Step into Kristen Brunacini’s music classroom at C.C. Ring Elementary School and you’ll likely find students clapping, spinning, and laughing as they sing their way through lessons. It’s not just fun — it’s purposeful learning.

For Brunacini, who has dreamed of being an elementary music teacher since her own days at Jefferson Middle School, singing games are the heartbeat of her teaching.

“Singing games help students build musical skills, literacy skills, and social skills — all at once,” she explained. “They’re purposeful, sequential, and joyful. Kids are learning how to keep a steady beat and identify rhythm patterns, and they’re doing it while having fun.”

Brunacini’s classroom blends movement, melody, and meaning. Through games like “Apple Tree” and “We Are Dancing In The Forest” students practice concepts like high and low pitch, rhythm, and tempo — all while working together and problem-solving in real time. 

“I love using singing games in the music classroom because they really help promote literacy in several different ways,” she said. “We’ll change the lyrics of a song — almost like Mad Libs style — where I have a couple words that are blank, and the older kids have to pick out a noun, an adjective, or a verb that fits in with the song. They use those critical thinking skills of what word actually fits and how to sound it out and spell it.”

Beyond literacy, Brunacini uses singing games to help students develop social and emotional skills.

“I think students need more time with social skills such as turn-taking, listening, cooperating in a group, and managing frustration and disappointment,” she said. “Singing games create a safe space where we can teach that in a structured way. Kids don’t know how to add — we teach them math. Kids don’t know how to read — we teach them to read. And we also need to teach kids how to be disappointed, how to deal with their emotions when they’re frustrated, and how to cope the right way.”

Brunacini’s classroom is filled with motion, melody, and laughter. Students aren’t just learning the rudiments of music theory — they’re learning teamwork, focus, and resilience.

“When I’m choosing activities for my music classroom, I want to make sure that they are purposeful, sequential, and joyful,” Brunacini said. “The kids are learning how to keep a steady beat, they’re learning how to identify and clap a rhythm, and they’re all doing it while they’re having so much fun. I want kids to look forward to music class. I want them to love music when they leave.”

She hopes that love continues long after elementary school. 

“We all love ice cream, but we like different flavors,” Brunacini said. “We all like music; we just like different styles. And if you don’t love music, you just haven’t found what you love yet.”