Jingle Bell Rock – Fun Learning Activities for a Christmas Countdown

Hi friends!

Welcome back to our Christmas countdown series here on Printables by Janille – Teaching Fun for Kids! So far, we’ve explored Silent Night, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Silver Bells, Away in a Manger, Deck the Halls, Joy to the World, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, and Feliz Navidad. Today, we’re celebrating a fun, upbeat carol: Jingle Bell Rock! I’ve included crafts, reading lessons, and math activities for Preschool through 6th grade.

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The History of Jingle Bell Rock

Jingle Bell Rock was written by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe and first released in 1957 by Bobby Helms. Unlike traditional carols, it has a rock-and-roll rhythm that makes it lively and perfect for dancing along. The song references classic Christmas imagery like jingle bells, sleigh rides, and fun winter activities.

It became popular in the 1950s, reflecting the new era of rock-and-roll music while keeping the festive spirit of Christmas. Its catchy melody and playful lyrics have made it a favorite in schools, holiday parties, and family gatherings, encouraging movement, music appreciation, and seasonal celebration.

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Craft: Jingle Bell Ornament

Materials Needed:

• Small plastic or paper cups

• Bells or jingle bells

• Ribbon or string

• Glue

• Markers or crayons

• Optional: glitter or stickers

Instructions:

1. Decorate the cup with markers, crayons, or stickers.

2. Glue a small bell inside or attach several bells to the rim.

3. Tie a ribbon through the top of the cup to hang it.

4. Shake to hear your very own jingle bell!

Worksheet/Visual Idea:

• Provide a template of a cup to color and cut out.

• Include bell stickers for children to add to their ornaments.

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Reading & Literacy Lessons

Preschool:

• Trace “Jingle Bell Rock” on dotted letters.

• Practice saying “Jingle, jingle, jingle” while shaking a bell.

Kindergarten:

• Sight words: “jingle,” “bell,” “rock.” Highlight them on a lyric sheet.

• Read aloud: “Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock.”

1st Grade:

• Phonics focus: Identify “j” in jingle and “r” in rock.

• Write the first line neatly on lined paper.

2nd Grade:

• Vocabulary: Define “sleigh” and “dance,” and use each in a sentence.

• Draw a picture showing a sleigh ride from the song.

3rd Grade:

• Sequencing: Cut out the lines of the first verse and put them in order.

• Writing prompt: “Describe your favorite winter activity in 3–4 sentences.”

4th Grade:

• Poetry study: Identify rhymes and rhythm in the verse.

• Rewrite one line in your own words while keeping the meaning.

5th Grade:

• Analyze imagery: How does this song create a lively holiday feeling? Write a paragraph.

• Compare Jingle Bell Rock to another fun Christmas song in 2–3 sentences.

6th Grade:

• Historical discussion: Why do you think Jingle Bell Rock became a holiday favorite in the 1950s?

• Journal prompt: Write a story set on a snowy day inspired by the song.

Visual/Worksheet Ideas:

• Tracing sheets for Preschool/1st grade

• Lyric sheet with highlighted sight words for Kindergarten

• Sequencing cards and writing prompts for 2nd–6th grades

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Math Lessons – Jingle Bell Rock

Preschool (Counting and One-to-One Correspondence)

1. Count 1–5 bells on your ornament.

2. Count 6–10 bells.

3. How many red bells are there?

4. How many green bells?

5. Point to 3 bells and count them.

6. Clap for each bell you see (1–5).

7. Touch each bell and count aloud.

8. Count 5 bells in a row.

9. Add 2 more bells to the ornament. How many now?

10. Draw 4 bells and count them.

Kindergarten (Sorting and Tallying)

1. Sort 10 bells into red and green. How many of each?

2. Tally the number of small bells.

3. Tally the number of large bells.

4. Draw 3 groups of bells and count each group.

5. Count how many red bells are on top.

6. Count how many green bells are on bottom.

7. Add the two groups together.

8. Circle all small bells and count them.

9. Draw 5 more bells and count the total.

10. Color 7 bells and leave the rest blank.

1st Grade (Addition & Subtraction)

1. 4 + 5 = ___

2. 3 + 6 = ___

3. 7 + 2 = ___

4. 5 + 5 = ___

5. 9 + 1 = ___

6. 10 – 3 = ___

7. 8 – 4 = ___

8. 6 – 2 = ___

9. 7 – 5 = ___

10. 9 – 6 = ___

2nd Grade (Addition, Subtraction, Word Problems)

1. 12 + 5 = ___

2. 15 – 7 = ___

3. There are 10 bells, 3 fall off. How many remain?

4. 8 + 6 = ___

5. 14 – 9 = ___

6. 7 + 7 = ___

7. 13 – 4 = ___

8. There are 16 bells, 5 are red. How many are green?

9. 9 + 8 = ___

10. 20 – 6 = ___

3rd Grade (Multiplication & Introduction to Division)

1. 3 × 6 = ___

2. 4 × 5 = ___

3. 6 × 2 = ___

4. 7 × 3 = ___

5. 8 × 2 = ___

6. 12 ÷ 4 = ___

7. 15 ÷ 3 = ___

8. 18 ÷ 6 = ___

9. 9 × 2 = ___

10. 5 × 5 = ___

4th Grade (Division, Multi-Step Word Problems)

1. 24 ÷ 4 = ___

2. 36 ÷ 6 = ___

3. 18 ÷ 3 = ___

4. 48 ÷ 8 = ___

5. 30 ÷ 5 = ___

6. There are 32 bells for 4 garlands. How many per garland?

7. If 5 bells fall from 25, how many remain?

8. 60 ÷ 10 = ___

9. A garland has 24 bells divided into 3 rows. How many per row?

10. 72 ÷ 8 = ___

5th Grade (Word Problems & Multiplication)

1. Each bell jingles 3 times per minute. 8 bells = ___ jingles

2. 5 bells × 4 jingles each = ___

3. 7 bells × 6 jingles each = ___

4. 9 bells × 2 jingles each = ___

5. If 12 bells are used 5 times each, total jingles = ___

6. 3 groups of 7 bells = ___

7. 4 groups of 6 bells = ___

8. There are 10 bells × 3 jingles each = ___

9. 8 bells × 7 jingles each = ___

10. 15 bells × 2 jingles each = ___

6th Grade (Fractions, Ratios, Multi-Step Problems)

1. 12 bells: 3 red, 9 green. Fraction red = ___

2. Ratio red:green = ___

3. 18 bells: 6 gold, 12 silver. Fraction gold = ___

4. 24 bells: 8 gold, rest silver. Ratio gold:silver = ___

5. If 3/12 bells are red, how many are green?

6. 1/4 of 16 bells = ___

7. 2/3 of 18 bells = ___

8. If 5 red bells are added to 10 green, new ratio = ___

9. 12 ÷ 3 = ___ (fraction interpretation)

10. There are 15 bells, 5 red, 10 green. What fraction are green?

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Wrapping Up

I hope your kids enjoy crafting, reading, and counting along with Jingle Bell Rock! Each week in our Christmas countdown series, we’re making learning hands-on, festive, and fun. Stay tuned for the next post, where we’ll explore another classic Christmas carol with activities for every grade.