🎉 Holiday Movement & Self-Regulation Songs for Littles: A Multicultural Celebration

The holidays are a magical time full of energy, excitement, and togetherness. For young children, that excitement can be overwhelming. Using songs, movement, and dance from diverse holiday traditions is a wonderful way to help little ones move, celebrate, learn about different cultures, and practice self‑regulation and emotional awareness.

Below is a curated playlist of holiday songs, spanning Christmas, Hanukkah, multicultural/winter‑holiday, and inclusive celebration songs, each with movement prompts and self‑regulation / social emotional learning (SEL) focus.

🎵 Holiday Song List + Movement Prompts + SEL Focus

🎄 Christmas Floor is Lava Game

Movement/Prompt:

“Find a safe spot FAST when the music stops — but move like you’re tiptoeing through snow while it’s playing!”

SEL / Regulation Focus: Impulse control + body awareness.

Students practice stopping their bodies on cue and noticing how their movements feel as they shift from fast to still.

🎶 Boom Chicka Boom Christmas

Movement/Prompt:

“Repeat after me in different Christmas styles — like ‘Santa style,’ ‘snowman style,’ or ‘reindeer style!’ Match your movements to the voice.”

SEL / Regulation Focus: Focus + flexible thinking.

Kids practice listening closely, following patterns, and shifting between silly, slow, big, or small movement styles.

🦌 Reindeer Hokey Pokey Dance

Movement/Prompt:

“Put your ‘antlers’ in, put your ‘antlers’ out… try doing it with slow, medium, or fast energy!”

SEL / Regulation Focus: Self-regulation + identifying energy levels.

Students notice how their bodies feel when moving at different speeds and choose the level that feels good for them.

🤫 Don't Wake Santa Freeze Dance

Movement/Prompt:“Dance quietly like elves — but freeze like a statue when the music stops so Santa stays asleep!”

SEL / Regulation Focus:Impulse control + emotional regulation. Kids practice pausing, grounding, and controlling excitement by using deep belly breaths between rounds.

🎅 Santa Slide

Movement/Prompt:“Slide, hop, clap, and stomp with Santa — and add your own move at the end to show your holiday spirit!”

SEL / Regulation Focus:Confidence + self-expression. Encourages kids to contribute a creative movement and feel proud sharing it with the group.

🕎 Oh HANUKKAH Freeze Dance

Movement/Prompt:“Dance like a sparkling candle flame — tall, wiggly, bright — but FREEZE in your candle pose when the music stops!”

SEL / Regulation Focus: Self-control + grounding. Freezing in a pose helps students practice steady bodies and focused attention.

🌀 Dreidel Hokey Pokey

Movement/Prompt:“Put your ‘dreidel spin’ in, take your ‘dreidel spin’ out… try spinning slow, then fast, then slow again!”

SEL / Regulation Focus: Energy regulation + noticing body states. Kids explore how different speeds feel and practice returning to calm after fast spinning.

🎶 Chanukah Song and Dance

Movement/Prompt:“Follow the steps — march, twirl, clap — and then add your own ‘festival of lights’ move at the end!”

SEL / Regulation Focus: Confidence + creative expression. Students get to practice joining group rhythms while expressing their uniqueness.

✨ Kwanzaa Celebration Song

Movement/Prompt:“Move to the beat using proud, strong motions — like lighting candles, passing community gifts, or celebrating together.”

SEL / Regulation Focus: Community-building + belonging. Encourages students to feel connected, celebrate culture, and move together as a group.

🌟 Sesame Street: Celebrate Kwanzaa Song

Movement/Prompt:“Follow along with the Sesame Street friends — sway, clap, and march — then show a move that represents something you appreciate about your community.”

SEL / Regulation Focus:Gratitude + social awareness. Helps kids reflect on people who support them and express appreciation through movement.

🧠 Why This Holiday Playlist Is So Powerful for Littles

• Self‑Regulation through Movement & Freeze: Many of these songs encourage kids to dance, then freeze — building impulse control, attention, and body awareness.

• Energy Management & Emotional Awareness: Holiday excitement can lead to overstimulation. Songs like “Let It Snow” or “I Have a Little Dreidel” offer calming movement; others release bottled-up energy.

• Gross Motor Development: Marching, spinning, jumping, tiptoeing — these help build coordination, balance, and body control.

• Cultural Awareness & Inclusivity: Incorporating songs from Christmas and Hanukkah (and general winter/holiday mixes) helps children learn about different traditions, fostering respect, curiosity, and a sense of community.

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Group music and movement encourages cooperation, following directions, sharing, and recognizing others’ rhythms and energies.

✅ Tips for Teachers & Parents on How to Use This Playlist

• Create a Holiday Playlist: Use the links above to build a shared playlist (on YouTube or Spotify) to use throughout the season.

• Mix High-Energy & Calming Songs: Start with energetic songs for movement & release, then transition to calmer songs to help kids wind down.

• Incorporate Freeze or Stop/Go Games: Pause music unexpectedly during songs to practice impulse control and attentive listening.

• Use Movement as Transition or Break Tool: Great between activities, before naps, or after recess — helps kids regulate energy and reset focus.

• Celebrate & Teach About Traditions: Use songs as a gateway to talk about holiday traditions (candles, dreidels, celebrations, giving, kindness).

• Reflect & Discuss: After a song or dance session ask: “How did your body feel when we froze?” or “What holiday does this song come from?” — helps build emotional awareness and cultural learning.

🌍 The Bigger Picture: Learning Culture, Community & Respect

Using holiday songs from different traditions - not just limited to one - opens a door for children to discover and respect diversity. Through music, dance, and play, kids learn that holidays are about:

• Family, togetherness, and celebration

• Tradition, heritage, and history

• Joy, sharing, and community

• Respect for different cultures and beliefs

In a mixed classroom or community, this approach builds empathy, inclusivity, and a sense of belonging. It encourages children to appreciate that not everyone celebrates the same holidays, but we can all celebrate by sharing music, movement, and joy.

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