to make sure they are counting in the correct meter!

For individual play: challenge your student to see how many 3-in-a-row they can get (there are 8 options, can they get them all?)!

For group play: once a student has correctly gotten 3-in-a-row, they collect the cards and the cards are replaced! At the end of several rounds, whoever has the most cards wins.

7. Rhythm Jam Session

Give each student the same meter card (e.g. all 3/4 or all 9/8 rhythms).

Start on one side of the room.

Each student will clap their rhythm card one at a time.

Then, start layering the rhythms!

The first student claps their rhythm and continues clapping their rhythm while the second student claps their rhythm at the same time.

Add the third student to the mix, and continue until the final student is clapping their card.

This game is sure to bring lots of laughter as students try to concentrate on their rhythm in all the craziness!

For individual play: you can do up to four layers. The student and teacher each get two cards and tap one card with each hand. For an easier version, each can just do one card.

For group play: play as described above. If your students master this challenge and feel confident they can make it even more complicated, then give each student two cards to tap in each hand.

What fun music rhythm gameplay ideas do you do?

Comment and share your best ideas!

What’s the craziest rhythm game you’ve ever played with your students?

What rhythm game made your students laugh the most?

Which rhythm game helped your students understand timing best?

Even more music rhythm blog posts…

• Rhythm Music Theory Game Counting Caterpillars
• Slapping Fun Music Rhythm Game Rabbit Rhythms
• 5 Low-Prep Music Games