I get it, teaching in December is hard. You’re tired, your students are wound up and you’re counting the days until break. But I have a little bit of a hack for you today. We’re going to make your literacy centers, specifically your writing center a festive place for your students. Here are 9 Christmas writing ideas to make December jolly in your classroom
Christmas Writing Activities Might Just Save The Day
It’s difficult to motivate your students during the month of December. And really, let’s remember that they’re little kids who are super excited about Christmas, Santa, the first snow… pretty much everything. It also seems like it takes FOREVER for Christmas to arrive, so with all of this you have some pretty distracted kiddos this month.
But this is a great way to motivate them to write. Take all the topics we just talked about and turn them into Christmas writing ideas that your students will love.
Christmas Writing Ideas For Your Writing Center
Writing centers can be a great tool to help your students practice what you taught them in the writer’s workshop. But it can also be a very student-centered place where you can take those Christmas writing ideas you have and add them to your writing stations. Yes, we want them to improve their writing skills and learn different writing genres, but we also want them to have fun.
So take what they know and like and add it to your writing activities this month. They’ll be excited and motivated to write and you won’t be knocking your head onto your desk wondering why December seems so long. Let’s go over the 9 Christmas writing ideas to add to your centers.
Christmas Puppets At Your Writing Center
Puppets? At your writing center? I was skeptical at first until I tried it. And believe me, when you try it, you’ll love it as much as I did.
Your students will choose a word card, write about the topic on the card, and feed the card to the hungry reindeer puppet.
When you’re introducing your Christmas writing center to your students, always show them the puppet first. Just wait until you see their eyes pop wide open.
Christmas Vocabulary Word Wall Words
Adding a puppet is super cute, but the word cards are the important part. The puppet draws them in so they’ll want to visit your writing center, but all the Christmas writing ideas in this article won’t be effective if they’re only cute.
When your students improve their vocabularies, they will find it easier to write independently. Think about your writing center as a great way to practice learning new words for your students. Using word wall words with pictures not only helps your students find a writing topic, it gives them the opportunity to learn new words to write about.
I keep my word wall words for my writing center in this small pocket chart, but you can display them however you choose. If you’re feeling extra “Pinteresty” you can hang them on a clothesline with cute little clothespins too
Christmas Vocabulary Poster
Short on space in your classroom? Keep your word wall words in a plastic picture frame like this one. It’s a great way to display your Christmas vocabulary words, and it only takes seconds to change it out for another poster.
Christmas Vocabulary Mini-book
For your students who need vocabulary and handwriting practice, these Christmas mini-books are perfect. They’ll still learn the new vocabulary, while practicing writing the words with handwriting lines and dotted words to trace. Once they’re finished filling in all their words, the opportunity to color these cute Christmas images is waiting for them!
Christmas Digital Resources
Let’s talk about how we can take these Christmas writing ideas and use your devices at your writing center. It’s a digital age, and chances are, when your students are adults, they’ll be primarily writing on laptops or devices instead of using a paper and a pencil. So it’s worth incorporating your devices into your writing center. As long as it’s not the ONLY method. Here are the Christmas writing ideas you can use with your classroom iPads or Chromebooks.
Christmas Vocabulary Slides
When your students are learning new words and sentences, it’s fun if it’s interactive. In this Christmas writing activity, students will move from slide to slide writing new Christmas words. When they’re ready, they can write full sentences.
Students copy the words and sentences for handwriting and grammar practice, or they can use the word to formulate their own sentences.
Seesaw Christmas Activities
Are you a Seesaw user? The amount of interactive activities that your students can do on Seesaw is astounding. So if you’re going to put a digital writing activity at your centers, let’s make it super engaging and fun.
Your students will move a magnifying class to search for a Christmas word. Then, they’ll write it in the box. It’s simple, but it’s so fun.
Christmas Games On Boom Cards
The more I use it, the more I like Boom Learning. Similar to Seesaw, there are so many interactive elements that turn your lessons into games.
Your students will move the Christmas image into the box, then write the word. Again, simple, but fun and interactive. It’s also a great way for your students to practice typing on their devices.
Christmas Spinners
Do you ever look over at your writing center and see your students staring off into space not sure what to write about? Make it easy for them with word spinners that help them choose a topic.
Students spin a paper clip or a transparent spinner like this one over the words. When they spin, they’ll choose a topic to write about!
Christmas Letter Writing
There are so many different letters your students can write during the holidays. They write a letter to Santa Claus of course, but why stop there.
Have your students write to an elf to suggest a new kind of toy to make in the workshop. Write a letter to Rudolph encouraging him to be himself. There are many possibilities and you’ll be glad you added these Christmas writing ideas to your centers.
Making Christmas Lists
We’re going to talk about differentiation soon, but making lists is one of my favorite activities for struggling students. It’s so versatile, and it helps them feel successful.
Use the word cards to make a list of their new Christmas vocabulary words, a list of gifts they’d like to give to their family and friends, or a list of all the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. There are so many possibilities.
Find Color Write
Out of all the Christmas writing ideas, this is my favorite. It’s so simple, but there is so much your students can get from this activity. Your students will find the pictures and color them. Then, they’ll write the word, or use the word in a sentence.
Differentiation At Your Christmas Writing Center
These Christmas writing ideas are great for students who just have a hard time getting started with a blank piece of paper. Your struggling students will successfully write new words they learned. Your students who need a challenge will begin to write new words and sentences. Each of the activities is designed to be adaptable for writing words OR sentences – reaching all the different writing skills your students have.
Get It Here
This resource offers a variety of engaging Christmas writing ideas to motivate your students during the holiday season. Each activity will help your students feel successful at your writing center. Grab this great writing center and watch as your students beg you to get started.
A quick word about students who do not celebrate Christmas. When you check out the Christmas writing center at LiteracyStations.com, you’ll see many other writing centers that your students will enjoy visiting in December that are not holiday-based.
