Sensory Songs: Christmas Carols

Multi-Sensory Christmas Carols

These multi-sensory Christmas songs take the concept of sensory stories and apply them to traditional Christmas songs. Using a range of sensory stimuli we reinforce the key elements of the songs and bring them to life! To aim is to enthuse our sensory learners and enrich the experience for all those taking part. These sensory Christmas songs have been written with individuals and classes I work with in mind. These are primarily written for SEN pupils (Autism and PMLD) but can easily be used as pre-school activities or EYFS. These are brilliant Christmas musical activities for children.

On the Sensory Christmas Theme We also have the free Are you an Elf? christmas sensory story and “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” Sensory Song to download and use with your class.

Delivering Sensory Songs: Christmas Carols

All of the sensory stories on inclusiveteach.com have been written with the guidelines from Joanna Grace’s definitive book in mind. The challenge with adapting a song into a multi-sensory format was making sure the pace of the song left suitable processing time. You will have to plan the session around your learners needs. To get around this issue I suggest using the pause button or focusing on one additional stimuli per verse. Some children may get frustrated by constant pausing. It also interrupts the flow and rhythm of the song. You can overcome song of these barriers by singing it yourself where you can control the pace. However if you have a singing voice like mine you will have to get creative!

Below are some of our favourite and jolliest Christmas songs. When there is a sound effect (auditory stimuli) listed in the resources I have included one for you to use. These can be recorded onto a switch or big-mac so those taking part in the session can be actively involved.

Depending on the needs of your learners decide how many sensory stimuli you introduce. In my sensory stories, I use 1 sensory stimulus per couplet. As the songs are longer and faster I suggest about 5 per song with 1 for each verse/chorus. If you use too many you will wear yourself out swapping them, of course, some children may think this is fun!

Adapting the Songs for your children.

Thanks to @pmld_sensory for Trying our Christmas Senspory Carol in their setting.

Using the Sensory Christmas Carols in Class.

Performing a song with pupils with PMLD can be tricky, so when we were asked to put together a performance of a Christmas song myself and my team decided we’d film our pupils experiencing a sensory song and record some of their vocalisations to add to our video. One of my lovely TAS sent me a link from @inclusiveteach of sensory Christmas songs. I made a couple of adjustments which have worked out fab! We’ve really enjoyed putting this together and the pupils have loved it!!

What I used:

• Transparent box as a ‘curiosity box’ with a few resources to look at inside with fairy lights and jingle bells on the outside. I usually introduce the box as a starter to build up engagement and anticipation.

• Bricks for Santa’s chimney
• Cut up hessian shopping bag for Santa’s sack – ‘Coal’ made with with oats mixed with black paint and silver glitter. I rolled some into balls and let them dry and also left some laid out to dry.
• Burnt paper in a smelling jar
• Blankets and warm flannels for hands to end the session with as we sat around the “fire”

Jingle Bells Sensory Song

Jingle Bells lends itself to a multi-sensory approach. It is fun and repetitive. There are other verses apparently but the first verse and chorus are the best bits for a sensory Christmas song. This song is all about fun and “making spirits bright” So high energy, bright lights and sounds, laughing clip clipping horses etc.

Resources Needed

• Bells
• Fan
• Tissue paper or material for snow
• Horse Sound Effect, plastic cups,
• Silver material
• Torch
• White material

Dashing through the snow (Fake Snow of your choice)
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go (White materials, moving from front to behind)
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtails ring (Shake Bells)
Making spirits bright (Torch on Shiny Silver Material)
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Jingle bells, jingle bells (Shake bells)
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride (Fan – wind in your hair style)
In a one-horse open sleigh, hey
Jingle bells, jingle bells (Repeat Bells)
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride (Repeat fan)
In a one-horse open sleigh

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Resources Needed

• Red balls
• Torch or lamp
• Laugh sound effect
• Gray material/net curtain
• Santa beard/red coat
• Reindeer ears

You know Dasher and Dancer Prancer and Vixen (Reindeer ears – put on)
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose (Red Balls or shiny foil)
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows (turn on lamp/torch)

All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names (Laugh sound effect)
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games

Then one foggy Christmas Eve (Grey or net material around/over child)
Santa came to say
“Rudolph, with your nose so bright (Lamp/torch behind material)
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”

Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
You’ll go down in history” (Record onto big-mac)

Frosty The Snowman – Sensory Song

There are many ways to make fake snow but most are inedible or very messy. I suggest smash, instant potato or rice flour if you have learners who will mouth resources. It is best to put anything representing snow in the freezer or in a bag with freezer packs. I have used ice shavings but be aware of any sensitivites first. If you are very clever you could slowly warm the room up throughout the song.

