Christmas learning

As you know, I love taking advantage of a holiday to find moments to blend learning and fun. My favorite thing to do is to think of things that my kids will respond to and be engaging for everyone. For this week, early in December (HOW already??) we have some fun Christmas themed activities for you to do with your families in between decorating your trees and knocking out your shopping. We’ll keep it simple and have all the printable worksheets for you below. Let’s dive in to some Christmas learning and activities!

Making Connections

December gives us lots of time to explore, learn and connect with our family and loved ones. One way for us to begin is to compile some fun opportunities for holiday festivities that bring everyone together. I’m not a baker, trust me on that one, so no delicious recipes to share with you. HOWEVER, I will be sharing some awesome “recipes” for Christmas learning! We’ll sift through some learning activities and free printables. Fun for all ages and family groups inside where it’s warm.

A Recipe for Memories

I mentioned earlier that I love doing things with my kids that spark joy and create traditions. My son and I were unpacking our Christmas decorations this year and said to me how much he loves getting our decorations out together. We shared with one another what our favorite things to see each year were and why they were special to us. I always save crafts the kids have made so that the following year, we can get them out and reminisce. It’s really fun, especially for my 6 year old, to see his art from years past and compare how he has progressed. It really boosts his confidence. Sharing memories and looking through our past work is a great way to integrate Christmas learning into the start of the season!

There is so much evidence that making time to play and express our creativity is good for our hearts and minds. It’s also just fun to explore colors, textures, different mediums to express ourselves. Creating as a family or one on one with our children is a great way to connect and have conversations. I love sitting at the table with my oldest while he works on something creative. He always opens up and chatters away. I hear the most about school, before/ after care, and deep thoughts when he’s immersed in a project. I usually just let him talk and I listen. Talking while engaging in Christmas learning and crafts is a great way to connect together.

Take a Break…or don’t

While we are still navigating a pandemic and the disruption to our daily lives is pervasive, it is 100% healthy to take time to unplug and unwind. That being said, I always think that holiday and summer breaks are also a great time to keep the brain sharp. I recently came across the phrase of “brain drain” which describes the loss of skills during inactive times, like holiday breaks from school. The suggestion was to provide maintenance during the holiday break by reading and practicing learned skills. This way, your brain doesn’t get moldy! No one likes a moldy brain. So, take some time to sleep in, be creative and have fun, but don’t forget to keep your brain engaged. Here are some ELA Christmas learning printables for your family to get started!

Words and Sounds

Sentences and Vocabulary

Patterns and Sorting

Make sure to carve out some time each evening or another low key time to sit and read. I always recommend my students check out a book or two before a long break. I encourage them to pick out something informative and something fun. With my son, he is learning to read, so we also plan time to choose something he can accomplish on his own. A love of reading and language is closely connected! Later this month, we’ll share a holiday book list with you. Drop us your favorite titles in the comments!

Stick to What Counts

This is from an older article, but research does still show us that you can lose what you aren’t using. We can all attest to the truth of this. During a long break, such as the summer, students can lose up to 2- 2 1/2 months of the math skills they learn throughout the year. When the return to school in the late summer/ early fall, the gap to catch up can be significant for some students. For a shorter break such as the Christmas holiday vacation, we still see effects of bran drain upon our return in January. We have created some math resources for your family to practice over the Christmas break to keep the skills and mind sharp.

There are so many elements to experience with the Christmas season. Colors, shapes, smells and activities! We all have our favorites for the holidays- movies, decorations, foods. Through learning and sharing, take advantage of the opportunity to make new memories with your families and establish unique traditions. Next week, catch up with us for Part 2 of this week’s post. We’ll have time to explore some Christmas crafts and some simple science activities! Happy holidays!

Remember to check in with us in the comments. We’d love to year from you, MTT fam!

Courtney R. Goldbeck

Courtney is an MTT tutor, academic coach, and blog contributor for MTTES. If you check out our FB and Instagram pages, you might see her giving a storytime with her son Jack through the company’s Facebook Live service. Courtney’s love of the English language, learning, and creative writing inspired her to contribute relevant content to teachers, tutors, parents, and homeschoolers seeking support across an array of trending topics. She and her teacher husband have two small children and reside in Baltimore, MD with their dog Lottie May.