A choir warm-up gets the body, the breath, and the voice ready to sing. It takes about ten minutes. These ten warm-ups run in order, from stretching to a full song. They work for a children’s choir, a classroom, or two children in the back seat of a car.
The order of a warm-up
| Step | What it wakes up | Warm-ups |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The body | Stretch and shake |
| 2 | The breath | Snake hiss |
| 3 | The voice, with no words | Sirens, lip bubbles, and hums |
| 4 | The notes | Five-note scales and leaps |
| 5 | The words | Tongue twisters |
| 6 | The ears | Echoes and a round |
Ten warm-ups
1. Stretch and shake
Reach both arms to the ceiling. Lean to one side, and then to the other. Roll the shoulders back. Shake out the hands, the arms, and the legs.
What it does. A stiff body makes a stiff sound.
2. Stand like a singer
Feet apart, as wide as the shoulders. Knees soft. Back tall. Shoulders down. Arms loose at the sides. Eyes on the leader.
What it does. This is the posture a singer keeps for the whole rehearsal.
3. Snake hiss
Breathe in for four counts, and feel the belly and the ribs widen. Then hiss “sss” for eight counts, in one even stream. Try twelve counts, and then sixteen.
What it does. It trains a slow, steady breath, which is what holds a long note.
4. Sirens
On “oo,” slide the voice from the lowest note to the highest and back down, the way a siren does. Trace the shape in the air with one hand.
What it does. It warms the whole range with no strain, and it helps young singers find their high voice.
5. Lip bubbles
Blow air through loose, closed lips so that they flap, like a motorboat. Add a note, and slide it up and down.
What it does. It keeps the breath moving and takes the pressure off the throat.
6. Humming
Hum “mm” on one easy note. Feel the buzz in the lips and the nose. Then hum up five notes and back down.
What it does. It wakes the voice with little effort and helps the sound ring.
7. Five notes up and down
Sing up five notes and back down on “noo.” In solfège, that is do, re, mi, fa, sol, fa, mi, re, do. Start one step higher each time.
Then change the sound: “nee,” “nay,” “nah,” “noh,” and “noo.”
What it does. It tunes the notes and shapes the vowels.
8. Bouncing notes
Sing “ha, ha, ha, ha, ha” on do, mi, sol, mi, do. Make each note short and light, with a little push from the belly.
What it does. It wakes the muscles that support the breath.
9. Tongue twisters
Say each one slow, and then faster. Then sing it on one note.
- “Red leather, yellow leather”
- “Unique New York”
- “The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue”
- “She sells seashells by the seashore”
What it does. It loosens the lips, the tongue, and the jaw, so that the words come out clear.
10. An echo and a round
The leader sings a short pattern, and the choir sings it back. Then finish with a round, such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” or “Frère Jacques.” Start with two groups, and add a third.
What it does. Echoes train the ear. A round teaches singers to hold their own part while they hear another one.
Read what is a canon and a round?
A ten-minute plan
| Minute | Warm-up |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stretch and shake, and stand like a singer |
| 2 | Snake hiss |
| 3 and 4 | Sirens and lip bubbles |
| 5 | Humming |
| 6 and 7 | Five notes up and down, and bouncing notes |
| 8 | Tongue twisters |
| 9 and 10 | An echo and a round |
Keeping young voices safe
- Easy does it. A warm-up is never a contest for the loudest or the highest note.
- No pushing. If a note feels tight, stop there. The range grows with time.
- Stop if it hurts. A sore or scratchy throat means rest.
- Drink water. Have a bottle within reach.
- A sick voice stays quiet. A child with a cold can do the stretches and the breathing and skip the singing.
Read voice lessons for kids.
Tips for the leader
- Model it first. Sing or do each warm-up once, and then have the group copy.
- Add hand signs. Show the notes with solfège hand signs. Print the solfège hand signs chart.
- Keep it moving. A minute on each warm-up is enough.
- Change one thing. Use the same order each week, and swap in one new twister or one new round.
- Make it a game. Sing the five-note scale like a mouse, a giant, and an opera singer.
Things to do together
Car warm-up. Do sirens and lip bubbles on the way to choir.
Longest hiss. Time each person’s snake hiss. Try to beat your own time, not each other’s.
Twister race. Say one tongue twister five times in a row with no slips.
Round for two. Sing a round with one child. Cover one ear if it is hard to hold your part.
Lead it. Let your child lead the family through three warm-ups.
Print and play
Print the solfège hand signs chart. Read children’s choirs, solfège explained, and voice types for kids.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.