These Christmas activities for preschoolers are sure to keep your students engaged during the most wonderful time of the year.
Related: Preschool Themes
Amid holiday program practices, special guest readers, helping kids make their families gifts, holiday parties, and just the overall excitement level of the kids . . . December might be a bit of a handful for you.
These preschool Christmas ideas are meant to help make the season a little more manageable.
Pick the Christmas activities that interest you and your students the most. Or just pick the ideas that contain materials you already have. Discard the rest (even better, save them for next year)!
This page will be home to all of Fun-A-Day’s preschool Christmas activities. As more ideas are shared, I’ll update the page. So be sure to check back for more inspiration.
30+ Christmas Activities for Preschoolers to Enjoy in December
To make navigating easier, I’ve broken everything down into categories. That way you can find what you’re looking for more quickly.
Some of the activities can be categorized multiple ways, so you may see them crop up more than once.
Each of the ideas listed below has been well-loved by preschool children.
Most of them have also been tried with elementary-aged kids to just as much enthusiasm and excitement!
Christmas Arts and Crafts
Some of these Christmas art ideas would be perfect as gifts the kids can make for their parents.
Others are just plain fun and engaging for the kids during the festive season.
Click on the photos below to check out the art and crafts Christmas activities for preschoolers.
Here are the text links if they’re easier for you than the pictures:
- Fingerprint Christmas Lights Photo Frame
- The Grinch’s Heart Homemade Ornament
- Beaded Name Wreath Craft for Kids
- Marbled Art Homemade Christmas Card
- Fingerprint Heart Gifts Kids Can Make
- Name Candy Cane Craft for Kids
- Snowman Fingerprint Ornament
- Christmas Contact Paper Art Sticky Table
- Nativity Christmas Art for Kids
- Hand Print Christmas Plates
- Popsicle Stick Snowflakes
Literacy Christmas Activities for Preschoolers
Now it’s time to talk literacy.
Yes, you can definitely integrate early reading and writing skills into your preschool Christmas activities!
Click on the photos below for more information about each of the activities.
If you’d prefer text links, here you go:
- Christmas Preschool Songs
- Christmas Five Senses Book
- Beaded Name Wreath Craft
- Free Printable Christmas Letter Tile Sheets
- Name Candy Cane Craft for Kids
- Graham Cracker Reindeer Christmas Snacks for Kids
- Fine Motor Christmas Trees
- Christmas Pretend Play Wrapping Presents
Christmas Sensory Activities
A collection of Christmas activities for preschoolers wouldn’t be complete without some sensory ideas.
Click on the photos for more information about each of the activities!
Here are text links if you prefer them:
- Candy Cane Christmas Activity for the Sensory Center
- Fluffy Candy Cane Shaving Cream Slime
- Candy Cane Slime Recipe
- “Lights on the Tree” Preschool Sensory Activity
Related: Math Activities for Preschoolers
Math and Science Preschool Christmas Ideas
Christmas activities for preschoolers can be fun, engaging, AND chock-full of early learning!
Here are some science and math Christmas activities to try with your students in December.
Press the photos to learn about each of the ideas.
You can click on the text links below if you’d prefer:
- Sparkly Christmas Engineering Activity
- Preschool Magnet Science with Jingle Bells
- Jingle Bell Christmas Math Game
- DIY Foam Geoboard Tree
Collections of Christmas Activities for Preschoolers
Of course, I’ve also written a few collections about Christmas ideas for preschool kids. They cover a range of topics and include ideas from a variety of others.
Be sure to check them out, too:
- Huge List of Candy Cane Crafts and Activities
- Free Printable Preschool Advent Calendar
- Christmas Science Experiments and Activities for Kids
- Gift Ideas for Kids Fascinated by Magical Creatures
- Jingle Bell Activities to Keep the Kids Engaged
- Pine Cone Christmas Crafts
- Button Christmas Crafts for Kids
- Christmas Tree Crafts and Activities for Kids
- Festive Christmas Wreaths to Make with Kids
- 25 Advent Activities to Count Down to Christmas
Why Teach a Preschool Christmas Theme?
Teaching a Christmas theme in preschool isn’t for everyone.
To begin with, consider what your school policies are. If you’re teaching in a school that chooses not to focus on holidays, the consider teaching a winter theme or a gingerbread theme instead.
Next, you need to consider if your students celebrate Christmas. If not, why not base a theme off of their celebrations instead!
Or why not look into winter holidays around the world? Then you can share a few Christmas activities amid that theme.
What it boils down to is your school’s mandates, your students, and your own preferences.
If your students and their families do indeed celebrate Christmas, then a Christmas theme would be fun to plan! The kids are already excited about and many have their own family traditions to reference as background knowledge.
Done-For-You Christmas Activities for Preschoolers
Let us save you time (and help prevent some holiday stress!) and do the planning for you.
Below you’ll find done-for-you preschool Christmas resources.
Other Resources for Your Preschool Christmas Theme
Here are some items you might want to pick up when you’re getting ready for all of the Christmas activities you have planned for the preschoolers:
Christmas Books for Preschool
I always say that books are a must-have for anything I’m doing with the kids. What about you?
Here are some fun Christmas books to read with your preschoolers during the holidays (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
What are some of YOUR favorite Christmas activities for preschoolers?
Leave me a comment below with the activities that have been a hit with your students.