Music Class: Cute Christmas Activities

I run two little music classes (for free) for our friends. We try to meet once a week (though illness, holidays, and travels sometimes gets in the way of that!!) For our music class last Friday we played a cute game that was a huge hit. Two parents made a bridge with their hands. The kids stood in a line and went under the bridge, circling back and going under again. We sang the words below to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down. When we came to the end of the first verse we trapped one of the kids, put a Christmas hat on him/her and moved our arms back and forth giving the child a "ride."  Everyone from the two year old up to my eight year old loved it!  Here are the words I made up:
Santa Claus is coming to town, coming to town, coming to town.
Santa Claus is coming to town. Do you see him?


Here's his cap let's give him a ride, give him a ride, give him a ride.
Here's his cap let's give him a ride, Merry Christmas!

Another thing we did in music class today (for the 4 year olds, not for the 6-8 yr old class) was to pretend to put on ice skates and skate around the room on paper plates. We did this to the Skater's Waltz by Émile Waldteufel (here's how it sounds), but you could choose any pretty music.


We sang lots of Christmas songs. Kididdles has a huge packet of Christmas lyrics and music for kids if you need it; you have to register to download it but it's free to register.  I also loved the simple songs (perfect for preschoolers) from Childcare Land with songs like S-A-N-T-A to the tune of BINGO or Christmas Trees to the tune of the Wheels on the Bus. They were catchy and the kids were able to sing them right off the bat because they were so repetitious. Here's Shelley's Christmas Song Book. Thank you, Shelley!

One thing that has been terrific about our music class (for the older kids) this semester is that at one point during the class, we have a concert. The kids in that class are all learning different instruments (trumpet, piano or glockenspiel). We talk about being respectful listeners, put our instruments in the rest position and each week the kids play a piece for their friends. This week, for example, LD played Jingle Bells on the trumpet while DD played We Three Kings and part of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Wow, has it been a terrific addition to our music class. My kids are so anxious to practice to get ready.  It is so great to see that self-motivation.