# data[].attributes.body
Are you engaging students in a review of this story? Here are some activities to accompany the Polar Express book.

# data[].attributes.body
Take selfies with the front facing camera on your device then pick out a background and other fun features to include.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you planning a virtual holiday party?

We'd love to help!

As a staple of in-person holiday parties, photo booths are going to be missed this holiday season.

⭐ Thankfully, the creative team at Snapbar is here to help! ⭐

We're building virtual photo booth themes for fall, holiday parties, new year celebrations and so much more!

Holiday Themes

We've done all the hard work and created engaging themes that allow anyone on your team, no matter where they are, to take fun photos, involve their pets, kids, or friends, and spread a little holiday cheer from home!

Try Our Holidays Demos

Happy Holidays Aprés Ski 'Tis The Season

New Year Themes

All you need is an event name, a logo or message, and a computer or mobile device. You invite people to the virtual photo booth and let the fun begin. Everything else, we've done for you!

Try Our New Years Demos

Happy New Year Glitter & Gold

Interested in Virtual Photo Booth for your next party?
Get a Quote

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a staple of in-person holiday parties, photo booths are going to be missed this holiday season. ⭐ Thankfully, the creative team at Snapbar is here to help! ⭐ We're building virtual photo booth themes for fall, holiday parties, new year celebrations and so much more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Happy Hanukkah! Celebrate this season of lights with the traditional Jewish game of Dreidel. Groups of up to four friends can play together, or single players can compete against the computer. In order to win, be the last player to have gelt!

Trouble Playing This Game?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Happy Hanukkah! Celebrate this season of lights with the traditional Jewish game of Dreidel. Groups of up to four friends can play together, or single players can compete against the computer. In order to win, be the last player to have gelt!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
interactive make a gingerbread house on the computer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
make a gingerbread house activity for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Enchant young learners with this extra sweet holiday activity. Build and decorate a beautiful gingerbread house online. Then print your special creation!

# data[].attributes.body
'The Sneaky Snow Snatcher'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Celebrate the holiday season with ABCya’s Make a Christmas Tree! Choose from dozens of fun Christmas tree decorations such as garlands, lights, ornaments and tree toppers to design your very own holiday creation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ABCya! * Click and Drag - Make A Snowman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ABCya! Children click and drag shapes to make a snowman. Great for Preschool and Kindergarten and fun for all ages!

# data[].attributes.body
Projects before break

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this post to download the Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack. This is a post I first wrote a decade ago, when I was teaching middle school. Each year, I have revised it and updated it.
Let's just put it out there. December is exhausting for teachers. The days are shorter. The weather grows colder and (at least here in Oregon) wetter. Students are anxious - whether it's a buzzing excitement for vacation or a sense of dread that some kids feel in homes that are unsafe during the holidays.

And teachers are tired. They're tired of redirecting behaviors and tired of the mid-year pressure of the test and simply tired of the sheer energy it takes to be a teacher.

It's no wonder that so many teachers begin playing holiday movies around this time of year. They want to create a sense of fun and escape and enjoyment, and a motion picture promises exactly that. Maybe that's okay. Maybe that's a part of creating a culture of joy. So, please don't read this post as a slam on teachers showing movies before the break. If this is a part of a positive classroom culture, keep doing it. This isn't meant to be a guilt trip or a rant or a "you're doing this wrong" post. This is meant to be a yes/and post offering other options.

For my first few years of teaching, I showed a movie the day before the winter break. However, within minutes, kids were disengaged. They were passive. It wasn't special. My students could go home and watch a movie whenever they felt like it. It had me wondering . . . was there something that they could do in my class that they couldn't do anywhere else? Was this actually the chance to do something epic and make something memorable?

Over the years, I've learned that kids don't grow tired of learning. They grow tired of school. This is the chance to tap into wonder and curiosity and creativity.

Watch the Video

I tried something different this time and created a 22-minute video (about as long as a TV episode). I'm thinking of doing these longer videos on a regular basis as another way to access this content.

