While your family is gathered and good spirits, here are some fun and musical ways to keep up the holiday cheer.
Teach your children your favorite holiday songs
Many of us have been listening to the same holiday music for our entire lives, year after year. Though there are undoubtedly some songs we wish we would never hear again, there are others that make us smile no matter how many times we hear them. The holidays are a beautiful time to pass on this love of music to the younger generations- they’re still discovering these songs for the first time. Teach them about the music you love and the fun memories it makes you think of as you make brand new memories with your expanding family.
Go Caroling
This is such a fun holiday tradition, especially for your older children. Talk about the joy that music brings and take them caroling through your neighborhood, spreading some holiday cheer. Then you can top it all off with some tasty treats – who doesn’t love an excuse for hot chocolate?
Thanksgiving Turkey Trot
Did everyone eat so much they could barely move on Thanksgiving? Shake off the food-comas by doing the turkey trot! Print out this instruction sheet big enough for your family to see. Then stand in a circle and go around calling out a number from 1-9. When a number is called, do the corresponding movement. Bonus points if you throw on some turkey-themed tunes in the background (chicken dance anyone?).
Play the (Mostly) Music Holiday Game
Fill a bowl with scraps of rainbow-colored paper, pick-up sticks, rainbow beads or something similar. Take turns closing your eyes and pulling one item at a time out of the bowl. Whatever color you choose, you have to do the matching activity- no do-overs! If you want to get creative, you can brainstorm different activities for each color or even add more colors.
Pull Out Those Holiday and Winter-Themed Musicals
So many of the classic holiday movies are packed full of great music. Treat your little ones to a special screening of The Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, White Christmas, the list goes on and on. Watching the movies will give you kids a whole new perspective on many of the popular holiday songs that come from these movies!
Now gather your family and let the festivities begin!