Has listening to music ever made you feel strong emotions? It happens to me all the time, but especially when it’s an Olympic year. Every time I hear the beginning of the Olympic Fanfare, I get goosebumps and feel excited! One my favorite things about enjoying all kinds of art is that it can bring out strong emotions in all of us, even young children.
Activity
Try this drawing activity with your child to explore how music makes them feel!
- First, get something to draw with and choose some music you both like. If you’re looking for some tunes to stir up emotions, you can find lots of popular music streaming for free using Hoopla. Try searching for a fanfare, you might even find the Olympic Fanfare!
- Next, close your eyes and listen to the music.
- What do you hear? Is the music fast or slow? How does the music make you feel?
- Then, play the music again as you draw! Try pushing harder or softer, drawing very fast or slow, or even just scribbling.
If you like this activity, do these variations:
- Try pausing the song halfway through and trade drawings with your child. Finish each other’s drawings and see how alike or different they are!
- Get some friends or family involved! Try a few rounds, with each person in your group taking a turn choosing the music.
- Play a game of “Freeze Draw” and stop drawing each time the music stops.
Books
Read one of these great books about music and feelings to keep the fun going:
Hip Hop Lollipop: If music makes you feel so many emotions you just can’t sit still, you’ve got that in common with Lollipop, a girl who can’t stop dancing hip-hop!
On the playground, you can feel so many things! Happy, sad, angry and even silly! Read and talk about what makes you feel all those emotions in How Do You Feel?
Did you know wrestlers have feelings? And knights. Even superheroes and ninjas feel sad sometimes! Tough Guys (have Feelings Too) and it’s good to remember that!
Sometimes when you are feeling strong emotions, you might get quiet. Reading The Quiet Book can lead to great discussions about the emotions behind each of the different kinds of quiet – be it nervousness, excitement or concern.
How are you feeling today?
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