December - An Idea for Every Day Calendar

(Updated 11/13/2022)

You know what, Leaders? Yesterday I could not believe that December was right around the corner, but today I find myself singing Christmas songs and not believing it is still November. Maybe it has something to do with the two feet of snow outside? Maybe? Now, I just can't help thinking of December!

And good timing too, because you are looking for some December ideas. We have them for you, Leaders. Mix traditional with unusual and produce a December to remember with your littles this season. Ready to click and print, pin, post, paste or paperclip now? Say no more! Simply click below.

Academic ideas for each day in December with link pairings
To download calendar with active links, click here.

Place it near where you plan and consider ways to enjoy every day this December. Remember, if you're looking for more ideas, visit our Pinterest board. Feel free to suggest some, too! Then, come back to Wolfe Stew near the end of December. January ideas are sure to headline our menu boards by then.

Craving more details? Check out some of the fun that awaits: 

December 3rd raise funds in your class using some of these ideas.

December 3rd: National Day of Giving

Receiving tends to be what most littles focus on this time of year. So, what better way to shift the focus than to begin the month with a spirit of giving? Choose a local charity or food pantry, then invite your group/school to get in the giving spirit.  
  • Schoolwide Challenge: Host a penny war!  Get the how-to's from Pro Today.
  • Classroom Challenge: Track your goal using an improvised marble jar! Check out how to set up a marble jar at Teacher Tool Kit. Using the tiered marble jar model, celebrate smaller fundraising goals on the way to filling the whole jar.  
  • Canned Food Drive: Find inspiring ideas from the varieties of canned food drives We Are Teachers rounded up.  

Celebrate poinsettias in your classroom with one of these ideas.

December 12th: Poinsettia Day

Poinsettias, a popular holiday flower, have a rich and interesting history. Explore these natural wonders in a myriad of activities with your littles this December.
  • Sing a Song: "Don't Eat a Poinsettia," (Music K-8) you'll not only develop their musical skills, but also enhance their botanical knowledge. Did you know that poinsettias cause nausea? Me neither. But with this song, your learners won't soon forget.
  • Explore the Science: Try this poinsettia life cycle activity from Wikki Stix that is no longer on their site, but you can see it in the above picture and get the labels here. A fact we originally found particularly fascinating - poinsettias require 10-13 hours of total darkness each night during the fall to produce bracts (red leaves commonly mistaken as the flower on a poinsettia plant). Find more information about poinsettias at Kiddle.
  • Craft: We love this Paper Plate Poinsettia craft from Deep Space Sparkle. Get out your tempera paint, oil pastels, tissue paper, and roll up your sleeves. These Poinsettias are sure to please!  
  • Discover the Legend: Deep Space Sparkle suggests pairing the art activity with the Legend of the Poinsettia, and we firmly agree! Although, if you choose to dig deeper into the literary aspects, this legend activity set from Sweet Integrations is what you need. You'll explore elements of legends, define morals and create a craft.
  • Research the History: Check out this brief article on poinsettias from Social Studies for Kids. You could use it for note-taking, comparison-making, opinion-generating, pamphlet-creating, or fact-finding purposes.

Learn about the Wright Brothers and craft a paper airplane using one of these ideas from Wolfe Stew.

December 17th: Wright Brothers Day

What an engaging, highly educational, non-holiday, yet still seasonal topic to take up this December. A true source of inspiration, let the Wright brothers give your learners a lift.
  • PreK-2nd Grade: Read The Wright Brothers, by Elizabeth MacLeod to teach your littles about the Wrights. This book, appropriately written for younger learners, will encourage them to reach for their dreams while appealing to their fascination for transportation.
  • 3rd-6th Grade: Check out, The Wright Brothers for Kids, by Mary Kay Carson. Make sure you set aside a good chunk of time for this book. Also, check it out in advance so you can use it as a planning tool. Not only does this book tell the story of how the Wright brothers overcame obstacles to invent, but it also includes 21 ACTIVITES that explore the science and history of flight. Hands on learning? Sign us up!
  • STEAM Challenge: Let learners investigate, design, plan, create, test, and improve upon their own paper airplane models with this lesson from Nerding. Watch learning soar!
Spend some time playing your favorite card games using one of these ideas from Wolfe Stew.

December 28th: National Card Playing Day

This one is for you, Leaders. We are well aware the 28th of December is a Saturday. But here, at Wolfe Stew, we think it is important to nourish not just the learners, but also the leaders. That's you! To that end, we make sure to include activities to encourage, pamper, entertain, and inspire you. So, grab a deck of cards and prepare for entertainment!
  • Group Games: Play Card Deck's list of 40+ Great Card Games for All Occasions. Find a new game to play or play your favorite. In our family it's Setback. Which, interestingly, is not among the 40+ games. What's your family's favorite card game? If you tried a new one, what was it? Did you love it, or was it awful? We'd love to hear about it!
  • Solitaire Games: Then, solitaire it is for you, my friend. The Spruce Crafts offers nine versions of this classic single player game. Try them all! Then, let us know which one was your favorite.
No, don't make a pot from peppers, put peppers in a pot. Make this historical stew found at Wolfe Stew.

December 29th: National Pepper Pot Day

Okay, okay. I'll admit: we're biased. Pepper pot is a stew. We had to include it, Leaders, had to. Stew up some Pepper Pot today using the recipe found at The Guardian. Then, while it simmers, read up on the history. There you go, nourishment for the mind and body. Happy to serve!
We'd love to hear back from you! Let us know which of these activities rocked! We'd even like to know which ones tanked. Any feedback from you helps make the calendar stronger in future years. If you have any activities you think we should include, let us know. We'd love to throw it into the pot!  

Here's to a celebration-filled December, leaders! Praying you find a reason to celebrate EVERY day!

At Your Service,

Offering samplings of life by a husband and wife.

Interested in even more educational resources?  Then stop by our Learning Lab.  It's here where we store all the educational resources we've cooked up to date.  

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