The Orchestra and Instrument Families Worksheets

Teach your students about the orchestra for kids and all the amazing musical instruments that bring its music to life with these free printable orchestra worksheets. Children will learn about the orchestra layout plus the instrument families with fun, engaging worksheet pages in both color and black and white. Download this pdf pack to learn about string instruments in an orchestra, brass instruments in the orchestra, woodwind instruments in the orchestra, and percussion instruments in the orchestra with all ages.

Orchestra for Kids

Make learning about instruments for kids simple and fun with this huge 97 page pdf file! These free printable music worksheets allow parents, teachers, and homeschoolers to teach students about the orchestra layout plus instrument families in a simple, effective way. There are pages in blackline to save on printing costs and to check what your students have learned, plus colorful engaging posters. From learning about

The instruments included in this set of instrument families worksheets include: flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, bassoon, contrabass, english horn, saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, french horn, tuba, string bass, cello, viola, violin, harp, timpani, bass drum, triangle, tambourine, xylophone, marimba, gong, cymbals, and more!

Plus don’t miss spot the different instrument worksheets, cute musical instrument worksheets for young kids, and free coloring pages instruments!

Orchestra worksheets

Start by scrolling to the bottom of the post, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> ___________<<. The music instruments worksheets pdf file will open in a new window for you to save your freebie. Now print off  the pages.

Orchestra Layout

The orchestra is a group of musicians who perform together. The basic composition of the orchestra was established in the 5th century during the classical period of music. An orchestra typically consists of 80-100 musicians. The instruments in an orchestra are classified into 4 instrument families: brass, woodwind, string, and percussion.

• Introduction to the Orchestra – Learn about the 4 instrument families in an orchestra and find out how many instruments of each type are in a typical orchestra
• Orchestra Seating Chart – worksheets, posters, and coloring pages

Instruments of the orchestra worksheets

• Orchestra instruments in their families coloring page
• Match the instrument with the correct family worksheets

Instrument Families

In a typical orchestra, there are four main families of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Let’s dive into each of these families and see what makes them unique and essential to the ensemble!

String instruments in an orchestra

The heart of the orchestra, string instruments are known for their warm, resonant tones. This family includes the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. Each string instrument has its own distinct voice, contributing to the overall harmony and melody of the performance. From the soaring lines of the first violins to the deep, rich sounds of the double basses, strings are vital for creating emotion and texture in orchestral music.

String Worksheets

• String Instruments poster – violin, viola, cello, string bass, harp
• Printable String Instruments Coloring Pages
• Label the String Instruments Worksheets
• Name the string instrument worksheet
• I spy String instruments (in color and black and white)
• String Family Worksheet – unscramble the word and word search
• Solve the clues to complete the String Musical Instruments Crossword Puzzle
• The Double Bass Poster –
• Double Bass Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of Double Basses using the word bank
• The Cello Poster
• Cello Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of Cellos using the word bank
• The Viola Poster
• Viola Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of Violas using the word bank
• The Violin Horn Poster
• Violin Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of violins using the word bank
• The Harp Horn Poster
• Harp Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of harps using the word bank

Brass instruments in the orchestra

Bold and powerful, the brass section consists of instruments like the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba. These instruments are known for their brilliant, commanding sounds, often bringing drama and excitement to orchestral pieces. The brass section’s ability to produce strong, powerful notes can elevate a performance and fill a concert hall with resounding melodies.

Brass Worksheets

• Brass Instruments poster – tuba, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, french horn
• Brass Instruments Coloring Pages
• Label the Brass Instruments Worksheets
• Name the brass instrument worksheet
• I spy brass instruments (in color and black and white)
• Brass Family Worksheet – unscramble the word and word search
• Solve the clues to complete the Brass Musical Instruments Crossword Puzzle
• The Trumpet Poster
• Trumpet Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of trumpets using the word bank
• The Trombone Poster
• Trombone Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of trombones using the word bank
• The Tuba Poster
• Tuba Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of tubas using the word bank
• The French Horn Poster
• French Horn Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of French Horns using the word bank

Woodwind instruments in the orchestra

Adding clarity and brightness to the orchestral sound, woodwind instruments such as the flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon also play a crucial role. Each woodwind has a unique timbre that enhances different musical moods. The flute’s sweet and airy quality juxtaposes beautifully with the rich, reedy sound of the oboe. Together, these instruments provide color and contrast, enriching the orchestra’s sound palette.

