Preschoolers will enjoy learning during the Christmas season if you use holiday activities to learn essential preschool concepts. Bring Christmas into the preschool classroom with this Christmas theme. Preschoolers will enjoy festive, open-ended activities as they learn.

Preschool Christmas Circle Time

Christmas Countdown – Make a paper chain to count down the days until Christmas. Every day choose one preschooler to tear off a paper chain. Count the number of remaining paper links out loud with the preschoolers.

Preschool Christmas Arts and Crafts

Gingerbread Christmas Tree
Gingerbread houses are a fun way to celebrate the Christmas season but they can be difficult and frustrating for preschoolers to make on their own. This simple variation of the traditional gingerbread house is easy for preschoolers to make on their own and creates a fun gingerbread Christmas tree that preschoolers can decorate.

Pine cone Christmas Tree
Preschoolers will love making these open ended pine cone Christmas trees. Let preschoolers use their imagination and decorate their Christmas trees using a variety of leftover sequins, beads, and other craft supplies.

Preschool Art Activity – Salt Dough Handprint
This preschool art activity makes a wonderful gift to parents for Christmas, Mothers day, Fathers day, or at the end of the school year. Decorate the handprint to fit the occasion by painting it in a variety of colors and writing different words in the dough.

Preschool Christmas Math and Science

Pattern Cards – Make your own pattern cards by finding simple Christmas clip art and creating a pattern on cardstock. Laminate the card and then provide additional pieces for preschoolers to use to finish the pattern.

Gingerbread Play Dough
Preschoolers will love this festive touch to traditional play dough. The wonderful gingerbread scent of this play dough adds an additional dimension to this sensory play activity and helps preschoolers to celebrate the holiday season.

Mitten Matching Math
This festive matching activity makes a wonderful Christmas time math center. Preschoolers will develop their math skills as they participate in this winter matching activity.

Preschool Christmas Music and Movement

Jingle Bells – Give each preschooler a bell on a ribbon and have them shake it while singing Jingle Bells

Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer – Many dollar stores sell light up Rudolf noses that preschoolers can wear. If you can’t find one of these, you can make a Rudolf nose by taping string a red paper circle and tying it on a preschooler’s nose. Have the preschoolers sing Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer while wearing red Rudolf noses.

Preschool Christmas Pretend Play

Caroling – Have the preschoolers go Christmas caroling around the preschool classroom. Have several preschoolers stand at various spots in the classroom and pretend to be houses.

Preschool Christmas Language and Reading

Letters to Santa – Have each preschooler “write” a letter to Santa. Preschoolers can draw pictures to illustrate what they would like for Christmas or practice writing letters. It is not important that the letter be legible. Encourage preschoolers to practice their own writing skills, no matter what level they may be at. When the preschoolers finish writing their letters to Santa, put all the letters in a large envelope and have the preschool class decorate it. Address the envelope to Santa Clause, North Pole and tell the preschoolers that you are going to mail the letter.