Christmas classical music for kids: 12 pieces to play in December

The best Christmas classical music for kids is short, paints a clear picture, and gives them something to do. Start with “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from The Nutcracker and “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson. Each one is under four minutes long.

This list has twelve pieces. Some are for dancing, some are for a quiet evening, and some are big and loud. Each one comes with one thing to listen for.

Pieces for dancing and play

“Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and “March” from The Nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky. The Nutcracker is a ballet set on Christmas Eve. It was first danced in St. Petersburg in December 1892. The Sugar Plum Fairy dances to the celesta, a keyboard that sounds like small bells. Ask your child to tiptoe on the bell notes. Then play the March and stomp around the room. The Nutcracker Suite listening guide covers each dance.

“Sleigh Ride,” by Leroy Anderson. Anderson was an American composer. He finished this piece in 1948. Listen for the sleigh bells, the clip-clop of hooves on wood blocks, and the crack of a whip. At the end, a trumpet makes the sound of a horse. Ask your child to raise a hand when they hear it.

“Troika” from Lieutenant Kijé, by Prokofiev. A troika is a Russian sleigh pulled by three horses. Prokofiev wrote this music for a film in 1934. The sleigh bells start, the strings pluck, and a quick tune races over the snow. Hold hands and gallop in a circle.

“Sleigh Ride,” by Mozart. Mozart wrote a set of German dances in 1791, the last year of his life. The third dance has sleigh bells tuned to different notes, and two posthorns that call back and forth. Give your child a set of bells or a ring of keys to shake.

“The Skaters’ Waltz,” by Waldteufel. Émile Waldteufel was a French composer of dance music. He wrote this waltz in 1882. The tune glides in long, smooth lines, and sleigh bells ring partway through. Put on socks and slide across a smooth floor in time with the music.

Pieces for a quiet evening

“Winter” from The Four Seasons, second movement, by Vivaldi. Vivaldi’s music came with a poem. In this part, a person sits by the fire while rain falls outside. A solo violin plays the warm tune. The other strings pluck the raindrops. It lasts about two minutes.

“Evening Prayer” from Hansel and Gretel, by Humperdinck. This opera tells the fairy tale of two children lost in the forest. It was first performed two days before Christmas in 1893, and many opera houses still stage it in December. In this song, the children say a prayer before they fall asleep. The version for orchestra alone is a calm way to end the day.

“Pastorale” from the Christmas Concerto, by Corelli. Arcangelo Corelli was an Italian violinist and composer. The printed score carries the words “made for the night of Christmas.” The last part is slow and rocking. Dim the lights and sway.

Pieces with voices and a big sound

“Hallelujah” chorus from Messiah, by Handel. Handel wrote Messiah in 1741, in about 24 days. It was first performed in Dublin in April 1742. Today choirs sing it every December. In many places the audience stands for this chorus. The custom is old, and nobody is sure how it began. Stand up together when it starts.

Opening chorus of the Christmas Oratorio, by Bach. Bach wrote this music for the Christmas season of 1734 in Leipzig. It begins with a drum alone: five strokes on the timpani. Then the flutes and oboes answer, the trumpets enter, and the choir comes in. Ask your child to play the five drum strokes on a table.

“This Little Babe” from A Ceremony of Carols, by Britten. Benjamin Britten wrote this set of carols in 1942, on a ship sailing home to England. It is for high voices, often a children’s choir, and a harp. In this carol the voices enter one after another with the same tune, so they seem to chase each other. It is over in about a minute and a half.

“A Christmas Festival,” by Leroy Anderson. In 1950, Anderson wove well-known carols into one piece for orchestra. “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” “Silent Night,” and “Jingle Bells” are all in it. Play it and see who can name each carol first.

How to play one piece a day

Twelve pieces fit the twelve days before Christmas. Write the name of each piece on a slip of paper. Fold the slips and put them in a jar. Let your child draw one each day.

Play the piece once with no talking. Then play it again and ask one question. What did you hear? What could this music be about? Which instrument was the loudest?

A child who likes to draw can fill in a listening journal page for each piece. For a class party or a family gathering, make cards with the listening bingo maker and play a few pieces in a row.

Where to find the music

Search a streaming service or YouTube for the title and the composer’s name. For the dances, a video of an orchestra helps a child see which instrument makes each sound.

Many recordings exist for each piece, and they differ in speed. If one feels too slow for dancing, try another.

More to play

Five of these composers have a page on this site with a short life story and first pieces: Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky.

For calm music on other nights, see calm classical music for kids at bedtime. To find pieces by mood and age at any time of year, use the piece picker. If you plan to see the ballet, read taking kids to The Nutcracker.