Using manipulatives in the music classroom can make the music concepts accessible for young students and help spark creativity in musical exploration or composition. This list contains affiliate links. I only recommend the products I know and love.
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Classroom Manipulatives
Music Teacher Supplies
Student Incentives
Classroom Manipulatives
Fun manipulatives that I have used to engage students in active general music lessons.
Great for juggling, steady beat, and other movement activities, these 24" square Juggling Silk Dance Scarves are bright and colorful. (Affiliate Link)
Juggling Scarves
Great for group activities, steady beat, creating shapes, boundaries, etc.
Bear Paw Creek Extra Large Stretchy Band, Latex Free
Plastic cups for cup games. These 8 ounce Plastic Kids Cups are a stiffer plastic and a smaller size. Perfect for small hands to grip!
24 Pack 8 Oz Reusable Plastic Kids Cups
Finger puppets are great for vocal play and improvisation! Wiggly Eyeball Finger Puppets are child-sized and perfect for creative music play.
100 PCS Wiggly Eyeball Finger Puppets
Colorful, flowing nylon ribbons to enhance movement activities.
Discount School Supply® Rainbow Dancing Wrist Bands - Set of 6
Steady beat & movement activities, tossing games.
Colored Beanbags - Set of 12
Letter tiles are great for reinforcing spelling of music terms. (Those music words are all LONG and often in Italian! Spelling them is a challenge!)
Eureka Tub Of Letter Tiles, 1'' x 1'', 176 pc
Zoo Animal Finger Puppets are great for vocal play, improvisation, and creative story telling. This set is plastic, so much easier to clean and sanitize than plush puppets.
2" Zoo Animal Finger Puppets
The best ways I have found to enhance my Peter & the Wolf unit.
Sally's Sea of Songs: Free & Inexpensive Resources to Strengthen Your Peter & the Wolf Lessons
Fun pirate-themed activities to reinforce rhythm & melody.
Sally's Sea of Songs: Aargh! X Marks the Spot for Pirate Music Treasure!
Music Teacher Supplies
Save paper! Use these dry erase pockets for completing practice worksheets.
Amazon Basics Dry Erase Ticket Holder, 25 Pack
Use for music dictation, composition activities, classroom games, and more!
Set of 12 Double Sided Dry Erase Boards 9"x12"
Finer point is useful for music writing activities.
48 Magnetic Dry Erase Markers w/ Erasers (Black)
Student Incentives
Great for gifts or special incentives.
100 Pack Colorful Treble Clef Music Pencils
Use these music pencils for prizes or for classroom use.