Websites for Kids

Today's music teachers are faced with new challenges: Students live in a fast-paced "wow-me" world; they are not necessarily motivated by intrinsic values, but rather seek to be entertained by something or someone. Oftentimes, computers fulfill this role, playing a large part in the lives of students. Computers can entertain, can provide a vehicle for learning and are filled with all the bells and whistles technology has to offer. In no way will computers ever replace music teachers, but teachers can supplement lessons to include websites designed to help students gain skills while using the computer and the wonders of technology. It would virtually be impossible to offer a comprehensive list of music websites; however, MTNA offers this overview of selected websites that teachers might find helpful for augmenting lesson materials-particularly to enhance those six practice days between lessons!

While the myriad links and searches produce hundreds and hundreds of results, the following sites represent a researched sampling of the musical, youth-oriented websites on the Internet today. Many sites offer areas for teachers and parents. In addition, we have listed some good search sites. We encourage all teachers to search and seek out websites. Please share your results with us so we may continue to update this list.

Performer-Based Websites

http://www.dariamusic.com/
World Music With DARIA is a website from this multiple award-winning educator and musician. The website was given a 2009 Parent's Choice Award for its family-friendly introduction of world music to young people and it's resources for teachers, parents and special education professionals. The instrument section allows children to color, hear and find pdf instructions on how to make world music instruments such as cajónes (box drums), didgeridoos, shekeres, pow-wow drums and guiros along with cultural background information.

http://www.fromthetop.org/
The From The Top website is designed for young classical musicians. This clever website has: The Green Room, Hall of Fame, Answer Zone, Student Lounge, a Reference Room and an area for parents and teachers. Partnered with the highly successful From The Top radio program, this site offers the more “serious” young musicians an opportunity to hear from others like them and benefit from socialization of sorts with others like themselves.

Symphony-Based Websites

http://www.sfskids.org/
The new SFSKids presents an updated online experience entirely different from the original SFSKids. Some of brand-new features and content throughout SFSKids include: a fun and playful series of educational modules presented as immersive environments and using animal avatars as guides; the ability to explore various linkages between composers, instruments and music compositions; the use of some game-based techniques to motivate repeated listening and engagement; gesture-controlled simulation scenarios using the mouse and keyboard to provide “hands-on” experiences of playing instrument and conducting music; interactive online tutorials to learn about music basics; the opportunity for users to compose and notate their own original music; and much more.

www.dsokids.com
The site features games, listen and learn, and various teacher resources, from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

http://www.nyphilkids.org/
Great graphics and fun games-like the clarinet scavenger hunt-make this New York Philharmonic website great, especially for instrumental students.

play.lso.co.uk
LSO Play allows you to experience the orchestra from multiple points of view.

Music Game/Theory/History/Listening Websites

https://kids.carnegiehall.org/
This kid-friendly website invites children ages 5–12 to learn about music through interactive and fun activities. Carnegie Hall Kids ignites imagination in children, offering activities that both encourage musical curiosity and develop knowledge of musical concepts.

www.musiclearningcommunity.com
This website contains hundreds of learning games of varying levels, all carefully planned to gain mastery of the elements of music theory, ear training and rhythmic skills in an exciting, challenging environment.

This site is just for kids—to talk to other kids about piano, listen to the Taz-man, jump to other cool places, time travel to meet a famous composer or pianist, get a great tip to help withlessons, get help with writing piano or music reports or even ask a question!

http://www.funbrain.com/
Funbrain offers games on composers, instruments, reading and vocabulary.

www.datadragon.com
Learning about and listening to different instruments, reading music, musical genres and links to additional sites are the features of this site.

http://www.teoria.com/
This is a great site for music theory.

http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/
"Name That Tune," a link to the American Symphony Orchestra League, Instruments, lesson plans and games all can be found on this website.

http://www.musictheory.net/
Includes quality theory tutorials, and interactive identification and ear training drills in note reading, key signatures, intervals and triads.

www.quia.com/web
Students can test their music knowledge with quizzes, matches, concentration card games and other activities.

www.creatingmusic.com
Elementary-age students can enjoy exploring, creating and manipulating music.

pbskids.org/chuck/index.html#/jazz
Elementary students can enjoy playing with an interactive Improvisation Station.

www.anvilstudio.com
Enable students to compose from a MIDI keyboard and add voice-overs or other audio recorded through a microphone.

http://www.smartmusic.com/
Access online accompaniments that function as virtual accompanists.

http://www.good-ear.com/
This site offers ear training and theory skills.

http://www.MakingMusicFun.net
This site contains lots of free music resources for elementary music classroom teachers, private music instructors and homeschool parents, for the purpose of building kids up in positive ways and enriching their lives with an appreciation for music and learning.

http://www.happynote.com/en/music-notes.html
Happy Note! music games (shareware and freeware) are both amusing and educational. They offer a way to learn to read music notes in treble clef and bass clef the fun way.

www.foriero.com
A music educational portal designed especially for kids and music beginners. Primarily focusing on the piano basics, they produce games to learn music easily with fun.

www.sphinxkids.org
Sphinx Kids contains interactive games and videos.

www.classicsforkids.com
Classics for Kids contains games, music lessons, lesson plans and information on composers and classical music. (For students and teachers.)

http://trainer.thetamusic.com/en
Theta Music Trainer features music and ear training games.

Teacher Resource

www.teoria.com
Contains an online music theory guide, articles about music theory and a Java enhanced script for interactive play.

www.ptg.org
A fabulous general resource page from the Piano Technicians Guild for anyone involved in any way with keyboard instruments.

https://libraries.indiana.edu/music-library
An extremely comprehensive resource with great references to composer's pages and information.

www.teacher.org/career/music-teacher
This is an advocacy site for teachers with many resources such as free lesson plans, guides, teacher grants, scholarships, continuing education information and more.

http://www.supersummary.com/teacher-resource-guide/
A comprehensive guide to teaching resources for all grades and subjects. There is an entire section of music-teaching resources, including free sheet music and theory exercises.

Piano Teacher's Playground
This resource site features printable games, free printable music theory worksheets that are fun for kids, holiday worksheets with fun themes and colorful graphics, and more.

Other Resources