Deck the halls with learning: your ultimate guide to festive family fun this holiday season
The December holidays are here and if you’re already feeling that delicious mix of excitement and “how will I keep everyone entertained for the next few weeks?” – you’re not alone! Between festive anticipation, sugar-fuelled energy levels and counting down the days until the big celebration, keeping your kiddos engaged (and learning!) during the school break can feel like trying to catch snowflakes in the summer.
But here’s the thing: the festive season is absolutely brimming with opportunities to blend fun with learning in ways that feel more like making memories than ticking educational boxes. And since we’re Think Digital Academy, your 5X award-winning online school that knows a thing or two about making learning fun, we’ve pulled together the ultimate collection of festive activities that’ll keep your crew entertained, engaged and sneakily learning throughout the holidays.
So grab your hot chocolate or cool drink and let’s dive into some seriously fun ideas that’ll make this the most memorable holiday season yet!
Why festive learning matters
Before we jump into the fun stuff, here’s a little something to make you feel great about all those holiday activities you’re about to plan: research shows that hands-on, themed learning experiences help children retain information up to 75% better than passive learning. When kids are engaged in activities they enjoy – especially during the magical holiday season – their brains are firing on all cylinders, making connections and building memories that last far longer than any worksheet ever could.
Plus, let’s be honest: tired, bored kids + sugar + holiday excitement = a recipe for chaos. Keeping them engaged in meaningful activities? That’s your secret weapon for a peaceful (okay, peacefulER) holiday season.
Let’s dive right in!
The gingerbread house challenge
There’s something almost sacred about building gingerbread houses during the holidays. The smell of ginger and cinnamon, the creative chaos of decorating, the inevitable “Dad ate half the Jelly Tots before they made it onto the house” drama – it’s all part of the festive experience!
What makes it brilliant for learning:
- Geometry in action: Understanding 3D shapes, angles and structural stability (why did the roof collapse? Let’s problem-solve!)
- Measurement skills: Following recipes, measuring ingredients accurately
- Fine motor development: Piping icing, placing tiny decorations with precision
- Creativity unleashed: Designing unique houses, planning colour schemes
Level it up: Turn it into a family competition! Who can create the most creative house? The most structurally sound? The most likely to give Santa a toothache? Award silly certificates and let kids be the judges.
Hot chocolate bar mathematics
Set up a DIY hot chocolate station with multiple mix-ins: marshmallows, chocolate chips, peppermints, whipped cream, sprinkles and cinnamon. But here’s the twist – each ingredient has a “cost” (use play money or points).
Learning gold:
- Budgeting: Kids get 50 points to “spend” on their perfect drink
- Addition: Calculating their total as they add ingredients
- Decision-making: What combinations give them the most bang for their buck?
- Fractions: Half a scoop of this, a quarter cup of that
Bonus: This activity works brilliantly for different age groups. Younger kids can practice simple counting and addition, while older ones can tackle percentages (“If I use 40% of my budget on marshmallows…”).
Holiday time capsule
Here’s an activity that’s both fun now and utterly priceless next year: create a family holiday time capsule! Get a festive box or container and fill it with treasures from this year’s celebrations.
What to include:
- Current favourite songs (write them down!)
- A family handprint artwork
- Letters to your future selves
- Photos from this year’s celebrations
- Predictions for next year
- Current height measurements
- Favourite jokes or memes of the year
The learning angle:
- Writing skills: Composing letters to future selves
- Self-reflection: Thinking about personal growth and changes
- Historical thinking: Understanding the passage of time
- Goal-setting: Making predictions and aspirations
The magic moment: Opening it next December and seeing how much everyone has grown and changed.
DIY gift wrap design studio
Before you wrap those presents, turn paper decorating into an art and maths lesson! Give kids plain craft paper, stamps, paint, markers and/or stickers and let them create custom wrapping paper.
Educational benefits:
- Pattern recognition: Creating repeating designs
- Geometry: Understanding how to cover 3D objects with 2D paper
- Measurement: Calculating how much paper is needed
- Creativity: Designing unique, personalised wrapping
Sustainability bonus: This is also a brilliant way to teach kids about reducing waste and making something special from simple materials. Plus, grandparents absolutely LOVE receiving gifts wrapped in paper their grandkids designed – it’s basically the gift wrapping equivalent of a fridge masterpiece!
Adventure time: getting out and exploring
Holiday light hunt with a twist
Going to look at holiday lights is a classic activity, but let’s supercharge it with some learning challenges!