Listen to the Podcast

If you enjoy this blog but you'd like to listen to it on the go, just click on the audio below or subscribe via iTunes/Apple Podcasts (ideal for iOS users) or Google Play and Stitcher (ideal for Android users).

http://www.spencerauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/End-on-Creative-Note.m4a

Twelve Creative Ways to End the Semester

Here are a few creative ways you can spend the last few weeks before the winter break. I realize that teachers have curriculum maps and expectations, so you'll notice that these ideas are all things that still include the standards and still require critical thinking. We also experience the time crunch, so I want to note that some of these are single day activities and some of these cover an entire week.

#1: Genius Hour

Time Required: 1-5 Days

Materials Required: This works best when you have devices.

Description: Genius Hour (also called 20% Time) is a chance for students to engage in an inquiry-driven, independent project. They own the entire learning process, from the concept to the questions, to the research, to the project management to the ultimate final product. Here's a quick video description of what Genius Hour looks like:

Here's a video you can use with your students. Note that you can get a free copy of both videos (in case YouTube is blocked at your school) in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

#2: Scratch Video Game Projects

Time Required: Full Week

Materials Required: This project works best when you have one-to-one devices

Description: If you haven't checked it out before, go take a look at Scratch. It's a way to teach logic and programming through the use of blocks that students use to manipulate objects. Students can start out small by following the directions to create a Pong game. Afterward, you can encourage them to move on to a place where they hack the game and make it their own. Then, you can have them set up their own games that they truly design.

If you're interested in launching a Scratch video game, check out the site and start with the Pong game. I also have instructions on how I taught Scratch (the three phases) with middle school as well as a list of 8 lessons I learned along the way. You can find those in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

#3: Design Thinking Project

Time Required: Full Week

Materials Required: Design thinking can work well with technology or with low-tech options

Description: Design thinking is a flexible process for getting the most out of the creative process. It is used in the arts, in engineering, in the corporate world, at universities, and in social and civic spaces. You can use it in every subject with every age group. It works when creating digital content or when building things with duct tape and cardboard. It can even be used in planning events or in designing services. So, the idea here is that you are providing a meaningful structure to help students design a product that they will launch to an authentic audience. The following video helps explain the process:

This is the perfect time of year to test out design thinking. While other classes are watching Frosty the Snowman, your students can engage in inquiry, research, ideating, and prototyping. They will do something creative - and they'll remember it forever. If you're interested in trying design thinking, I have included the Create a Sport Challenge and the Tiny House Project (math-related) in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post. Both projects include lesson plans, student notebooks, slideshows, and the videos.

#4: Thematic Blogs (High-Tech)

Materials Required: Blogging works best with desktops or laptops but can still be accomplished with smartphones or tablets

Description: In keeping with the theme of student ownership, thematic blogs are blogs based on a student's interests, passions, and ideas. It could be a foodie blog, a sports blog, a fashion blog, a science blog, or a history blog. They choose the topic and the audience. It's a great way for students to practice writing in different genres (persuasive, functional, informational/expository, narrative) with specific blog topics they choose. They can also add multimedia components, like slideshows, pictures, videos, and audio.

Think of all the blogs out there that people actually make outside of school. That's what you want students to create. It's their chance to participate in the global blogging community by tapping into their own expertise and interests. If you're interested in getting started, I have included things like sentence stems and other student handouts that might be helpful as you begin the process. You can find it all in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

#5: Video Writing Prompts (Low-Tech Alternative)

Materials Required: You can go low-tech with this and do visual writing prompts on a screen (projector or interactive whiteboard) and have students use composition books

Description: If you don't have the best technology in your classroom, but you do have a projector or interactive whiteboard, consider doing visual writing prompts with a picture or a video. The idea here is to choose high-interest ideas that get students excited about writing. I have included a free set of video prompts in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

Here's an example of a writing prompt you could do to get students excited about writing.

If you like that, would you consider subscribing to the channel at videoprompts.com?

#6: Sketchnote Videos

Time Required: 25 minutes (easiest version) to a full week (most challenging version)

Materials Required: This can be mostly low-tech, with paper, pencils, markers, whiteboards, etc. But the video portion will require a video camera or smartphone.

