At our music studio, our students love creating music-inspired art by drawing with crayons while listening to live classical music. We picked 3 of our favorite classical pieces for you to share with your children. Creating music-inspired art is easy! First, give your children a simple introduction to the music- the title, the composer, and more talking points depending upon age. Then, ask them to listen to the music and draw what they feel. You can start with a blank sheet of paper or print out the coloring sheets below. Paper-free option: save the images to your iPad or any other tablet and “paint” in a drawing app!
1. Flight of the Bumblebee Rimsky-Korsakov
Flight of the Bumblebee is an interlude from the opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Rimsky-Korsakov was a famous Russian composer who wrote the piece in 1899-1900. In the opera, a magic swan-bird transforms the Prince into a bumblebee so that he fly to visit his father, who does not know that his son is still alive! This piece of music is very fast! For this one, you may want to ask your children to first watch the short video and then listen a second time while attempting to color in the bumblebee before the music finishes! Simple talking points/questions for young children: What colors are bumblebees? What sound do they make? How do they move? Have you ever seen one? Where?
1 CommentOne of our favorite classical pieces to play in our music classes is Aquarium by Camille Saint-Saens. Aquarium is the 7th Movement of Saint-Saens’ Suite Carnival of the Animals. Our students love dancing to the soothing melody and shimmering glissando of the piece.
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We put together a list of great works of art to share with young children. The list includes artwork from Picasso, Chagall, Dali, Rousseau, Van Gogh, Monet, Kandinsky, and more! Give your children the full experience of appreciating artwork by asking engaging questions about each painting that you view. Experiencing art is entirely subjective so you’re sure to be fascinated by what your children see. We’ve included sample questions for each piece to help you get your children talking and thinking about art. Click on the paintings to view them larger!
Check the locations of the paintings listed below so you can see the artwork in person if it’s in your area. New Yorkers- several of these paintings are at the MOMA, the Guggenheim, and the Met. Make sure to get out there with your children to see them up close!
