Caroling & Chorus Music During the Winter Holidays

Singing together with family, neighbors and friends is one way of enhancing children’s language learning. Read more in our archived post, “Christmas Singing for Language Skills.”

A fun holiday tradition, caroling events are wonderful intergenerational events that explore choral music with your family and friends. With many songs sung during the holiday seasons rich in history, there is much to learn, plus it’s good for your health and wellness! Download our Nov/Dec issue of Learning Ahead: Cultural Itinerary for Western Massachusetts to discover more about these annual events.

It’s no secret that music is good for your brain. A Chorus America study found that, while participation in a chorus has benefits for everyone, it seems to have a particularly meaningful effect on children. Children who participate in a chorus were found to achieve more highly in school compared to classmates who weren’t involved in chorus – a statistical representation of the deep learning that chorus participation promotes.

In addition to the learning-based benefits of singing in a chorus, being a part of a singing group helps to ward off chemicals that can cause depression and loneliness. Generally seen as a major benefit for adults, the natural production of extra endorphins and oxytocin (a chemical that decreases stress and anxiety) as a result of singing certainly has benefits for children, too. A singing child is likely to be calm and happy more often than not thanks to the chemicals that choral singing helps to release in their bodies. 

Whether your family is made up of chorus participants or not, the holiday season presents a myriad of opportunities to explore choral music in many forms. From vespers services to community caroling, December is jam-packed with chances for families to sink their teeth into choral music – and to perhaps become inspired to participate themselves! Whether or not your children seem to be musically inclined, choral music is worth exploring – especially this time of year. Families can choose from grand college performances, community concerts, informal carol sings, and other exciting musical events through the coming weeks, and can learn about many different types of music and choral performance by attending a concert!

To discover caroling events and choral music coming up this month, be sure to subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter!

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Think about this:

• Where do you think the tradition of caroling door to door comes from?
• How is singing a form of storytelling?
• How do songs pass down stories of the past within a community or culture?

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[Photo credit: (cc) Charlotte T.]