- Definition
To improvise means to create or perform music on the spot, without a script or sheet music, using what you've learned. It's like making up a song as you go along.
Making up a new harmony to sing along with a familiar song is a form of improvisation.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Improvising is like playing pretend, where you make up what your character says and does as you go along.
Ask your child: Can you make up a short song about what we had for snack?
Common mix-up: Kids might think improvising is just being silly or making mistakes. It's actually about using skills you already have to create something new on the spot.
Examples
- In a drama game, making up dialogue on the spot with a partner.
- Creating a new dance move in the middle of a song at a party.
- Tapping out a new rhythm on a drum that fits with the beat of a song.
improvise 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 ↗