Description: I love the idea of making ideas visual and sketchnoting is one of the strategies you can use to help students take complex ideas and convey them in a way that is visual and concrete. But I also love taking it to the next level by having students craft short sketchnote videos that convey an idea, concept, or process. So, it might be something like life cycles or how a bill becomes a law. There are four layers of sketchnote videos that work well, ranging from easiest to hardest.
Level One: Flipbook Style (Very Easy)
Here, students create multiple pages with a sketch and a core idea. Afterward, one student flips the pages as another student videotapes the pages and a third student reads the script. This is essentially a picture book on video. But if you want to get more complicated and show any kind of movement, check out level two.
Level Two: Stop Motion (Fairly Easy)
This is the stop animation approach. Students sketch out their ideas and then cut them out. They can then maneuver these ideas with their hands in a video. When they go to film it, one student uses a smartphone while a second student moves the items around. A third student reads a script. Afterward, they can post it online or share it with their teacher.
Level Three: Whiteboard Videos (Moderately Difficult)
Students start out by storyboarding a concept they've learned throughout the quarter. They then record one member of their group sketching out the ideas in an RSA Animate style with the whiteboard. Next, they speed up the whiteboard drawing, edit out any mistakes, and add an audio layer that they record in iMovie or Movie Maker. It doesn't require a ton of technology, but it does require some creative risk-taking. What I love about this is that you can have multiple students making the videos in small groups and then rotate who edits it on the computer. So, if you have limited student computers, it can still work.
Level Four: Animated Videos (Very Difficult)
These are the types of videos I enjoy making. They can take hours to make and they require Photoshop. If you're interested in the process, here's a detailed description in a blog post I created after my son spent a full day making his video. This is the video he created. I think it's pretty awesome. Then again, I'm his dad, so that's par for the course, right?

If you're interested in doing sketchnote videos, you can find more detailed instructions in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

#7: Maker Projects

Time Required: One class period

Materials Required: Maker projects can work well with technology or with low-tech options. Note that the two examples I am giving are both low-tech.

Description: There are a few ways to approach maker projects. The first uses design thinking to go through the entire design process (see the design thinking option listed in #3. The second involves less research and planning and gets students into rapid prototyping as soon as possible. The idea here is that students make something with physical products that they are upcycling - often duct tape, cardboard, and plastic. Here's one that's a little more math and science-related:

If you're interested in doing a maker project, you can find a free maker project in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

#8: Divergent Thinking Challenge

Time Required: 40-90 minutes

Materials Required: You can determine your own materials but it helps to keep it low-tech and to limit it to 2-5 items that are seemingly unrelated. The more unrelated they are, the better!

Description: Divergent thinking challenges are a simple way to move into rapid prototyping while inspiring divergent thinking. Here's the basic premise of it.

#7: Wonder Day / Wonder Week

Time Required: Single Day or Full Week

Materials Required: This project works best when they can do online research.

Description: This is a fun, easy way to get students engaged in non-fiction reading. I use it as a high-interest way to help students learn the research process. Students begin with the sentence stem, "I'm wondering why/what would/how/if __________" and from there they ask tons of questions. This ultimately leads to research and finally a place where they share what they learned.

For more ideas on how to bring wonder back into the classroom, check out this post.

If you're interested in doing a Wonder Day project, you can find more detailed instructions in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post. I also include a video showing a simple approach to teaching students how to engage in media literacy.

#8: Hands-On Simulations

Time Required: Single Class Period

Materials Required: Simulations work really well when they are low-tech

Description: Simulations are a powerful way to push critical thinking. You don't need a maker space or fancy gadgets or anything like that.

They work with any subject where you are trying to get students to think about a complex, abstract idea or system. Simulations bridge the abstract and the concrete. They are fully immersive. You are moving around, physically maneuvering your environment to make sense of the information. In the process, the information sticks after a simulation. Simulations become mental models that students go back to in order to make sense out of what they have learned.

Student engagement skyrockets. Most simulations have a goal in mind and students are actively making decisions that allow them to process the information in real-time. They go beyond what Schlecty calls "strategic compliance" (high attention but low commitment) and into a place where they have full buy-in. Moreover, students at any ability level can access the information in a simulation. It is not necessarily reading-dependent or writing-dependent.

Note that simulations work best when dealing with abstract ideas and complex systems. A predator and prey version of tag can help students think about the food chain, but a simulation showing how stanzas work will tank. A simulation factory is a great way to make sense out of the industrial revolution but it's probably not the best way to show how phonics work.

