Inside: Looking for hands-on preschool December themes? This resource is filled with ideas and free printables to help you plan the entire month. Can be adapted for toddlers, too!
You are planning your preschool December themes.
You’ve searched Pinterest and there are so many ideas it’s making your head spin.
You want activities that can be used at different centers.
Activities that build skills and are hands-on.
I’ve got you covered with this amazing collection of ideas that will work not only for preschoolers, but also toddlers.
Get out your planner because you will want to fill it with some of these ideas!
Hands-On Ideas for Your Preschool December Themes {Toddlers, too!}
Looking for December circle time ideas? Check this out: December Circle Time Ideas
Teaching virtually? I will be adding each of my December online meetings here.
As many of you know, I’ve been teaching virtually since our school closed last March. I meet online with my 2 and young 3 year olds twice a week for 25-30 minutes. (You can see snippets of each of my videos on this page.)
I’ve been asked to share what we send home in our packet pick ups.
Here’s what is going home in December:
- I sent home an ornament with each child that has the letter of their first name. I copied it on heavy (card stock) paper and threaded a piece of ribbon through a hole in the top so they can use this as a personalized ornament on their tree. They can decorate these with watercolors or markers.
- The children can decorate their gingerbread men with stickers and markers.
- I assembled these like a book, stapling the left side, and gave them black circle stickers to place on each circle on the tree.
- These are part of our preschool’s instrument collection, so we’ve asked that our families please return these to the preschool when we are finished. We will use these while singing Jingle Bells and others songs in our December Playlist.
- I’ve provided a variety of small yellow pieces that the children can glue to their stars.
I’ve also been asked to share what books I will be reading online. Here’s what’s planned:
December Themes Ideas
Christmas Around the World Theme
I asked teachers in our Facebook Group what they are doing. In addition to the above, here is what they are doing:
- Christmas Around the World
- Trains
- Bears and Hibernation
- Holidays Around the World
- Nativity
- Giving to Others
- Holiday Stories
- Traditions
- Shapes
- Kindness
- Bakery
- Christmas Trees
- Polar Express
- Space
- Animals Around the World
- Families
- Arctic Animals
- Nursery Rhymes
- Pets
- Recycling
- Giving Tree
- Taking Care of Yourself and Others
- Tools and Machines
- Birds
- Construction
- Night & Day
- Baking
- Emotions
- Transportation
Circle Time
Christmas Circle Time Activities
Centers
Art
- Colorful Star Suncatchers
- Cardboard Christmas Trees
- Cheerful Christmas Tree Cards
- Handmade Christmas Gift Wrap
- Keepsake Wooden Ornaments
- Glitter and Paint Ornaments
- Angel Peg Ornaments
- Photo Keepsake Ornaments
- Handprint Fillable Ornament
- Spin-Art Paper Ornaments
- No-Mess Gingerbread Suncatcher Ornament
- Gingerbread Ornament
- Spin Painted Christmas Trees
- Snowflake Ornaments
- Gingerbread Ice Painting
- Christmas Tree Ice Painting
- Jingle Bell Painting (Free Printable)
- Watercolor Wreaths
Sensory Bin
- Jingle Bell Magnetic Sensory Bin
- Gingerbread Sensory Bin
- Pom Pom Snowman Sensory Bin
- Star Sensory Table
Music & Movement
⭐️ See my December Playlist here!
Science
Math
Dramatic Play
Playdough
Cooking
Skills
Fine Motor
Gross Motor
Literacy
- Jingle Bell Sticks (Goes with the book There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell)
- Alphabet Snowmen
- Winter Literacy Ideas
Classroom Ideas
Free Printables
Free Printable Christmas Templates
These templates make putting together art activities so much easier! Can also be used as color sheets at the writing table.
Favorite Collections
- Amazing Collection of Kid Made Ornaments
- 25+ Simple Christmas Art Ideas
- Gingerbread Theme Ideas
- 22 Fun Christmas Sensory Play Ideas
- 20 Kid Made Christmas Gifts
- 7 Easy Christmas Ideas for Little Kids
- 17 Christmas Painting Activities
- Winter Learning Activities
Books
Songs
Still looking for more? Check out my Christmas pin board! (And make sure to follow it!) Over 1,800 ideas for December!
Lesson Plans that are Ready to Go
Preschool Christmas Lesson Plans
I love partnering with Preschool Teacher 101, and they have incorporated reading, math, science and more in this 169-page preschool secular Christmas lesson plan set.
Cost: $5.00
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
For those of you who start your winter themes in December (no Christmas involved), check this out!
I am the co-author of these winter theme lesson plans.
24 preschool learning activities for your winter theme, including literacy, math, science, art, fine motor, and more! A great resource for teachers and homeschoolers.
24 preschool learning activities that cover
- Literacy
- Math
- Science
- Fine Motor
- Sensory
- Gross Motor
- Art
- Social Studies
- Music
- Circle Time
- Social/Emotional
Note: These lesson plans are geared for preschoolers ages 3-5. We are in the process of creating separate lesson plans for toddlers. The toddler winter lesson plans are scheduled to be published in December, 2019. Click here for more information.
We also have toddler winter lesson plans! CLICK HERE!
Hi Sheryl,
I love your ideas and the fact that you enjoy our ideas is very humbling. Thank you for the encouragement, As for ideas, one simple way to use the Styrofoam trees is to allow the students to simply put peal and stick Christmas To and From label or Christmas stickers onto the tree. Adding some of the stick bows may work too. Of course all the stickers will be in one general location, but that is to be expected. 🙂
Also, peppermint bark is a common Christmas treat, but here are some ideas with peppermint would probably be more kid friendly: rice crispy treats with the peppermint pieces/pink ice (https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pink-ice/) macaroons with the pieces/ and, this one is unusual but simple and fun (https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/frosty-peppermint-popcorn/)
Enjoy!
Thank you so much for the ideas, Kathleen!