This is a rewarding time of year to be a music teacher. Children love the songs we sing, as do adults wandering by the music room. Often the principal will pop in to hear "Winter Wonderland" or a teacher will return early so she can join in with "Children Go Where I Send Thee"--a fun African-American spiritual which tells the Christmas story in numbers.
My Kindergarten students sing simple songs with unmatched gusto. The verse of "Jingle Bells" is too much for them, but the chorus is belted with enthusiasm. And I love teaching my older students the lesser-known songs: "Fum, Fum, Fum" from many centuries ago, or "Silver Bells" from their great-grandparents generation. They beg me for the standards: "Rudolph", "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and "Silent Night". It's hard to say no to kids clamoring to sing, sing, sing--so we make time for those songs, too.
What Christmas songs were your favorites as a child? What songs do your children enjoy? What songs do you love to hear kids sing? I'm eager for your feedback!
6 comments:
I liked Away in a Manger and The Little Drummer Boy. The pa-rump-puh-pumb-pumb's were fun to sing. =)
I liked Joy to the World as a kid.
Last night at our church I heard a new one during the Christmas concert...it blew me away.
It was called Winter Snow.
~ Wendy
Sounds fun. I love hearing little kids sing. My kids love the Irish one, Soul Cake. My personal favorite is O' Holy night. Love it since I was a kid.
Yes, Keli, The Little Drummer Boy is also a favorite. I like it because it's easy on an accompanist's hands...I'm more a singer than a pianist! :)
Wendy, I love Joy to the World, especially the latter verses. I think it says a lot about you that you loved that song as a child. It's pretty sophisticated in range and lyrics!
Cindy, I've never heard of "Soul Cake"--and I thought I knew every holiday song in the world! ;) I'll have to look that one up.
Thanks for weighing in, friends!
Little Drummer Boy and Silver Bells...
Little Drummer Boy because of the movie and Silver Bells because I learned to play it on the piano.
Love Christmas music, old stuff, new stuff. Hymns are my favorites.
peace~elaine
nice post! thanks for sharing...blessings soraya
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