Music Words: Flashcards
Like a heart. Like a clock. Tap your foot along — that's pulse.
Sits ON TOP of the pulse. The melody you can clap.
Mouse = high. Lion = low.
Lullaby = slow tempo. Dance music = fast tempo.
Whisper = quiet. Shout = loud. Music can do both!
Say it: TAM-ber. Guitar & trumpet sound different even on the same note.
Like the word "cat", "dog", "ball", "sun".
Like "rab-bit", "ap-ple", "ket-tle", "kit-ten".
Like "el-e-phant", "ba-nan-a", "but-ter-fly".
Famous for "Carnival of the Animals" — fourteen pieces, each about a different animal.
Famous for "The Planets" — one piece for each planet in the solar system.
Famous for "The Four Seasons" — four pieces for spring, summer, autumn & winter.
Tap any card to flip it. On phones, swipe sideways for the next card.
📖 About this resource Tap to read
About this resource
The vocabulary children need to discuss music at KS1, plus three named composers. Each card pairs a term with a clear everyday-language definition and a real-world example.
Designed as a five-minute starter or homework warm-up. Run the deck twice a week and the music vocabulary embeds fast.
What you'll learn
- Inter-related dimensions of music DfE NC Music KS1 req 4
- Pitch: high & low DfE NC Music KS1 + MMC (musicianship: pitch)
- Pulse & beat DfE NC Music KS1 + Model Music Curriculum (musicianship)
- Rhythm (ta & ti-ti syllables) DfE NC Music KS1 + MMC (musicianship: rhythm)
Inside this resource
- 12 flip cards
For the student — how to do this
You're going to flip through a deck of flash cards about music. It should take about 10 minutes. Take your time — there's no rush. If you get stuck, ask a grown-up.
For parents and carers
This is a deck of flash cards for Key Stage 1 music — about 10 minutes of focused activity. Your child can flip through this on their own or with you alongside. There's no pressure to finish in one sitting.
Their best score, the time taken, and any answers they got wrong will all be saved automatically to your dashboard so you can see how they're getting on.
For teachers and tutors
A a deck of flash cards aligned to the DfE National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 music. Use as a standalone activity, a homework task, or a lesson plenary.
Pupils' completion data and assessment scores flow into the class dashboard so you can spot who needs support and on which sub-topic.
How to check the work
Flashcards are a self-test tool. Ask the child to say what's on the back BEFORE flipping. They're ready to move on when they get 9 out of 10 correct two sessions in a row.