With students feeling antsy, these hands-on, movement-oriented simulations can provide the perfect outlet while also reinforcing concepts they have been learning in any subject. I have a quick guide for designing simulations inside the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

#9: Podcasts

Time Required: Single Day (or Multiple Days)

Materials Required: Smartphones or microphones, and computers (optional)

Description: I love having students create videos. However, videos can take time and it's more of a challenge to deal with props, lighting, staging, etc. This is why I love podcasts. They can work individually, with partners, or in small groups. It can be more scripted or more open. If you want, you can have students edit the podcasts and add music by using Garage Band or Audacity. But you can also do a simple recording with smartphones.

If this seems interesting to you, I created a quick sheet called 20 Ideas for Student Podcasting that you can find in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

#10: History Mystery

Time Required: 1-2 Days

Materials Required: This can be low-tech or high-tech

Description: This is a way to get students to create a theory about why something exists within history. For example, why are there ships buried under the city of San Francisco? You start with the key question (often a visual to go with it) and then you ask students to formulate a hypothesis and defend it. They then form groups and agree on a key idea. Afterward, the whole class debates the core reason. Then, you introduce them to an informational text about it. I have a specific lesson on this connected to a great episode of the 99% Invisible podcast. You can find the slideshow for the lesson in the Ten Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack at the bottom of this post.

These last few weeks before the quarter are a chance to be different. They are an opportunity to innovate and try something new. It might not work. Mistakes are bound to happen - and that can feel daunting when you're already exhausted. But I've found that piloting something new is often the very thing I get re-energized and to increase student engagement. Ultimately, this is a chance to make something meaningful - something that your students will remember forever.

So, if you are thinking about doing something creative or innovative, please leave a comment below sharing what creative thing you plan to pilot in the upcoming weeks. Also, you might want to check out the free resource below.

Please leave your first name and email address below and click the yellow submit button to receive the free resource. I will also send you a weekly email with free, members-only access to my latest blog posts, videos, podcasts and resources to help you boost creativity and spark innovation in your classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Twelve Creative Alternatives to Showing Movies Before the Break

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this post to download the Creative Ways to End the Semester Resource Pack. This is a post I first wrote a decade ago, when I was teaching middle school. Each year, I have revised it and updated it. Let's just put it out there.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Little Bins for Little Hands - Simple Science and STEM for Every Day

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make science fun! We have the best science experiments and activities for kids all year round. Plus, find tons of fun STEM challenges for little engineers.

# data[].attributes.body
Play this quiz on National Geographic Kids

# data[].attributes.body
Play games sponsored by Google in counting down the days until Christmas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore, play and learn with Santa's elves all December long

# data[].attributes.body
'Write' your name in binary code with red and white beads on a pip cleaner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Looking for educational activities this time of year that aren't holiday specific? Check out this Candy Cane Coding STEAM activity for kids! It teaches kids the basics of computer programming in a fun and festive craft. The kids can design their very own patterned candy cane in beads with their name coded in binary. Sweet learning without all the added sugar :)

(This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a small commission for purchases made via links in this article at no additional cost to you.)

What is Coding?

There's a lot of talk today about coding being the language of the future. But what exactly is it and why is it important? Coding makes it possible for us to tell computers how to do stuff, like run our phone, play a video game, and make a website. Any app you use on your phone or computer is possible because of code.

Computers speak the languages of zeroes and ones, essentially on and off signals to computer parts called transistors. These zeroes and ones have been translated into codes called the ASCII Binary code where every letter, number and character has an 8 digit combination of zeroes and ones. ASCII is the most common format for text files for computers and the internet. It stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange and uses numbers to represent letters and special characters. The binary version uses only zeros and ones in a 8 bit (or digit) pattern.

But it would take FOREVER to do anything if we had to anything in just zeroes and ones, so computers use other languages now, that are all based upon binary. But for today's activity, we're going to design with where it all started, binary.

What do the kids get out of Candy Cane Coding?

