Let's get JINGLE-Y!

Jingle bell fun!

Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup is getting down with the bells!  

It’s that-time-of-year when many of the schools I work with have Holiday Programs, with or without Christmas, Hanukkah or other religious references.  I never sing about religious holidays unless requested to do so, but sometimes I get asked, “Could you sing something in the spirit of the holiday without mentioning it?” 

                                 SURE!

 Here’s one anytime song that includes bells, a fingerplay where your fingers are the bells, plus a little information about that evergreen – “Jingle Bells!” 

 

“Jingle Bells” was written in 1850 in my home state: Massachusetts.  The author, James Pierpont wrote it as a merry little jingle for WINTER (not Christmas) entitled “The One Horse Open Sleigh”.  There is much speculation about where, when and even IF Mr. Pierpont wrote it from scratch, but most of the money seems to be on yes!  As phonograph records became popular at the turn of the century, “Jingle Bells” sold well.  Though there is no mention of Christmas in the lyrics, many people associate it primarily with the holiday. 

Jingle fast!

    I love to pair “Jingle Bells” with either “Ring Those Bells” (see my 12/2011 blog ) and/or “Jingle Bells and STOP!”  Let’s explore the latter today.

JINGLE BELLS AND STOP!

LYRICS:

We’ll jingle bells and jingle bells and jingle bells and STOP!

We’ll jingle bells and jingle bells and jingle bells and STOP!

 V. 2  We’ll jingle high and jingle high…

 V. 3  We’ll jingle low and jingle low….

 V. 4  We’ll jingle fast and jingle fast ….

 V. 5  We’ll jingle very slowly, jingle very slowly…

 V. 6  repeat first verse!

    

Watch the video of my 3’s & 4’s from St David’s Nursery School in Glenview, IL sing & jingle.  It’s that easy!  Remember, you should do the motions along with your children – they look to you to lead them.

 I’ve recorded it on my “Season Sings” cd, and you can hear a clip of my recording HERE.

BELLS:  I use sturdy quality bells on a velcro wristband (Item#RB811CS) or hand-held bell rings (Item#RB839) from Rhythm Band Inc: http://www.rhythmband.com/.  

Note:  Be careful when choosing bells for young children.  No matter how many times you tell them the bells are not to eat, they may try to put them in their mouths.  Choose well-made bells that will not come off their holders and become a choking hazzard.

   

 Oh – one more little goodie!  I love to add this little fingerplay, “FIVE LITTLE BELLS” to super-size my jingle bell unit – and I definitely do not use bells.  Hold up the correct number of fingers, then “ring” them:

5 little bells hanging in a row.

The first one says, “Ring me slow!”   Ding.  Ding.  Ding.

The second one says, “Ring me fast”  dingdingdingdingding

The third one says, “I wanted to be last!”   Sorry!

The fourth one says, “I’m like a chime!”  Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!

The fifth one says, “Ring us all in wintertime!” Ring-a-ding ding! Ring-a-ding ding!

    You don’t even HAVE to have bells to do this one!  I did it 3 times over the past 2 days in concert with hundreds of children at the Early Learning Center in Des Plaines, IL – no bells!  We jingled our fingers – shake shake shake!  The kids loved it!

Jingle high!

That’s it!  I’m enjoying my birthday lunch with fellow PreK and K blog author Brigid Finucane today!  And you?  

         GET JINGLING!

Yours for a Jingle Song!

“Miss Carole” Stephens

Macaroni Soup! Active Music for Active Learners!