Costume parades, schedule changes, and students who can hardly contain their excitement—Halloween week calls for a little extra creativity in the music room!

This week, I’m putting that energy to musical use by attaching glow sticks to rhythm sticks and mallets for our play-alongs. A little glow, a steady beat, and plenty of music making!

Need something for your classes, too? Check out these Halloween-themed play-alongs and matching manipulatives. From Boomwhackers to body percussion, you’ll find ways to keep your students playing, moving, and making music through the Halloween excitement.

Skin and Bones Play-Along

Bring your students’ favorite spooky song to life with this engaging Skin and Bones Manipulative Set — designed for Orff and Kodály-inspired classrooms.

Play-Along Video

Manipulatives: https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech/e/472238

Boomwhacker Play-Along: Spooky Scary Skeletons in A Minor

🎃 Bring Spooky Scary Skeletons to Your Classroom! 🎃

Perfect for upper elementary and middle school Halloween fun:

Catchy EDM Remix: Students love the fast tempo, pulsing beat, and energetic synths.

Play-Along to Level Up By Changing the Tempo: Practice tempo, dotted half notes, and strong beats with slide manipulatives.

Play-Along Video:

Manipulatives: https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech/e/323539

Halloween-Themed Inspired Play-Along Medley with Live Instrumental Selections

Though this is not one of my popular rhythm play-along videos, I have to say that it is one of my favorite ones. This is a Halloween-inspired rhythm play-along video with all live, instrumental selections. Many of the five selections are ones you would hear during the month of October. I would suggest this play-along for older elementary to middle school students, especially if you were preparing for a variety of meters, including 3/8, and a variety of rhythms and musical symbols.

Play-Along Video:

Manipulatives: https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech/e/313779

October Rhythm Play-Along

This was one of my first rhythm play-along videos that I created a couple of years ago featuring five songs and various rhythm values and meters. If you can use Halloween-themed songs, this is a good one to reinforce performing rhythm patterns for assessment, retrieval practice, and more.

Play-Along Video:

Manipulatives: https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech/e/320130

And there's a body percussion play-along to this one as well!