Winter Music Craft Rhythm Music Centers Winter Music Bulletin Board Sub Plans

Looking for a cozy and creative winter music activity that your students will love? This Hot Cocoa Rhythm Music Craft is the perfect hands-on way for elementary musicians to practice rhythm while creating an adorable winter-themed mug. Students choose rhythm “marshmallows” and build either a 4-beat or 8-beat rhythm, then glue them onto their hot cocoa mug for the cutest music craft of the season. It’s simple, engaging, and a great way to reinforce rhythm reading while adding a little winter fun to your lessons.

Whether you need a quick print-and-go activity, centers work, or a quiet option for post-concert days, this rhythm craft fits beautifully into any elementary music classroom.

What’s Included:

• Craft instructions
• Craft example
• Hot cocoa mug templates
• Rhythm marshmallow templates (multiple rhythm sets + blank options)
• Bulletin board letters & winter-themed décor pieces
• Bulletin board example for inspiration
  
  
  

How It Works:

1. Students color and cut out their mug and rhythm marshmallows.
2. They build a 4-beat or 8-beat rhythm by choosing marshmallows and placing them in any order.
3. Students glue their finished rhythm onto the mug template to complete their design.
4. Display the finished crafts on a music bulletin board using the included “Hot Cocoa Rhythms” letters.

Rhythm Options:

Students can choose from a variety of rhythm marshmallows, including:

• Quarter notes
• Quarter rests
• Eighth notes
• Half notes
• Sixteenth notes
• Eighth + sixteenth combos
• Blank marshmallows (for custom rhythms!)
  

These options make it easy to differentiate for a range of grade levels!

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• Seasonal rhythm activities during your December elementary music lessons
• A no-prep option for music sub plans
• A calm, creative choice for post-concert days
• A December center or station rotation
• A festive Christmas music craft for all grade levels
• A winter-themed music bulletin board featuring student-made rhythm houses
  

Why Teachers Love It:

If you're looking for a winter music activity that brings together creativity, composition, and meaningful rhythm practice, this Hot Cocoa Rhythm Craft is a perfect fit. It blends the best parts of hands-on music creation with the ease of a print-and-go music craft, making it ideal for any elementary music classroom. Students stay engaged because they’re building their own rhythms, choosing their marshmallows, and designing their mugs—turning music learning into a cozy, winter-themed experience they genuinely enjoy.

This activity also works beautifully alongside your other winter music worksheets or rhythm lessons. Because students can create both 4-beat and 8-beat patterns, it adapts easily for a wide range of grade levels and rhythm abilities. Whether you’re introducing basic rhythms, reviewing for assessments, or looking for ways to extend rhythm composition skills, this craft offers endless flexibility.

And if you love having seasonal displays, you’ll appreciate how visually appealing these mugs look on a music bulletin board. With the included bulletin board letters, you can very quickly create a hallway or classroom display that highlights student creativity and musical understanding. It's the perfect way to showcase winter rhythm work without adding extra prep to your plate.

This Hot Cocoa Rhythm Craft is a must-have for teachers who want winter music activities that are fun, low-prep, and full of meaningful rhythm practice. Whether you’re using it for centers, whole-class lessons, early finishers, or reliable music sub plans, this resource will quickly become a seasonal favorite you return to year after year.