In this article
The last thing you want to do during all the togetherness of Christmas in 2020 is listen to yet another rendition of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Let's change things up in 2021. We'll learn a little bit of history, potentially listen to something brand-new, and switch up our Christmas music playlists. And yes, "Jingle Bells" is inevitable, but at least we've got an inclusive and interactive version for you to share with your kids this year.
Here are some of the best Christmas songs for kids to learn, sing, and listen to during the holiday season. It will be painless, I promise.
Learning an instrument can help foster a love of music
Learning to play an instrument is a great way to bring music to life for kids. It definitely has been for my children. From the oldest in his twenties, all the way down to my almost 10-year-old, music is a regular part of their daily lives. This year, my son has been keeping up with his music lessons by learning piano and ukulele Christmas songs with the help of online YouTube tutorials.
Jake Willis a musician in Charleston, SC, was also my youngest's ukulele and piano instructor before the world shut down earlier this year. He shared with us how learning their favorite songs can foster a lifelong love of music.
"A huge benefit of having children learn ukulele is that with just a handful of easy-to-make chords, they are able to play and sing many of their favorite songs," Willis told Mom.com. "It’s a great instrument for 'quick wins' for kids, meaning that a child is able to quickly feel rewarded by playing and singing songs they love with simple chord progressions on ukulele.
"And this little joy can fan a child’s interest in music into flame, while also making them more comfortable with rhythm and melody," Willis added.
Piano and ukulele Christmas songs for kids
1. This "Jingle Bells" piano tutorial from Hoffman Academy is easy for beginners to follow.
2. For a ukulele Christmas song, this version of "Silent Night," from One Music School is a great start.
3. Chances are if your child has taken piano lessons, they're already familiar with "Good King Wenceslas." If not, this is also a fairly easy song to learn on the piano. Many of today's Christmas songs were Latin Christian hymns sung during church Christmas celebrations in the 4th century.
Instrumental Christmas music with a rock and roll twist
4. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) has performed instrumental Christmas music for 24 years, but the band has its roots in 1980s heavy metal. Founded by members of Savatage, one of my favorite bands from the ’80s, TSO's "Carol of the Bells," can be heard on the radio every holiday season.
This year, on December 18, the band will perform a livestream special entitled, Christmas Eve and Other Stories. Introducing this unique rock-opera style of music to your children would be top-notch epic parenting, in my opinion. Though, I may be a bit biased.
The best Christmas songs for kids
5. Any song by the a capella group, Pentatonix, will be well-received by the whole family. Their seasonal songs could be considered some of the best Christmas songs for kids and parents. Pentatonix 2017 version of "Deck the Halls" is sure to become a family favorite for years to come.
Fun Christmas songs for young children
6. If you've got young children, don't forget about the classic, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." This cute and funny tune will have your children giggling the whole way through. "My son loved singing it because he thought 'hippopotamuses' was hysterical and he loved stomping around like a hippo," Jen Potter told Mom.com.
7. The Baby Sign Language YouTube channel has a fun Signing Time Sing and Sign's version of "Jingle Bells" that is one of the best Christmas songs for little ones learning to sign. It features a thorough run-through of the signs for each part of the song. The complete song plays at the end, so children see how it all comes together.
Celebrate the meaning of Christmas with these songs
8. Parents seeking songs that evoke the spirit of the holiday may opt for Christmas song lyrics that celebrate the birth of Christ. Mom of three Lyn Dick shared her favorites with Mom.com. "I love "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Silent Night" because of the calm and pureness of the songs. They epitomize what Christmas is really about," she told us.
9. I first heard the song "Children Go Where I Send Thee," when we first moved to South Carolina from the Northeast at my children's elementary school Christmas concert. The original first recording and first release by Dennis Crumpton and Robert Summers is an interesting tidbit of history from 1936, and well worth a listen. Historically an African-American spiritual Christmas song, it has been adapted over the years and covered by countless artists. Young children will enjoy this upbeat version of the Christmas song by Laurie Berkner.
