A Sleigh Load of Fun Christmas Ideas for Kids
by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com
Interactive Websites
* Here’s a simple mouse activity from ABCya where kids must drag the mouse to add Christmas lights to a house.
* Also from ABCya, a more complicated decorating activity.
* For puzzle-loving students, a physics-based logic puzzle called Sugar, Sugar Xmas Special. Draw lines with the mouse to get sugar into cups. And another ABCya physics-based Christmas puzzle, Civiballs Christmas.
* Here’s an interactive Math Fact activity with a Christmas theme from ABCya. Practise the four operations at different levels of difficulty.
* So much fun! Kids can play Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells by honking the appropriate numbered reindeer nose in this zany “Rain” Deer orchestra.
* The above image is from a reasonably simple tree-decorating activity requiring the mouse at TESiboard. Kids must drag shapes to a canvas and use them to create and decorate a tree. TESiboard also has an interactive Christmas-themed shape-sorting activity.
* NorthPole.com offers a build the snowman activity where kids drag features to decorate a snowman.
* Here’s a mad libs-style Christmas-themed story.
* Christmas Memory from Smart Kit Puzzle Playground has varying levels of difficulty.
* Fun 4 the Brain has an interactive math game called Reindeer Cafe.
* This Bell Ringing Game from TESiboard encourages kids to copy a sequence of bells.
* Learn English Kids has an interactive activity called Whose Present? where kids need to listen to what Santa says, then make some choices to show they understand.
Christmas-themed Worksheets
Every teacher, however passionate and dedicated to creative educational outcomes for kids, is thrown into a situation where she/he needs a worksheet. Here are some places to grab something that will keep the troops quiet while you explain your philosophy of teaching to the suddenly-visiting Big Wig.
* I have created two fairly simple free PDF counting puzzles which are available at my website. You’re welcome to download either HowMany (pictured, almost monochromatic, above) and/ or HowMany2 (colour, below) if you are a parent, teacher or librarian, who works with kids.
* US author/illustrator, Jan Brett, has some lovely PDFs and activities linked to her books.
* Here are some write a letter to Santa templates. The same website has Christmas colouring pages, including mandalas and even an Australian Santa!
Art and Crafts
Not even my best friend would call me a crafty person, so I love "simple and foolproof" when doing craft activities with kids. I also have a soft spot for reindeer!
* Here’s a tutorial on how to make an Adeerable Reindeer painting at Wolfelicious.
* I loved these cute and easy candy cane reindeer.
* And more googly eyes - Clothespin Reindeer.
Online Games
* This Google Site lists many Christmas-themed games that kids can play online. (I haven’t checked them - your job!)
Real Life Games
* Check out a list of topics for Christmas Charades and other game ideas.
* Great ideas for preschool Christmas-themed games - for class or for parties.
* Roll a Reindeer game PDF (permission for personal and classroom use here.)
You might also like to read The All-singing All-dancing Christmaspalooza Resource Hamper (1), The All-singing All-dancing Christmaspalooza Resource Hamper (2) and The All-singing All-dancing Christmaspalooza Resource Hamper (3).
Some great resources here - thanks for sharing
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