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December is a month that seems to fly by each and every year, and it’s not just because it’s a short month in the classroom! It’s a month that’s jam-packed with fun activities but it’s also an important month to help students sharpen their skills before leaving for winter break. In this post, I’m going to share a Christmas sight word game that can bring some holiday cheer to your classroom while helping your students practice their reading skills (and more!). The best part? It’s completely free!
This printable sight word game allows students to channel some of their excitement for the upcoming holiday into a worthwhile learning activity. This game is very easy to set up and use, making it the perfect addition to your lesson plans during the busy month of December!
When you download this activity, you’ll find a page with six blank lines.
Simply type one word into each box. You don’t have to worry about the word length since the font will automatically resize to fit the text in the boxes.
You can use this template for more than just sight word practice! Just edit the template to create a Christmas game that works best for your classroom. Here are some examples:
Once the game mat and cards have been created with one click, it’s time to print them off!
Simply print the activity, cut out the cards, and place them in a paper bag or some other container that students can draw from.
This activity also comes in a black-and-white option, so you can save ink and let students decorate their game boards before playing!
When the game is all ready to go, it’s time to play! All you need is the game mat, a container with the game cards, and a cup of small candies or manipulatives. If you want this game to be a one-time activity, the candy can make it a fun treat! If you want to use the game over and over during the season, you can use small counters instead.
The first player will choose a card from the bag and read the word. That student will then place a piece of candy (or a small manipulative) on their mat, covering one of the open spaces containing that word.
Then the next student will take a turn, covering a space on their own mat. Play continues like this until a student covers all of their circles first.
An additional element to the game is avoiding the Grinch card! If a student chooses this card from the bag, they will need to remove all of their candy from the tree or lose their next turn. You can choose which rule to use, depending on how long you want the game to go.
Once a student covers all of their circles, students can clear their cards and start over!
As you can probably tell, an open-ended game like this can definitely come in handy during the busy month of December! Here are a few ways that you can use this sight word game in your classroom.
Centers – Since the rules for this game are simple, this could be a fun option for a learning station during centers time in December. Students can play as many times as they can until it’s time to rotate.
Inside Recess – ‘Tis the season for inside recess! If your students are growing tired of the go-to activity options during inside recess, this game can definitely add some variety.
Early Finishers – You could have the materials for this game set out with your other activity options for early finishers. It’s a quiet game that will keep students engaged until it’s time to move on to the next activity.
Morning Tubs – This learning activity is a great way to ease into your daily routine! Just use put the game mat and pieces in a tub and pull it out each morning!
Class Party – Are you planning a class party on the last day before winter break? This activity is a great addition, especially if you use candy for the game markers. Your students will love the special treat!
At-Home Practice – Finally, you could send home this activity with your students to use during the break from school. Since the game is easily customizable, you could create games that focus on specific skills for each student. You can attach a small package of candy to the game mat when you send it home to make it even easier for students to play at home!
If you’d like to use this freebie in your classroom, just fill out your information below and I’ll send it straight to your inbox!
Are you looking for even more holiday-themed activities to use in your kindergarten classroom? I have you covered! Thematic units are always a fun option for December, which is why I’ve written a post with three of my favorite themes for December. I have also written a post that’s full of other classroom activities for the month of December. Be sure to check it out!
If you’d like to find this Christmas sight word game later, be sure to save this post! Just add the pin below to your favorite teaching board on Pinterest. You’ll be able to quickly find this freebie when you’re looking for festive activities to add to your December lesson plans.
These alphabet books will have students dive deep into learning about each letter of the alphabet while eager to see what activity they get to complete next!
