With all the requirements of teachers, holidays in the classroom just aren’t like they used to be. The work is rigorous, and the curriculum is dense, so finding worthwhile and standard-aligned Christmas activities seems like an impossible task. Look no further! The Christmas-themed activities below are great ways to celebrate, engage students and make sure you are truly providing meaningful instruction. To add icing to the cake, these activities are available for print or digital play!
Available for 3rd– 5th Grade
This escape room has students working through math challenges in order to escape the North Pole, which has been snowed in! Each task requires students to practice with a different standard and presents the activity in a new and engaging fashion. Tasks range from math puzzles and mazes to decoding clues using spinners. The instructions are very detailed for both print and digital, so even if you have never worked through an escape room, this product is for you!
For Grades 3rd-5th
This time, students must work together in groups to help Santa find his lost presents by retracing his steps through the countries he has already visited, all by sunrise, in order to save Christmas! Students will use context clues and summarize when completing each challenge. Task cards have interesting passages they must read and respond to in order to find more clues, leading to find Santa’s gifts. QR codes are provided for those that desire them, and there is even a decoder provided! Print and digital versions are available. Printing requires pre-planning, but printing on cardstock and laminating allows you to use the product again and again during the holidays!
Available for grades 3-5
This product is solely digital, but accessible for all students. Each activity not only provides math concept practice for students, but also requires them to interact with each challenge in a different way. For example, students must drag and drop Christmas lights to rearrange digits in a way that makes expressions accurate. In another escape, students must unearth an elf from a pile of snowballs and utilize math skills to complete the escape. Practice plus intentional interaction? You cannot top that!
This is another direction rich digital and/or print activity. Students will learn about Christmas in other countries, as well as gain information about other winter holidays celebrated around the world. Each component intentionally incorporates tasks of various styles. Journaling, recording learning and employing the research process are all parts of this product. Another important aspect is the versatility of the product. It can be used as morning work, warm-ups for your writing block, and a time for students to write and doodle for educational entertainment.
This bundle gives students the opportunity to learn about Christmas traditions in 15 different countries! With digital and print options, teaching of all styles is supported. Step by step instructions are included, giving educators all they need to support students through the work. Each country examined includes an informational page and a corresponding activity. Each country’s fact page is similarly organized so students can easily find facts, but the linked activities vary greatly in style and content. Math puzzles, decoding messages, word searches and more are included in the bundle. What a great way to allow for genuine student entertainment while also providing valuable opportunities for practice in utilizing prior knowledge, as well as applying new learning to new tasks.
Overall, it can be difficult to find holiday-themed activities that are both rigorous and relevant, but these products fit the bill! Have a great time laughing and learning with students this holiday season with one or more of the products detailed above. You and your students will be thankful you did!
