Bookbug Session Plans: Festive

The Hello Song

Benefits

Familiar start – lets everyone know a Bookbug session has started.

Tips

Smile and use names if you know them. Clap or tap along to the beat.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

A festive favourite all about one of Santa's misfit reindeer!

Benefits

Rich vocabulary is introduced in a familiar, rhyming song.

Tips

Point to nose and show how it grows!

Five Christmas Cakes (to the tune of Five Currant Buns)

Benefits

Introduces early counting skills using fingers.

Tips

Count down on one hand. If you are in a small group, use a different child's name each time or choose a Christmas character (along came Santa/an elf etc).

• I Am Rolling Like A Snowball (to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)

Song and rhyme words

I am rolling like a snowball down a hill

I am rolling like a snowball down a hill

I am rolling like a snowball, rolling like a snowball, rolling like a snowball down a hill!

Next verses

I am skating on the ice in the park

I am flying on my sleigh through the clouds

I am opening up my gifts on Christmas Day

I am twinkling like a star in the sky

• When Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney

A fun-filled tune that wee ones love to sing each year.

Benefits

Both songs get everyone moving – supports development of gross and fine motor skills.

Tips

Have lots of fun with the actions in these songs. Keep the pace slow and exaggerate the actions to allow everyone to join in. You can roll faster and faster as the song becomes more familiar! Leave a good gap to let children join in with Santa’s sneezes!

I Wonder What’s In My Bag Today?

Benefits

Builds anticipation and keeps the children’s attention focussed.

Tips

Have a Santa hat in the bag and see if the children can guess what the book is about. You could even wrap the book like a present and open it up to reveal it instead of using the bag.

Peas on Earth by Jonny Marx and Lindsey Sagar, published by Little Tiger Press

Benefits

Introduces the important concepts of diversity and inclusion in a fun way that children can understand.

Tips

Ask children to name the types of animals in this story.

• Reindeer, Reindeer

Benefits

Children love the strong rhyme and rhythm in this song.

Tips

Encourage adults to bounce younger children on laps, older children can gallop around the room and join in with the actions.

• Here We Go Round the Christmas Tree (to the tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush)

Song and rhyme words

Here we go round the Christmas tree, Christmas tree, Christmas tree,

Here we go round the Christmas tree on a cold and frosty morning

This is the way Rudolph taps his nose (tap nose)

This is the way the elves make us laugh (laugh – 'Ho! Ho! Ho!')

This is the way Santa combs his beard (pretend to comb long beard)

This is the way the snowflakes fall (flutter fingers)

Benefits

Simple repetitive melody and words give everyone the confidence to join in.

Tips

Encourage everyone to copy your actions and repeat “Here we go round the Christmas Tree” so they can familiarise with the words and actions.

• Jingle Bells

A cheerful Christmas classic, what fun it is for children to ride and sing this sleighing song!

Benefits

This song is lots of fun and has plenty of repetition in it.

Tips

Children can pretend to ring bells every time they sing 'jingle bells'.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Christmas Star

Benefits

Lullabies can calm and soothe at any time of day.

Tips

Use your finger puppet or just make your fingers 'twinkle'. Replace the word 'little' with 'Christmas'.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Get children into the spirit of the season with this well-known festive favourite!

Benefits

Lots of rich and seasonal vocabulary is introduced here.

Tips

Use your finger puppet or just make your fingers 'twinkle'. Encourage joining in with 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas'.

The Goodbye Song

Benefits

Lets everyone know the session is over.

Tips

Thank everyone for joining in.