I remember my first year teaching like it was yesterday.  It was about mid-fall when I felt like we hit our stride in my humble little 3rd-grade classroom.  It was good – really good!  Then . . .the holidays came! Could I survive the holidays in the classroom?

I remember my confusion when one day classroom management worked and the next day it didn’t.  I remember my questions when my once “perfect” students were anything but. And I remember my tears when I didn’t know what to do next. We made it through the holidays that year, but barely. By the time we got to our break, I had earned it. I was exhausted, not really in the Christmas spirit, and doubting whether this was the job for me. Have you ever had a holiday season like this in your classroom?

If so, please know you’re not alone! The holidays, while so much fun, can also create some classroom chaos. The good news is that you don’t have to roll into Christmas break with tears in your eyes like I did that year. In fact, over the years, the holidays have become my favorite time of year in the classroom. Now that’s quite a turnaround! If you’re ready to hear all my secrets, buckle up! Here’s my 3 best tips for maintaining your teacher sanity during the holidays.

Survive the Holidays Tip 1: Have Fun with Your Students & Decorate

I wish I had learned this one sooner. The holidays are a fun time and it’s okay to be excited. And . . . it’s great for your students to see that you are excited for the holidays too.  Do a fun activity or two to bring the holiday spirit into the classroom and embrace the FUN that this season is all about!

Christmas Light Math

One year when I was teaching 3rd grade, I gave my students a simple Christmas light pattern and let them decorate their desks with Christmas lights. They each created their own strand of lights using construction paper and yarn and then hung it around their desk. But before they could get started they needed to use some math to figure out how long their lights needed to be. It was a great measurement lesson and one the students talked about for months. 

We had light strands for favorite football teams and others that exuded the students’ personalities. When we were done each student got to explain the design they chose. Not only did have students have fun, but the pride they took in their desks for the next few weeks was amazing!

Fine Motor Tree

Decorating the classroom together is another great way to have fun and bring in the holiday spirit. Our school colors were blue and white so I opted for the bright blue holiday tree and my students loved it! We created our own decorations that made the tree uniquely ours. From paper tearing ornaments (yeah for fine motor practice) to a paper chain that was added to when we observed kindness, it was an ongoing activity that brought lots of smiles and memories.

Classroom Door and Hallway Makeover

Another year we worked together to turn the outside of our classroom into a gingerbread house.  I did the main shape of the house and then the students created candies and all of the decorations.  I projected a couple of pictures onto our whiteboard and then let them get busy. No templates, no guides – just pure creativity and construction paper. Students love having this much freedom in decorating! Once we were done we used our gingerbread house as inspiration for a writing activity.

Get Festive with Holiday Elves

But my favorite was when I turned all my students into elves with my Elf Yourself resource. The students LOVED seeing themselves and me as elves and we used it as a starting point for some fun Christmas writing too!

Another year, we used these elves to turn our buddy class into elves. We worked on them in secret and then went and decorated their door and hallway while they were at recess. They were so surprised when they returned and loved seeing the elf creations! It was a fun way to spread some holiday cheer within the school.

It doesn’t have to be big, messy or time-consuming.  Just have fun, decorate a little, and enjoy the holidays with your students. This will help set the tone and allow you to embrace the season!

Survive the Holidays Tip 2:  Change it Up

When it comes to classroom management, this is the perfect time to change it up. Your classroom rules and procedures are already in place and your students know the expectations. So why not add a new flair to help balance their extra energy and excitement due to the holidays?

I’m sure you know about the very popular Elf on the Shelf.  I used this with my kindergarten students and it was very effective. My students loved coming in each day to see what our elf was up to. Since they were so engaged in the elf, we used him as inspiration for our writing too!

Actually, my entire team did this and some days all of the kindergarten elves would get caught together. This always added an extra element of fun! If you need Elf on the Shelf ideas check Pinterest – there are tons of them!

Options for Older Students

With my third graders and middle schoolers, I used something more age-appropriate. Some years we worked towards a class surprise right before the break and other years we did daily challenges.  

