Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Drawing to Music Loud and Quiet: Free Printable Worksheet for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Drawing to Music Loud and Quiet is a free printable expressive arts worksheet for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children listen to music and draw lines that match what they hear. Loud parts and quiet parts can look different on paper. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas and a stretch task.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children listen to music with loud parts and quiet parts, and a grown up plays and pauses it. They draw lines to show what they hear. The sheet has boxes for drawing or notes, so there is room to try ideas and talk about them. There are no right or wrong pictures. The focus is on listening carefully and showing the sound with marks.
- Loud music
- Quiet music
Getting ready to listen
Choose your music
Pick a piece that has clear loud parts and clear quiet parts. Songs, marches and classical pieces can all work. Try it yourself first so you know when the changes come.
Set up a calm space
Sit at a table with the sheet and some crayons. Turn off other noise so your child can hear the quiet parts. Keep the music player within your reach, not theirs.
Be the music controller
You play and pause the music. Short stops give your child time to draw, and time to talk about what they heard before the next part starts.
Try a practice mark
Before starting, say a loud word and a whisper together. Ask your child to move a crayon in the air to match each one. This warms up the idea of showing sound with movement.
Why draw to music?
Young children often understand sound through their bodies and their hands before they can describe it in words. Drawing to music gives them a way to show what they hear. A big, bold movement can stand for a strong sound. A small, light movement can stand for a gentle one. This links listening and making in a simple, playful way.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, expressive arts and design is about exploring ideas, trying materials and sharing what you think and feel. Drawing to music fits well. It asks children to listen closely, make choices and talk about them. Because the marks are their own, children can feel proud of the result whatever it looks like.
Sound facts for curious children
- Sound is made when something vibrates, which means it shakes very quickly.
- In music, the word for how loud or quiet a sound is has a special name: dynamics.
- Musicians sometimes use the Italian words forte for loud and piano for quiet.
- A drum makes sound when you hit it, so it is called a percussion instrument.
- Your voice can be loud, quiet or anywhere in between.
Skills and curriculum link
- Listening
- Drawing
- Expressing ideas
- Making marks
- Noticing changes in sound
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Years Foundation Stage | Expressive Arts and Design | Being Imaginative and Expressive | Early Years |
What children will be able to do
- I can listen to music and show it in a drawing.
- I can draw big marks for loud sounds.
- I can draw small marks for quiet sounds.
Ideas for the grown up
- Listening comes firstAsk your child to close their eyes for a moment before drawing. Listening without looking helps them notice how the sound changes.
- Marks can be many thingsLines can be straight, wavy, spiky, curly or dotted. Let your child choose. Their choices show how they hear the music.
- Talk about feelingsMusic often makes us feel something. Asking how a part feels helps children find words and link the sound to their drawing.
- Pausing is part of the funStopping the music gives thinking time. Short silences also help children notice how quiet a quiet moment can be.
Key words
- LoudA sound that is strong and easy to hear from far away.
- QuietA sound that is soft and gentle. You have to listen closely to hear it.
- ListenTo use your ears carefully and pay attention to a sound.
- MusicSounds put together in a way that can be sung or played.
- MarkA line, dot or shape that you make with a crayon.
- PauseTo stop for a moment and then start again.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes for you.
- Gather crayons and some music with loud and quiet parts. You play the music and pause it.
- Work through the activity together the first time. Talk about each choice your child makes.
- Check against the notes on page 2, then ask your child to tell you about their drawing.
- Come back to it another day, perhaps with different music. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Talk about how each part of the music feels. Ask whether it feels big or small, heavy or light. Let your child move their arm in the air first, then copy that movement onto the paper with a crayon.
To stretch confident children
Use different colours for loud and quiet. Then listen to a new piece and decide together which colours to choose. Ask your child to explain why they picked them and what the music made them think of.
Make it a game
Take turns making a loud sound and a quiet sound with your voice. The other player draws a mark for each one on scrap paper. Then swap, so your child makes the sounds and you draw.
Talk about it
- How did you draw the loud parts, and how did you draw the quiet parts?
- What did the music make you think of?
- How would you draw a very, very quiet sound?
- Which part of the music did you like best?
- Did the music change? How could you tell?
- Can you make a sound with your voice that matches one of your lines?
Take it off the page
Sound walk
Go outside or around the house and listen. Name the loud sounds and the quiet sounds you hear. Draw one of each when you get back.
Kitchen band
Use safe items such as wooden spoons and plastic tubs to make loud and quiet beats. Play along to a favourite song and change how hard you tap.
Paint the music
Put on a piece of music and paint with big arm movements for strong parts and tiny movements for gentle parts. Look at the finished picture together.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. You control the music and the pauses. Praise careful listening and brave mark making, and do not worry about neatness.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs only printing, crayons and a music source. It links to Being Imaginative and Expressive in Expressive Arts and Design. Page 2 supports mixed groups.
Home educators
Pair it with songs, instruments and outdoor listening games. It works well for brothers and sisters, and you can repeat it with new music. Keep a few drawings to see how your child's ideas change over time.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children enjoy singing, clapping and moving to music. They explore sounds with simple instruments and their own voices. They also make marks freely with crayons, chalks and paint.
After this, children can start to link sounds to ideas such as fast and slow, high and low. They may also begin to use simple symbols to show music. Later, they meet more formal ways of describing and writing music in primary school.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How did you draw the loud parts, and how did you draw the quiet parts?
- What did the music make you think of?
- How would you draw a very, very quiet sound?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Drawing to Music Loud and Quiet for?
It is written for Reception (ages 4 to 5) in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger or older children can enjoy it too, because the activity is open ended and works well when shared with a grown up.
- What will children practise?
Children practise listening, drawing and expressing ideas. They show loud and quiet sounds in their drawings, using marks that match the music. They also practise talking about the choices they made and how the music felt.
- What do I need to use it?
You need the printed sheet, crayons and some music with loud and quiet parts. A grown up plays and pauses the music. A phone, speaker or instrument all work. The sheet itself is screen free.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Slow down and talk about how each part of the music feels. Let your child move their arm in the air before drawing. Replay a short section as often as needed. There are no wrong answers, so encourage any marks they make.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another group, and try it with different pieces of music each time.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and choosing music. It supports Being Imaginative and Expressive, and page 2 offers help and stretch ideas.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children add the colour themselves with crayons, and the stretch idea invites them to choose different colours for loud and quiet.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.