The holiday season is a magical time in the classroom, but keeping students focused can also be challenging. Fourth graders, in particular, are excited for the upcoming break, making engagement the key to success. You’re in luck if you’re wondering how to keep your classroom productive and festive. This list of Christmas activities for 4th graders is packed with ideas that blend learning with holiday fun. From literacy and math to science and creative arts, these activities will keep your students captivated—and maybe even earn you the title of their favorite teacher!
Continue reading to learn some fun Christmas activities for 4th graders and beyond!
Holiday-Themed Literacy Activities
Turn your literacy lessons into festive fun with Christmas-themed writing and reading activities. Add these Christmas activities for 4th graders to any classroom!
- Christmas Story Writing Prompts: Encourage students to write creative stories based on prompts like, “What would happen if Santa’s sleigh broke down in your town?” or “A day in the life of an elf in Santa’s workshop.” Use these prompts to reinforce narrative writing skills like setting, plot, and character development.
- Holiday Book Clubs: Divide students into small groups to read Christmas-themed chapter books like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever or The Family Under the Bridge. Follow up with discussions about the themes, characters, and plot.
- Festive Reader’s Theater: Have students practice fluency and expression by performing holiday scripts. This is perfect for shy students who might not usually shine in traditional activities.
- Christmas Roll & Write: Kids will roll paper dice to write exciting holiday stories from scratch. These help kids get creative when they are having trouble brainstorming.
Math Activities with a Holiday Twist
Math can quickly become a festive part of your day. You can turn even the most challenging concepts into holiday fun with some creativity.
- Reindeer Math Relay: Create a relay race where students solve math problems to help Santa “deliver” gifts. Use multiplication, division, or fractions—whatever your class needs to practice most.
- Christmas Budget Challenge: Teach real-world math skills by having students plan a holiday party within a budget. Provide a list of items with prices (decorations, snacks, gifts, etc.) and let students work in groups to “purchase” everything they need while staying within their budget.
- Fraction Ornament Designs: Incorporate fractions by having students create symmetrical holiday ornaments on grid paper. They can shade specific fractions of the ornament to reflect different colors, combining art and math.
- December Multiplication: Add these worksheets to centers in December to help kids with their multiplication skills. The kids will practice multiplication and division math facts with a holiday theme.
Science Experiments with a Christmas Spin
Science experiments are a hands-on way to keep students engaged, and adding a holiday twist makes them even more memorable. These fun Christmas activities for 4th graders can be added to science lessons.
- Santa’s STEM Sleigh: Challenge students to design a sleigh for Santa that can hold the most weight while traveling down a ramp. This activity combines engineering concepts with creative problem-solving.
- Candy Cane Dissolving Experiment: Test how quickly candy canes dissolve in different liquids (water, vinegar, soda, etc.). Have students make predictions, conduct the experiment, and graph the results.
- Christmas Slime: Create red, green, and glittery slime to teach chemistry. Discuss the science behind polymers while students enjoy the sensory experience.
Creative Arts and Crafts with a Purpose
Arts and crafts are fun, but they can also teach essential skills like following instructions, measuring, and teamwork. Christmas activities for 4th graders like this are simple to add to lessons and make beautiful keepsakes for parents.
- Holiday Cards for the Community: Have students create Christmas cards to send to a local nursing home or hospital. Use this as an opportunity to teach letter writing and empathy.
- DIY Ornaments with Geometry: Use geometric shapes to create 3D ornaments. Students can calculate angles and areas, integrating math into their creative work.
- Christmas Around the World Projects: Assign each student or group a country to research. They can create a poster or diorama showing how that country celebrates Christmas, tying in geography and culture.
Classroom Games to Celebrate the Season
Games are a great way to keep students engaged, especially when tied to academic content. Try these Christmas activities for 4th graders in any classroom!
- Christmas Jeopardy: Create a Jeopardy-style game with categories like “Holiday History,” “Christmas Math,” “Holiday Songs,” and “Festive Fun Facts.”
- Holiday Word Search and Crossword Puzzles: These puzzles reinforce vocabulary skills while giving students a mental break.
- Elf Escape Room: Turn your classroom into a puzzle-packed escape room where students solve academic challenges to help an elf return to the North Pole.
Using Christmas Activities for 4th Graders Effectively
While these activities are fun, they also serve a greater purpose: keeping students focused and learning during the often chaotic weeks before the holiday break. Here are some tips to make the most of these activities:
- Plan Transitions Carefully: Use holiday songs or visual timers to transition between activities smoothly.
- Set Clear Expectations: While these activities are fun, remind students they’re still learning opportunities. Keep behavior expectations consistent.
- Celebrate Small Wins: Praise students for creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving during activities.
Combining academic goals with festive fun will ensure your students stay engaged and excited about learning until winter break. Plus, they’ll remember these activities for years to come!
Ready-Made Resources
If you’re short on time, head to the Chalk and Apples shop for ready-made resources to save you time and energy. From printable math games to literacy centers, they have everything you need to keep your classroom running smoothly during the holidays.
The holiday buzz in a fourth-grade classroom doesn’t have to derail your lessons. You can embrace the season while meeting your teaching goals with the right mix of fun and educational activities. Try these Christmas activities for 4th graders to create a joyful and memorable classroom experience for your students—and make your December a little brighter, too.
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