We’ve all been there — the music lesson is wrapped up, kids are lined up, and now you’re just… waiting. Waiting for the classroom teacher to pick up their students. Meanwhile, the wiggles are setting in, the noise is rising, and that peaceful end-of-class glow is fading fast.
Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever found yourself wishing for just a few more minutes of purposeful calm at the end of class, I’ve got you covered. Keep reading for five easy, musical activities your students can do while they wait — no prep needed!
#1: Sing a Song of Their Choice
Invite one student — or the whole class — to choose a favorite song from music class. You can sing it together, sing it in a round, or switch things up with a musical challenge:
Sing piano (softly)
Speed it up gradually
Alternate between out loud and inner singing with a puppet (like this adorable dinosaur egg puppet–note: this is an affiliate link.)
It’s a great way to end on a musical note (literally!) while giving students a voice in the classroom.
#2: “Simon Says”
For this game, you could be the leader, or a student volunteer could be a leader. Whoever is leading could give directions like this:
“Simon says, raise your hand.”
“Simon says, echo me.” (Teacher sings a pattern on sol-mi.)
“Simon says, jump up and down once.”
And then of course, if the leader doesn’t say “Simon says,” students aren’t supposed to do it! You could have the students who are out go to the end of the line or sit down if you’d like. It’s a fun activity for waiting in line— all while staying focused and quiet-ish.
#3: Tell us about your weekend
Okay, this one’s not technically musical — but it builds classroom community. With so many students to see each week, it can be hard to make those personal connections. This activity helps!
Ask for volunteers to share something fun they did last weekend, or something they’re looking forward to. It could be anything — a soccer game, a birthday party, a visit to grandma’s. You can even share something from your own weekend to model connection and build trust.
#4: Rhythm Telephone
This is just like the classic game of “Telephone,” but with a musical twist! Instead of whispering words, you whisper rhythms.
Whisper a simple 4-beat rhythm to the first student in line.
They whisper it to the next, and so on.
The last student performs what they heard — and you compare it to the original!
Not only is it fun and focused, but it sharpens listening skills, memory, and rhythm recognition. If time runs out, you can simply check the rhythm with the last student who heard it before class ends. If you're looking for visuals for this, check out this set by Lindsay Jervis.
#5: Reflect on the Lesson
This is a powerful moment to reinforce what they’ve just learned. Try prompts like:
“What was your favorite part of class today?”
“What did you learn that was new?”
“What do you think we’ll do in the next lesson?”
Let students share aloud or give a silent signal (like thumbs-up or hand over heart). It brings closure, encourages mindfulness, and ends class on a positive note.
Looking for ready-made activities and visuals for when students are waiting in line?
Check out this set– it includes activity cards, a video that students can play and pause for an activity, and an editable PowerPoint!
What’s your favorite “waiting in line” activity to keep students focused at the end of class? Comment below.
Happy Teaching!
4 Responses
I’ll share about my favorite something and ask what their favorite is. Recently we talked about favorites ice cream and I got a recommendation of where to get ice cream monster style.
Now I’m curious as to what monster style is!
Let them perform! Ask if there’s a kid who wants to share something with the class: a joke, a short song excerpt, a tumbling trick, etc.
Yes! Kids love to perform for each other!