3 Winter Storybooks for Teaching Music Skills
Winter is here, and what better way to embrace the season than with cozy, story-filled music lessons? Whether you’re navigating snowy days or just dreaming of them, I’ve got three winter storybooks for the music classroom that will breathe life (and a little magic) into your lessons. Today, we’re diving into The Mitten, by Jan Brett, The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats, and Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen—and how they can transform your lessons into creative, musical adventures.
The Mitten: A Storybook for Teaching Instrument Exploration Made Fun
The Mitten by Jan Brett is more than just a story about animals squeezing into a mitten—it’s an opportunity to teach instrument exploration and playing techniques. As each animal finds its way into the mitten, introduce a specific instrument to represent that character. Think a maraca for the fox, a tambourine for the rabbit, and so on.
This book is perfect for helping students explore how different instruments sound and teaching proper playing techniques. Encourage your little musicians to mimic the animals’ movements with their instruments, like soft, sneaky sounds for the fox or slow, heavy beats for the bear. It’s a delightful way to foster creativity while sneaking in a little technique practice (your students will never know they’re learning).
The Snowy Day: A Storybook for Exploring Loud and Soft Sounds
There’s something magical about the crunch of snow underfoot or the quiet of a snowfall, and The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats captures it beautifully. Use this book to introduce or reinforce the concept of loud and soft sounds.
Challenge your students to recreate the different sounds snow makes as Peter explores the snowy world. Maybe it’s the soft swish of falling snow with finger cymbals or the crunch of snow with a hand drum. This activity encourages students to use their imaginations while exploring dynamics in a tangible, relatable way. Incorporating winter storybooks for the music classroom like this one will captivate your students while teaching essential skills.
Owl Moon: A Storybook for Teaching Movement and Musical Dynamics
Finally, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen is an atmospheric masterpiece that lends itself to exploring movement and dynamics. The story’s journey through a quiet, snowy forest at night provides the perfect backdrop for teaching loud and soft sounds.
Guide your students to move like the characters in the story—slow, deliberate steps paired with quiet sounds, or sudden bursts of sound as the owl calls. You can even add scarves or ribbons for an extra layer of engagement. By combining movement with sound, your students will internalize musical dynamics in a memorable way that ties perfectly to the story.
Bringing Books and Music Together
Winter storybooks for the music classroom are a match made in classroom heaven. With The Mitten, The Snowy Day, and Owl Moon, you’ll create lessons that are engaging, creative, and packed with music-learning opportunities. Whether you’re teaching instrument techniques, exploring dynamics, or combining movement with sound, these books provide the perfect foundation for winter-themed fun.
So grab your stack of books, dust off those instruments, and get ready to transform your music classroom into a winter wonderland of learning. Who knew that loud and soft, instrument exploration, and movement could feel so magical? ❄️
Check out another blog post to help you use storybooks to teach music skills.
Starting to teach recorder? Check out Mr. Henry’s Modern Recorder Lab.