I had the chance to do this activity with my daughter's first grade class (thanks Ms. B!!!). I loved how this wasn't just a coding activity. Each phase brought a new challenge. First, figuring out the code from the letters. Then translating it to the bead patterns. The challenging spots were figuring out the original code and getting it written down, keeping track of where they were in the pattern, and remembering which color was zero and which was one. The combo of physical creating with mental codes was really cool to watch in action. Lots of deep focus, a little frustration, and a lot of pride when they finished.

Candy Cane Coding Supplies Needed

How to Code Your Candy Cane

First up, you'll need to download the free printable here.

1. Write your name and then write down the ASCII Binary codes for each letter using the code list on the next page.

2. Pick one color bead for zeros and one color for ones.

3. Grab a pipe cleaner and bend the end so beads don't fall off. Then start adding beads in the binary code pattern you have written down for your name.

4. Twist the end to lock the beads on. Then bend one end to make it look like a candy cane.

5. Is your name really long? You can twist two pipe cleaners together to make a giant candy cane.

More Winter Coding Projects

Looking for more ways to get kids coding this month? Every December, Hour of Code hosts a week of activities that encourages kids to learn to code. The Hour of Code is a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries. and free, one-hour tutorials are available in over 45 languages. No experience needed. Ages 4 to 104. It's an amazing event for kids, teachers, families, etc.

Or check out this round-up of Coding for Kids activities. Apps, screen-free games, and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Candy Cane Coding STEAM Activity for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for educational activities this time of year that aren't holiday specific? Check out this Candy Cane Coding STEAM activity for kids! It teaches kids the basics of computer programming in a fun and festive craft. The kids can design their very own patterned candy cane in beads with their name coded in binary.

# data[].attributes.body
A hands-on way to explore science and magnets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Looking for a fun Christmas game for you and the family? Maybe you want a great christmas party game for your class party! The Christmas Bell Game is a blast and your whole family will have fun playing it! It's a great game to teach about magnetism. AND you can make this a Christmas math game if you add in counting skills!

How to Play the Christmas Bell Game

To play the game you just need a few things: Magnets and Colored Jingle Bells. We have some magnet wands that we use for this. They make the game really fun and a LOT easier, but you could do it with regular magnets that you may have on hand. The main thing is to make sure that there are the same number of bells for each color.

Each player is assigned a color of jingle bell. If you have magnet wands, the colors of the bell and wand will coordinate. Since we used the Christmas colored jingle bells, we had three colors allowing for three players. You can buy other packs of bells with more colors if you want more players. Or, if you have multiple packs of bells, different players could collect the same color and win when they have the most bells.

You take turns collecting your color of bells with your magnet wand. You can ONLY get your color on your magnet or you have to put all of the bells collected that turn back. You can keep the bells collected on previous turns.

You can keep going and collect as many bells as you want on your turn. However, it is a risk because you may accidentally attract one of the wrong colors.

You win the Christmas bell game when you are the first player to collect all of your bells. You could easily turn this into a Christmas Minute to Win it game y setting a timer for it! Collect all of your color of bells in one minute!

The math and science combo of this fun Christmas game makes it a great learning activity as well as a super entertaining activity for all!

See it in action here:

I have another GREAT holiday game called The Gratitude Game. Check it out! It's great at Christmas time, too!

Want more Christmas STEAM? Check out the STEAM Kids Christmas book! (Read my post about it here.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Christmas Party Game: The Magnet Bell Game - Teach Beside Me

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This post may contain affiliate links.Looking for a fun Christmas game for you and the family? Maybe you want a great christmas party game for your class party! The Christmas Bell Game is a blast and your whole family will have fun playing it! It's a great game to teach about magnetism.

# data[].attributes.body
Create paper circuits with copper tape and LED lights

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Make a light-up gingerbread house village out of paper bags! These gingerbread house paper circuits are such a fun Christmas STEM activity for learning and to encourage creativity!

How to Make Paper Bag Gingerbread House Paper Circuits

You will need to following supplies for this project:

Decorate the front of the bags to look like gingerbread houses. We did ours with markers and white crayons to make some snow. Cut out some windows and doors. Fold the top flap of the bag back.

On the back side of the bag you will make the paper circuit.

You will need two pieces of copper tape. Start the first one at the toplight and go down to the the left bottom of the bag with a corner at the top left. This needs to be one connecting piece.

