Nutcracker Music Activities

 

 

Want some exciting and active ways to study The Nutcracker with your elementary students? Well, here’s a few Nutcracker music activities that your students will absolutely love!

 

Scarf Activities with Nutcracker Music

First, let’s look at a simple Nutcracker scarf activity for kindergarten students. Using scarves works so well with the more expressive and graceful pieces, such as:

• “Chinese Dance” (can also help recognize high and low)
• “Dance of the Reed Flutes” (can also help recognize rondo form)
• “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” (can also help with dynamics and expressiveness)

 

 

 

 

Rhythm Activities with Nutcracker Music

Secondly, you can also review rhythms using play along videos or interactive review games as an exciting Nutcracker music activity. Here are a few wonderful videos for these:

 

 

 

 

Playing Instruments with The Nutcracker

Next, you can easily spice up a piece from The Nutcracker by adding instruments to it. Figure out what works for you, your students, your space, and your resources. My students’ favorite each year is bucket drumming with “Trepak.” If you don’t have buckets, maybe just use rhythm sticks on a sit spot, acting as a drum pad. 

Click here to check out this great bucket drumming video by Aimee.

Also, you can easily add some classroom percussion instruments to the Nutcracker music. Try out “March” with Mrs. Stouffer’s Music Room by clicking here.

If you want to try a simple instrument map, check “The Waltz of the Flowers” by musication on YouTube – click here.

“Chinese Dance” is an adorable piece to add instruments – check out my arrangement for it here.

 

If you have a set of boomwhackers, this is another way to create excitement over The Nutcracker. On YouTube, you can find so many amazing Nutcracker music activities for boomwhackers. Check out a few these below:

 

 

 

 

I also recently found Mr. G’s Boomwhacker Channel. He has so many wonderful chord play along videos for The Nutcracker:

 

Parachute Activities

 

Finally, we end up with the parachute. If you just say that word in my music room, my students get so excited! So, I love adding some parachute activities to composer lessons or holiday lessons.

 

With “Trepak,” the parachute works really well with its fast tempo and high energy. After listening to it and discussing the form, I teach this parachute routine:

 

Definitely, let me know if you tried out some of these Nutcracker music activities or if you have some of your own.  I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or you can DM me @bethsmusicclassroom on Instagram or email me at beth@bethsmusicclassroom.com. 

 

Also, if you’re looking some exciting winter music activities, check out this post on simple songs for January.