For example, a class favorite was playing Tic-Tac-Toe against the teacher. I would start the day with a blank Tic-Tac-Toe grid on the front board and underneath I’d write a daily reward like (5 minutes extra recess or no homework pass). Then when the class had great behavior they would earn an X.  I would call on a student to place the X and then I could mark an O. The game would continue through the day until we had finished a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. The students were so engaged in doing the right thing that they often reminded each other what to do. Super easy yet super effective!

There’s something about just doing something different that really helps to re-engage the class and pull things back together. Have fun with this tip and try to find something that appeals to your group. You’ll likely be surprised how well it works!

Survive the Holidays Tip 3: Embrace the Holidays

Your students are excited about the holidays, so instead of fighting against it use it to your advantage! Use the automatic excitement of the holidays to engage your students in learning too! By just using holiday-themed activities you can snag their attention and keep it! I know that it might seem like holiday activities are distracting, but I have found the opposite to be true. Embrace the holidays and watch engagement soar! Here are a few of my favorites that we have used over the years.

Holiday Hidden Pictures

Have you ever used hidden picture activities in your classroom? These were a lifesaver during the holiday season in my room. I loved that the learning continued and that these activities were a low-prep option. They’ll save you time and reduce stress, which I think we can all agree are priorities during the holiday season! The best part though is that they can be used with just about any skill you can think of. Sight words, CVC words, math facts, you name it!

These Christmas Hidden Pictures feature 10 different holiday images like reindeer, gingerbread, and ornaments. To use, you’ll simply follow the directions to add your skill and then print the pages out. Students will use the code to color the picture accordingly and watch as the hidden picture is revealed! These are great for centers, fast finishers, and independent learning activities. I also like to use these Winter Hidden Pictures this time of year as well. This set features 7 different pictures such as a polar bear and snowflake. I always print a few extra of these to use when we return from break as well. It’s quick and easy to do and I’m always happy I thought ahead!

Gingerbread Math Activities

Making gingerbread houses is a quintessential holiday activity that everyone loves! That’s exactly why I decided to use this idea to reel my kids in for some engaging math practice. I have two versions of a Design a Gingerbread House activity that I know your kids will love. The first version focuses on numbers up to 20 and is geared toward pre-k and kindergarten students. The second version is for 3rd-5th grade students and focuses on measurement.

Both activities ask students to follow the directions and add pieces of the gingerbread house as they solve math problems. There are multiple options for differentiation in each version, making these activities completely customizable to your group. Your students will love designing their own gingerbread house with these engaging math lessons!

Holiday Writing Activities

Writing prompts are another great way to engage your students in learning while sprinkling in some holiday spirit! My students love these Just Add Words Picture Writing Prompts for December. Each page features a fun holiday picture to inspire writing. There are 10 pages included and two different line styles to suit a variety of learners. It’s always a lot of fun to see what kind of fun holiday story the kids come up with to go along with the pictures! Try adding these to your writing center, or using them during center time to keep engagement high during the holiday season.

Another fun writing option for the holiday season is this Santa is Stuck Craftivity. In this writing assignment, students will need to problem-solve and come up with a solution to save Santa! They’ll write about what they would do if Santa was stuck in their chimney. There are multiple writing papers included to allow for differentiation as well as everything needed to create a cute Santa craft topper. The finished product is adorable and looks great displayed on a bulletin board!

Any of these options is a great way to help you not just survive the holidays, but have fun in those weeks leading up to break. So, as you plan your lessons, be sure to sprinkle in some activities with a holiday flair… trust me, it makes all the difference!

Bonus Holiday Activities

In the spirit of Christmas, I’ve got a special surprise just for you! Grab my FREE Winter Writing Crafts by entering your email below! Inside you’ll get 2 different craft options with multiple writing prompts to choose from.

Your students will be so excited to complete these activities, they won’t even realize they’re learning! not to mention, these look adorable displayed in the hallway or on a holiday bulletin board. Grab this freebie to help you survive the holidays in the classroom and stay engaged in learning along the way.

My Christmas Wish For You

However you choose to do it, my wish is that this year you will be able to enjoy the holidays more and have less holiday stress. Merry Christmas!

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