Christmas songs and fingerplays are some of our favorite things to include in circle time this time of year! My daycare kids love Christmas rhymes and Christmas action songs, they just can’t get enough! I’m always amazed at how much of each of these songs and rhymes my daycare kids remember each year. If you are looking for fun and silly Christmas songs, rhymes, and fingerplays to keep your toddlers and preschoolers engaged in circle time then you have come to the right place!
Below are our favorite songs, rhymes, and fingerplays to do at Christmas time, in no particular order. These are Christmas action songs & fingerplays that I have sung with kids for over 15 years now. Definitely kid-tested and approved over the years!
Christmas Songs & Fingerplays for Kids
Five Little Gingerbread (Fingerplay)
Five little gingerbread lying on a tray,
One jumped up and ran away
Shouting “Catch me, catch me, catch me if you can,
I run really fast, I’m the gingerbread man!”
(Continue counting down until there are none left)
No more gingerbread lying on a tray.
They all jumped up and ran away!
The Mitten in the Snow (Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Warm, warm, warm, and dry
Mittens feel so nice.
So grab a pair in the chilly air
Or in the snow and ice.
Snowflakes (Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
(Begin in a standing position, with hands in the air.)
Snowflakes, snowflakes, dance around, (Dance and spin around in circles.)
Snowflakes, snowflakes, touch the ground. (Wiggle your fingers, then touch the floor.)
Snowflakes, snowflakes, in the air, (Standing position, with hands in the air.)
Snowflakes, snowflakes, Everywhere. (Wiggle fingers and move arms back and forth)
Snowflakes, snowflakes dance around, (Dance and spin around in circles.)
Snowflakes, snowflakes touch the ground. (Wiggle your fingers, then touch the floor.)
O Candy Cane (Tune: “O Christmas Tree”)
O candy cane, O candy cane,
You’re minty and delightful.
O candy cane, O candy cane,
We love you, every biteful.
Your tasty flavor is so sweet,
Your handle makes you fun to eat,
O candy cane, O candy cane,
We love your stripes and flavor!
SANTA (Tune: “BINGO”)
There is a man we know so well,
And SANTA is his name Ho
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
And SANTA is his name HO!
Repeat verse, each time leaving off a letter in Santa.
Ring the Bells (Tune: “Jimmy Crack Corn”)
Ring those bells and turn around.
Ring those bells and turn around.
Ring those bells and turn around.
For Christmas time is near.
(repeat verse but change the action each time. ie stomp feet, jump up and down, touch your nose…)
Ring those bells quietly.
Ring those bells quietly.
Ring those bells quietly.
For Christmas time is near.
Dance Like Snowflakes (Tune: Frere Jacques)
Dance like snowflakes,
Dance like snowflakes,
In the air,
In the air,
Whirling, twirling snowflakes,
Whirling, twirling snowflakes,
Here and there,
Here and there.
Spread Christmas Cheer (Tune: We Wish You a Merry Christmas”)
Let’s all do a little clapping,
Let’s all do a little clapping,
Let’s all do a little clapping,
To spread Christmas cheer!
(more ideas: jumping, stomping, crawling, laughing, turning…)
There’s A Little Elf Sitting On My Nose (Tune: “If Your Happy and You Know it”)
There’s a little elf sitting on my nose,
There’s a little elf sitting on my nose,
He is sitting on my nose, then off away he goes,
There’s a little elf sitting on my nose.
The Reindeer Pokey (Tune: “The Hokey Pokey”)
You put your right hoof in,
You put your right hoof out.
You put your right hoof in,
And you shake it all about!
You do the reindeer pokey,
and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
(Continue with left hoof, right antler [hands on head], left antler, tail, and red nose…)
Old St. Nicholas (Tune: “Old McDonald Had a Farm”)
Old St. Nicholas,
Had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!
And on that tree,
He had some horns (put fists together, one on top of the other, and put in front of mouth)
Ho ho ho ho ho
With a toot toot here (pretend to blow horn to left)
And a toot toot there (pretend to blow horn to right)
Here a toot
There a toot
Everywhere a toot toot (pretend to blow in a circular motion)
Old St. Nicholas,
Had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!
(More ideas: lights – blink blink, candy canes – yum yum, bells – ring ring, stars – twinkle twinkle, drums – boom boom, snowflakes- flutter flutter…)
Christmas Cheer (tune: “Mary Had A Little Lamb”)
(More ideas: Jump around, spin around, dance around, bend your knees, reach up high, pat your knees, march in place…)
Here is the Chimney (Tune: “I’m A Little Teapot Tune”)
Here is the chimney, (Make a fist, enclose thumb)
Here is the top. (place palm on top of fist)
Open the lid, (remove top hand)
and out Santa will pop. (pop up thumb)
I’m a Little Santa (Tune: “I’m A Little Teapot”)
I’m a little Santa,
Short and fat,
Here is my beard,
And here is my sack,
On Christmas Eve,
I hop in my sleigh,
With a “Ho ho ho”
I’m on my way.
A Shy Santa (Fingerplay)
Isn’t it the strangest thing,
That Santa is so shy? (hide face with hands)
We can never, never catch him, (make fingers run)
No matter how we try.
It isn’t any use to watch, (hold hand to eyes and look)
Because my parents said,
“Santa Claus will only come
When children are in bed!” (shake finger)
Christmas Presents (Fingerplay)
See the many presents, (Point to eye.)
by the Christmas tree, (Sweep hands in wide half-circle then form tree with hands.)
Some for you, (Point to others.)
And some for me. (Point to self.)
Long ones, (Spread hands wide apart.)
Tall ones, (Hold hand high above head.)
Short ones, too. (Hold hands close together.)
And here is a round one, (Make a circle with arms.)
Wrapped in blue.
Isn’t it fun to look and see, (Point to eyes.)
All the presents,
by the Christmas tree? (Sweep hands in wide half-circle then form tree with hands.)
Gingerbread Man (Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
Stir a bowl of gingerbread, (pretend to stir a bowl)
Smooth and brown,
Roll it with a rolling pin, (pretend to roll)
up and up and down.
With a cookie cutter, (pretend to cut out)
make some little men.
Put them in the oven (pretend to place in oven)
till half-past ten!
Santa’s Coming (Tune: “Are You Sleeping”)
Santa’s coming,
Santa’s coming
Yes he is!
Yes he is!
Hear his bells a ringing,
Hear his bells a ringing,
Ding ding dong,
Ding ding dong
Santa’s coming,
Santa’s coming
Hear him laughing,
Hear him laughing,
Ho ho ho.
Ho ho ho.
Five Little Christmas Trees (Fingerplay)
Five little Christmas trees, (Hold up five fingers.)
Stood all alone. (Stand up straight, arms at sides.)
Their hearts were very sad, (Make sad face.)
For they hadn’t found a home. (Shake head no, while looking sad.)
Chop! went the ax. (Pretend to swing ax)
Down fell one tree. (Pretend to fall to the ground)
And off it went with a happy family. (March in place, smiling.)
(continue counting down, 4, 3, 2, 1)
Don’t see your favorite Christmas action songs & fingerplays? Share it with us below by leaving a comment. Merry Christmas!
Looking for more crafts and activities? Check out our index for 100+ plus kids activities! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age and much more!
