December can get pretty hectic, and as music teachers, we know there’s hardly any time to plan extra activities. But don’t worry—I’ve got you covered with games that require little to no prep. In this post, I’ll share five of my favorite quick and easy Christmas music games that will keep your students learning and engaged without adding to your workload. Let’s dive in!
1. Christmas Music Bingo
🎄 What you’ll need: Bingo cards, a Christmas music playlist, and a way to play the music (remember to check if your school blocks any outside links to places like YouTube or Spotify and plan ahead).
Christmas Music Bingo is the perfect combination of a classic game and a love for holiday tunes. The rules are simple: hand out Bingo cards with song titles listed in the squares, then play short clips of each Christmas song. As each song plays, players mark off the corresponding song title on their card. The first person to get five in a row (or a full card, whatever you decide)—vertically, horizontally, or diagonally—shouts “Bingo!” and optionally wins a small prize.
You can encourage students to guess the name of each song you play before you tell them to make it extra fun!
Tip: You can find print-and-go Christmas Music Bingo cards with a playlist in my shop.
2. Christmas Music Escape Room
If you’re looking for something unique, tons of fun, and a great review, a Christmas Music Escape Room might be just what you need! Students use their musical knowledge and skills to solve puzzles and “escape” before time runs out.
I offer a printable Christmas Music Escape Room game that’s designed to keep students engaged while reviewing musical concepts in a fun, interactive way. It even includes two difficulty levels for each puzzle, so you can use it with more than one grade! Each small team works together to solve puzzles related to Christmas carols, and basic music theory. It’s a wonderful alternative to traditional last-minute class activities.
With easy-to-follow instructions, this game can be set up very quickly and adds a little mystery and competition to your holiday fun. Who doesn’t love the thrill of an escape room?
3. Name That Tune: Christmas Music Edition
“Name That Tune,” is a classic holiday game. To start, divide your group into teams and play a short clip of a Christmas song. The team that can name the song quickest earns a point.
You can also make it more challenging by playing a random part of the song (not just the beginning).
This is a great game to play at class parties, as it gets kids laughing, guessing, and sharing their favorite holiday tunes. Plus, it’s super easy to set up—all you need is a speaker and a playlist of holiday songs.
4. Christmas Rhythm Snowball Fight
❄️ What you’ll need: Paper, markers, and background holiday music.
If you want to get your students moving while reviewing rhythms, a Christmas rhythm snowball fight is the perfect game!
Write simple rhythms on pieces of scrap paper, then crumple them into snowball-like balls. You could even have your first class write the rhythms to save you time or involve them in the setup!
To play the game, students throw the “snowballs” around the room while the music plays. When the music stops, everyone grabs a snowball, unfolds it, and claps the rhythm written on their paper.
Remember to set ground rules beforehand about how students are allowed to throw the ‘snowballs’ (not in each other faces!) and how they are allowed to move around the room (no running, etc.)
This activity is great to get your students moving while reviewing their rhythms—it’s a win-win!
5. Rhythm or Music Symbol Bingo
Rhythm or music symbol bingo is a fantastic way to review musical elements in a holiday lesson.
To play rhythm bingo, the teacher claps out rhythms while the students have to find the correct rhythm on their Bingo cards. In music symbol bingo, the teacher calls out music symbols (like a treble clef or quarter note), and students mark off the corresponding symbol on their cards.
There are printable Christmas-themed Music Bingo sets in my shop that make this game print-and-go. It’s a great review activity for music classes and ensures students stay focused and engaged while reinforcing their knowledge of rhythms and symbols.
Plus, the festive Christmas tree design adds a bit of holiday fun!
What are Your Favorite Christmas Music Games?
So, what are you waiting for? Try out one (or all!) of these Christmas music games and let your lesson planning for the last week before break be done!
Have you played any of these games with your music students? Do you have something to add to the list? I’d love to hear what your favorite Christmas music games are!
🎄 P.S. Don’t forget to check out my printable Christmas music escape room or take a peek at all my holiday music resources to make your holiday lesson planning even easier!
Need more holiday music lesson ideas. Check out these blog posts:
