December Homeschool Activities {Updated 2026}
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December can be a really busy time of year! These December homeschool activities are intended to help you spend time intentionally this month. The ideas can be used to supplement homeschool lessons or to spark conversations.
Do whichever activities seem appealing to your family and that fit in your available time. Don’t worry if you don’t get to all of them! These dates will come around next year too.
The month of December has quite a few religious holidays. I like to discuss holidays with my kids, even if they are not something we celebrate. I want to raise people who are aware and respectful of other cultures. Learning about other cultures and faiths is important for everyone, and I don’t think it is ever too early to start.
December Homeschool Activities
1st – Rosa Parks Day (varies by state) – Rosa Parks has been called the mother of the civil rights movement. She did so much more for civil rights than refusing to give up her bus seat. Learn more about her by watching this short Ted Ed video. I will warn you that it mentions sexual assault, so use your judgment about whether this is appropriate for your children.
There are a few historical graphic novels written about Rosa Parks, too. This free Rosa Parks unit study is a great way for elementary-age kids to learn about this amazing activist.
2nd – National Computer Literacy Day – Computer literacy is a skill that every child needs to develop. I don’t think every child needs to learn how to understand multiple computer languages or write detailed code, but they should be able to navigate their own computer.
A few ideas for National Computer Literacy Day are:
- Try a free code.org project
- Practice typing with Dance Mat
- Read a book about the history of video games
3rd – Make a Gift Day – If your children want to make winter holiday gifts for loved ones, now is the time! We still have a little time until Hannukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza.
These gifts that kids can make sometimes require drying or curing time, so starting early is a good idea.
4th – First Night of Hanukkah – Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights, but December 4th is the first night of Hanukkah in 2026.
Rabbit Trails Through Homeschool has put together a small Hanukkah unit study designed to teach elementary kids about Hanukkah. Kids will read picture books and do hands-on activities to help them understand a little more about this holiday.
4th – National Cookie Day – National Cookie Day is a great time to bake holiday treats! Preschool and elementary school kids might enjoy reading How to Catch Santa and then creating a new cookie that might tempt Santa.
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Related: How to Catch Santa Activities
7th – National Letter Writing Day – Who else remembers practicing how to write letters in elementary school? In the 1980s, we devoted a lot of time to this somewhat outdated skill. Of course, that was before email.
National Letter Writing Day is a great day for our kids to practice writing a letter. They might choose to write a letter to a family member or a friend. It is December, though, so they also might enjoy writing a letter to Santa.
If you want to change this and just encourage your kids to write in general, here are 25 Christmas writing prompts.
7th – National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day – FDR proclaimed December 7th a “date that will live in infamy” after the horrible attacks on Pearl Harbor. This attack prompted the United States government to officially join World War 2.
Books can be a great way to explain events like this to kids because if the information becomes overwhelming, you can close the book or skip pages.
There are a few highly rated books about Pearl Harbor for kids.
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
10th – Dewey Decimal System Day – Dewey Decimal System Day seems like a great excuse to visit your local library! This post helps explain the Dewey Decimal System to kids.
Related: Introduction to Library Science High School Curriculum
12th – Gingerbread House Day – Decorating gingerbread houses is a classic Christmas activity, but there is no reason to stop there. When my kids were younger, we would enjoy one December day dedicated to gingerbread. Gingerbread Day was a favorite day that my little ones (little ones at the time) looked forward to all year.
One nice thing about Gingerbread Day is that it isn’t intrinsically tied to any specific holiday. Decorating a cookie house can be fun any day for any reason.
12th – Poinsettia Day – The first thing that came to my mind when I learned about Poinsettia Day is this picture book by Tomie dePaola, The Legend of the Poinsettia. This classic Christmas book tells the Mexican legend of the origins of the Poinsettia flower.
Last update on 2026-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
After reading the book, try creating a poinsettia craft or two. Here are some cute ones:
13th – National Cocoa Day – We can celebrate National Cocoa Day in a variety of ways, depending on the time available and our kids’ interest level.
First, we can just make hot cocoa. This is pretty easy to do, especially if we use a mix.
Next, we can drink hot cocoa while reading Polar Express. If we really want to make this day educational, we can add a few activities about the history of chocolate.
15th – Bill of Rights Day – December 15th is Bill of Rights Day because that is the anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights.
This is a great opportunity to explain this government document to kids. Older kids are probably familiar with it, but it might be new to elementary-age kids.
The Constitution Center has two lesson plans available to help teach this document.
17th – Wright Brothers Day – My kids grew up vacationing on the Outer Banks in North Carolina, so they have known about the Wright brothers for as long as they can remember. Not everyone has that experience, though!
The Wright brothers are credited with the first motor-operated flight. The Wright brothers memorial is part of the National Park Service. You can take a virtual field trip to the memorial. There are even lesson plan ideas included.
Related: 30+ Books About the National Parks
20th – Games Day – Games Day is a great time to slow down the holiday season and spend a day playing games. The games can be educational, but they can also just be games that your family enjoys!
Related: Educational Board Games for Kids
20th – Sacagawea Day – Sacagawea was a member of the Shoshone Native American tribe who helped the Lewis and Clark expedition. She was only 16 years old but deserves quite a bit of credit for acting as their trail guide and interpreter.
Peanut Butter Fish Lessons has a free unit study all about Sacagawea.
21st – Winter Solstice – December 21st is the longest night of the year. The winter solstice marks the official change from fall to winter. This can be a great time to get cozy and do a little reading.
All About Learning is offering a free winter reading bundle that includes winter-themed stories and reading activities.
If you want to read a variety of winter and Christmas picture books, check out the Winter Nature Study Book Bundle from Literary Adventures for Kids. There are online lessons and activities to accompany each book (a great way for kids to be engaged while parents are taking care of the holiday chores).
25th – Christmas Day – December 25th is Christmas Day, and while it is likely that no one wants to do schoolwork then, there are lots of educational activities that can be done leading up to Christmas.
The Christmas Carol Novel Study for Middle School or for High School is a great option for older students. Teens will read the classic novel while learning literary skills. They will also have a little fun.
26th – Kwanzaa – Kwanzaa begins every year on December 26th and ends on January 1st. This Kwanzaa guide for kids is a great resource if you would like to learn more. There are activities, book suggestions, and craft ideas.
27th – Visit the Zoo Day – December 27th is Visit the Zoo Day. This might be a good excuse to get outdoors and walk around, but it also might be really cold, depending on where you live.
If you want to ‘visit’ a zoo but also want to stay at home in warm pajamas, try visiting zoos virtually. You get to see animals without standing in the cold
31st – New Year’s Eve – Rabbit Trails Through New Year’s Traditions offers a lesson on New Year’s Eve traditions. This lesson is intended to be used over 1 – 2 weeks.
I hope these December homeschool activities help you have a great month!
Keep reading . . .
- October Homeschool Activities
- November Homeschool Activities
- January Homeschool Activities
- February Homeschool Activities
- March Homeschool Activities
- April Homeschool Activities
- May Homeschool Activities
- June Homeschool Activities
- July Homeschool Activities
- August Homeschool Activities
- September Homeschool Activities
- Educational Holidays That Are Perfect for Homeschool
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