The holiday season is filled with twinkling lights, cozy moments, and magical memories—especially for young children. At Hyde Park Play School, we believe this time of year offers countless opportunities for festive learning through play, helping preschoolers explore creativity, develop academic skills, and practice kindness in meaningful ways.
The best part? These activities don’t require expensive materials or elaborate setups. Simple traditions and low-cost projects often provide the richest opportunities for connection and learning. Below are some of our favorite holiday learning activities for preschoolers—each designed to nurture curiosity, creativity, and joyful growth throughout the season.
1. Counting Ornaments for Early Math Skills
Decorating the holiday tree becomes an instant math lesson when you invite your child to help count, sort, and arrange ornaments.
Try these simple ideas:
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Count ornaments by number (“Let’s add 10 ornaments together!”)
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Sort by color or size before hanging
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Create simple patterns, such as red–gold–red–gold
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Talk about shapes, like stars, circles, and snowflakes
These playful tasks support number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and classification—key skills in early math development. Plus, children love being part of decorating traditions, making it a heartwarming way to combine holiday fun with learning.
2. Writing Cards or Drawing Holiday Pictures for Loved Ones
Encourage your child to make simple cards, drawings, or messages for friends and family. This activity promotes early literacy skills—from scribbling and letter practice to storytelling and vocabulary building.
You can:
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Help your child “write” their name on the card
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Encourage them to dictate a message for you to write
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Use holiday stickers to spark ideas
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Talk about who the card is for and why they’re special
This activity also strengthens empathy and emotional expression, helping children think about the people they care for and how their artwork brings joy.
3. Winter-Themed Sensory Bins for Hands-On Exploration
Hands-on exploration is central to preschool learning. Creating a winter-themed sensory bin is a wonderful way to let children play, discover, and calm their minds.
Try filling a bin with materials like:
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Cotton balls (“snow”)
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Blue gems or beads (“ice crystals”)
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Pinecones
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Mini holiday figurines
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Scoops, spoons, and small containers
Children can pour, scoop, sort, match, and pretend—all of which promote fine motor skills and sensory development. Add vocabulary words like snowy, icy, sparkly, and cold to support language growth.
4. Kindness Countdown Calendar
Instead of a traditional treat-filled advent calendar, create a simple Kindness Countdown Calendar using paper chains or sticky notes. Each day features a small act of kindness:
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Give someone a compliment
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Help tidy a room
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Share a toy
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Draw a picture for a friend
These tiny acts promote empathy, emotional regulation, and positive social skills—qualities we emphasize every day at Hyde Park Play School.
5. Holiday Baking as a Learning Experience
Baking together isn’t just delicious—it’s educational:
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Measuring ingredients teaches math
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Following steps builds sequencing
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Stirring and pouring support fine motor development
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Taste and smell introduce sensory learning
Whether you make gingerbread cookies or simple sugar cookies, the experience fosters connection and confidence.
Small Traditions, Big Learning Moments
Holiday magic isn’t found in big events—it’s created through small, meaningful traditions shared with the people we love. By integrating early childhood holiday activities into your routine, you give your child the gift of learning wrapped in joy, creativity, and connection.
At Hyde Park Play School, we celebrate the wonder of this season by blending play, imagination, and developmental growth into each day. With just a few simple ideas, families can bring that same festive learning energy into their homes all season long.