Color and Draw along to Classical Music with your Kids: Coloring Book Recommendations Paired with Famous Classical Works 🎨 🎼
Cultivating a good ear and your child’s imagination is very simple: Just play good music at top volume and let the music do the work. The music will sharpen your child’s ear, give them a powerful space for creativity and wonder, and cultivate emotional intelligence and perception.
As a child I would often color or draw along to classical music, and it was one of my favorite activities.
My mom had a wonderfully diverse set of coloring and drawing activity books to choose from, and I’d select something to draw or color while listening to music that inspired imagination and creativity.
Coloring or drawing along to powerful works of music is one of the best ways to engage your child’s hands and mind at the same time.
Through a tactile activity such as coloring or drawing, the child’s mind will remain receptive to the power of music, while they actively create something inspired by the music they hear, whether that be creating something entirely their own through drawing, or completing a picture through coloring.
Another benefit of coloring is that you can select coloring books on topics your home learning is focusing on! This is an amazing way to optimize your child’s learning as they listen.
The following are coloring book recommendations on different subjects paired with composers on the same topic (Hello, learning optimization! 🙌🏻) I’ll keep adding to this list as I discover more, so check back soon!
NATURE:
Color along to beautiful scenes of nature with composers who loved to write music inspired by nature: Debussy, Beethoven, Ravel, Grieg, Vivaldi, & Vaughan Williams. (If it’s Spring time when you read this, listen to my “Works Inspired by Spring” Playlist on Spotify or Apple Music!)
A Walk in the Woods (Dover Nature Coloring Book)
“Accomplished illustrator and nature writer takes you on a beautiful tour of the four seasons, pointing out with great artistic and verbal skills the many mysteries of nature — from sightings of spring flowers to amazing life beneath pond ice.” - Amazon description
Butterflies Coloring Book (Dover Butterfly Coloring Books)
“This treasury of detailed, accurately rendered illustrations (including two double-page spreads) invites coloring book enthusiasts to bring over 40 species of butterflies to life in vivid color.”
CATHEDRALS/CHURCHES:
Pair coloring on this topic with composers who wrote extensively for the Church: Palestrina, J.S. Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi.
Christian Cathedrals Stained Glass Coloring Book: For Adults and Children including Bible Themes, Rose Windows, Gothic and Floral Designs from the Medieval and Renaissance to Modern Eras
“The 32 beautiful full-page illustrations in this book were adapted from actual stained glass windows from some of the world’s most magnificent Catholic and Christian cathedrals and churches dating from the Medieval and Renaissance to the Modern era. They include rose patterns, Gothic and floral designs, and Bible themes.” - Amazon description
“The How To Draw series takes a highly visual and practical approach to drawing, featuring step-by-step instructions for each art project. This comprehensive drawing handbook covers all aspects of drawing cathedrals and churches - from Canterbury Cathedral to Whitby Abbey - including essential concepts such as light, tone and composition.”- Amazon description
AT SEA:
Color nautical scenes while listening to works inspired by the sea: Debussy’s La Mer; Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony; and Britten’s Four Sea Interludes!
My First Book About the Oceans (Dover Science For Kids Coloring Books)
“In this carefully researched, fun-to-color book, you'll learn how the ocean does many wondrous things. Find out how it determines both the climate and the weather. Encounter the tiny animals and plants floating on the surface as well as the monstrous creatures lurking in the dark abyss.” - Amazon description"
CHRISTMAS
Color along to scenes of Christmas while listening to the most famous classical work on Christmas: Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet Suite. Don’t forget that Duke Ellington wrote a swinging, exhilarating jazz spin on Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece! Listen to both versions for a fun compare & contrast with your kids as they color in beautiful Christmas scenes…
The Nutcracker: A Coloring Book (Classic Coloring Book)
“Join Clara and the Nutcracker on a magical Christmas journey through the Kingdom of Sweets in Classic Coloring: The Nutcracker. Each page is filled with wonderful scenes and detailed patterns to color. From the battle with the fearsome Mouse King to the enchanting sugarplum fairies, this gorgeous coloring book is sure to entertain children and adults alike as they bring each scene of the holiday classic to life.”
If you’re ready to jump into listening to more classical music in your home but don’t know where to start, I have a library of free printables that offers listening lists, calendars, playlists, and activities. To receive all free resources, simply sign up for my newsletter, and an email will arrive in your inbox with the password to access the entire free library.
Click below to receive all free resources, and start giving your child the gift of classical music!
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