Create a scavenger hunt list:
- Find 5 houses with blue lights
- Spot a display with at least 10 different colours
- Find the most creative non-traditional decoration
- Count how many reindeer you see
- Locate a house with candy canes on the grass
What they’re learning:
- Observation skills: Really paying attention to details
- Counting and estimation: “How many lights do you think are on that house?”
- Pattern recognition: “Look, those houses all use the same colour scheme!”
- Photography skills: Taking photos of favourite displays
Make it cozy and memorable: Pack travel mugs of hot chocolate, some popcorn and a festive playlist.
Nature treasure hunt
Just because it’s December doesn’t mean nature has taken a holiday! Bundle up and head outside for a nature hunt.
What to look for:
- Different types of leaves
- Interesting bark textures
- Different birds and/or insects
- Pine cones for crafting (if any)
- Interesting cloud formations
- Signs of summer (or winter) in nature
Learning opportunities:
- Life science: How do animals and plants adapt to winter?
- Environmental awareness: Changes in seasons and ecosystems
- Observation skills: Really noticing the world around them
- Physical activity: Getting those energy levels out in healthy ways
Bonus activity: Use your collected treasures for a nature table display or festive decorations. Pine cones become ornaments, interesting branches become festive centrepieces!
Brain boosters: sneaky learning that feels like play
Holiday mystery box challenge
This is BRILLIANT for rainy days when everyone’s getting cabin fever. Fill boxes with holiday-themed items (ornaments, ribbon, bells, artificial snow, etc.) and create challenges:
- For younger kids: “Can you describe what you feel without looking?”
- For older kids: “You have 5 minutes to create the tallest structure possible using only these items”
Skills developed:
- Sensory development: Using touch to identify objects
- Problem-solving: Working with limited materials
- Engineering thinking: How to build stable structures
- Creativity: Thinking outside the box (literally!)
Christmas around the world
Turn your living room into an international airport and “travel” to different countries to learn how they celebrate this time of year!
Countries to explore:
- Mexico: Learn about Las Posadas (December 16-24)
- Sweden: Discover St. Lucia Day traditions
- South Africa: How do they celebrate Christmas in summer?
- Germany: The origins of the Advent calendar
- India: Diwali traditions and lights
Learning adventures:
- Geography: Finding countries on a map
- Cultural awareness: Understanding different traditions
- History: Learning origins of various customs
- Language: Learning “Merry Christmas” in multiple languages
- Food exploration: Trying traditional holiday foods from different cultures
Make it interactive: Each day, “visit” a different country. Learn a few words in their language, try a traditional food, and do a craft or activity from that culture. Your kids will become mini global citizens!
Tech time: digital learning
Create a family holiday vlog
Since we’re Think Digital Academy, we’d be remiss not to mention some fantastic digital activities! Get your kids to create a holiday video diary.
What to film:
- Daily highlights
- Special moments
- Cooking adventures
- Craft projects
- Interviews with family members (“What’s your favourite holiday memory?”)
Skills they’re building:
- Digital literacy: Using devices creatively
- Storytelling: Structuring a narrative
- Interview techniques: Asking good questions
- Editing skills: Learning basic video editing
- Public speaking: Getting comfortable on camera
The payoff: You’ll have a priceless family video to watch together next year!
Virtual museum tours
Did you know you can visit world-class museums from your couch? Many museums offer free virtual tours perfect for the holidays:
- The British Museum: See artifacts from around the world
- NASA: Virtual tours of space centres
- Natural History Museums: Learn about dinosaurs and evolution
- Art galleries: Explore famous artwork up close
Learning gold:
- Art appreciation: Exposure to different artistic styles
- History: Context and stories behind artifacts
- Science: Natural world discoveries
- Critical thinking: Analysing and discussing what they see
Giving back: teaching compassion and community
Closet clean-out challenge
The holidays are perfect for teaching kids about giving back. Turn the sometimes-dreaded closet clean-out into a game!
The challenge:
- Find 10 items they’ve outgrown
- Choose 5 toys they don’t play with anymore
- Pick out books they’ve finished reading
- Gather any duplicate items
What they’re learning:
- Gratitude: Appreciating what they have
- Empathy: Understanding others’ needs
- Decision-making: Choosing what to keep vs donate
- Organisation: Sorting and categorising items
- Social responsibility: Understanding community needs
Make it meaningful: If possible, let kids come along when you donate items. Seeing where their donations go makes the experience real and tangible.
