The Christmas season is such a joyous time for children, and one way that they can participate in the winter festivities is by singing preschool Christmas songs for church celebrations and other events. Some of your favorite Christmas tunes are probably perfect to teach your three- and four-year-old as they feature short verses, repetitive choruses, and rhyming lines that all help little kids remember the lyrics. Make sure you have your favorite pair of fuzzy ear-muffs close by, because once your child gets a hang of these Christmas songs, you'll be hearing them long after Santa has left the building.
Printable Preschool Christmas Program Songs
Printable Christmas carols and songs make it easy for you to teach new tunes to small children or include the lyrics in your printed program for the performance. All of these public domain Christmas songs are free to download and print by clicking on the image of the lyrics. Use this handy Adobe guide if you need more instruction or help with using the printable PDF Christmas songs.
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas Lyrics
Jolly Old Saint Nicholas is a fun song for this age group because it captures the joy and mystery of what gifts Santa will bring a child. The first verse from John Piersol McCaskey's 1881 version of the song is short and rhyming.
Ways to make the song fun include:
- Have every other child dress up as Santa so the kids standing in a row can mimic the lyric "Jolly old Saint Nicholas/Lean your ear this way."
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Add simple motions to the song like cupping a hand around your ear, shaking your finger, and cupping hands around the mouth to match the lyrics.
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Have each child hold a picture of all the things they'd like to get for Christmas as they sing.
Up on the Housetop Printable
Up on the Housetop is another great song for preschoolers and toddlers about Santa Claus visiting on Christmas. The first verse and chorus from the 1864 version by Benjamin Hanby are ideal for this age group.
Ways to make the song fun include:
- Dress some kids in Santa hats and others in reindeer antlers.
- Let the kids use a variety of wooden instruments to make the "click" sound as they sing that lyric.
- Add motions like stomping to mimic the reindeer on the roof.
Away in a Manger Song Sheet
Church nativity songs for preschool include classics like Away in a Manger. Younger kids can sing the first four verses, which are each only two sentences, while older preschoolers can handle the entire song.
Ways to make the song fun include:
- Ask kids to wear costumes that resemble the garb of Mary, Joseph, or the Three Wise Men.
- Give each child a baby doll to hold and rock as they sing.
- Add simple motions to match the lyrics like placing palms together on the side of the face to indicate sleeping.
Popular Christmas Songs for Preschoolers
You can add props, costumes, instruments, and original movements to any Christmas music for kids to create a fun and memorable holiday program. Look for a good mix of classic, modern, and original songs to keep kids and families engaged in the performance.
Classic Christmas Songs for Preschoolers
Most popular Christmas songs feature several verses and a repeated chorus. You can adapt any of these songs to a preschool performance by starting with the chorus, selecting one easy and appropriate verse, then ending with the chorus again.
- Christmas Don't Be Late (The Chipmunk Song) - Start out with the teacher calling out each child by name just like Dave does with the chipmunks. Choose a couple older kids to solo with the specific toy verses.
- Dominick the Donkey - Lou Monte's funny Italian Christmas song pairs great with donkey ears and instruments that make a variety of clanging sounds.
- Frosty the Snowman - Kids can wear top hats and scarves as they pretend to build a snowman while they sing.
- I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Kids can make animal movements as they sing about not wanting an alligator or rhinoceros.
- Jingle Bells - Give kids bells to jingle as they sing.
- Jingle Bell Rock - Kids can don toy guitars or pair up to dance as they sing this upbeat tune.
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Children can perform a variety of hand motions that match lyrics like pretending to write on their hand with the words "He's making a list."
- Silent Night - Each child can bring a stuffed animal or baby doll to rock and sing to during the performance.
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Give kids the chance to get really active by allowing them to skip around the room as they sing this festive song.
- You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Kids can wear all green as they sing about the Grinch and do motions like plugging their noses as they sing.
Modern Christmas Songs for Preschoolers
Thanks to platforms like YouTube there are as many modern Christmas songs as there are classics. Most of these songs were made with preschoolers in mind, so they include videos with the motions to help kids learn.
