Fun Christmas Lesson Plans for Homeschoolers

December is a special time of year for me. In Pennsylvania, most of us are hoping for a snowfall, allowing us to stay home from work and snuggle in a blanket with a book and hot cocoa. We want to savor every moment of the holiday season.  We want to help you get the most out of December! Christmas truly can be the most wonderful time of year, (and you’d be lying if you’re not already singing Mariah Carey’s famous hit!). There are so many Christmas lesson plans out there for your kids to enjoy that will keep them learning and enjoying the season without losing precious homeschool ground. It’s time to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and the many ways we honor and celebrate this season. From literature to math to phonics, check out these Christmas lesson plans for kids of all ages!

Kindergarten-5th Grade Christmas Lesson Plans

During this time of year, kids in this grade level are pumped for cookies and presents, and ready for Santa to slide down the chimney. It might be hard to corral them to the kitchen table for classwork, but with these Christmas-themed activities, they’ll be begging for school!

• Christmas-themed math worksheets. Is your child struggling with addition or subtraction? These cute reindeer-adorned worksheets will make the lesson more fun!
• Christmas-themed sight words and phonics worksheets. For kids learning how to read, these Christmas-themed worksheets can help with 2-letter sight words. It’s a FREE 30-page packet for working on the following phonics: -at, -it, -ot, -ut, -ad, -id, -od, -ud, -ag, -ig, -og, -ug, -an, -in, -on, -un.
• Toys for Tots. Giving back to the community is important and a great way to instill important character traits that last throughout the year! Have your child pick out a toy at your local toy store and donate it to Toys for Tots. Discuss what it means to give and receive, and be thankful as you participate.

6th-8th Grade Christmas Lesson Plans

These next few Christmas lesson plans center around geography, literature, and even Spanish, and are perfect for your in-betweener (we mean middle schooler). These aren’t your typical study units but they will engage and excite! Check out these great ideas for your middle schooler:

• Christmas around the world unit study. Check out Confessions of a Homeschool Mom’s unit about how different cultures celebrate Christmas! It includes facts from nine countries, recipes, and other activities to take the lesson farther. Be sure to cook and create alongside your child.
• Read a Christmas classic like Little Women or A Christmas Carol. Both of these books include Christmas as a central theme alongside family, friends, and learning to give back to the community. You can easily create a literature unit study using topics from the Internet, or check out SparkNotes’ study and essay questions below:
  • Little Women
  • A Christmas Carol
• Learn Spanish for Christmas. Feliz Navidad! Say this phrase and more with a special language lesson study just for Christmas. This is a great way to introduce a new language and vocabulary while staying seasonal.

9th-12th Grade Christmas Lesson Plans

High schoolers may not be as interested in Santa Claus or caroling, but there are plenty of Christmas lesson plans that will pique their interest. From colonial Christmas to a virtual tour of Bethlehem, these unique activities combine history, geography, and the true meaning of Christmas.

• Take a look at a colonial Christmas. Colonial Williamsburg has a fantastic teacher’s resource that features this activity. It includes a graphic organizer, receipts (that’s “recipes” for the modern era), and a brief history. The activity was created for groups, but it can be modified for the homeschool setting. Quill pens optional!
• Learn about St. Nicholas, the true “Santa Claus.” There’s a reason why we have a Santa Claus in modern culture today, and it’s due to this guy! The St. Nicholas Center has a great website on the origins and history of this famous man. Check out these resources for further study.
• Explore one suggested location of the birthplace of Jesus. The reason for the season may be the most important Christmas lesson plan you’ll ever teach. This virtual tour of Bethlehem, including the Church of the Nativity, will awe and amaze your high schoolers. Use the information to draw a map of where Jesus was born during that time period and explain how the birth of Jesus impacted the society.
• For more information, check out this UNESCO site detailing a suggested birthplace of Jesus.  

Despite being one of the busier times of the year, incorporating these Christmas lesson plans into your homeschooling routine will spice up your season and help you enjoy Christmas as it is — magical! It’s not just about the hot cocoa or presents; it’s a time to remember what makes Christmas truly special.

We’re surrounded by loving friends and family, and have been given the greatest gift of all, life through Jesus Christ. Hopefully, these Christmas lesson plans will steer you in the right direction of celebrating the season that has a true and redemptive reason!