In a homeschooler's home is where you want to be in December! This month provides so many opportunities for creative, fun learning as families help children prepare for Christmas. But even for home educators, who generally seek to incorporate education into every aspect of life, it's easy to let December come and go in a blur of decorations, parties, gift buying and seasonal events. Don't let it happen to you!
Part 1 of this series addressed some wonderful Christmas study options for children. The beauty of homeschooling is that learning, fun, and family traditions can all be done at the same time, while the family gets in the spirit of the season.
So here are some additional Christmas studies for the month of December:
- Teachingmom.com has an online advent calendar, featuring Bible verses, devotions, art, history, cooking, crafts, and other projects for each day of December. Simply click on the day of the month and find an array of educational information, fun activities, and exciting Christmas ideas.
- Create a Christmas Customs Lapbook from Homeschoolhelperonline. This free online resource features instructions and resources for making mini booklets about Christmas traditions such as the yule log, wassailing, Christmas cards, stockings, Santa, and more!
- LessonPlansPage.com features a Christmas study, for K-1st grade, entitled Winter Holidays Around the World, by Denise Todd. This free lesson plan helps children learn about Christmas in Mexico, Sweden, Africa, Israel, and America.
- Karen Caroe created a study entitled The Names of Jesus. This free study helps families create a Christmas journal that helps them learn about the different names of Jesus. Includes scripture passages, and activities to cover a variety of subjects.
- A Blessed Christmas is an activity-based Christmas study on the symbols of Christmas at happyhomeschool.familyclassroom.net. Scripture passages are included for each of the symbols, as well as projects and activities for each. Symbols such as candles, ornaments, poinsettia, carols, wise men, bells, and many more are addressed.
- This advent lapbook by Angela Frampton includes free PDF templates for a variety of mini-books so children can make their own lapbook. Some of the minibooks are: biblical prophecies, Christmas vocabulary words, the meaning of Advent, Mary, compare and contrast the Nativity movie with scripture, and a map of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem to Egypt. Each PDF also includes questions and instructions related to that particular mini-book.
- The Teaching Home offers a Christmas Unit Study by Cindy Short and Sue Welch. The free online study includes web links, recommended videos and books, scripture readings, and character qualities to prepare for Christmas.
- Eleanor Zweigle has created a free Inductive Advent Study, which investigates the scriptures related to Advent. Includes coloring pages and suggestions for incorporating the study with an advent wreath.
- This free Christmas unit study by Fun Learning provides a variety of fun Christmas-related activities and ideas for math, language arts, history, geography, science, bible, art, music, and physical education. Includes a number of links to websites, for additional study.
- Jesus, the Promised One is a wonderful family devotional study by Katherine Loop, which begins December 1 and ends on Christmas Eve. Children get to color and make their own booklet, which traces God's plan for salvation from creation through Christ. Includes devotional readings for each day that are simple enough for children to grasp. Available in a physical kit (which includes stickers, pens, and a comb book) for $13.99, or an e-book version for $17.99.