Christmas Literacy Activities

With Christmas approaching, there are numerous possibilities for Literacy related activities in the classroom. How can you ensure that the children can engage with these activities in a child-led manner, while still addressing the learning goals you have set?

The focus of literacy for Early Childhood Education often revolves around building awareness of literacy related activities, fostering social-emotional skills, communication and developing phonemic and phonological awareness. Many of these objectives can be accomplished through intentionally planned and engaging child led centers.

• The reading corner

  A reading corner provides an opportunity to learn different reading behaviors. Activities such as telling stories based on the pictures, retelling stories that previously read stories, Handling books correctly (e.g., having the book the right side up, turning pages left to right), are just a few of the possibilities. And most of all, who wouldn’t enjoy cuddling up in a cozy corner, with pillows, a christmas tree and nice lighting. By adding a variety of books, children are introduced to both fiction and nonfiction books and gaining an understanding about the differences between them.

• Literacy center

  Transform the literacy center into Santa’s office. Santa, with plenty to organize leading up to Christmas, needs to plan and communicate with his elves to prepare all the presents and logistics. Include various materials in Santa’s office that encourage literacy use, such as:

  • Santa’s list, where children can actually write on
  • Different writing materials
  • An old laptop or computer with keyboard
  • A phone for calling the elves
  • A list of the names of the children
  • A mailbox for Santa to receive letters from the children
  • Different types of papers for children to create their own messages or wishlists to Santa
• Vocabulary

  When working on vocabulary, try to link it to one of the centers you’ve already created, such as Santa’s workshop or a bakery. Discuss the different materials and tools in these centers. You can even arrange a visit to a real bakery. Add labels to the items in the center in the classroom with the new words learned. Some children might even be able to write down the words themselves.



• Story baskets

  In this center, children continually work on communication, listening, books and stories. After reading a book to the children, create a story basket center in your classroom. Here children can retell, expand on, or create their own stories. You can also have a Santa basket, where children can create their own stories without having to read a story first.

Let the Christmas magic begin!