A Circle of Music and Smiles 12-20-2025 Singing Lessons at Library

Authored by Cielle Chan

Today marked the final session of our Infinity Lab tutoring at Valencia Park.

Since two students had signed up for Valencia Park on our Google Form. We arrived and waited, but unfortunately, no one showed up. After waiting 40 minutes, we decided to pack up and head to our second site at Skyline Hills Library.

When we arrived at Skyline, we were grateful for Mrs. C’s help in spreading the word about our session. Thanks to her support, several kids joined us, which immediately made the space feel lively and welcoming. I started the lesson by having everyone sit in a circle and introduce themselves, sharing their name, grade, and favorite thing to do during winter break. This helped break the ice and made the kids more comfortable with one another.

We then moved into gentle stretches to prepare our bodies for singing, followed by vocal warm-ups like “Zing-a-ma-ma.” After that, I introduced the solfège system and guided them through a major scale. We practiced singing through the scale a few times before transitioning into songs. Since it was the winter season, I chose holiday-themed music to keep the lesson festive and engaging.

We started with “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” adding playful echoes and phrases at the ends of lines, such as repeating “reindeer” or adding “like a lightbulb.” The kids clearly enjoyed this and were laughing while singing. Next, we sang “Jingle Bells” and added movements throughout the song. Their favorite part was pretending to ride in a sleigh, which included squatting motions that kept them active and focused.

After that, I asked if anyone had song suggestions, and one student requested “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Around that time, Rien arrived to lead the art activity, which involved decorating a Christmas tree. To connect the two activities, I asked Mrs. B to stand in as the Christmas tree, and we sang and danced in a circle while performing the song. It became a highlight of the session and brought a lot of energy into the room.

Later, two sisters wanted to sing “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” since they had performed it at a recital before. Because not everyone knew the lyrics, I adapted the song so each student could sing about something they wanted for Christmas instead. Some children wanted a kitten, while others wanted a bike, and it was really interesting to see what everybody wanted for Christmas. We went around the circle, and each child contributed their own idea, which made the activity more inclusive. 

We ended the session by revisiting “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and finished with a shake-out to get all the remaining wiggles out. Overall, it was a joyful and memorable final session, and it was rewarding to see how engaged and excited the kids were through music and movement.

Vocal Tutor: Cielle Chan