The first verse is great and really lends itself to an Attention Autism activity or follow on worktask.

Resources Needed

• Biggest buttons you can find (from a threading set maybe)
• Coal (or black scrunched paper)
• Fake Snow (tissue paper, crushed ice)
• Silky material,
• Top hat
• Laugh sound effect
• Lamp
• Hand warmer
• Drum
• Mini broom
• Stop! Sound effect
• Blue Light
• Water spray/dropper

Frosty The Snowman – Song

Frosty the snowman
Was a jolly happy soul
With a corncob pipe
And a button nose and (Large buttons)
Two eyes made out of coal (Black paper)

Frosty the snowman
Is a fairy tale they say
He was made of snow (Fake snow)
But the children know
How he came to life one day

There must have been some magic
In that old silk hat they found (Silky material, top hat)
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around (Movement opportunity)

Frosty the snowman
Was alive as he could be
And the children say
He could laugh and play (Laugh sound effect)
Just the same as you and me

Frosty the snowman
Knew the sun was hot that day (Lamp, hand warmers)
So he said, “Let’s run
And we’ll have some fun
Now before I melt away” (Hair dryer or warm water on ice shavings)

Down to the village
With a broomstick in his hand (Broom)
Running here and there (Movement opportunity)
All around the square
Saying “Catch me if you can”

He led them down the streets of town
Right to the traffic cop (Blue light/filter on torch)
And he only paused a moment when
He heard him holler “Stop!” (Stop on big mac)

Frosty the snowman
Had to hurry on his way
But he waved goodbye saying,
“Don’t you cry
I’ll be back again some day” (Water drops on hand or cheek)
Thumpity, thump, thump
Thumpity, thump, thump
Look at Frosty go

Thumpity, thump, thump (drum beat)
Thumpity, thump, thump
Over the hills of snow

When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney

Resources Needed

• Make a smokey smell pot. (burn some paper/small twigs when out and cold put in a pot with some fabric)
• Fake Soot (make dark coloured rice)
• Santa beard wig
• Hessian Sack
• Achoo sound effect (more Covid secure!)
• Feather or gentle tickle
• Wrapped boxes with bells etc in

When santa got stuck the chimney he began to shout
“You girls and boys won’t get any toys (wrapped boxes with bells etc in)
If you don’t pull me out
My beard is black (Beard wig)
There’s soot in my sack (Hessian sack, empty out)
My nose is tickling too!” (tickle nose)
When santa got stuck up the chimney
A-choo, a-choo, a-choo! (Sneeze sound effect)

Away In A Manger – Sensory Christmas Song

The key themes that this traditional sensory Christmas song focuses on lend themselves really well to the RSE curriculum. Themes such as childhood, caring and love can be reinforced during the session. In order to take advantage of this use (the anachronistic) baby powder etc.

Resources Needed

• Straw
• Stars – black blanket with silver bits
• Cattle sound effect
• Baby powder
• Yellow light
• Soft blanket

Away In a Manger Sensory Song

Away in a manger
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus (Baby powder/blanket)
Lay down His sweet head

The stars in the sky (dark fabric with shiny bits on and torch)
Look down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay (Straw or hay)

The cattle are lowing (moo sound effect)
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side
‘Til morning is nigh (Yellow light)

Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever (hug or squeeze/weighted blanket)
And love me, I pray

Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to Heaven (bright light, Silver material)
To live with Thee there

We hope your children (or adults) enjoy these sensory Christmas songs. We would love to hear if you have adapted them or used them with your child or class.