December is one of the shortest months of the year when it comes to the number of school days. But it feels like the longest! Keeping students focused the week before winter break can feel nearly impossible. The excitement and anticipation for the holidays fill every inch of our students’ minds. I’m here to tell you that fighting against the holiday excitement just doesn’t work. But. . . with the right mix of structure and meaningful holiday activities for students, that energy can actually work in your favor.
The key to harnessing that holiday excitement into productive learning lies within the activities you choose. When you plan lessons that feel festive and purposeful, like Christmas-themed math games, creative puzzles, and low-prep review challenges, you’ll keep students engaged and learning right up to the end.
Here are three classroom-tested holiday activities for students that are sure to keep your class focused the week before winter break without adding hours to your prep time.
1. Keep Students Focused with Games That Channel Holiday Energy
This time of year, you don’t need to reinvent your lesson plans – you just need to add a little festive twist. Games are the perfect way to review key skills while tapping into students’ holiday excitement.
These games are easy prep using supplies you have right inside your classroom. And. . . they are great for targeting a variety of skills your students are working on. Think math facts, word problems, vocabulary, and so much more!
Snowball Toss
Choose the skill you want to practice and write a word, math problem, or sentence on a slip of white paper. Then crumple them into “snowballs.” Begin by tossing them around the room so that each student has one near them. Students pick up one snowball, answer the problem inside, and then crumple it up to create the snowball again. At your signal, everyone tosses their snowball and retrieves a new one. Then they answer that question.
Continue with the “snowball fight” for a designated amount of time or until everyone has had a chance to complete the task on all of the snowballs. It’s quick, active, and keeps everyone engaged.
You can add a little accountability to the activity by numbering each slip of paper and having students write their answers on a piece of notebook paper.
Holiday Freeze
A little movement and music will be a big hit with this holiday math activity. You are probably familiar with using task cards to play a whole class game of Scoot. Well, think of this as a game of Scoot with a little musical chairs thrown in the mix.
Choose a set of task cards for a skill you would like students to practice. Place one task card on each desk. Have students stand next to the desk and start playing some holiday music. Students will move from desk to desk until the music stops. They will complete the task card and then start moving when the music starts again.
The key to a good game of Scoot or Freeze is to limit the time students have at each card. Enough time that they don’t feel rushed, but not so much that they are standing there with nothing to do.
Christmas math games like these give students a way to stay focused and learning while still having fun. They also give you a little breathing room during a season that can feel non-stop. With games like Snowball Toss and Holiday Freeze in your teacher toolbox, you will be equipped for some seriously fun holiday activities your students will love. By changing up the skill, you can play over and over again!
2. Calming Holiday Activities for Students: Christmas Multiplication Worksheets and Coloring Pages
Sometimes, you need activities that bring the noise level down while still keeping students on task. That’s where Christmas puzzles and color-by-number pages shine. Coloring activities are wonderfully calming and give students a chance to practice skills without it feeling like work. But you and I know that those activities are packed with skill practice and review. In fact, many of them have more questions than a traditional worksheet. More practice, without the groans. . . yes, please!
One of my favorite coloring based activities is a hybrid of a color by code activity and a puzzle. My students love them because, unlike a traditional coloring activity, the picture is not immediately clear. This hooks them in, and they become focused on completing the activity to reveal the picture.
Want to try one of these engaging math activities with your students? I’ve got just the thing! Grab my Free Multiplication Facts Math Puzzle and use it with your students this holiday season. I think you’ll agree that some strategic “quiet activities” are just the thing to help keep the holiday energy in balance.
After the holidays, you can continue to use these engaging math puzzles. I have a variety of these math puzzles in my TPT store that cover lots of different math skills. I love keeping them on hand to pull out before the holidays, or any time. They are great for those last minute sub plans, too!
3. Digital Holiday Activities to Keep Students Focused and Learning Until the Break
If there is one activity that is guaranteed to engage your students even when the holiday excitement is abounding, it is digital learning activities. There’s something about moving the practice from paper to a device that makes it feel more like a game to our students.
There are many ways you can incorporate digital activities into your holiday lesson plans. If you have access to 1:1 devices, you can assign the task directly to each student and complete it as a whole class activity. But what if you don’t? If you can visit the computer lab, you can take your activity there. Otherwise, I suggest completing these activities in small groups or as a technology center.
I love using technology as an engagement factor all year, but during the holidays, I have three types of digital holiday activities for students that I turn to again and again.
1. Crack the Code
Crack the Code activities draw students in with a mystery message or secret code. To reveal the message, they must answer each question and then use the symbols to “crack the code.” It’s a great holiday activity for students that will keep them engaged, and that’s the goal. And. . . it’s low-prep, easy to assign, and perfect for centers, early finishers, or even a holiday-themed review day.
2. Pixel Art & Mystery Pictures
Kids love the reveal of a mystery picture! I’ve seen it time and time again as they focus on answering questions in order to remove a puzzle piece or reveal the pixels of a hidden picture. That’s why my holiday digital mystery pictures for multiplication and division math facts are a favorite. These are a great option for helping students learn those pesky math facts and also build fluency.
3. Digital Escape Rooms
You can’t ever go wrong with a digital escape room. This interactive holiday activity for students is pure gold. Working as a team, your students will be immersed in the quest to solve problems, reveal codes, and complete the ultimate challenge. If you are looking for some seriously fun and engaging holiday activities for students, I’ve got you covered with holiday digital escape rooms.
You’ve Got This!
The days and weeks leading up to winter break can feel like a never-ending marathon. There are parties, assemblies, lessons, and holiday excitement to balance. You don’t have to do it on your own. By incorporating holiday activities for students, such as holiday review games, calming coloring puzzles, and digital holiday activities, you’ll keep students focused and excited to learn right up until the final bell.
And. . . just remember that when you see those smiling faces solving, coloring, and collaborating, you’ll know you didn’t just make it to winter break – you finished strong.
Looking for more holiday ideas? Be sure to see these posts:
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I keep my students focused the week before winter break?
The best approach is to work with their excitement, not against it. Plan short, engaging activities like holiday review games or digital escape rooms that keep students active and learning without overwhelming them. And. . . don’t forget to grab the free multiplication puzzle (above) for a fun but calming activity. When you combine movement, creativity, and review, students stay focused during lessons that feel both fun and purposeful.
2. What are some easy Christmas math activities for upper elementary?
Low and No Prep holiday math activities for students are a must when it comes to helping you create fun and engaging Christmas math lessons. Instead of opting for new instruction, choose activities that focus on reviewing skills you’ve taught in the first half of the year. Reviewing these skills through whole class games, no prep printables, or digital escape rooms will keep your students focused.
3. Where can I find free Christmas multiplication coloring sheets for my class?
You can download my free Multiplication Facts Christmas Puzzle. It’s a festive puzzle that combines coloring, computation, and fun! It’s perfect for early finishers, centers, or independent work during the week before break. Grab your free copy here.
Save these Holiday Activities for Students!
Pin the image below to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can save these ideas for later! You will be able to quickly come back and fill your lesson plans with engaging holiday activities that your students will love!
