Caroling (in the school setting)

The Christmas season is in full swing, and it's no longer "too early" to be hearing the old familiar Christmas tunes everywhere!

One of my "fun activities" for my chorus students is caroling.  Many schools may not have the budget available for busing to go caroling at a nursing home, but that doesn't have to keep you from spreading holiday cheer through caroling right in your school.



On the last day of school before the holiday vacation, (Don't you love that day?!) I ask the students to come to school early so that we are in place outside ready to sing when the buses are dropping students off at our school for the morning.  Seeing the kids faces light up as they hear familiar carols sung to them as they get off the bus is really priceless.  Our caroling gets the whole day off to a festive start.

Carolling doesn't take up a lot of rehearsal time either.  I print out the songs in booklets for the students, and we sing familiar favorites that everyone knows, such as "Twelve Days of Christmas", "Rudolph", "Jingle Bells", "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", etc.  We sing through them once or twice before the caroling day, and then we are good to go.  Caroling is a time when we focus on the fun of singing.

After the last bus has arrived, we head back into the school for cookies and hot chocolate!  I provide the hot chocolate, and the students bring cookies to share.  It's a  great way to kick off that final day before the long-awaited holiday vacation!