Music Websites for Kids
From LoveToKnow Kids
Music websites for kids can be a wonderfully educational addition to any homeschool or classroom. Not just that, they're also fun!
About Music Websites for Kids
When it comes to music websites, it's a diverse group. There are music websites for kids devoted to every type of music out there, from classical and country to zydeco. Whether you want your child to learn to appreciate Mozart and Beethoven or you'd prefer he learn the finer points of modern jazz, you can likely find a website devoted to the topic. There are also sites teaching kids how to read music, sing, and play musical instruments.
Smithsonian Jazz
Smithsonian Jazz, an educational site by America's Jazz Heritage and the Smithsonian Institute, is a wonderful site for children interested in jazz music. The site offers interesting lessons, in both audio and text format, of the jazz greats, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong. There are also interactive jazz-based games and audio clips of jazz songs. In addition, the site features:
- Teacher's worksheets and lesson plans
- Information about concerts, exhibits, and other jazz events
- Book recommendations
- Interactive classes
Play Music
PlayMusic.org is a site devoted to symphonies, orchestras, and classical music for kids. The site is created in a visually attractive, engaging way that is sure to appeal to children. Kids learn all about strings, woodwinds, percussion, and brass instruments, including a brief history, how to hold them, and how to play. Audio clips also demonstrate the sound of each. For kids who would like to take the learning a little further, the site offers lists of educational resources made just for youngsters. Other fun features include:
- An interview with a young concertmaster
- An interview with a teenage composer
- An interview with an instrument builder
- An informative FAQ (frequently asked questions) section devoted to musical instruments
Creating Music
If your child is a budding composer, try CreatingMusic.org, an award-winning music website for kids. Here, kids can play games designed to build their listening ear. Interactive, easy-to-use tools and wizards allow children to compose their own music and hear it played back by a variety of instruments. The site is free, but there are products, such as teaching CDs, advertised on the page.
PBS
Although it is not actually geared toward kids, the teachers section of the PBS website offers many music resources teachers and parents can use to enrich their music lessons. Information is divided by grade range. For example, preschoolers can make musical instruments with Barney the dinosaur while older elementary students learn the history of Ireland through its music. High school students conduct in-depth research on composers and musicians, as well as analyze music and write operas based on Shakespeare’s plays. Other music activities on the PBS site include:
- Making music with everyday objects
- Creating a percussion band
- Lesson plans covering the mathematical side of music
- Rhythm games
- Creating lyrics
- Cultural music
Sites that Teach Kids to Play Instruments
Perhaps you’d like your kid to learn to play an instrument, but you can’t hire a teacher and you don’t have the necessary skills. Luckily, there are sites available to teach a variety of instruments, and many of them are free.
Learn More
This page has been accessed 2,491 times. This page was last modified 13:03, 21 July 2008.
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