Musical Stars

1. Overview

“Musical Stars” practices recognizing numerals. This game is very similar to the classic game, “Musical Chairs”.

“Play Musical Stars!”

2. Materials

Use our Sight Words Musical Stars Generator to produce a set of stars to use. Enter any numbers you want your child to review in the Custom Numbers section.

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3. Activity

This activity has four different levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Mathematician. See the Math Curriculum page for guidance on when to complete each level. Generate a set of Musical Stars by using our Musical Stars Generator. Follow these guidelines when creating your stars.

Print out your set of Sight Words Musical Stars. If you want to write your own numbers, then print out a blank template and fill in the stars accordingly. Cut out the stars and arrange them in a circle. The stars should be at least two feet from each other. If you have chairs, place the chairs in a circle and the stars on the seats. If you don’t have chairs, then place the stars on the floor. This game works best with three or more players.

Play a song your child likes. Walk in a circle around the stars as the music plays. When the music stops, all the players hurry to stand next to a star (or sit on a star if you use chairs). Then, all the players recite the number on the star.

Referee: Look at the star in front of you and read the number out loud!
Child 1: Thirty-two!
Referee: What number is on your star?
Child 2: Forty-four!
Referee: How about your star?
Child 3: Twenty-nine! [Throws ball to Player 1]

If a child says the incorrect number, have him try again before telling him the correct answer. If a child responds incorrectly on the second try, then he is out and must wait until the game is over.

Every round, remove one star (and chair) from the playing field. Start the music again and continue playing. Once the number of stars becomes less than the number of players, then all players who don’t reach a star when the music stops playing are out. The last player remaining in the game wins.

4. Extensions

Once your child masters the basic game, shorten the time you play music. Change the rules so that if your child makes a mistake, he gets no second try.

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