How to keep the kids reading and writing through the busy holiday season? Here are fifteen festive literacy activities to enjoy between the turkey and tree trimming. Most of these are quick and require little or no materials, so they’re great for your drive to Grandma’s house or while waiting in line to see Santa.
- Make a Thankful Log. Sure, Thanksgiving is over but thankfulness is really an all-year-long kind of thing. It’s a simple way to stop and appreciate those favorite people, places and stuffed animals that make life happy.
- Make wordy holiday decor, like a banner or a tree garland. Here’s one for celebrating the new year!
- Act out a scene from your favorite holiday story. Have other family members guess the story.
- As a family, tell a holiday story about a brave, funny, wise or giving character. Go around in a circle and take turns adding details.
- Make holiday cards for special friends and family.
- Make up a poem in honor of your favorite gift.
- Write thank you notes.
- Learn more about your favorite holiday traditions. Look them up in a book or online.
- Draw a picture to show the meaning of a new holiday-related vocabulary word. If you need word ideas, traditional holiday songs are loaded with interesting vocabulary!
- Brainstorm holiday-themed words that begin with the same prefix or end with the same suffix. (Baking, trimming, stuffing…)
- Use a recipe to bake your favorite holiday treat together. Then make up your own holiday recipe!
- Write a holiday word that starts with each letter of the alphabet.
- Hide an object on the Christmas tree or someplace else around the house. Write detailed directions for someone to help them find it.
- Write or say five descriptive words and have someone guess who or what you are describing.
- And of course, snuggle up with your collection of seasonal books, or pick up some new ones from the library. Our kids have been lucky enough to receive a big stack of holiday books as gifts from relatives, and they look forward to reading their favorites every year. Here are some of our classic Christmas reads. (affiliate link)
Keep this list handy so you can be ready to celebrate the season with some quick and festive literacy fun! In fact, here’s a free printable version to hang on the fridge.
Oh, and do you need some DIY literacy gift ideas? Check out this post from last year. We’re making several again this year for our cousins. And hop over here for some more cool literacy-themed gifts.
Wishing you a holiday season filled with plenty of reading, writing, peace and joy!
P.S. The picture book featured in the image above is our absolute favorite holiday book. Can you guess the title?