December brings winter weather, holiday traditions, and plenty of excitement to preschool classrooms. Engaging, hands-on experiences help excess energy turn into meaningful learning. These December preschool activities are designed to fit easily into existing routines while bringing the magic of the season into centers, circle time, and sensory play.
Whether you’re exploring snow, celebrating light, or simply enjoying cozy indoor play, these December preschool ideas will help students learn through joyful, open-ended experiences.
December Circle Time Ideas
Preschool circle time is a wonderful way to build connection and introduce winter themes. Children are engaged through songs, books, and simple discussions that tie into the season.
Songs & Fingerplays
Music and movement activities are perfect for bringing energy and focus to winter mornings. Choose songs that encourage participation and movement while connecting with seasonal topics.
- “Five Smiling Snowmen” – Practice sequencing and repetition as children act out the story.
- “Snowflake on My Nose” – An interactive song that is perfect for young learners.
- “Jingle Bells” – Give each child a small bell to shake and sing along.
Books to Read Aloud
Picture books capture children’s attention and help them explore winter ideas through story and illustration. Select titles that inspire conversation and introduce vocabulary about the season.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats – Explore curiosity and discovery on a snowy day.
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson – A sweet story about friendship and generosity.
All You Need for a Snowman by Alice Schertle – Great for counting and descriptive language.
Discussion Prompts
Talking together builds language skills and helps children make personal connections. Keep questions open-ended so everyone can share their thoughts and experiences.
- What do you wear when it’s cold outside?
- How does the weather change in winter?
- What are some ways your family celebrates in December?
December Dramatic Play Ideas
Dramatic play invites children to imagine, create, and practice real-world skills. Rotate materials throughout the month to keep this center fresh and exciting.
Hot Drink Café
Set up a cozy pretend coffee or cocoa shop with mugs, play money and credit cards, scarves, and aprons. Add a simple menu and children “serve” warm drinks to friends.
Cookie Shop
Provide felt pieces, rolling pins, cookie cutters, and trays for pretend baking. Encourage counting, shape recognition, and fine motor development as children make and decorate their cookies.
Post Office
Create a pretend mail center where children can sort letters, deliver packages, and use envelopes, stamps, and mailbags. Add a writing station for children to write cards or make lists. This setup encourages literacy, cooperation, and community-play, which are all perfect for December.
Sensory Table Activities for December
Sensory play can bring calm and focus to busy preschool days while building fine motor skills. These winter-themed sensory bins are simple to set up and endlessly engaging.
- Diamond Sensory Table: Invite children to explore a sensory bin filled with clear plastic “diamonds” that sparkle like ice. Use acrylic vase filler, plastic ice cubes, snowflake scatter, or clear gravel. Add scoops, tongs, or small trays for sorting and pouring. Preschool students can search for hidden letters, count pretend gems, or add polar animals for imaginative play.
- Insta-Snow Sensory Table: Bring the magic of snow indoors with non-toxic Insta-Snow powder. When mixed with water, it fluffs up to look and feel like real snow – without the cold or mess! Add scoops, cups, and plastic polar animals for hours of pretend play.
- Holiday Rice Bin: Fill the table with red and green dyed rice and mix in glitter or small snowflake shapes. Provide spoons, cups, plastic cookie cutters, and funnels for scooping and pouring. Students will practice hand-eye coordination, improve focus, and utilize descriptive language while playing with their friends.
- Holiday Slime: Slime is a fun, hands-on alternative to play dough or Oobleck, and it’s simple to make with equal parts white glue, water, and liquid starch. Mix one batch red, one green, and leave one white for a festive touch. Children can stretch, twist, and combine the colors to explore texture and color mixing. This sensory activity strengthens hand muscles and invites plenty of laughter and discovery.
Holiday Process Art for Preschool
December is a wonderful time to explore process art – creative experiences that focus on how children make art rather than what the finished product looks like. These open ended projects encourage choice, experimentation , and sensory engagement, which are perfect for preschoolers during the busy holiday season.
Attach bows to the ends of craft sticks to create unique paintbrushes. Offer trays of red, green, white, and gold paint, and invite students to stamp, swirl, or brush the bows across paper or canvas. Each piece becomes beautifully textured and festive, with no two alike. These are perfect to send home as a holiday present for families as well!
Cookie Cutter Prints
Turn plastic cookie cutters into festive stampers for a quick process art activity. Set out large sheets of paper and trays of tempera paint, then invite children to dip and stamp holiday shapes in their own unique patterns. When dry, the artwork makes beautiful, child-created wrapping paper for family gifts.
Winter Process Art Painting
Invite children to pain their own winter scenes using pastel colors, glue, and a sprinkle of glitter or salt for texture. Each canvas becomes a one-of-a-kind masterpiece as children swirl, mix, and explore different materials. This open-ended project strengthens fine motor skills and creativity while celebrating the beauty of winter.
December Math and Science Centers
Integrate the season into your winter preschool centers with math and science invitations that encourage curiosity and discovery.
Math Ideas
- Mitten Button Counting: Math number to buttons on paper mittens.
- Snowflake Shapes: Use translucent shapes on the light table to create all different kinds of snowflakes. Great for shape exploration and symmetry.
- Gift Bow Patterns: Create simple sequencing activities using red, green, and gold bows or blue, white and silver bows.
Science Ideas
- Pinecone Investigations: Observe how pinecones open and close in different stages of water absorption. Add paint for a creative extension.
- Shadow Play: Use flashlights and cut-out winter shapes to explore light and shadows.
- Melting Ice Experiment: Investigate how quickly ice melts while using ice cubes to paint.
Teacher Tips for December
The holidays can bring extra energy, and sometimes overwhelm, to the preschool classroom. A few simple adjustments can make the month more manageable and enjoyable for everyone.
- Keep routines consistent, even as you add in special activities.
- Balance high-energy experiences with calm options like puzzles, books, and sensory play.
- Emphasize inclusive winter themes so every child feels represented and welcome.
Bringing Winter Learning to Life
December preschool activities invite children to explore the wonder of the season while practicing essential skills across every domain. Through stories, play, and discovery, they learn to express creativity, build relationships, and find joy in learning.
