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You’ve just taken your bow to a standing ovation after the Christmas Concert—your students nailed it, parents are showering you with compliments, and the holiday spirit is buzzing in the air. But then it hits you: you still have to teach tomorrow. And all you want is some simple, ready-to-go lessons that won’t drain your energy. Sound familiar? If so, you’re definitely not alone—I've been there a time or two. That post-concert glow often comes with a side of exhaustion, so to help you sail smoothly through those busy December days, I’m sharing my favourite go-to activities for Kindergarten through Grade 6 elementary music classes. These tried-and-true lessons keep students engaged without overwhelming you, so you can enjoy the season while keeping the music alive.  Reflection Chances are, you and your students put a lot of time, energy, and work into your Christmas Concerts, so make sure you take time to reflect by yourself and with your students. It can be as easy as writing down some notes on your phone when you get home. Asking the students what their favourite part of the performance was, things that they thought went well, things that they could’ve done better. Of course, you could write a formal reflection, but I tend to stick with an informal conversation. I often try to have someone record each performance, and I will take time during our reflection to have the students watch their performance. What’s important is that you do reflect and allow your students to reflect too! What We're Actually Doing... Now for the actual “things” to do with your students. Depending on how long you have from your Christmas concerts to the Christmas break, may depend on what you decide to do. However, I challenge you to do things that are easy for you, while still having value to your students. I have recently realized that sometimes it is just easier to teach, rather than give your students busy work. That’s what I often first turn to games and centres- but do yourself a favour and have these prepped ahead of time! I will often pull out some tried and true activities to use the days following the Christmas concert
If you're in the market for some new Christmas Games, check out my Christmas Shop on TPT  Classic Christmas Music Listening Take some time to come down from the chaos, put on some classical Christmas music, and have your students complete a listening response. Not sure what to pick?- The Nutcracker is a logical answer, and there are tons of ready-to-go resources out there that you could use with your students. Plus, a quick tour on YouTube and you can find body percussion, instrument, and boomwhacker play-alongs. A couple of years ago, I had a group of students who were really into the song Sleigh Ride. Following our Christmas Concert that year, we dug into some play-along videos and listening response sheets to go with Sleigh Ride. Which means I now have a lesson pack in my TPT store with listening responses- just in case!  Christmas Carol Bingo Christmas Carol Bingo can be a nice, relaxing activity for after Christmas concerts. I generally do this with my older students, but we have also used it for a whole school activity in the past. It’s nice if your voice is tired, because you can simply play the song to the students, you hardly ned to talk! I personally like to use this Christmas Carol Bingo from Primary Playground because it has different icons for each song. Christmas Carol Boomwhacker Play Alongs Slightly less calm, but often a hit with my students, are holiday Boomwhacker play-alongs. Fair warning, they can be loud and you may get tired of hearing jingle bells 20+ times, BUT the students enjoy them, they’re making music, and your active teaching is slightly less than some other activities. I use Swick’s Class often for my Boomwhacker play-alongs, so be sure to check them out!  Christmas Caroling Now this may be the least calm and relaxing idea on this list, BUT I think it is worth the slight chaos, and you’ve likely already been living in music chaos since Halloween, so really, what’s the difference- you may as well take your students carolling. Now, there are two ways that you can do this- the first is around the school. You have different classes of Carol in other classrooms. So during their music class, I might have my Kindergarten classrooms go up and carol in a grade 3 class. Then another day, my grade 3 classes go and sing carols in a grade 1 classroom. It’s a great way to spread Christmas spirit around your school. The other option is to take your students out in the community to carol, which is what I did last year with my students. Let me tell you, it was a great experience for my students AND the community seemed to really enjoy it. We had parents, grandparents, and family members follow us from location to location. It felt like a great way to give back to the community during the Christmas season. Bonus tip: Take a group to carol at your division or district office to show off how great your music program is! The days following your Christmas concert don’t have to feel like survival mode. With a bit of planning and a handful of engaging, low-prep activities, you can keep the musical momentum going while giving yourself—and your students—a much-needed breather. Whether it’s through fun games, calming listening activities, or spreading joy through carolling, these days can still be meaningful, musical, and memorable. Remember, it’s okay to keep it simple. Your students will continue to learn, connect, and celebrate music together. And after all the energy you’ve poured into concert prep, you deserve to enjoy these last few days of December, too. Wishing you rest, joy, and just the right amount of Jingle Bells. Happy holidays and happy teaching! Jayna  Make sure to check out the Free Resource library for lessons you can use in your classroom today!
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AuthorMiss Jayna is an elementary music teacher in Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada. In addition to being a public school teacher Miss Jayna also has a private piano studio and teaches a Children's Music Program. Categories
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