Leap year only happens every 4 years, so why not turn the week of leap day into something fun? I’ll help you get started… Here are 10 musical ways you can celebrate leap day!
Musical Leap Challenge
Create a musical challenge for your students, asking them to incorporate a specific musical element associated with leaps, such as interval jumps, dynamic changes, or unexpected shifts in tempo, into their piece.
Leap Day Jam Session
Plan a special jam session where students can experiment with improvisation and spontaneous musical leaps. Explore new sounds together.
Leap Day Music Games
Incorporate fun and educational games into your lessons that have a “leap” theme. Here are a few you might enjoy…
LeapFrog | Intervals BUNDLE | Interactive Digital Music Game
LeapFrog | Steps and Skips BUNDLE | Interactive Digital Music Game
Leap Year Playlist Creation
Have each student contribute a song to a Leap Day playlist. Encourage them to explain why they chose the song and how it represents the theme of leaping or moving forward in their musical journey.
Leap Day Collaborative Project
Assign a group project that encourages students to work together. This could be a composition, performance, or multimedia project that celebrates the concept of leaping.
Leap Goals & Reflection
Take time on Leap Day to reflect on the musical progress each student has made over the past year. Discuss their achievements, set new musical goals, and emphasize the idea of taking leaps in their musical education. I created a free LEAP goal resource using LEAP as the acronym for students to set goals. Grab it here or by clicking the picture…
Leap Day Repertoire
Choose a selection of piano pieces that feature leaping intervals or motifs. Explore different compositions that showcase dynamic jumps. Discuss the technical aspects of playing these leaping passages. Choose pieces that would go well with a “leap” theme. (Frogs, Leapin’ Lizards, the word “leap” in it, etc.)
Leap Day Composition Challenge
Challenge your students to compose a short piece inspired by the theme of leaping. Encourage creativity in depicting the idea of jumping or leaping through musical elements such as tempo changes, dynamic contrasts, or unexpected chord progressions.
Leap Year Theory Lesson
Integrate a theory lesson centered around intervals and leaps. Explore how to identify and play different types of leaps on their instrument.
Leap Day Sight-Reading Relay
Sight-read short musical excerpts with leaps.
Tell me… what are you planning on doing for leap-day week? Do you have a favorite from this list? I’d love to hear!
I will be subbing in music classes for the next few days.
I looked under Leap Year on several sites, and they chatted about Frog songs.
Songs I had forgotten about.
We are between Valentines and St. Pats. Frogs it is 🙂
Perfect, Ethelyn!! Have fun! 🙂
I’ll make origami frogs and race them with my students. They will have to answer a musical question to earn their leap. Thanks so much for your post!
Love it, Mary! Have a great time! 🙂
I’ll be using some Leapin’ Lemures I got from Rebekah Maxner to practice intervals.
Oooh, thanks for reminding me of that resource, Helen! 🙂