6 Winter Sing-Along Songs for Kids
/This year has been one of the most unusual years on record. The pandemic continues to change everything. Many of us are displaced, relocated, isolated, with a complete different day-to-day routine than we’ve ever had.
And yet, a little “All I Want For Christmas Is You” or the background of sleigh-bells and piano melody on a TV commercial is enough to change the mood.
It may not even be music you like…. but isn’t it interesting that the snowy holiday music we experience during the early winter has some kind of power over us?
Why Do We React to Holiday Songs?
For the first ten months of the year you won’t hear “Jingle Bells.” And then, right after harvest celebrations, closer to Thanksgiving, it’s everywhere.
With it comes the never ending onslaught of all the Holiday Songs you love, and love to hate. Like clockwork, these songs jump up, overplayed and highly commercialized, and just when we can’t take them anymore, we finally hit snooze - and these songs go into some mental vault til the next October.
Why such a strong reaction? These songs have followed us around our whole lives.
We know them backwards, forwards, sideways. They are in rare company of things that are so universally known. We know we only get them out of the vault for a short time - and so, we relish the ones we love, and endure our less favorite ones for the short time we must. There is relief in sight.
Here are 6 Holiday and Winter Sing-Along Songs for Kids!
I call all winter songs Holiday Songs. They fall at the time of year which many call “The Holidays”. While Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice and the New Year are some of the holidays in question, “The Holidays” has become a term unto itself, a season within a season.
So while “Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer” is technically a Christmas song, it’s pretty much devoid of religious association. When singing Holiday Songs, be mindful of your audience, and keep things fun! Enjoy using these snowy sing-along songs all winter long!
1. Winter Wonderland
Both musically and lyrically, this may be the greatest winter song (that’s not about someone named Wenceslas). The Phil Spector-produced track — sung by the spectacular Darlene Love — is the quintessential version.
2. Simple Gifts
An old Shaker dance song??! For the holidays? Why, certainly!
I sing this with children every year. It’s just simple and sweet, kind of like “Down in the Valley” and other lullabies that have a soothing wholeness to them. There are a million versions of this song, here’s a pretty straightforward one.
3. Snow Song!
Rachel’s late father, the wonderful Bob Devlin, wrote and sang many catchy songs. His songs have a wonder and sparkle to them that’s rare in children’s music or family music. As songwriters and musical yoga teachers we work hard to bring that out in our own music.
We love Bob’s Snow song so much we put it in our new Snowy Sing-Along. (The original version of the song is here - and also, Track 8 on that album is called “I’m Broke Again This Christmas” and is definitely worth a listen, parents!)
4. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Much like the seven dwarfs, the reindeer didn’t have names for a long time. And Rudolph didn’t come to be named until 1939 when - you guessed it, commercialization - he was named and put into a coloring book.
While every single thing related to Christmas has been commodified by this point - at the heart of this story is a bullied little friend who doesn’t get to shine, and finds confidence through his uniqueness.
That familiar feeling is why every four year old I’ve ever met can sing this song. In classrooms, one thing I add to the song is a qualification: If Rudy doesn’t want to play with the other deer, who don’t ever really apologize to him for teasing, he’s doesn’t have to!
5. Avalanche
Rachel and I wrote this song in line at the post office. We just loved the vocal percussion of the word “Avalanche” and figured that kids would too.
We were right - this song get requested in classes all year long! And it is one of our favorite winter-themed yoga poses for kids.
Check out the video below, or watch the entire Snow Adventure in the Yo Re Mi app!
6. Jingle Bells
Why not? It’s short, it’s catchy, and it’s rooted in purpose. Sleigh bells - synonymous with Holiday Songs - were originally a communication tool.
When attached to a sleigh, they announce “I’m almost at your house!” as well as, “Get out of the road, sleigh coming through!”
I have adapted this song a many times to suit different classroom topics. Children sometimes think that Elmo wrote it, since he rewrites this song on every episode of “Elmo’s World".
In every tradition around the world, music plays a central role.
Every religious observance, every community gathering, every sort of entertainment or competition uses music to organize the proceedings.
Maybe it’s front and center - “Please rise for our national anthem” before a baseball game - or more integrated, like hymns at church, party music, or gathering for loud concerts. We remember the hit songs during important summers of our youth - sometimes we remember the songs more than other important details.
In fact, perhaps the hardest part of pandemic life is NOT gathering - and one thing missing: the songs.
Despite it all, everyone is still looking for music — perhaps this time streaming in lieu of getting together. So have fun singing and streaming these six kid-friendly winter songs, or any of the many other winter-themed songs out there! We hope it brings you joy this holiday season.
Happy Holidays!
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