As the holiday season approaches, excitement fills the air—and the classroom! While this time of year is full of joy, keeping students focused and engaged can also be challenging as they eagerly anticipate winter break. By selecting relevant projects, teachers can help sustain that enthusiasm and celebrate the season together as a classroom. Here are five activities to channel that excitement into productive and fun learning opportunities.
1. Thank You Cards for Family and Friends
Take the season of giving to heart by teaching your students the importance of gratitude. Set aside time for them to create heartfelt thank-you cards for family, friends, or even school staff. Provide a variety of colorful paper, markers, stickers, and other craft supplies to inspire their creativity.
Encourage students to reflect on what they appreciate most about the people in their lives. This rewarding activity helps develop students' writing skills as they practice expressing themselves clearly and thoughtfully. It’s a wonderful way to reinforce kindness and empathy while giving them a tangible way to spread holiday cheer.
2. Scavenger Hunts
Nothing captures students’ attention quite like a scavenger hunt! Whether inside the classroom or outdoors, this activity combines movement, teamwork, and problem-solving in an engaging and festive way.
Create a scavenger hunt tailored to your class’s interests or subjects you’ve been studying. For younger students, you might design a hunt for holiday-themed items like bells, stars, or snowflakes hidden around the room. For older students, include riddles or academic challenges that lead them to their next clue. Scavenger hunts are fun and foster collaboration and critical thinking, making them a perfect pre-break activity.
3. Word Games
Word games are a fantastic way to keep students mentally sharp while letting them have fun. From traditional games like hangman or word scrambles to more interactive options like holiday-themed Mad Libs, these activities can help improve vocabulary, spelling, and creative thinking.
For a festive twist, create a holiday or winter word bingo game. Fill the bingo cards with seasonal words like “snowflake,” “reindeer,” or “cookies,” and call out clues to get them thinking as they mark their cards. Consider small prizes or privileges for winners to add extra excitement. For older students, challenge them to create crossword puzzles using words they’ve learned this semester to reinforce their knowledge while keeping students engaged.
4. STEAM Projects
The weeks before winter break are the perfect time to incorporate hands-on learning through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) projects. Activities like building mini marshmallow igloos, designing paper snowflakes, or constructing simple circuits with holiday lights are perfect for sparking curiosity and creativity.
For a science-focused activity, have students create homemade snow using baking soda and water or experiment with making ice ornaments that they can take home. These projects allow students to explore concepts like engineering, geometry, and chemistry in a way that feels playful and exciting. These activities also provide students opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve, and connect classroom concepts to the real world.
5. Let Students Teach You!
One of the most engaging activities you can offer before winter break is turning the tables and letting students teach you! Invite each student (or small groups) to prepare a short lesson, presentation, or demonstration about something they’re passionate about.
This activity can empower students by letting them take charge of their learning in a whole new way. By teaching, they themselves are learning. It can help build confidence, reinforce knowledge, and give them practice with public speaking. Topics can range from how to play a favorite game to explaining a science experiment.
You could encourage students to use visual aids, props, or digital slides to enhance their lessons. Not only does this activity keep their minds focused, but it also helps to garner respect and understanding among peers as they share their unique talents and interests.
Conclusion
The days leading up to winter break can be a mix of excitement and distraction, but with the right activities, you can channel your students’ energy into meaningful and fun experiences. Whether they’re crafting thank-you cards, solving riddles in a scavenger hunt, competing in word games, diving into STEAM projects, or stepping into the role of teacher, these activities are sure to keep your classroom lively and productive. By focusing on creativity, collaboration, and connection, you can end the semester on a high note, leaving your students with memories—and maybe even new skills—that they’ll carry with them through the holiday season.