Holiday cards for seniors
Many retirement homes and care facilities welcome holiday cards from local families. Make this a family activity!
The project:
- Create handmade cards
- Write cheerful messages
- Draw festive pictures
- Add personal touches
Learning benefits:
- Writing practice: Composing messages
- Art skills: Creating attractive cards
- Empathy: Thinking about seniors who might be lonely
- Community connection: Understanding intergenerational relationships
Reading adventures: stories that sparkle
The holidays are the PERFECT time to build reading skills because there are SO many amazing holiday books! Here’s how to make reading time extra special:
Create a holiday reading nook
Transform a corner of your home into a cozy reading space:
- String up some fairy lights
- Add extra pillows and blankets
- Keep a basket of holiday books
- Set up a “reading thermometer” to track pages read
- Offer hot chocolate for reading sessions
Holiday book challenges (our online Reading Room is a great place to start)
For younger readers:
- Read a book set in a different country
- Find a book about animals
- Read a story about giving or kindness
- Explore a book about different holiday traditions
For older readers:
- Read a classic holiday story
- Find a book that challenges typical holiday narratives
- Read about historical holiday traditions
- Choose a book about adventures
Quick-hit activities for those “I’m bored” moments
Let’s be real: even with the best planning, there will be moments when kids are bouncing off the walls with boredom. Keep these quick activities in your back pocket:
- Snowflake science: Cut paper snowflakes and learn about symmetry (bonus: no two are exactly alike – just like real snowflakes!)
- Holiday yoga: Create poses named after festive things (Tree Pose becomes Christmas Tree, etc.)
- Festive freeze dance: Play holiday music and freeze when it stops
- Ornament estimation: Fill a jar with ornaments or decorations and have kids estimate how many
- Holiday pictionary: Draw holiday-themed items for family to guess
- Cookie decorating olympics: Time how many cookies can be decorated in 60 minutes
- Hot potato with bells: Pass a jingle bell around – when the music stops, that person does a silly holiday challenge
The Think Digital Academy secret sauce
Here’s what we know from being a 5X award-winning online school: the best learning happens when kids don’t even realise they’re learning. These holiday activities aren’t about turning family time into a classroom (that’s what we’re here for during the school year!). They’re about using the natural excitement and magic of the season to explore, discover and grow – while making memories that’ll last a lifetime.
Whether you’re following our British International curriculum, South African CAPS, or United States GED programs, we know that learning doesn’t stop just because school’s on holiday break. In fact, some of the most important learning happens during these unstructured times when kids can explore their interests, spend quality time with family and discover new passions.
Here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it: Pick at least 5 activities from this list and try them during the holidays. Mix it up – choose some active ones, some creative ones, some learning-focused ones and some just-for-fun ones.
And here’s the secret: You don’t need to do ALL of these. You don’t need to schedule every minute. Some of the best holiday moments happen in the unplanned, lazy afternoon spaces between activities.
The real gift
At the end of the day, the greatest gift you can give your kids this holiday season isn’t a perfectly planned activity schedule or a Pinterest-worthy gingerbread house. It’s your presence. Your time. Your willingness to get silly, make mistakes and create memories together.
So yes, try these activities. Have fun with them. But also? Let yourself have those cozy do-nothing days. Let them wear pajamas until noon. Let the house get a little messy. Let them be bored sometimes (boredom breeds creativity, after all!).
The holidays are meant to be magical, but the magic doesn’t come from perfection – it comes from togetherness, laughter and the kind of simple joy that happens when you build a gingerbread house that collapses spectacularly or when everyone gets competitive during holiday Pictionary or when you’re all bundled up in the car looking at lights and someone makes the perfect joke that has everyone in stitches.
And if you discover any brilliant variations or have your own holiday activity gems to share, we’d love to hear about them (vicky@thinkdigitalacademy.org). After all, the best ideas often come from fellow parents who are in the trenches with us!
From all of us at Think Digital Academy – your award-winning online school family – we wish you the most wonderful, joy-filled, memory-making holiday season. May your days be merry and bright, may your gingerbread houses stay standing (or provide excellent comedic moments when they don’t) and may your holidays be filled with love, laughter and just enough learning to keep those brilliant brains engaged!
Now go forth and make some magic!
P.S. Don’t forget to share your holiday activity adventures with us on social media! Tag us and show us how you’re making learning fun this festive season. We love seeing our Think Digital families in action!
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