The twinkling lights, the carols, the fires, the family. There is just a warm feeling that envelops us when Christmas rolls around. It’s full of memories, love, and cheer. Even as adults, the magic of Santa never goes away, which is why I get so excited to share that warm feeling with my kiddos, even during school. As teachers, we can incorporate some of that cheerful spirit of the season with the learning opportunities we provide students. This will not only increase engagement, but it will just be so much more FUN for you and your students. Check out some Christmas math preschool activities that you can use during the holiday season!
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Christmas Lesson Plans
Stuff Santa
Christmas Math Preschool Activities
There is an obsession with pompoms in our house. I constantly find pompoms scattered about. They’re in my pockets. Pompoms in jars. Just…everywhere. This is why a Christmas math preschool activity centered around a sensory bin full of pompoms is absolutely perfect.
Just tape the Santa printout onto a clear container and Stuff Santa with pompoms! Follow the numbers on the cards and then dump them back out! Easy to set up and lots of counting involved!
Skills:
- represent a number of objects with a written numeral
- when counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name
Stuff Santa
Fine Motor Counting Activity
Yet another exciting manipulative to add to a counting activity: linking chains! Not only do they make the perfect reigns for Santa’s sleigh, but they add in those fine motor skills!
First, we counted the stars on Santa’s sleigh. Tip: Use a dry erase marker to dot each star as your students count the higher numbers. Then, we found the reindeer with the matching numeral and hooked them together with the same number of linking chains. Finally, if you have kiddos anything like my children, fly the sleigh around the room saying, “Ho, ho, ho!” Ha! There was a ton of laughter and joy with this math preschool activity!
Skills:
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when counting objects, say the number names in standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name
- count to answer "how many?" questions
Gift Measure
Non-Standard Measurement Activity
It’s always fun to guess what is inside each present under the tree. But sometimes, it’s fun to trick the kids by wrapping a tiny gift in a large box. (Cue the evil laughter.) Or you can go the complete opposite direction and just wrap a shovel straight up. My dad sure had fun guessing that one!
But anyway, back to this next Christmas math activity. I first had my little one pick a toy and match it to the same size gift box. It was actually more difficult than I thought it would be, which means it’s a good skill to practice.
Next, we measured the width of each gift box using the bow ruler since Santa decided to label each gift by its width. Tip: Use a blank piece of paper or your hands to cover up the unused portion of the ruler, so little ones know when to stop counting. Finally, we found the tag and used Velcro dots to attach them to each gift.
This non-standard Gift Measure is filled with counting, non-standard measurement, numeral identification, and even number formation (if students trace the number on the tag)! Such a great Christmas math preschool activity!
Skills:
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- identify measurable attributes of objects, such as length, and weight
- identify measurable attributes of objects, such as length, and weight
Missing Lights
Missing Numbers Christmas Activity
My all-time favorite Christmas activity is looking at lights. They’re beautiful, magical, and they just make me so incredibly happy. So our calendar is filled with drive-thru light shows, viewing blinged-out houses, lights at the botanic gardens, and seeing the ice castles. To add even more excitement to this next activity, you could simply set it out on a table with twinkling Christmas lights. That will be sure to draw in any toddler.
This was the first time we tried a missing number activity with these missing Christmas lights. Since my little one hasn’t begun working on number formation, we used magnetic numbers on a cookie sheet to modify this for her. We even used the included number line to help when counting. Students working on number formation can use a dry erase marker on top of the laminated Christmas lights to fill in the missing numbers.
This includes cards with 1, 2, 3, or 4 missing lights to easily differentiate with your class. It’s time to build that number sense with this low-prep math center!
Skills:
- know number names and the count sequence
Gingerbread Cookie Flip
Christmas Counting Activity
Gobble up these adorable gingerbread men with this delicious math activity! Count the gumdrop buttons on the gingerbread man and flip it over using a spatula to check the answer! This definitely worked some practical gross motor skills with that spatula flip! Easy to set up and fun for the kiddos! Get your freebie here!
Skills:
- when counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name
- understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted
Candy Cane Patterns
Christmas Math Craft
My oldest daughter is obsessed with crafts and anything artistic at the moment. There are scraps of paper filled with drawings scattered around the house. In fact, I think this may be “her thing.” It’s fascinating to see interests developing in my children, and I want to do anything I can to provide them with opportunities to see their passions grow.
This leads me to the next Christmas math preschool activity. Why not combine math with art? This can allow us as teachers to engage our little creative ones while still hitting those targets. Perfect!
First, I introduced patterns to my littlest using the Candy Cane Patterns sheet. We clapped and patted while saying the colors aloud to make this multi-sensory learning. And plus, it just makes it so much fun! Then, we used dot markers to create patterns on the printout, following the chosen pattern. Finally, we translated this into a fine motor craft by actually making candy cane ornaments using pipe cleaners and beads from this kit. Love this!
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Skills:
- duplicate and extend simple patterns using concrete objects
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MORE Christmas Activities
I hope that some of these Christmas math preschool activities can help you instill the Christmas cheer in your students. Let me know if you need anything to make these activities work for you and your students by contacting me here. Also, don’t forget to check out some more Christmas preschool activities by clicking the links above!
