This post may contain affiliate links. As a Sheet Music Plus and Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means I make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you purchase something from an affiliate link.
The holidays are a great time to incorporate some fun activities into your studio. The activities don’t necessarily have to be Christmas-themed either. You can make your activities more Winter/holiday-themed – think snow, hot chocolate, bells, and candy canes. Below is a roundup of some ideas of holiday activities for your music studio.
Have a Studio Mascot
I can’t say I’ve totally embraced “Elf on the Shelf,” but my students constantly talk about their elves at home or at school. Teachers even have them in the classroom for kids. How about an elf in the piano room that listens if students have practiced? Or maybe hide a small snowman in your studio and see if students can find it!
Have a Challenge for Your Studio
I created a “December challenge” for my studio where my students have to complete a certain number of tasks. If they complete the challenge, I give them a small prize/reward. Doing this is like giving my students a little gift around this time of year. You can make your own challenge for areas that you want to improve in your studio. It can last one week, two weeks, or longer. Do you want your students to master chord inversion fingerings? Create a challenge for them to use the correct fingering for 3 sets of chords and then they get a reward. Easy!
Here are some ideas of my favorite rewards for students:
Play a Game
I use fortune tellers in my studio just about every season. My students *love* them. They especially like taking turns where I quiz them one time and then they get to quiz me. So far I have two Christmas sets made:
Christmas Fortune Tellers Set 1
For younger students: step/skips on the staff, treble clef and bass clef notes in middle C position
Christmas Fortune Tellers Set 2
For older students: Intervals 5th through octave, major key signatures with sharps, ledger line notes
Use Cute Worksheets
I recently made some winter worksheets for my beginner students. For lessons, I print the worksheets one time and put them in reusable sleeves. My students use washable dry erase markers to complete them. I also plan to send home a few worksheets that students can do over the holidays.
Have a Group Class
Because my teaching is mostly private lessons, I really enjoy having extra group classes at my studio. I have them about once a month so that students can gather together and play for each other. You can do this as an option for makeup classes or charge a small, extra fee per student. If you have a December recital, you can use the group class as recital practice. If you don’t have a December recital, you can gather students to play holiday songs for each other, share a treat, and play some games (like Music Bingo).
Play Ensemble Music
I started making ensemble arrangements for my monthly group classes, because I had classes of mixed ages. Students learn how to play melodies and various accompaniment patterns. There are different options for accompaniment patterns so that students of different levels can play together.
Piano Ensemble Music in My Shop
Christmas Ensemble Music Blog Post (Provides more details about the arrangements)
Make a Holiday Music List
I created this simple printout for my students to make a list of their holiday music. They are encouraged to gather music from years past so that they can see how much holiday music they know! Having 5-10 songs to play around the holidays for family and friends is a great way for students to share their music.
Have a Jar Contest
My students *love* when I have a Candy Jar Contest. Earlier in the year, I added an option for filling the jar with prizes rather than candy (a healthier option!). For Halloween, I bought a 300-piece puzzle and put about 110 pieces in the jar. My students still enjoyed the contest without candy! The winner got to keep the entire puzzle.
Give a Gift
Have you ever noticed how children love tiny items? One little chocolate bell or candy cane would surely make my students smile! Other items like a keychain or ornament are a nice item to give students.
I hope you have enjoyed these ideas for holiday activities in your music studio! Let me know what your favorite holiday activity with students is in the comments below!
Lauren teaches piano to students of all ages. She enjoys creating resources for her students and teachers. She is the author of Ready for Theory®. For personalized help, check out the consultations page for teachers.
