Explore our catalogue of award-winning activities and games
Busy Things hosts over 1600 curriculum-linked activities and games for early years and primary aged children. A school subscription also includes lots of features and tools for teachers that promise to save planning time. Take a free trial to have a proper play or book a demo here.
Pitch play
Each creature sings a different part in an overall piece of music. Control the pitch of the creatures by dragging them vertically. The taller the creature, the higher its pitch. By changing the notes this way, and by leaving some off, you can change the tune!
To stop a creature quickly, use its X button. To change the sounds, use the switch in the top right.
Discussion points
- Which sound do you like the most?
- Can you make a high sound with your voice?
- Can you make a low sound with your voice?
- What do high sounds remind you of?
- What do low sounds remind you of?
- Can you make a high and low sound using your body or an instrument?
- Can you create a high- and low-pitched sound using instruments?
- What does the music make you think of or make you feel?
- What do you notice when you combine sounds of different pitches?
Teaching tips:
This activity gets children listening with increased attention to the pitch of sounds. Ask children to create just high or just low sounds with the creatures before mixing them up. Which do they prefer?
Children could try and pitch-match sounds with their own voices or use their bodies to show a high or low sound, by reaching up high on their tiptoes or crouching down low to the ground.
Play some pitch-matching games alongside this; sing or hum a sound and see if children can repeat it back to you. Use accompanying body movements to aid understanding of a change of pitch.
Children could play ‘Which sound?’ to continue developing their listening skills.
Children could try and pitch-match sounds with their own voices or use their bodies to show a high or low sound, by reaching up high on their tiptoes or crouching down low to the ground.
Play some pitch-matching games alongside this; sing or hum a sound and see if children can repeat it back to you. Use accompanying body movements to aid understanding of a change of pitch.
Children could play ‘Which sound?’ to continue developing their listening skills.
After exploring different pitches using the creatures, children could try using their voices to create high and low sounds and listening to the effect when they are combined. They could hold their hands high and low whilst humming or singing to show a visual change of pitch.
Split the class in half and have half holding a low tune and half holding a high tune. What do they notice? What do they like about the combination of the two?
You could place the creatures in a row, beginning low and then gradually getting higher to introduce children to the concept of scales in music.
If using with the instrument setting, children could move onto looking at ‘Musical instruments - classroom percussion’ and explore the pitches and types of sounds they make (timbre).
Split the class in half and have half holding a low tune and half holding a high tune. What do they notice? What do they like about the combination of the two?
You could place the creatures in a row, beginning low and then gradually getting higher to introduce children to the concept of scales in music.
If using with the instrument setting, children could move onto looking at ‘Musical instruments - classroom percussion’ and explore the pitches and types of sounds they make (timbre).
Explain to children that there is a looping sequence of eight beats. Count them out as the creatures sing.
Placing the creatures in a row, beginning low and then gradually getting higher will mimic a musical scale.
Encourage the children to include some silent parts when placing creatures; this will get children becoming familiar with rests when reading musical notation.
Split the class into groups and see if they can compose a simple performance demonstrating a change of pitch, including a rest, using instruments, voices or a combination of both. They could create this first digitally using the creatures and copy it.
Children could listen to a recording, for example of a choir, to notice how different pitched voices work together to create a piece of music.
Placing the creatures in a row, beginning low and then gradually getting higher will mimic a musical scale.
Encourage the children to include some silent parts when placing creatures; this will get children becoming familiar with rests when reading musical notation.
Split the class into groups and see if they can compose a simple performance demonstrating a change of pitch, including a rest, using instruments, voices or a combination of both. They could create this first digitally using the creatures and copy it.
Children could listen to a recording, for example of a choir, to notice how different pitched voices work together to create a piece of music.
x
To access the whole of Busy Things take a free trial
Start your free trial now!
No payment details required. No obligation to buy.
Unlimited children in a single nurseryYour free trial includes
- access to 1600+ of fun educational activities and games
- Create an area just for your class (school version)
- Track activities and send feedback (school version)
- Customisable games and activities targeting core maths, literacy and phonics skills
- Creative activities working with colours, shapes and sounds
- Busy Code - a whole suite of activities and guides for teaching children how to code
- A custom phonics and maths worksheet maker
- Curriculum-links and activity search
- Pupil timelines - see what your pupils have been doing
- Set assignments and collate results
- Play on desktop computers, laptops and tablets
Schools
Schools have no limit on the number of pupils that can use Busy Things simultaneously.
