- Definition
Found sounds are everyday noises, like a spoon hitting a pot or a bird singing, that you can use to make music.
Tapping a pencil on a desk to create a steady beat is using a found sound.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Found sounds are like turning your kitchen into a drum set, where pots and spoons become the instruments.
Ask your child: What sound can you make with this spoon and cup?
Common mix-up: Kids may think music only comes from instruments like a piano or guitar. Music can be made with any sound you can find or create.
Examples
- Shaking a container of rice to make a shaker sound.
- Recording the sound of rain and using it as the background for a song.
found sounds is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
