If your classroom feels like Santa’s workshop after the elves discovered espresso, you’re in the right place. The stretch before winter break can be unpredictable, but it is also the perfect time to have some fun with holiday activities, try something new, and get students excited to practice while they’re home for the holidays!
That’s why we’re sharing our best advice for managing these pre-break days and ready-to-use resources that save you precious time. Inside this post, you’ll find details on our exciting 12-Day Practice Challenge and a free downloadable holiday activities pack full of seasonal ideas you can use right away.
Keeping Students Engaged When Spirits Are…A Little Less Than Bright
The vibes (especially around the holidays) can quickly shift in any classroom, so it’s helpful to have a few strategies and resources ready for those moments when students need a reset.
Embrace Short Bursts
If you’ve ever tried to run a full rehearsal on a low-focus day, you know how quickly it drains everyone. The solution? Short bursts are your friend. Break things into small wins: clean four measures, fix that rhythm that keeps slipping, or try matching a tone model. Students stay with you longer when the goals feel bite-sized.
And when the group needs a reset, accompaniments are a fast, effective way to bring the room back together. A steady pulse or familiar backing track (easy to find in MakeMusic Cloud) gives everyone something solid to lock into.
Give Students Tiny Choices to Boost Ownership.
When engagement dips, offering options can make a big difference. Let students choose between two warm-ups or decide which quick task to start with. Even little choices help them feel more invested without adding extra prep for you.
If you want something seasonal, grab a few level-appropriate lines from Festive Foundations or Foundations Essential Edition in MakeMusic Cloud and let the class pick which one to try. It keeps things aligned with your pedagogy while still feeling fresh.
Balance the Energy with Reflective Moments.
Sometimes, the room needs a pause. A quick gratitude note or a short reflection on how much they’ve grown since the start of the year can instantly reset the tone. It doesn’t have to be long or formal; even a minute or two helps students slow down, think, and breathe.
And if you want even more ways to keep students motivated during the busiest month of the year, we’ve put together two free resources that do the heavy lifting for you: the 12-Day Winter Practice Challenge and a holiday activity pack full of no-prep printables.
The 12 Days of MakeMusic Winter Practice Challenge
Our 12-Day Winter Practice Challenge gives students a simple way to keep playing over break. The idea is that by the end, they will have mastered a short holiday song or part of a song step by step, completing one small task each day instead of trying to tackle everything at once.
The worksheet also includes a fun story about Dori the cat, who is decorating her holiday tree. Each day, students who finish a task get to draw or place an “ornament” on Dori’s tree. Once they get to the final day, they can add the big star on top!
If a good number of students complete the challenge, you can celebrate with a small prize or class reward when everyone returns.
Track Progress With Audio/Video Recording
You can also track how students are doing with our new audio/video recording assignments in MakeMusic Cloud. Students can upload a short clip for certain days, so you can track their progress as they go.
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Free Resource: What’s In Your Holiday Activities Pack?
We’ve packed this holiday activities guide with simple, effective ways to maintain engagement without adding to your December workload. These are the core printables and activities included in your free download:
Holiday “What Song Is This?” Worksheet
Students can use sight reading and audiation to guess familiar holiday tunes. Includes multiple clefs, a student sheet, and a teacher answer key.
Holiday Practice Bingo
This Bingo exercise makes for the perfect take-home activity to help encourage practice for bonus points or bragging rights!
Student Gratitude Letter
A quick reflection activity for in-class or at home to encourage students to focus on the benefits of music and what it has done for them.
Download the full activity pack here to get all the worksheets and materials in one place.
Setting Students Up for Success Over Winter Break
Now that you’ve got a few activities ready to send home, it also helps to layer in a few strategies that support at-home practice. These small additions give students a clearer sense of direction and make it more likely they’ll stick with it during break.
Encourage Students to Set Their Own Goals
Have students choose one simple practice goal before they leave for break. It could be finishing the 12-Day Winter Practice Challenge, performing their piece for someone at home, or cleaning up a tricky section they’ve been working on. When the goal comes from them, they’re much more likely to follow through.
Start the First Step in Class
Before students leave, take a moment to help them tackle the very first step of their goal or ask what they’re unsure about. A quick check-in gives them the clarity they need to continue at home without feeling stuck.
Normalize Imperfect Practice
Let students know that playing during break is not about perfect outcomes. It is about staying connected to their instrument. This mindset makes practice feel more approachable and fun rather than intimidating.
Try a Check-In Recording
Ask for one optional check-in recording during break. It doesn’t need to be long; about a minute of whatever they’ve been working on is enough to give you a clear snapshot of their progress.
Celebrate Small Wins
Plan a short “welcome back” activity where students share something small they accomplished over break. Even small wins help them feel good about returning and getting back into things.
Managing the Classroom When Everyone Is Ready for Break
When break is right around the corner, traditional classroom management rules feel a little ambitious. Instead, try strategies that embrace the reality of the moment while still protecting your rehearsal time.
Short learning bursts work best.
Ten to fifteen minutes of focused work on the most critical skill or part of a song is more productive than trying to run a full class when students are halfway out the door.
Stations give structure to the chaos.
If students can’t sit still…don’t make them. Get students to use up their energy by having them move around the room in different stations for rhythm, music theory, or a holiday activity.
Let accompaniments anchor the group.
A backing track is basically a classroom reset button. When attention scatters, turning on an accompaniment can refocus students better than repeated verbal reminders.
Take a pause and reflect.
A quick moment to mark tricky spots, write a note to themselves, or think about one improvement buys you a few minutes of calm and helps reset the pace for the next activity.
These small shifts help you guide the classroom energy instead of fighting against it, making your time together productive (or at least as productive as it can be).
These titles feature seasonal skill-building lines with full professional accompaniments available only in MakeMusic Cloud.
Remembering to Take Care of You Too
The weeks leading into break can be a lot, and it is easy to spend all your energy helping students finish strong. Before you head out the door, take a moment to give yourself the same support you give them. A short reset now can make a big difference in how you step into the new year.
This might look like:
- Choosing a personal “last email” time and sticking to it
- Writing down one win from the semester
- Playing or listening to music just for yourself
- Turning off notifications for a little while
- Letting yourself rest without guilt
Your students will return ready to learn again, and you deserve to return feeling rested and recharged.
Make This Next Year Your Best Year Yet
If you want to start the new year with tools that make teaching easier and practice more impactful, this is a great time to try MakeMusic Cloud.
Everything mentioned in this blog, including Festive Foundations, at-home practice features, accompaniments, audio and video recording, and so much more, is ready for you to explore.
Try MakeMusic Cloud for free today and set yourself up for your best year yet.