The holiday season brings excitement, joy, and a little extra energy to the music room. As elementary music teachers, we can channel that enthusiasm into meaningful musical learning with exciting Christmas music activities. In this post, we’ll explore some different activities to add to Christmas songs in your December lessons or concerts. Each of these music activities are great at energizing your classroom and preparing for a holiday performance. Also, my hope is that they will save you lots of time during concert season.
Orff Music Activities
One of the best ways to make Christmas songs come alive is by adding instruments, plus your students will love it. By incorporating xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels, and other instruments, students can explore melody, harmony, and ensemble skills in an engaging way.
First, start with a simple bordun, playing on beats 1 and 3 (or just on beat 1). For example, have the class sing a holiday favorite like “Jingle Bells,” and add the bordun to the song. Next, for a slightly more difficult Orff activity, assign a few students to a glockenspiel to play a short ostinato. You can layer in more parts, depending on the grade.
Secondly, another way to teach the melodic or rhythmic instrument parts is to start with body percussion. For example, here is a simple pattern: pat — clap clap — pat — snap (quarter — 8th 8th — quarter — quarter). We repeat it several times while singing the song. Then, we transfer the pat to the bordun on a bass xylophone, the 8th note claps for an alto xylophone, and the snap for a glockenspiel. You can do the same with rhythmic instruments, using a drum to replace the pat, tambourine on the clap, and triangle on the snap.
The third way I love adding Orff to some Christmas music activities is by allowing students to improvise their own melodic or rhythmic patterns. Use a Christmas carol or song as the A section, and each student’s pentatonic improvisation as section B, C, etc. They will feel so proud of themselves from creating something unique and original! If you have enough time, allow every student to take a turn improvising. I like dividing the class into 3 sections, and then we rotate – melodic instruments, rhythmic instruments, and improvisation instruments.
Simple Rhythmic Instrument Activities
For a quick and engaging activity, try pairing Christmas songs with simple instruments like rhythm sticks, jingle bells, or hand drums.. These play-alongs are a fun way to reinforce rhythmic accuracy and coordination while giving your younger students a chance to actively make music.
One way to add instruments is to match the text of the Christmas song. For example, during “Jingle Bells,” students play their jingle bells only when they hear their instrument – “jingle bells.” Another example I love using with Kindergarten students is “Deck the Halls.” We play hand drums to the steady beat on phrases 1, 3, 5, etc., then we add jingle bells, playing to the rhythm of the “fa-la-la” part.
Additionally, you could add percussion instruments playing during a repeated or cumulative song, such as “The 12 Days of Christmas.” This is a great Christmas song to pull out all of your rhythmic percussion instruments – to fill all 12 days! Try it out in your classroom – purchase here.
The refrain of “Up on the Housetop” works well also. Add a hand drum to the “ho, ho, ho,” jingle bells for “who wouldn’t go,” and rhythm sticks for “click, click, click.”
“It’s Almost Day” is an adorable holiday folk song that’s not as well known. But it works perfectly for preschool or kindergarten students, not only as a Christmas music activity in class, but also for a concert or performance. Here’s the version that I use.
Other Rhythmic Activities
Christmas songs are ideal for reinforcing rhythm-reading and playing. Many songs have rhythmic patterns that you can break down to use for clapping, movement, or instrument activities.
You can find lots of wonderful Christmas rhythm play along videos on YouTube. These are a great way to practice rhythm while celebrating the holidays too. For more of a physical activity or brain break, use body percussion videos to get kids up and moving. They get to practice rhythm while moving.
If you’re looking for Christmas songs that have a specific rhythmic element, do a little search to find what would work best for your lesson. “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” is perfect for teaching half notes, and the German folk tune “Santa Claus” has only quarter and 8th notes. When teaching “syncopa” one December, I wrote a simple Christmas text for the melody of “Hill and Gully Rider.” Grab your copy of “It’s December” by clicking here.
Perform Orff Arrangements for a Concert
Holiday performances are a special highlight of the season, and Christmas songs arranged for Orff ensembles can create a magical experience for students and their families.
Your students’ families will love seeing anything they’ve prepared, so you don’t have to outdo yourself. Consider using any of the above Christmas music activities that you would use in class. An orff arrangement, instrument activity, or even a holiday dance routine would be an adorable addition to your concert.
Performing in an Orff ensemble and choir helps students develop teamwork, confidence, and pride in their accomplishments. Plus, parents love seeing their children showcase their hard work and musical growth during the holiday season.
Bring Christmas Songs to Life with Ready-to-Use Resources
Each year, when planning my Christmas music activities, I pull out my Christmas song binder and breathe a sigh of relief that December’s work is done for me. If you’d like that same relief, check out my Christmas music bundle. Whether you’re preparing for a class Orff activity, practicing rhythms, or planning for a concert, this bundle has everything you need to save time while providing your students with exciting and memorable Christmas music fun.
Click here to explore the Christmas Song BUNDLE with 16 (and growing) Christmas songs your students will love. Bring the magic of Christmas music into your classroom today, while saving you lots of valuable time!
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