- Definition
Tempo is simply how fast or slow a dance or piece of music is.
A lullaby has a slow tempo to help you feel sleepy.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Tempo is like the speed of your heartbeat — sometimes it's slow and calm, and sometimes it's fast and excited.
Ask your child: How should we clap our hands to this music?
Common mix-up: Kids often think tempo is about how loud or quiet the music is. Tempo is only about the speed, so music can be fast and quiet or slow and loud.
Examples
- Music for a chase game has a fast tempo to make it feel exciting.
- A marching band plays music with a steady tempo to help everyone step together.
tempo 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 ↗
