The recorder is a staple of elementary music education, but too often, instruction revolves around a narrow focus on repertoire and assessment. What if we could transform recorder playing into a truly engaging, creative, and joyful experience for students? In this session, we’ll explore engaging activities that go beyond rote learning and test-driven assessment to foster improvisation, composition, exploration, and cross-curricular connections. Through activities such as centers, children’s literature and more, you can create a more inclusive and joyful learning environment. Instead of simply asking, “What song is next?” we’ll explore ways to ask, “What else can we do with this music?”