Woodwind Worksheets

• Woodwind Instruments poster – oboe, english horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, piccolo, soprano saxophone, also saxophone, tenor saxophone, bari sax, bassoon, contrabassoon
• Woodwind Instruments Coloring Pages
• Label the Woodwind Instruments Worksheets
• Name the woodwind instrument worksheet
• I spy woodwind instruments (in color and black and white)
• Woodwind Family Worksheet – unscramble the word and word search
• Solve the clues to complete the Woodwind Musical Instruments Crossword Puzzle
• The Clarinet Poster
• Clarinet Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of clarinets using the word bank
• The Flute Poster
• Flute Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of flutes using the word bank
• The Oboe Poster
• Oboe Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of oboes using the word bank
• The Bassoon Poster
• Bassoon Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of bassons using the word bank
• The Saxophone Poster
• Saxophone Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of saxophones using the word bank

Note: The saxophone is not a typical orchestra instrument, but it is a woodwind instrument. I choose to include it so students would learn about the woodwind family as a whole. You can find saxophones in bandsand other ensembles.

Percussion instruments in the orchestra

Last but certainly not least, the percussion family includes a wide range of instruments, from the timpani and snare drum to tambourines and marimbas. This family adds rhythm and depth to the orchestra, creating a backbone that supports the other instruments. Percussionists are essential for setting the tempo and adding dynamic elements to the music, making each performance truly come alive.

Percussion Worksheet

• Percussion Instruments poster – timbani, bass drum, triangle, cymbals, chimes, marimba, gong
• Percussion Instruments Coloring Pages
• Label the Percussion Instruments Worksheets
• Name the Percussion instrument worksheet
• I spy Percussion instruments (in color and black and white)
• Percussion Family Worksheet – unscramble the word and word search
• Solve the clues to complete the Percussion Musical Instruments Crossword Puzzle
• The Marimba Poster
• Marimba Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of Marimbas using the word bank
• The Timpani Poster
• Timpani Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of Timpanis using the word bank
• The Cymbals Poster
• Cymbals Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of Cymbal using the word bank
• The Tambourine Poster
• Tambourine Anatomy Worksheet – label the parts of Tambourines using the word bank

Instrument families worksheets

In addition, we’ve included the answer key to the musical isnstrument worksheet pages!

Music for Kids

Looking for more fun and free printables and resources to learn to read music? Try these:

• FREE Music Theory Worksheets for kids , Introduction to Music Booklet to read, color, and learn, and reading music for kids worksheets, 100 page of free orchestra for kids worksheets
• Woodwind Musical Instrument Coloring Pages, fun Brass instruments pictures, free string musical instrument sheets, percussion instruments for kids, and organ / piano coloring pages
• Simple music instrument coloring pages or these cute instrument colouring pages
• Musical Instrument Flash Cards, printable Music Flash cards and Free Music Notes Chart
• Super cute Piano practice sheets and free printable piano flash cards
• Spot the Different Instrument Families Worksheets
• Fun and FREE Intro Music Worksheets and musical instruments pictures with names worksheets
• Composers: Richard Wagner for kids, famous mozart for kids,
• Music Listening Worksheets – great for working on music appreciation
• Musical Instrument Worksheets for preschool and kindergarten
• 40+ Music Crafts including musical instruments and activities, Learning Notes on the Staff Game with water balloons, Paper Plate Tambourine craft, spoon maracas craft, nature preschool music activities, DIY Water xylophone
• Music color by number or Musical Instruments Worksheets pdf for kids to learn math and literacy skills
• Create music instruments with free printable playdough mats with this preschool music activity or try a whole music theme preschool

music instruments worksheets

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