Do you want to get your class in the holiday spirit and help make the last few weeks until winter break memorable? Spread the holiday cheer and reveal some exciting daily holiday-themed activities with a classroom advent calendar!
The countdown to winter break is on! How will you help build excitement with your students?
We know teachers are still working hard, leading up to the holidays, but you also want to celebrate with your students. Besides, Christmas is coming!
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So, to make your life a bit easier, we’ve done the work and found all you need for your very own Classroom Advent Calendar to help your students countdown to the holiday break.
Reveal 10 days of fun holiday crafts, activities, and ideas to your class in a super fun way!
Classroom Advent Calendar – the Countdown is On!
Making your very own Classroom Advent Calendar is so easy!
You will need the following:
- cute holiday-themed decorations (I used our Paper Bag Holiday Puppets, Holiday Page Borders – Landscape, and Holiday-Themed Letters and Number Pennant Banners – Color)
- 10 manilla envelopes or manilla folders (I’ve used manilla folders cut in half!)
- some colored ribbon to link your days
- the activities listed below!
Even though they’re printable, these activities aren’t just worksheets. We’ve selected a fantastic array of craft, STEM, literacy, math, and hands-on activities for your students to enjoy! Follow our suggested order of activities, or choose your own from our Winter Holidays Resource Collection.
(P.S. – it’s not on the list, but if you want to make these adorable holiday puppets with your class, make sure to read Ali’s blog Christmas Craft | Fun with Christmas Puppets!).
Classroom Advent Calendar Activities
Day #10 – Elfie Selfie
Start your countdown with a bang – Create an ‘Elfie Selfie’ Template!
These adorable cuties aren’t just for younger students. Take photos of your older students and let them get creative with the rest! These are great to hang up on your bulletin board or classroom door.
Day #9 – Santa’s Reader’s Theater
Practice reading with some Christmas-themed reader’s theater scripts!
- Santa’s Cold – suitable for grades 2–5
- Santa Needs to Share – suitable for grades 3–6
- Santa’s Big Blunder – suitable for grades 4–6
Why not ask your students to put on a short play in small groups?
Day #8 – Christmas Code Cracker
This Christmas Code Cracker Activity is sure to be a class hit!
It is Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus is preparing for his night of delivering presents. He goes to open the garage to prepare his sleigh, but alas! He has forgotten the combination to his lock.
There are 4 digits in the code, hidden within puzzles that relate to Christmas.
Day #7 – Sentence Starters
Your students will love creating their own crazy holiday stories with these Holiday Sentence Starters!
Why not ask your younger students to help you select one and then write a story as a class?
#6 – Christmas Image and Task Cards
Give each student a copy of the Winter Christmas Image and Task Cards and watch the fun unfold!
Alternatively, project it on your screen and play search-and-find. Why not encourage your students to draw their own Winter Christmas image or research unfamiliar objects in the picture?
#5 – Mindful Holiday Coloring
It’s the halfway mark! Only 5 days left of the countdown! Give your kids a well-deserved break with some mindful coloring.
The best part about these worksheets is that they make wonderful fast-finisher activities for the remainder of the week.
#4 – Pop-Up Holiday Cards
These quick and easy Pop-Up Holiday Card Templates make for a quick and easy activity as you near the holidays! Students can write one to a family member or to each other! For more information read Ali’s exciting blog on How to Make a DIY Mailbox | Holiday Literacy Activity Ideas.
Does your class love making holiday cards? For even more holiday card ideas, read our blog 5 Crafty Christmas Card Ideas!
#3 – Christmas Carols
Deck the halls!
These much-loved Christmas carols make a great addition to your advent calendar activities.
Either task students with performing in groups, or put together a whole class concert for the playground at recess! Even better…add actions!
#2 – Gift Graphing Activity
Christmas Day is getting closer!
If your students haven’t already thought about gifts this holiday season, now’s the time to start! Have them complete a Gift Graphing Activity.
Students choose five items they believe are the top gifts this holiday season. Then, they ask each classmate to choose the one they would most like to receive. Using their results, students create a tally chart using the data. Then, they put the results into a pictograph and write a word problem using the information from the graph.
#1- STEM Holiday Activities
We’ve saved the best until last… it’s the last day before winter break! The perfect time for some Holiday STEM Challenge Cards!
You can use these cards any way you like. Either choose one activity that your class can work on for half of the day, or have a WHOLE day of STEM activities!
What a wonderful way to lead up to the holiday break!
We hope you and your class are looking forward to a well-deserved winter break!
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