Boom Boom! Holiday Fun!: Book & CD

This collection strikes the hardest part of elementary and middle school programming: engaging students with holiday material that doesn't feel stale. Judah-Lauder's song selection mixes genuine sing-alongs (Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls) with novelty pieces that get real laughs (Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer), and the Boomwhackers instrumentation makes the whole experience feel fresh and participatory rather than ceremonial. The included teaching suggestions and reproducible visuals mean you're not starting from scratch when planning rehearsals.

Playful, energetic, and celebratory. The Boomwhackers' bright, percussive tone gives each arrangement an almost toy-like charm without sounding childish; students feel genuinely musical even on their first attempts. There's permission built into this repertoire to have fun and laugh, which makes the holiday season feel joyful rather than obligatory.

Upper elementary through middle school students benefit most from this collection, which pairs accessible holiday songs with an instrument that requires minimal prior musical training. Teachers and music specialists seeking ready-made, engaging material for winter concerts and classroom celebrations will find the complete package (book, CD, and teaching visuals) immediately usable.

• Assign each student a Boomwhacker before rehearsal begins so they can explore their specific pitch during warm-up; this builds ownership and reduces setup time during teaching.
• Use the full performance track first to let students hear the finished product, then switch to the accompaniment track once they know their parts so they can focus on ensemble blend and precision.
• Layer in the reproducible visuals early to help students internalize song structure and remember cues, especially for pieces with spoken or rapped sections like Santa Rap.
• Encourage students to experiment with mallet strikes (hard vs. soft mallets, striking different parts of the tube) during rehearsal to discover tonal variations and add character to their playing.

Program this collection for a dedicated holiday concert or as part of a larger winter celebration where variety and audience participation are assets. The mix of traditional and novelty titles works well as an opening set that establishes a light tone before transitioning to other material, or as a finale that leaves audiences smiling. For classroom teachers without music training, this book provides enough structure and support to lead successful ensemble experiences without extensive preparation.

• Playing simple pitched percussion instruments with ensemble accuracy
• Reading color-coded or visual notation alongside traditional notation
• Maintaining steady pulse and synchronizing with recorded accompaniments
• Understanding song structure through repetition and variation
• Responding to visual cues and conducting gestures in ensemble settings