Christmas Preschool Free Lesson Plan
Christmas activities for preschool and kindergarten are a breeze to schedule with the help of this easy lesson plan. A week of planned activities is ready for you to use with your early learners.
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There's a special kind of excitement in the air around Christmas time. Familiar carols ring out at the mall, parcels peek out from not-so-secret hiding places.
And kids crafts and activities are filled with interesting textures and colors, fun characters, and special props.
Along with the wonder and joy of the season, there is the reality of planning daily activities for a group of excited, squirming children.
There are so many ideas to choose from - on the internet, in books, in craft stores - it can be overwhelming to say the least.
This free lesson plan is one option you can grab to reduce the stress of scheduling activities.
Christmas thematic unit
This simple lesson plan contains a week of activities, organized with our A.B.C. method.
The free printable unit contains five days of small group activities, Christmas books, and crafts.
Here is the pdf link.
Christmas themed preschool unit
Each day has an activity, a book title, and a craft or art activity.
- Where you see an asterick next to an activity, you'll find instructions or a link included in this post.
- Games and crafts use everyday craft supplies and household materials.
- Songs and rhymes follow popular tunes you know or can easily find on YouTube.
- Some activities like the Takeaway Game may be familiar to you. We've just added the seasonal touch!
Enjoy the fun games, crafts and stories in this unit with your preschoolers!
Here are complete instructions and links for games, fingerplay, and crafts.
Monday
Activity
Hot potato Game with a Pine Cone
- Supplies: pine cone, colorful pompoms
Pass the pine cone around the circle while playing music.
When the music stops, the person holding the cone stuffs a pompom into the pine cone.
Book
I Spy a Christmas Tree by Jean Marzello
Craft
Tuesday
Activity
Decorate the Christmas Tree on the Felt Board
Prepare the game
1.Cut out a large green felt triangle for a Christmas tree.
2.Outline shapes on the tree with a marker or chalk. Include a star shape outline on the top of the tree.
3.Make a set of cards with a shape drawn on each card matching the shapes on the tree.
4.Cut out felt shapes to match the shapes on the cards.
Play the game
1.Turn over a card. Find the matching felt cut-out.
2.Place the felt shape on the matching shape outline on the tree.
Song: Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Tree: (Tune: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
Twinkle, twinkle Christmas tree (Hands overhead, finger tips touching)
Shining bright on Christmas Eve.
Branches spread so far and wide. (Extend arms out on each side)
Lights that sparkle side by side. (Wiggle fingers in front)
Twinkle, twinkle Christmas tree (Hands overhead, fingers touching)
Shining bright on Christmas Eve.
Book
Little Blue Digger and the Christmas Tree by Harriet Tuppen
Craft
Cone Shaped Christmas Tree Craft
Wednesday
Activity
Fingerplay: Five Little Reindeer
5 little reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh
One went caroling on a winter day
4 little reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh
One went sledding on a winter day
3 little reindeer.....
One went skating on a winter day
2 little reindeer.....
One built a snowman on a winter day
1 little reindeer…..
Went snowshoeing on a winter day.
Five little reindeer playing in the snow
Heard Santa calling: ”It’s time to go. (Hold up a Santa figure)
The sleigh is packed and ready to leave
To visit the children on Christmas Eve.”
Five little reindeer on a winter day
Arrive just in time to pull Santa’s sleigh. (Count and raise fingers as the reindeer return.)
Alternate finger play:
Five on the Sleigh (Tune: Five in the Bed and the Little One Said)
- Hold up five fingers on one hand. Attach a red pompom nose to the thumb of your other hand. Keep this thumb hidden, until the end of the fingerplay.
Five on the sleigh heard Santa say: “Where’s Rudolph? Where’s Rudolph?
So one went off to find Rudolph (Bend thumb into palm)
Then four on the sleigh heard Santa say: “Where’s Rudolph? Where’s Rudolph?
So one went off to find Rudolph (Bend pointer down.)
- Continue counting down with middle, ring and baby fingers.
Last verse:
Then no one on the sleigh heard Santa say: “Here’s Rudolph!" (Say with an excited, happy voice as you hold up the thumb on your other hand with the red nose.)
- Ask the children to help you bring the reindeer back to the sleigh. Count from one to five, standing fingers up one at a time as the reindeer return. Then move your hands up and down and from side to side to make the motion of the sleigh with Rudolph in the lead.
Book
Careful Santa by Julie Sykes
Craft
Santa with a Fluffy Beard Craft
Thursday
Activity
Takeaway Game
Prepare the game
1.Place several Christmas decorations on the table.
2.Cover with a cloth.
Play the game
1.Carefully pull one item off the table under cover of the cloth, so it is not seen.
2.Remove the cloth. Guess which item is missing.
Snowball Toss Game
Prepare the game
1.Place a basket or box in the middle of the circle.
2.Pile pompom or cotton ball “snowballs” in front of each student.
Play the game
1.Toss snowballs into the basket.
- Count snowballs as they are tossed.
- Turn over a card from a deck of numbered cards to see how many snowballs to toss.
Book
Bear Stays Up For Christmas by Karma Wilson
Craft
Friday
Activity
Christmas Stocking Sensory Game
Prepare the game
1.Put two or three objects in a Christmas stocking, one stocking for each student.
Play the game
1.Ask students to identify items just by squishing the bag with fingers.
- Can you find the block? Can you find the toy car?
Five Little Stockings Fingerplay
Five little stockings hanging by the door,
Santa filled one and then there were four.
Four little stockings beside the Christmas tree,
Santa filled one and then there were three.
Three little stockings just for you,
Santa filled one and then there were two.
Two little stockings for holiday fun,
Santa filled a stocking and then there was one.
One little stocking just for me
Waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve.
Book
Merry Christmas Gus by Chris Chatterton
Stocking Craft
Cut two matching sock shapes from recycled Christmas cards, or from cardstock.
- Decorate plain cardstock with crayons, markers, stickers.
Hole punch the edges of both stockings, except across the top.
Lace the sock cut-outs together with narrow ribbon.
Form a hanger at the top with the excess ribbon.
More planning options
This unit can easily be adapted to extend beyond the five days.
Activities can be repeated each week with variations.
Here are a few examples.
- Use gift bows instead of ornaments for the takeaway game.
- Sort colors of decorations for math play.
- Find stockings on a scavenger hunt, then place them on the felt board.
Songs and fingerplays can be repeated as is, so kids can become familiar with them.
Books can be read over and over or new ones introduced.
Crafts are easy to grab from our roundup of Christmas Crafts.
Enjoy easy activities with stress-free planning this Christmas!
