In December, my session plans center around holiday and seasonal themes. Keep reading to learn my favorite songs I use in early childhood during this month.
1. "Hot Chocolate" by Stephanie Leavell
This song is about "a toasty warm, nice and sweet snow day treat". I pass out scarves to the kids and model pretending to put whipped cream on top of our hot cocoa by twirling the scarf higher and higher. We create sound effects of using a spray can of whipped cream while we engage in this pretend play. We also act out putting on gloves and building "a snow surprise". When blowing on our "hot cocoa" to cool it off, we put our scarves in front of our faces and blow them as far as we can!
This song pairs with "ice skating" on paper plates. When I have plenty of room and carpet available, I pass out two white paper plates to the kids and instruct them to put one foot on each plate. As I sing and play the song, the kids stand and scoot along the carpet on their "ice skates". The kids are also prompted to "skate and wait" during the chorus of the song.
"Sweater" is about enjoying a nice warm sweater...until it goes terribly wrong. Nothing is worse than an itchy, wet, tight, or smelly sweater! This song is ideal for validating kids with tactile sensitivities to particular clothing, while also giving them a silly outlet for expressing this discomfort. I also teach kids about how "bear hugs" can help with emotional and sensory regulation and prompt them to give themselves a hug everytime they hear that word. We also act out the song with various motions, such as pretending to scratch when they hear the word "itchy" or shaking off the "water" when they hear the word "wet". Lastly, I prompt the kids to imitate the phrase, "Oh no" to promote speech and communication.
The song provides a sensory break for kiddos and can be paired scarves or a weighted blanket. I model wrapping the "blanket" around our shoulders, as well as giving ourselves a bear hug when prompted during the song. The song also prompted kids to make their "body small", wrap their "knees in close", and to "take a deep breath". I model lying in the fetal position on the floor as well or sitting with knees to our chest during this part of the song. Finally, if using scarves, I lift the scarf up as I breathe in, and blow the scarf as I breathe out.
This active movement song depicts common things seen during winter such as snowflakes, coats, mittens, evergreen trees, and hibernating animals. Kids are prompted during the song to move like twirling and swirling snowflakes, shiver like it is cold outside, and to pretend to fall asleep like hibernating animals.
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