I have suggestions for organizing Christmas Preschool Activities that will keep your students actively engaged in learning communication skills. I have tips that have helped my groups run smoothly and organized. These Christmas activities for preschoolers are intended to promote early language and communication skills.
I especially look forward to Christmas for preschool activities in speech therapy. There is always a way to incorporate other themes that the kids love at Christmas time.
Organizing Christmas Activities for Preschoolers
Visual Schedule for Preschoolers
In my speech room, we use a four-step visual schedule for every single session. The activities that I share today align with that schedule.
Songs for Preschoolers
Starting with a song helps young children transition into the schedule with movement. Research suggests that promoting movement and activity in young children can help increase memory, perception, language, attention, emotion and even decision making.
If we are going to sing in speech therapy with our Christmas Preschool Activities, I want it to be functional for learning vocabulary and language concepts. The songs that work best are repetitive, slow and simple. Songs that have a similar tune to a more familiar song work well too! I will share some of my favorite vocabulary rich Christmas songs for preschoolers in my lesson plans below.
Books for Preschoolers
After the song is finished, we move our group to the table and read a themed book together. This might be a simple board book that targets vocabulary, an interactive book or looking at pictures specific to a theme (that I slide into a photo book).
Toys for Speech Therapy
After reading a book, our schedule says it is time to play! The “play” is structured, key objects chosen, and concepts are planned ahead of time. These shape boxes have items inside (like the song mentioned above). The rectangle has a plush chocolate bar inside, a box of crayons and a picture frame. We typically “play” at the table. Sometimes we get on the floor. It just depends on the toys we are using. I added Christmas bows on top to make them look like presents.
Another great toy set to use at Christmas or with a birthday theme is from Learning Resources. Counting Suprise Party is a versatile toy! You can use mini objects inside.
I’m directing the group to work on language or articulation goals, the kids are having the time of their lives, “playing”.
Five Minute Fillers
Sometimes there are a few minutes extra at the end of the session. If there is a lull in the schedule or a student doesn’t quite enjoy an activity that you have planned, have a backup plan! This Boom Card activity targets quantitative concepts.
Click on the image to see details about the activity
Get more ideas that follow this same visual schedule for preschoolers with these themes:
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