Combine music with colors and shapes for a creative and educational musical game. You can play something similar to musical chairs, but without eliminating kids as you play. Cut out several simple large shapes, like circles, squares, and triangles, in different colors. Arrange the shapes in a circle so there is at least one shape per child. Have each child choose a shape to stand on and start playing a song on CD, piano or another instrument as children walk around the circle. When the music stops, each preschooler names the color and shape they land on.
When preschoolers hear music, they will want to get up and dance. Help them express themselves through music and movement by supplying a basket of scarves or ribbons, small hand instruments like shakers or cymbals, and a variety of different types of music before you give them permission to let loose and move to the music. Practice listening skills when you have preschoolers freeze when the music turns off.
Teach preschoolers to make music with their bodies to imitate the sound of rain falling. Students learn to work together and are amazed by their storm of sound. Seat the class in a circle and have students join in tapping one finger on their opposite palms. As the whole class joins, increase to two fingers, then three fingers all the way up to five fingers to increase the intensity of the rain storm. Students can the move to patting their knees and then stomping their feet. Reverse the pattern of music as the rainstorm settles back down to quiet. Ask preschoolers to experiment with different ways of making music with just their bodies, such as rubbing their hands together or snapping their fingers to change the sound of the rainstorm.
Let your preschoolers move to the music when you supply them with paintbrushes and paper. Give students free reign to paint according to how the music makes them feel as they experience different types and genres of music. Paintings can be realistic or abstract and preschoolers should always be enjoying the process instead of worrying about the product. Supply students with a fresh sheet of paper every time the music changes and label the painting according to musical genre. After paintings have dried, create books of the different expressions of the same kind of music to demonstrate how music affects each of us a little differently.