If you have never played online music games for fall, then you and your students are missing out!

The changing season offers the perfect opportunity for you to shake up the lesson experience and give your students a new approach to common theory concepts and techniques.

You don’t have to be a virtual-only teacher to use these ten online music games for fall. They are perfect for both in-person and virtual lessons.

If you’ve shopped at melodypayne.com for any length of time, then you’ve seen these online music games called Boom Cards™.

If this is your first time to hear about using Boom Cards™ in piano lessons, start here.

It is not hard to use Boom Cards™ in either in-person or virtual piano lessons. But there are a few helpful things to know to get started.

You can sign up for a free Boom Learning account here which allows you to assign Boom Cards™ for up to 5 students (more students is a paid plan).

We love this quick, 5-minute walkthrough video by Boom Cards™ creator, Kelly.

Here are some handy things to know about Boom Cards™

• You can get a free Boom Cards™ app (for iPad, tablets, phones)
• You can screen share Boom Cards™ for virtual lessons on Zoom
• Boom Cards™ are great for off-bench activities
• You can play Boom Cards™ at the piano (review the concept on the piano before submitting answer)
• Boom Cards™ require internet access
• We have a blog post even more in-depth about Boom Cards™: read Getting Started With Boom Cards™ In Piano Lessons here.

Now that you have a solid idea of what Boom Cards™ are, let’s talk about our 5 Online Music Games for Fall!

5 Online Music Games for Fall

Whether you need beginner online music games for fall or intermediate, we have five fun options for you to use in your studio! I am presenting these in relative order of easiest to hardest.

Fall Online Music Games for Beginning Piano Students

If you teach preschool or kindergarten students who aren’t ready to read yet, you can easily walk them through these online music games for fall. Some of the Boom Cards™ they’ll be able to do on their own while others may need a little assistance to read the words they need to tap for the correct answer. 

I would use these online music games for fall to teach concepts as well as review. The first time, I’d walk through the cards with my students and discuss them (I’ll include teaching prompts with each set).

1. Half and Whole Steps on the Piano Keys

You can teach half and whole steps on the piano keys even before your student knows all the piano key names.

This online music game for fall will give your students a thorough review of whole steps and half steps on the piano keys.

Each card has an acorn on a piano key and the student is asked to “Tap the Piano Key that is…” and review either a whole step higher, whole step lower, half step higher, or half step lower.

Not only is this game great for whole steps and half steps, but it also reiterates the importance of what is higher/lower on the piano keys.

Teaching prompt:

• First, help the student to understand the “higher” or “lower” directions on the keyboard.
• “This is asking for higher. Which way is higher?”
• Once the student gives you the direction, you can tell them exactly which key to tap.
• Once they have learned their directions, then you can help them understand the difference between a half step and whole step.

Get Half and Whole Steps on the Piano Keys here

2. Steps & Skips, Up or Down

For later beginners, this Steps & Skips Boom Cards™ set reviews two important aspects on the staff (no clef assigned).

First, the student has to identify if the interval is a step or skip. Then, they have to identify if that step or skip moved up or down.

Both the steps/skips and up/down have to be answered in order for the card to be complete. 

Teaching prompt:

• Start by having your student answer just one aspect of the card (e.g. “Is this a step or a skip?”) and you answer the other (you can tell them you’re “taking turns” for the game).
• Once the student is confident with one aspect, you can switch where they answer the other question.
• Finally, have them answer both.

Get Steps & Skips, Up or Down Boom Cards™ here

Intermediate Online Music Games for Fall

The beginning piano students aren’t the only ones who can have fun with seasonal games! Here are four online music games you can use with more intermediate students.

3. Fall Treble & Bass Clef 100 Note Challenge

Who doesn’t need help with their note reading?

This is the perfect online music game for fall because it gives the student a new setting in which to review their note names (as digital flashcards).

This deck reviews notes G2-A4 on the bass clef (bottom line to top line) and E4 to F5 on the treble clef (bottom line to top line).

Teaching prompt:

• Have the student race against themselves!
• Set a stopwatch for their very first time through and log their end time.
• Send the 100 Note Challenge home with them to review daily and time them next lesson to see how they’ve improved.

Get Fall Treble & Bass Clef 100 Note Challenge here

4. Ear Training Major & Minor Folk Tunes

This is a fun online music game for fall!

The autumn leaves and pumpkins set the scene where students will listen to a folk tune being played, then must guess if it’s major or minor.

This is a very easy Boom Cards™ set to help your students with their listening skills, even if they’ve never done a listening activity before.

Teaching prompt:

• I like to teach major and minor as “moods”.
• Is it “happy” or “sad” sounding?
• If the student struggles to hear the difference, then working through the set a few times will help train their ear as they realize the correct answers.

Get Ear Training Major & Minor Folk Tunes here 

 5. Fall Grand Staff Musical Spelling Words

If your students are getting bored with flashcards, introduce some musical spelling words.

This Fall Grand Staff Musical Spelling Words set will review bass clef notes G2-B4 (bottom line to B below middle C) and treble clef notes D4-F5 (D above middle C and top line on the staff), so your students have a thorough review of note reading.

Teaching prompt:

• Once a student has spelled the word (their internal “spell-checker” will probably tell them if the word makes sense or not!), have them play the word on the piano.
• Most often, it doesn’t make much musical sense, but it’s still fun to play the word on the piano!
• Bonus tip: Use the letters of the music spelling word to create an improvisation!

Get Fall Grand Staff Musical Spelling Words here

What Online Music Games for Fall Have You Played?

We’d love to hear your suggestions for fall music games! What do you and your students love? Comment below!

Even more fall music game & activity ideas for you, plus fall sheet music…

• Save Time With Over 200 Print-and-Go Music Theory Worksheets!
• 4 Great Reasons to Use Fall Music Math Rhythm Worksheets
• The Best One-Stop Shop Educational Resource for Halloween Games and Activities for Piano Teachers
• Fall Sheet Music for Piano Lessons