It’s that time of year! Let the Christmas count down begin! This can be an extra-special time to be a teacher, but it can also be very stressful. Kids are getting antsy and their attention span is pretty much zero. You need some fun Christmas activities for kids that will keep them entertained whilst also sharpening their skills. Read on for some fun ideas!
christmas activities for kids
Christmas Classic Update
The Night Before Christmas poem is definitely a Christmas classic. But it was written many years ago, and uses terms and phrases that aren’t used anymore. Challenge your students to do an update of this much-loved poem!
Start by reading the poem aloud. Tell your students to listen closely for any phrases or details that aren’t popular today. Some examples: sugar plums, sash, kerchief, peddler.
Make a list of students’ responses.
Now, start a discussion. Ask about details in the poem and what their modern equivalents would be. For example, in the poem “the stockings are hung by the chimney with care”, waiting to be filled with presents. Where do we expect to find our presents today?
Do you think kids today would be dreaming of sugar plums? What would they be dreaming of instead?
Mama is in “her kerchief” and father is in his “cap” for bedtime. What do modern people wear to bed?
Santa is compared to a “peddler.” What do they think a peddler is? What would we compare Santa to today?
Now have students write a new version of the poem, one in which Santa visits a modern home. Allow some time for them to share their poems.
Christmas Around the World
Kids are usually amazed at how different cultures celebrate Christmas. This interactive map is a fun way for students to do some research!
All they need to do is click on a country. A little pop-up window will appear and explain one Christmas tradition.
Have your students write a paragraph or two comparing one or two of the countries with their own celebration. Ask them to look at several different countries and find one or two traditions that they particularly like!
Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness
The Christmas season is about the importance of giving to others. To help your students be kind, brainstorm a list of small things they can do around their home, school, and community.
Write down their ideas and create a calendar for December. For each day, add one kind act that students can do. Make copies of the calendars and give them to students.
Challenge students to complete the entire calendar by doing random acts of kindness during the whole month of December!
They can write in journals or discuss their experiences with a partner. This is a great way for kids to see that even small acts can make a big difference!
Christmas Activities and Puzzle Pack
Having puzzles for your students to solve is a way to slow things down a bit and introduce some quiet time into this hectic, sometimes chaotic, time in school.
Your students will love these fun and challenging puzzles, using key Christmas vocabulary. They are a fun way to practice word work and math skills in an engaging way. Perfect for independent centers, morning work, and early finishers, let this NO PREP Christmas Activities and Puzzles Pack help you during this busy and distracting time of year!
And check out this earlier post for more ideas!
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