I’m thrilled to share my “O Come, All Ye Faithful” bell charts, now available in my Etsy shop! This song’s strong, steady beat makes it ideal for both bell ringing and rhythm-based activities. Whether you’re introducing it for Christmas or just want a song full of energy and joy, these activities will help children engage with the spirit and rhythm of the song.

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“O Come All Ye Faithful” Bell Charts for Melody or Harmony

Let’s start with bells! I’ve created bell charts that allow you to focus on either the melody or harmony, depending on what works best for your primary. The melody is simple and repetitive, making it easy for children to follow along with their handbells. If your primary is ready for a challenge, let them try ringing the harmony while others sing.

These bell charts can be modified, but will work best if you have chromatic/extended bells.

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“O Come All Ye Faithful” Steady Beat Actions

Because “O Come, All Ye Faithful” has such a strong beat, I love incorporating a steady tapping activity.

Have different choices of a rhythmic movement on cards on the board. These body rhythm cards by Kim Boman are awesome. (There’s even a second set here). Print them out and have the kids choose 4 in a row to do.

I’ve found that it actually works better if you do an 8-count pattern, so just repeat each action twice. For example:

Clap / Snap / Stomp / Clap

becomes

Clap Clap / Snap Snap / Stomp Stomp / Clap Clap

Each time you finish singing, have children come up and choose a new order or new body rhythm action cards. Practice doing the body rhythms several times before adding the singing on top of it.

The repetitive beat helps reinforce the structure of the song and encourages focus. As a bonus, it keeps even your wiggliest kids engaged in a fun and meaningful way!

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“O Come All Ye Faithful” Call and Response Echo Singing

Divide the room into two groups for an echo singing activity. Have one group sing “O come, all ye faithful,” and the second group echo back with “joyful and triumphant.” This call-and-response style makes the song feel dynamic and helps the children internalize the words by repeating them in a fun, interactive way. It’s a great way to build familiarity with the lyrics while breaking the song into manageable parts.

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These activities should help your children feel the joy and excitement of “O Come, All Ye Faithful” while also reinforcing their musical learning. Don’t forget to grab your bell charts from my Etsy shop [link] to get started with handbells!

Let me know how these activities go with your primary, and happy singing!