Paint the Music! An Activity That Combines Art and Music

I don’t know about you, but I love it when I can combine two or more subjects into one lesson. It’s such a huge time-saver.

I have seen some lessons on the web recently that mix art with another subject. Artchoo, for example, combines it with math in this post on Mobius strips. Campfires and Cleats blended poetry with art in this post. What neat ideas those are!

Many years ago, when I taught music to children in grades K-2, I did a lesson which blended music and art. I call it “Paint the Music.” It encourages kids to use their imaginations. It’s also creative so it’s a good right-brain activity. It is suitable for any age group.

I thought I’d share this activity with you so that you can try it out with your children.

Here are the materials and instructions you’ll need to do “Paint the Music.”

*This post contains paid links. I earn a small commission from the sale of products purchased via these links. Please see my disclosure for details.

Paint the Music

Materials

• White construction paper
• Paints – Can be any paints including fingerpaints, watercolor, tempera, or acrylic
• Brushes
• Jar of water
• Music – List of suggestions below

Instructions

Set up the paper and painting materials on a table.

Decide on a piece of music from the list below that you want to use and get it loaded onto your favorite music-playing gadget. Set this up near the table (but probably not on the table unless you want your device to be painted).

Bring your children to the table. (Yes, you need them too. Sorry that I forgot to include them on the materials list.)

Have your kids close their eyes and listen to the music for a few minutes. They don’t have to listen to the whole piece at this time. Tell them to just relax and let their imagination take over for a while as they listen. Suggest that they let the music paint pictures in their minds.

Stop the music and start it over again.

Now tell your children to “paint” the music. Explain to them that they should paint something they imagined while their eyes were closed.

If the music ends before they finish painting, restart it.

When their paintings are finished and dried, you can write the name of the piece of music on the back of the picture or on a label to go with it.

If you like, you can do this activity over a period of several weeks and play different musical pieces each time. Then, when you are finished, compare each of the pictures.

Suggested Music

Here is a list of some classical music you can use for this activity. Each piece has its own unique tone and mood.

• Beethoven’s 6th Symphony (Pastoral)
• Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin
• Stars and Stripes Forever by Sousa
• Mars from The Planet Suite by Holst
• Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Allegro by Mozart
• Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Bach

Where to Find Music

I don’t want you to have to run to the store to buy half a dozen CDs just to do this activity (although you are welcome to do so if you like). There are some easier ways to find this music on the internet. Here are two places to look:

YouTube
If you do a search on YouTube, you can often find a performance of some classical pieces of music. Be sure to check to see if it is a complete version.

Amazon Prime
With Amazon Prime membership, you have tons of music available that you can listen to for free. I use this service myself and really enjoy the variety of music genres available on it.

I hope your family enjoys the “Paint the Music” activity. Feel free to share it with others who would like to do it.

Many blessings,