Learning Year Round: Christmas Homeschool Plans

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The month of December affords homeschool families with a lot of wonderful opportunities for holiday homeschooling. Learning year-round takes on a special meaning for the Christian homeschooler at Christmas time. We can set aside our normal routine and books and spend time focusing on Jesus and Christmas. 

Making Small Changes 

If you aren't ready to put away all the homeschool books during December, you can start adding in small changes. Swap out the books in your morning basket or at read-aloud time with Christmas ones like A Christmas Carol, Christmas in the Manger, or Bear Stays Up. 

In addition to books, change out the music you play during the week. We often listen to music during art or while working on independent projects. During this time of year, we listen to my different Christmas playlists. 

What do you do during lunchtime? Our children watch either Minno or RightNow Media or listen to me read aloud. During December, I break out our box of Christmas-themed holiday DVDs for lunchtime. Some of our favorites include: 

• The Muppet Christmas Carol
• VeggieTales: The Toy That Saved Christmas
• The Year Without a Santa Claus
• White Christmas

Fun Activities 

If you are looking to incorporate more Christmas activities while learning year-round, you can look at art lessons from SchoolhouseTeachers.com that focus on Christmas themes. Or you can work on crafts, cards, and gifts. 

Another feature of SchoolhouseTeachers.com that I enjoy is the holiday-themed worksheets. This year, I printed out one about Advent, where our children will write a poem and some coloring sheets, but there are more options, including ones for math! 

Switching Up the Entire Day 

There are a couple of options left to you if you want to holiday homeschool the entire month. You can keep working on normal subjects but with a Christmas twist from unit studies. For example, Homeschool Complete offers a Christmas Unit Study (K-6). Lessons include reading, mathematics, arts and crafts, and more. Another option would be the White House Holiday Unit Studies offered by Silverdale Press LLC, which includes a Christmas-themed one.

You can also ditch all the subjects and work on relationships. Prepare the house for Christmas by cleaning and decorating. Bake Christmas cookies and prepare yummy treats and treasures as gifts. Go ice skating, skiing, or participate in other winter sports. Learn Christmas hymns or carols and sing or play them for others. There are many options available. 

As a family, select from things to do in your area. Go see Christmas lights, drink hot chocolate, or choose a new hobby (or return to an old one). Spending time together during December is a wonderful way to learn during the Christmas season. 

What are some of your favorite ways to homeschool during December?