Each year, the holiday season brings magic, excitement, and a bit of expected chaos to your kindergarten classroom. Between special events at school and home, Christmas crafts, and lots of extra energy, even the most well-behaved kids can struggle with self-control in December. That’s why establishing a strong kindergarten classroom management system becomes even more important at this time of year. You want to keep the joy alive while also helping your students feel a sense of calm, security, and readiness to continue learning. With just a few simple adjustments, classroom management at Christmas can actually become one of the most rewarding times of year for everyone. Check out these 7 tried and true tips and watch your students’ behavior thrive through the holidays!
While December can be full of sparkle and cheer, it can also be an emotionally charged time for little learners. Changes in routines—like extra school events, parades, and parties with loved ones— can make it hard for young children to regulate their feelings and behaviors.
It’s important to remember that while some students may have big emotions because they are looking forward to special celebrations, others might feel sad if their home situations are challenging.
Different Emotions Kids Might Feel at Christmas:
The mix of emotions can make a classroom feel like it is truly buzzing!
That’s where your steady leadership and intentional kindergarten classroom management skills come into play. When you provide structure and support for these big feelings, you help students feel safe and steady in a season that is full of change!
The best way you can handle classroom management at Christmas is to blend consistency with a touch of holiday fun. You don’t need to overhaul your classroom or daily schedule— just keep your routines steady while mixing in some extra Christmas cheer!
By this point in the school year, your classroom is a dependable place where your students feel secure and know they belong. Because they know they are safe and welcome, they are more likely to listen, follow directions, and treat each other kindly and with respect. Tapping into the joys of Christmas helps you create an even more positive classroom community with your students.
So, if you’re ready to help make behavior thrive in your classroom this holiday season, try these 7 tips:
Use these Christmas Line Up Chants to turn your busy (and sometimes noisy!) transition moments into festive fun! These 3 original chants match the tunes of favorite holiday carols and help your students line up quickly and quietly.Â
They’re easy to remember so all of your students can participate and feel included. As everyone chants along, they’re also working on important social emotional skills like teamwork, listening, and staying focused.Â
Print them out for colorful Christmas decor to promote a positive learning environment.
Next, encourage positive behavior and kindness during December by building a Class Kindness Tree.
This visual reminder helps students see the power of their actions and encourages a caring community. And when other students see their friends getting to add a new ornament to the tree, they will want to find something kind to do too!
This FREE Kindness Tree activity is an easy and meaningful way to promote kindness and making good choices every day.
If you want to take your Kindness Tree to the next level, grab the digital version! It is truly NO prep and works on PowerPoint and Google Slides.
When a student performs an act of kindness, she can help decorate the tree by dragging an ornament onto the class tree.
*You can even assign personal trees to students for an individualized reward chart.
Get your students excited about lining up quietly with Quiet Hallway Reindeer! As students are lining up, watch for one or more quiet students who look ready for the hall. Give those students plush reindeer snap bracelets to wear on their arms while walking in the hallway.
Set an expectation that the reindeer are just along for a ride. They can’t be used for play while walking.
At the end of the transition, the Hallway Quiet Reindeer return quickly back to you.
Use the Holiday FREEZE Game to help your students get moving. This game introduces students to holiday vocabulary words and adds purposeful movement to your day.
Kids learn about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Las Posadas as they play.Â
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In Holiday FREEZE, no one is ever out! This game is perfect for inside recess, holiday parties, and brain breaks mid-day.
For the moments when your classroom is feeling extra energetic, a calming video playing quietly in the background can do wonders! Choose visually soothing videos with peaceful Christmas music or holiday sounds.
Try these favorites:
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These sensory-friendly videos help students settle their minds and bodies while encouraging greater focus and quieter work times.
Use this proactive classroom management system to help calm the holiday chaos. This system is so sweet because YOU get to choose the goals and the rewards that work best for your students!Â
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Choose from the 18 included reward options or create your own!Â
Use these Christmas Transition Songs & Chants to help your students quietly transition between tasks. They are easy to remember so kids can participate and feel included their classroom community.
They are also a fun way to encourage children to do their best and make good choices!
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Are you looking for even more festive classroom fun? Try these LOW-PREP holiday-themed activities that are sure to keep your students engaged while working on important skills like introductory research, math, phonics, spelling words, and more!
After students return from the holidays, it’s a great time to reset classroom routines and refocus your classroom community.Â
Try these ideas to start the New Year strong:
December doesn’t have to be stressful when you combine dependable routines with festive spirit. With thoughtful kindergarten classroom management strategies, you can create a joyful and calm learning environment where your students (and you!) feel comfortable and capable. Use these 7 tips and watch your classroom thrive all season long!
I’m a teacher who believes in creating a classroom kids love and activities that keep them engaged all day!
