Ah yes, the first week of school—the magical time when your classroom is freshly decorated, you’re hoarding your favorite Flair Pens, and your brain is running solely on caffeine and chaos. But guess what? You don’t have to start the year with the same tired songs and awkward introductions that make you question all your life choices.
Instead, try one (or five) of these fresh, low-prep back to school music lessons that will make your elementary music room feel like the place to be—without requiring hours of Pinterest scrolling or a minor meltdown in the teacher supply closet. 😂
🎯 1. Four Corners Name Game
Looking for a high-energy way to start the year in elementary music? This one’s a hit.
Here’s how it works: Assign each corner of your room a color, shape, or symbol. Bonus points for using music symbols for review! 😉
Students pick a corner to stand in. Then, you call out a corner AND a letter (ex: “Red corner and names that start with M!”). If it’s their corner and their name starts with that letter, they’re out—and cheerfully head to the sidelines like the good sports they are (ideally).
It’s perfect for the first day of music because it gets kids moving, helps you learn names fast, and gives you classroom control in a fun, low-stress way.
🎵 2. Back to School Bingo
Let’s be honest: Sometimes you just need a minute to find the attendance sheet. Or your coffee. That’s where this gem comes in.
Back to School Music Bingo is one of my favorite back to school music lessons for reviewing rhythms with a fun back to school twist! It’s the sneaky review activity that feels like a game—and works whether you teach K, 5th, or that wild combo class in between.
✅ It gets kids engaged
✅ It reviews key rhythms
✅ And most importantly—it gives you time to breathe during those first chaotic days
👉 Grab the Back to School Music Bingo here and walk into your elementary music class looking like you had it together all summer.
👏 3. Poison Rhythms
This one's a classroom lifesaver, especially during the first week of elementary music.
You clap or tap a rhythm—they echo it. Before you start though, write a "poison" rhythm on the board. If they echo the poison pattern, they’re out (but still smiling because they got to make noise).
It's the perfect activity for when you only have 5 minutes left!
🥁 4. Mystery Instrument of the Day
If your students walk in expecting another “Here are the rules” talk, this will flip the script.
Each day, introduce a new instrument—but keep it a mystery. ❓ Give a few clues, play a sound clip, or describe its use. Then let students guess before revealing it. Bonus points if you connect it to a musical theme or culture you’ll explore later.
It’s a perfect warm-up or closer for your first day of music and beyond, and it builds listening skills while sparking curiosity. Plus—you’ll look like a total boss for having an instrument reveal queued up every day. 🎻
🎼 5. Back to School Composition Cards (Let Them Create Right Away)
Who says you need to “wait until they’re ready” to compose? Not me.
These Back to School Composition Cards are my secret weapon for letting students create on day one—without needing to reteach notation for the hundredth time. They’re perfect for centers, small groups, or even that moment you realize you still have ten minutes left and already did everything on your lesson plan.
👉 Check out the Composition Cards here and give your elementary music students a confidence boost right from the start.
💬 Your Turn!
What’s your go-to activity for the first day of music? Got a back to school ritual that keeps your sanity intact? Drop it in the comments or shoot me a DM—I love collecting magical chaos-taming strategies. 🤪
Need a quick and easy win for the first week? I’ve got a FREE Back to School Rhythm Sort that’s super simple to prep and perfect for getting your students back into music mode. With themed words and pictures, it’s an engaging way to review rhythms without needing a full-blown lesson plan. Use it as a warm-up, center, or quick filler when the schedule gets weird (because you know it will).
➡️ Download it free and check one thing off your first week to-do list.
