All may not be calm & bright, and they may only be silent at night, but we can do our best to navigate meaningfully to winter break with my favorite December-themed social-emotional learning resources for K-3.
1. Christmas Kindness Countdown
Ditch the Elf and make less work for yourself with this 10 days of kindness collaborative project with Mr. Ginger.
✓ What others like you are saying:
❄ LOVED using this resource. My students still talked about Mr. Ginger throughout the school year and even still sang his poem! Such a great community building activity!!
❄ Magical and exciting! This unique Christmas activity is one of a kind! If you are tired of the usual repetitive activities at this time of year, then it is time to jazz things up with this resource! My students were excited each day, anticipating what the next ‘kindness mission’ would be and couldn’t wait to see what Mr Ginger did next in his decorating progress. Lovely activities for the lead up to Christmas.
If you prefer a print-and-go option, we've created a printable advent calendar to support classroom management.
As an adult, I'm still a sucker for grabbing an advent calendar on my way to check- out at the grocery store. There is something about the combination of mystery, nostalgia, and of course a little treat, that has me smiling ear-to-ear.
I created this advent-style house to give teacher an accessible way to bring cheer to the classroom without breaking the budget, as you countdown the days to winter break.
How it works: Follow the step-by-step process to assemble the house (Christmas or winter-themed are included) and then reveal one morale boosting activity each day (write your own or use the pre-written option).
Elf yourself with a selection of templates and have your child reflect on what makes them special! This will make a beautiful bulletin board to highlight their strengths and to foster self-confidence.
✓ What others like you are saying:
❄ My students loved doing this activity! They enjoyed making themselves into elves and it made an adorable bulletin board!
❄ The perfect mindfulness activity for the holidays!
If you have children in your class who do not celebrate Christmas, I have a mini bundle where you can purchase the elf and everyday versions at a discounted price.
From sleep quality, to emotional regulation and overall well-being, gratitude has a transformative power and is crucial to integrate into our day-to-day routines.
Kids will choose 4 cookies to decorate and lay out on their tray. They will then follow the cookie key to find their prompts.
✓ What others like you are saying:
❄ I used this as a counseling lesson to focus on one of the 7 mindsets of "Attitude of Gratitude". The students and their teachers loved it! I will be using this lesson again next year. I like that it had a quick story to go along with the craftivity as well.
Are your December crafts a little outdated and stale? This one has been a huge hit this year. Children will decorate their paper bag gingerbread house and then inside, have coping skills strategies to help them navigate big emotions.
✓ What others like you are saying:
❄ My students really enjoyed this activity! They were engaged and interested in the task at hand. A great way to teach coping skills!
5. DIY Peppermint Zen Garden
Nothing speaks to mindfulness quite like a zen garden. With a few basic supplies from Dollar Tree, you can create your own and target colors, counting, sight words, etc.! Click here to see it in action.
6. Deck the Halls with Kindness Collaborative Poster
This festive, ugly sweater-themed Christmas collaborative poster is the perfect addition to your kindness countdown activities, or as an engaging team-building activity with your learning buddies groups, Lunch Bunch, or small counseling groups before they head off for winter break.
Breathe in with the gingerbread man and breathe out and run as fast as you can on the spot!
8. Motivational Message Coloring Pages
These inspirational message coloring sheets are the perfect way to support growth mindset, resilience and self-esteem in your program! Prep them for mindful entry/ mornings, for your calm down corner, or leave as meaningful work for your emergency supplies.
9. December Bulletin Board Ideas
A co-created bulletin board is the perfect way to engage your students in the learning, as you spotlight social emotional learning skills, such as self-care, mindfulness, kindness, and coping strategies. Here are some of our favorites below!
