[Children’s Song] A Collection of Hand Play Songs Perfect for Christmas
Santa is coming—what a fun Christmas!
As the day approaches, many families may be noticing their children getting more and more excited.
To build even more anticipation for this once-a-year big event, this article introduces hand-play songs themed around Christmas.
Each of these hand-play songs is simple and easy to try right away.
They’re perfect for playtime at daycare or kindergarten, too.
Be sure to dive in with energy and have fun with these hand-play songs to make it a wonderful Christmas!
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[Children’s Song] A Collection of Perfect Hand-Clapping Songs for Christmas (1–10)
I can hear the Christmas song
This is a hand-play song that conveys the fun of Christmas to children, depicting animals singing Christmas songs.
A variety of animals appear—such as shepherds’ sheep, a white rabbit, and a forest bear—and each celebrates “Merry Christmas” in a way that suits their unique traits.
By singing and dancing together as a family, you can share the excitement of the season.
The song is structured so kids can do hand motions along with the lyrics, making it easy and fun even for little ones to join in.
It’s a recommended track for boosting the festive Christmas atmosphere.
Knock, knock, knock, knock, Santa
This is an arrangement of “Ton Ton Ton Hige Jiisan” with Christmas-themed lyrics and motions.
The flow is the same: you bump your fists together (ton-ton) and then make a shape, which gives the song a fun sense of rhythm.
Since it has you perform, in order, the actions Santa takes to deliver presents, kids can also enjoy predicting what Santa will do next.
It could also be exciting to have everyone come up with their own actions for other iconic Christmas motifs besides Santa’s actions.
Christmas is coming soon.
“It’s Almost Christmas” has a slow tempo, making it an easy hand-play song to try at nursery schools and kindergartens for their performances.
The simple gestures—like mimicking a tree or candles with your hands—are easy to remember, which is another plus.
The lyrics are simple too, so it might be nice to sing it together with the children.
Also, because the song goes like “the first is ___, the second is ___,” it works like a counting song, making it perfect for teaching little ones numbers.
Be sure to try singing it with young children!
[Children’s Songs] A collection of hand-play songs perfect for Christmas (11–20)
Santa Reindeer
Let me introduce a unique song called “Santa—Reindeeer,” which playfully asks, “Are Santa and the reindeer good friends?” The key is to stretch out the last syllable of “reindeer.” Repeating the same word adds to the fun.
The choreography that represents Santa and the reindeer is adorable, so turning it into a quiz is also recommended! If everyone thinks about the characters who appear at Christmas, it becomes easier to remember the moves.
Children will surely look forward to the presents brought by this friendly duo.
Santa on the road
With its lively rhythm, “Santa on the Road” is a highly recommended hand-play song for daycare and kindergarten events.
The lyrics are a bit amusing—Santa turns into an elephant or a rabbit—and singing it with children is sure to bring out smiles.
The hand motions are easy to learn even for little ones, as they mimic an elephant’s trunk and a rabbit’s ears.
Also, if you use this song for a recital, be sure to prepare some animal headpieces to create an adorable arrangement!
Christmas tree
How about a hand play song that incorporates onomatopoeia kids love? Words associated with Christmas, like “candle” and “Santa,” heighten the sense of excitement, and actions like blowing with a “fwooo” or smiling with a “niko” naturally draw children in.
At the same time, it can also deepen their understanding of words for numbers, such as “first” and “second.” A slow tempo helps create a calm atmosphere, making it easy to enjoy the hand play song with a gentle feeling.
Santa Claus is coming to town
The song where you can enjoy a hand play about Santa riding in a sleigh is “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” Match lively gestures to the lyrics celebrating Christmas.
Each movement fits short phrases, so children can learn them easily.
At the end of the chorus, the trick is to move rhythmically along your forearms held parallel.
It’s also fun to face family or friends and try the hand play together.
Why not try this song that will make you look forward to Santa’s visit?
