Simple Music Activities for Halloween

Halloween is a prime time for creepy music, stories, and instrument activities. 

You don't have to be a music teacher - or even knowledgeable about music - to implement these ideas.

(In fact... if you have little to no musical knowledge, read on - because this post is for YOU !)

Disclaimer: I don't like super scary things for Halloween. The world is full of enough scary things, isn't it? These activities provide just enough pumpkin fun, creepy music, and silly picture books.

🎻 Instrumental Music for Halloween

Use the same approach with piece of music suggested here:

• Listen one time -- Super Quiet UnInterrupted Listening Time -- just ask your children to get a picture in their minds while listening
• Next, listen again - this time encourage your child to draw what they hear. Download the Halloween Draw What You Hear sheets.
• If you own the Meet The Instrument cards, encourage your children to set out any instruments they may hear.

Toccata & Fugue in D minor by J.S. Bach

In The Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg

Dream of a Witches' Sabbath by Hector Berlioz

O Fortuna by Carl Orff

Funeral March of a Marionette by Charles Gonoud

If you'd like these pieces (and more) in a Spotify playlist, here you go:

Picture Books for Halloween (with a music and/or rhythmic connection)

Each of these books are fun to read all by themselves, but any time you can add rhythm instruments kids will have extra fun.

A simple set of rhythm instruments is a welcome addition to any child's life - I recommend this one because it is simple and durable.

The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything is a CUMULATIVE story. It keeps adding something that happens to the old lady - and then adds something new, while then reviewing what came before.

Ask your children to give each thing that happens in the story a rhythm instrument (for example - there are two shoes that go "clomp, clomp!" - use a drum on "clomp, clomp!" - something else goes "wiggle wiggle!" - use the maracas on "wiggle wiggle!"). By the end of the story they will have 6 or 7 things happening, and each rhythm instrument will have a job.

Much fun!

Encourage your children to come up with their OWN performance to go along with any of the picture books; this is such a great outlet for creativity!

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything by Linda Williams (September 25,1986)Dem BonesFive Little Pumpkins (Harper Growing Tree)If You're A Monster And You Know ItThe Teeny-Tiny Woman

Songs for Little Ones For Halloween

Piggyback Songs are simple and fun. 

(Do you know what a Piggyback Song is? It is a song that is sung to a folk tune you already know.)

For example, try this song:

I Can't Wait for Halloween (sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

I can't wait for Halloween, Halloween, Halloween.

I can't wait for Halloween; It will be such fun!

Easy, right?

The Perpetual Preschool has many other Halloween Piggyback Songs for you to choose from. 

As always, immerse your children in the music of the season. Listen, play, sing - music is meant to be enjoyed and shared!

Music is an amazing thing - there is literally a piece of music for every occasion, mood, and celebration in our lives. Give your children the gift of beautiful music all the time.

At SQUILT we're here to make it easy and FUN!

Remember, feel free to join us at any time in SQUILT LIVE! We have over 100 pieces in our archives (available for our Plus members), in addition to two live lessons each month. 

SQUILT LIVE! is geared for Pre-Schoolers through middle-schoolers; it is perfect for multiple ages learning together and making memories at the same time!

Learn more!