An effective way to teach the history of musical genres to children is to show the connection between the music they listen to today with basic music forms of the past. Before you begin teaching the origin of the blues, for instance, familiarize children with the form as it is used in today's popular music. It's easier to interest a child in learning about something that applies to something he is interested in already.
Mozart and Beethoven are only two of the classic composers that have colorful stories attached to them. Beethoven wrote many of his popular works after he lost his hearing. To hear sounds, he cut off the legs of his piano so the piano was on the floor and he could feel the vibrations it made when he played. Mozart was a musical rebel, pushing for a higher level of respect for musicians at a time when they were considered nothing more than court jesters.
The story of the crossroads and how blues musicians claimed to sell their souls for the ability to play, or how the Rolling Stones took their name after the 1950s song "Rollin' Stone" by legendary bluesman Muddy Waters, are trivia bits you can add to a music history lesson. These are the kinds of details that may help your students relate composers throughout history.
Use traditional games such as hangman and crossword puzzles to help you present and reinforce music history lessons. Combining a child's natural love for games with music history lessons will help him or her effectively absorb the information you present. Musical trivia with prizes is just one idea you could use. You can purchase a music trivia game, make up your own, or take advantage of the free music history games online (see resources).
If you make up your own games, create a balance that teaches the history of musical instruments, the history of musical genres and the history of some of the most famous composers and musicians. These historical overviews should always show a relation to the music kids understand today.
There are a number of visual methods you can use to teach the history of music. Try putting together a class musical about the life and times of famous composers. There are also many biography films available like "Immortal Beloved" (about Beethoven), "The Buddy Holly Story," and many others. Be careful before choosing a film. Some of the biography composer films are intended for a mature audience.