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How to Find Music Games

Almost everyone has played Musical Chairs and Freeze Dance, or lined up to dance a conga at some point, mainly at kids' birthday parties where games with music are used to break the ice. However, musical games are not only restricted to children's parties, but can be used for after-dinner entertainment, occupy you on a night at home or assist you in learning a new instrument. Research has proved that learning music not only stimulates the brain, but makes us more alert in problem solving situations, and helps us to develop better maths skills. Music games are a fun way to train and there are many resources that can help you to find suitable musical games for any situation.

Instructions

- 1
  Search for "Music Games" on the Internet. You will be offered a wide range of free music games, either to be played online, or as suggestions to play at home without the use of technology. While most online resources are offered to promote musical training in children, there are still many sites that offer adult games designed for learning to play specific instruments, for testing musical knowledge or even for designing your own musical games.
- 2
  Talk to teachers and musical instructors. Music is an important part of education. Recent research has proved that playing an instrument promotes mathematical and strategic thinking in students. Also, teachers have to use a wide range of resources, games included, to inspire a musical sense in their pupils. Teachers and musical instructors can provide you with tips about educational music games, reading music and composition included. Many games might initially be made for children, but can be adapted for adult use.
- 3
  Visit your local library or book shop and search for music game books. While music games in book form are mainly represented by traditional quiz titles, there are books, often aimed at children, with more of hands-on approach to playing music games. Titles include "The Big Book of Music Games" by Debra Olson Pressnall and Lorilee Malecha, and "101 Music Games for Children" by Jerry Storms. In addition, the The Kids Music Stage company has published books with accompanying CD-Roms that promote classical music for children in game form. Titles in 2011 include "Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker: The Music Game;" "Mozart's Magic Flute: The Music Game;" and "Alice in Vivaldi's Four Seasons: The Music Game."
- 4
  Search toy shops for music board games. Trivial Pursuit, Catch Phrase and Scene It have all-musical versions, while there are several "High School Musical"-themed board games. Unusual games include Popdoku, a board game where musicians instead of numbers have to be lined up in a grid, or Noteability, a game for adult players that comes with a miniature piano for users to play.
- 5
  Look in the gaming department of your supermarket for music game releases for Wii, PlayStation, XBox or Nintendo DS. Research by the British charity Youth Music has proved that musical games played on consoles are not only entertaining, but also beneficial for musical education. Titles include Guitar Hero, Rock Star, High School Musical and Dance Dance Revolution. Specialized gaming shops are often more expensive than supermarkets, but can offer a bigger choice of music games, including smaller, independent labels and import titles.

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