It Ain’t Simply Christmastime: Non-Vacation Winter Songs for Periods with Children, Adults, and Older Adults
by Jen Wilson, Music Remedy Intern
As the vacations strategy, it may be straightforward to fall into the identical cycle of holiday-themed songs and actions. Whereas that is festive and offers a break within the common routine, as soon as December twentieth hits you could get uninterested in singing “Jingle Bells.” You may additionally come throughout individuals who don’t rejoice holidays throughout this time of 12 months, however nonetheless need a change in regular routine or one thing that coincides with the season. These songs for kids, adults, and older adults might be enjoyable additions to your repertoire that permit all shoppers to benefit from the winter season in music remedy.
Songs for Children
“In Winter” by Kath Bee
This track describes issues that occur in winter and may tackle selective reminiscence or sequencing.
“The Mitten Track” by Lorraine Nelson Wolf
This track exudes cozy lullaby vibes, and actions can simply be added to match the lyrics for a further fingerplay side.
“Penguin Track” by The Studying Station
This track provides physique half motion because the track continues (assume “Tooty Ta” or “Father Abraham”) which might be nice for sequencing and physique half identification.
“Snow (Yuki)” is a Japanese kids’s track
A enjoyable bilingual addition to winter repertoire. Elizabeth Mitchell’s recording has each Japanese and English verses included.
“Snowflakes” by Kathy Reid-Naiman
You’ll be able to add gross physique actions or hand motions, or as a listening break in case your shoppers want a minute to settle down.
“Snowflakes, Snowflakes” by The Kiboomers
This track has the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and may tackle following one step-directions or wonderful motor abilities within the type of a fingerplay.
“Snowflakes Track” by The Studying Station
This track can tackle physique half identification and has a music video with easy actions children can comply with.
“Snowman Freeze” by The Studying Station
One other nice track for motion and following instructions via freeze dance.
“Winter” by Lorraine Nelson Wolf
One other lullaby track that has a number of visible language (“crows and squirrels” and “river”) that may be made into a visible or sung storybook.
“Winter Hokey Pokey Dance” by The Kiboomers
A winter twist on a traditional tune, this model of the “Hokey Pokey” can tackle sequencing, physique half identification, and gross motor abilities
Lyric Evaluation Songs for Adults
“Flowers in December” by Mazzy Star
This songs has themes of unhealthy relationship dynamics and heartbreak, and might be wonderful for discussions of processing relationships which have ended or for recognizing unhealthy elements of relationships
“Ceaselessly Winter” by Taylor Swift
This track talks about communication breakdowns in relationships and the dynamics of getting a relationship with somebody who’s struggling. It may be changed into a lyric dialogue about setting boundaries and enhancing communication in relationships.
“Hazy Shade of Winter” by The Bangles
This track opens with “Time…see what’s grow to be of me,” which might be a wonderful software for reflection of how shoppers have grown and adjusted over the course of the 12 months. This track additionally talks about hopes and the way they might fade, which might be useful for discussing how shoppers’ hopes have modified and what they hope for within the coming 12 months.
“A Lengthy December” by Counting Crows
This track has language that may make it a songwriting exercise about experiences shoppers have had both over the course of the 12 months or simply over the month (“The odor of hospitals…”, “Abruptly you look…”). This will also be one other self-reflection exercise.
“My December” by Linkin Park
This track has themes of loneliness and regrets, which might be useful for shoppers to course of these emotions and to debate coping methods once they have these experiences. It will also be a track rewriting alternative so the consumer has a possibility for emotional expression.
“Snow” by Zach Bryan
This track does have non secular themes and mentions non secular figures equivalent to Jesus and God, so please use at your discretion. Nevertheless, it may be used to debate interpersonal relationships and wholesome/unhealthy romantic relationships.
“Winter Track” by The Head and the Coronary heart
This track has themes of change and uncertainty, and music therapists can use it to assist shoppers course of complicated emotions that accompany transitions.
“Winter Track” by Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson
The refrain for this track repeats the road “Is love alive?” which touches on themes of hope and the idea of affection in its many kinds. This track will also be useful for individuals who are lacking households or these near them in a season the place many collect collectively.
“Wintertime” by Norah Jones
This track mentions how feelings can change from season to season, which might be a possibility to course of how colder climate can have an effect on emotional functioning. It additionally has components of unhealthy relationship dynamics as evidenced by strains like “I do know I’m leaning on you” and “…there’s a candlelight I solely get from you.”
“Winter Winds” by Mumford & Sons
This track can be utilized to debate inside battle; its refrain is basically a combat between the singer’s head and coronary heart. It might additionally assist train the distinction between what somebody desires versus what’s greatest for them.
Reminiscing Songs for Older Adults
“Dance Mr. Snowman Dance” by Crew-Cuts
This track is just about simply telling a snowman to bounce, however you should utilize it as a leaping off level to speak about whether or not shoppers have any winter formal or dance recollections equivalent to who they went with, what they wore, in the event that they danced or stayed off the dance flooring, and what dances had been standard of their highschool or faculty years.
“The First Snowfall” by Bing Crosby
This track is about precisely what you’d anticipate: the primary snowfall of the season. This track is usually a immediate to speak about experiences with snow like the primary time they’ve ever seen snow, their favourite issues to do in snow, and whether or not they most well-liked to exit within the chilly or keep bundled up inside.
“I’ve Bought My Like to Preserve Me Heat” by Frank Sinatra
You should use this candy love track to reminisce about recollections winter traditions shoppers had with their sweethearts or households.
“Little Jack Frost, Get Misplaced” by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
This one is for summer time lovers. Ask your shoppers or residents in the event that they even just like the chilly or if they’d quite have summer time again and what they do whereas they wait out the chilly climate or what they’d do if it was summer time proper now as a substitute.
“Appears Like a Chilly, Chilly Winter” by Bing Crosby
This track can be utilized to debate favourite actions to do exterior in winter like snowboarding and constructing snowmen, in addition to indoor winter actions like constructing gingerbread homes or consuming a heat drink. Because it additionally has the theme of spending time with family members, it’s also possible to focus on their favourite individuals to do these actions with.
“Moonlight in Vermont” by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
This track makes use of plenty of visible language and describes sights you would possibly see in Vermont. This track can be utilized to reminisce about favourite locations to be or issues to see in winter and may even be used as a track rewriting exercise if acceptable.
“Sleigh Bell Serenade” by Bing Crosby
This track might be useful for reminiscing about totally different sounds that shoppers bear in mind listening to throughout the winter, like sleigh bells, or sights, like snow or lack thereof.
“When Winter Comes” by Joanie Sommers
This one is one other summer time loving track that can be utilized to match summer time to winter and to debate consumer preferences between heat and chilly climate.
“Winter” by Spike Jones and The Mellomen
That is one other winter themed love track, so it may be used to debate favourite winter recollections with family members much like “I’ve My Like to Preserve Me Heat.”
“Winter Climate” by Benny Goodman & Peggy Lee
Reminisce about whether or not their cherished one saved them heat within the winter and if they’d different issues that saved them heat like a favourite scarf or sweater. You’ll be able to even ask if somebody like their mom or partner ever made them one thing to maintain them heat and go additional into element about it, like what it seemed like or once they wore it.
Having fun with the winter season in music remedy shouldn’t be restricted solely to vacation songs. Increasing your repertoire to incorporate non-holiday winter songs could make shoppers really feel included whereas nonetheless altering up often scheduled routines!