Is your class doing an end-of-year performance soon?

Isn’t coordinating an end-of-year performance just one of the most overwhelming things ever? Not only is there choosing a performance, but there is also costuming, choreography (herding cats anyone?), and finding time to get it all ready.

Alongside assessment and reports, organising props and costumes was always in the ‘too-hard basket’ for me at this time of this year. 

So, I’ve even chosen some great songs that you can perform – they also include actions!

Here’s how to prepare for an end-of-year performance:

1. Choose a song. (I’ve got a list of Christmas and non-Christmas songs for you to choose from later in this post!)
2. Print out lyrics to send home and practice at least three weeks before the performance date.
3. Book a practise session where the performance will be held so that you can practise getting students on stage and into position.
4. Watch and ‘perform’ the song every day for two weeks in the classroom – save the last 10 minutes of school every day for practice. Practise is essential to ensure everyone has a chance to familiarise themselves with the song, words and any actions you have chosen.
5. Send home a note requiring students wear their chosen colours – Christmas colours or bright, fun colours. Send it early (maybe alongside the lyrics, so parents have time to prepare.
6. Organise back up costumes for students who won’t have their own.
7. Print out and decorate easy-to-make headbands. I created these Christmas-themed crowns to wear! There is a crown for each letter A-Z, so you can create your own Christmas message (Merry Christmas, etc) for on stage or a class photo. Students will love decorating them, and you can easily stack them in a tidy tray for safekeeping.

Words you could spell with Christmas Crowns:

You could spell ‘Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays’ – that’s 29 letters (so 29 students!)

‘Wishing you a white Christmas’ – 25 letters

‘Love and hope this Christmas’ – 24 letters

’Love joy and peace always’ – 21 letters

‘Be merry and bright’ – 15 letters

‘May God’s blessings be yours’ – 23 letters

‘Santa Stop Here’ – 13 letters

6. Practise the day before to refine choreography and how students will go up and down the stage if needed. Practise from seated, walking to the stage, going up on stage, back down again, and then sitting down.

7. Practise the song and choreography in the classroom the morning of the performance.

Christmas End-of-Year Performance Songs

1. Santa’s Solar Sleigh. My Number One! Perfect for Australian schools and lots of fun movements!

Actions Inspo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4U2FWYrotw

1. Santa Bring Me a Dinosaur – a funny song that everyone will enjoy.

Actions Inspo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhslIgfPBhc

1. Jingle Bells (with actions) – a classic carol with easy movements.

1. Coming Down the Chimney.

1. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Non-Christmas End-of-Year Performance Songs

1. Wash Your Face in Orange Juice – Peter Coombe. It’s Peter Coombe – what more can I say? Boys love this one!

2. When I Grow Up – Tim Minchin. A gorgeous song from ‘Matilda the Musical’.

3. It’s Raining Tacos – A Roblocks favourite.

4. Reach – S Club 7

5. Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake. A great celebratory tune for all students.

6. Summer Holiday – Cliff Richard – Dress up kids with hats, buckets and spades, and you have an end-of-year performance winner!

Want my final tips on putting together a good end-of-year performance?

Choose early and choose quickly!

Don’t leave it until the last minute. Pick one of the songs above, and check that no one else is doing the same song (keeping a What’s App group or Google doc of everyone’s songs helps with this!). Then stick with it!

Practise regularly

Your performance practise can become your new brain break! Have it on when students enter the classroom, after lunch, before the end of school – when ever you can.

Forsee problems before they happen

Have backup music for the day; backup song lyrics printed for when students lose theirs, backup costumes for the cherubs who won’t get organised in time. Practise standing up and walking on stage numerous times.