I'm a Little Snowman
Reminiscent of the song I'm a Little Teapot, this cute song turns kids into snowmen as they describe all the components of a snowman. I'm a Little Snowman is a great option for secular holiday performances.
The Reindeer Pokey
Turn the classic Hokey Pokey into The Reindeer Pokey with this fun dancing song that gets kids moving as they sing. Simple costume props like antlers, deer tails, and red noses bring the motions to life.
Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star
The lyrics from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star are slightly altered to describe the special star on top of the Christmas tree in this song. Kids can wiggle their fingers with the "twinkle" lyrics and pretend to put a star on top of a tree as they sing.
Santa Shark
If your kids love Baby Shark, they'll love Santa Shark as a new classic Christmas song. Kids can do quick costume accessory changes as they sing about Santa shark, reindeer sharks, and elf sharks in this repetitive tune.
Easy Original Christmas Songs With Actions for Preschoolers
Christmas songs with motions for toddlers and preschoolers make holiday programs even more adorable. You can create your own original Christmas songs with actions by turning your favorite finger plays for children into songs with musical accompaniment or changing up the lyrics to any classic kids song.
Ho, Ho Santa Claus Song With Motions
Sung to the tune of Baa Baa Black Sheep, kids use simple hand motions to compliment the lyrics of Ho, Ho Santa Claus.
Ho, ho Santa Claus (Hold one hand on belly and lean back with fake laughter.)
Have you any gifts? (Bring both hands out to sides of body as if asking a question.)
Yes child, yes child, (Nod head as if saying yes.)
One magic sack full! (Pretend to pick up large sack of toys and throw over one shoulder.)
Toys for all the boys (Bring right hand out away from body with palm up.)
And toys for all the girls. (Bring left hand out away from body with palm up.)
Gifts for all the good children (Put right hand up in front of body and point from left to right.)
Sleeping soundly around the world. (Place hands with palms together on one side of face and close eyes.)
Five Little Presents Song With Motions
Modeled from the finger play Five Little Pumpkins, this rhythmic song can be sung to any simple piano tune.
Five little presents sat under the tree. (Hold up 5 fingers.)
The first one said, "Open me first please." (Hold up thumb.)
The second one said, "Let me be the first he sees." (Hold up index finger.)
The third one said, "I'm the biggest under the tree." (Hold up middle finger.)
The fourth one said, "Pick me, pick me, pick me." (Hold up ring finger.)
The fifth one said, "We can't wait, please hurry." (Hold up pinky.)
Ooooo! Went the child, and out stretched his hands. (Make an excited face with hands on both cheeks the stretch hands out as if grabbing a present.)
And the five little presents became toys so grand! (Roll hands behind back then bring forward in "jazz hands.")
If You're Jolly and You Know It Song With Motions
Turn the song If You're Happy and You Know It into a simple Christmas song by adding actions typically attributed to a jolly Santa Claus. This interactive song is great for crowd participation.
If you're jolly and you know it (Raise hands up above head and wiggle fingers.)
jiggle your belly! (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Raise hands up above head and wiggle fingers.)
jiggle your belly! (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Raise hands up above head and wiggle fingers.)
Then your belly will surely show it, (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Raise hands up above head and wiggle fingers.)
jiggle your belly! (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Tap your nose! (Place one finger on one side of nose.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Tap your nose! (Place one finger on one side of nose.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Then your face will surely show it, (Place one finger on one side of nose.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Tap your nose! (Place one finger on one side of nose.)
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Say "Ho, ho, ho!" (Actually say "Ho, ho, ho.")
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Say "Ho, ho, ho!" (Actually say "Ho, ho, ho.")
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Then your laugh will surely show it (Actually say "Ho, ho, ho.")
If you're jolly and you know it (Place both hands on belly and jiggle it.)
Say "Ho, ho, ho!" (Actually say "Ho, ho, ho.")
Let Kids Show Their Christmas Spirit
Children's Christmas songs for church programs, nursery school, preschool, or family Christmas parties can be used for caroling or can turn into your favorite memorable performances. Help kids show their Christmas spirit with interactive holiday songs that celebrate all aspects of the magical season.
