New in the Shop: Christmas Songs & Activities Pack!

Today I wanted to share some fun Christmas song activities that we have been playing over at our house and that are a fun addition to your December piano lessons! I always loved piano lessons around Christmastime as a girl because I LOVED playing all the Christmas music I could get my hands on!

While there are only so many songs a student can fit into their practice time as they work to learn, perfect, and perform them, why not add a few simple Christmas song activities into the mix that can be used for theory and technique practice, that can teach your students some essential creative keyboard skills, and that can be used at group lessons, classes, or parties? The Christmas Songs & Activities Pack includes four super fun Christmas song activities for various ages and levels, as well as a bonus Christmas Tree & Ornaments clipart pack to use as a fun studio incentive program.

Here is what is included in this fun holiday activity pack!

Carol of the Bells Jam Session Activity, 6 pages

This is a fun activity to use at a group class or Christmas party or even a recital. It will get everyone jamming together in a fun rendition of Carol of the Bells! It works for all ages and levels together – the more the merrier! Use one piano, multiple pianos, tone bells and xylophones, jingle bells or other instruments – whatever you have in your studio! Simply cut out the strips containing each of 12 different parts, pass them out to your students, and play! We have been playing this a lot at our house, and if I or my husband starts playing one of the parts, my 4-year-old runs to the piano to join in, my 8-year-old likes to try out a fun bass line part on our organ pedals, and my 2-year-old plays along on the jingle bells! Come to think of it, my 7-month-old baby pounds along on they keys as well! It is a whole family affair, and it will work equally well with your whole studio.

Joy to the World Transposition Activity, 5 pages

This is a great activity for students who know all of their major one-octave scales. Students play by ear to figure out the first line of “Joy to the World” and then practice their transposing skills while playing the piece higher and higher on the piano. Includes notation practice as well.

Baby Jesus Rote Piece for Young Children, 8 pages

My three-year-old daughter and I made this song up last year around Christmastime when she was wanting more and more Christmas piano songs to play! It’s one of our favorite pieces to play together and is perfect for young children. It is a simple rote piece with three basic sections. It is a nice piece for your very young students to play since it uses only a few notes and a repetitive pattern; it also includes a nice repeating accompaniment that you can play along with them. It can also be played as a round or as a lovely three-student ensemble piece! My daughter and I love to play this as a duet and sing along. We hope you enjoy it as well! Includes sheet music for the teacher, and fun printable illustrated cards for each section to help teach the form of the piece.

Deck the Halls Transposition Activity, 5 pages

A great activity for students who know all of their five-finger major scales – this is a nice holiday supplement to the Muscle Builder books. Students play by ear using the five-finger scale to play the first section of “Deck the Halls,” they notate the piece and then learn how to transpose using similar patterns and scales. As they “deck the halls” higher and higher they get to glue ornaments on their Christmas tree!

Christmas Tree & Ornaments Clipart for Studio Incentives, 15 pages

This fun Christmas tree and ornaments clipart may be used for a large studio incentive poster or small Christmas tree pages used for individual practicing incentives. Includes ideas for use.

I hope you are having a merry Christmas season and are enjoying lots of wonderful holiday music this month! Visit the Shop for the Christmas Songs & Activities Pack as well as more great piano teaching resources!