The second piece starts at the top right and goes down to the bottom, turns the corner and goes to the bottom left. You need a space between this piece and the other piece so they do not touch at either point.

The LED light has two pins and one is longer than the other. The positive end is the longer end. cut or poke a spall hole in the bag at the bottom left corner between the two strips of copper tape. Put the bulb inside the bag and the pins sticking out the back side. Tape the pins down so they are touching the copper tape. I pointed my positive side to the left. Then match up the positive side of the battery with the positive end of the LED light. Add a small piece of tape to secure the battery, but do not cover the part that will touch the copper wire.

When you fold down the paper bag it will touch the negative side of the battery to the negative end of the copper tape/LED light. This will light up the bulb! Use a paper clip to secure it and keep it lit up. I added some small stones into the bottom of the bags to keep them standing up.

Now make a whole village of gingerbread house paper circuits!

Find More Christmas Learning Ideas:

Christmas Fractions
Christmas Tree Spelling
Roll a Gingerbread Man
Poinsettia Ph
Pascal's Triangle: Christmas Tree Math
Christmas Bell Game
Soft Circuit Christmas Tree
STEAM Kids Christmas Book
12 Days of Christmas Game
Christmas Tree Felt Board

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Christmas STEM: Gingerbread House Paper Circuits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make a light-up gingerbread house village out of paper bags! These gingerbread house paper circuits are such a fun Christmas STEM activity for learning and to encourage creativity! You will need to following supplies for this project: Decorate the front of the bags to look like gingerbread houses.

# data[].attributes.body
View activities that you can complete whole group or assign to students - related to Winter Break, Snowmen, Gingerbread Men, Holidays and MORE!

# data[].attributes.body
Just for fun - decorate a holiday mask, scan with the app and watch it come alive!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are world leading Augmented Reality specialists, providing engaging, interactive experiences that excite, educate and inspire. We create immersive coloring activities that stimulate your creativity and imagination.

# data[].attributes.body
Explore these snow-themed inquiry-based activities

# data[].attributes.body
Work hands-on with materials to make a snowflake

# data[].attributes.body
Participate in Computer Science and coding lessons, videos and adventures. (look for literacy related activities)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Coding Courses & Computer Science Curriculum - CS First

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find coding courses and computer science lessons to use with your students. All of the materials in the computer science curriculum are free and easy to use.

# data[].attributes.body
YouTube

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
✰ 8 HOURS ✰ CHRISTMAS MUSIC ✰ Christmas Music Instrumental ✰ Christmas Songs Playlist ✰ Best Mix

# data[].attributes.body
All About the Holidays Videos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Have you ever stopped to wonder why we wear Halloween costumes, celebrate Thanksgiving in November, or choose valentines in February? These familiar traditions have fascinating and sometimes surprising origins. Get to know the history and significance behind these U.S. holidays (and more!) with this new collection of resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Whether you actually get snow or not, you can still enjoy building wintery LEGO creations. LEGO is awesome all year round, and seasonal LEGO challenges are perfect for the kids! Our winter LEGO building activities are perfect for all the holidays during the winter season as well as general fun themes like snowmen and snowflakes. What will you build first. We have tons of fun LEGO learning ideas for kids.

LEGO provides not only hours of neat creative and imaginative play bit also numerous opportunities for learning. Our winter LEGO building ideas are more like prompts to get you thinking and give you a few ideas to roll with.

MY LATEST VIDEOS

I am excited to work out some of these too with my son. We have done a few already and you can click on the blue links to find out more! The best part of these winter LEGO building ideas and challenges is to make it your own and have fun.

Pull out the bin of LEGO bricks and get started! Check out our newest DIY folding LEGO table. It's perfect for so many spaces.

You might also enjoy checking out how we organize and store our LEGO bricks and figs.

Did you know we also co-authored The Unofficial Guide To Learning With LEGO? We did! Over 100 cool LEGO learning projects for kids ages 3-8ish. Cool ideas to supplement lesson plans and anytime play! Check it out with all our Fun LEGO Learning Ideas!

Not into winter building ideas, check out our free printable 31 Day LEGO Challenge Calendar for anytime!

HERE THEY ARE! WINTER LEGO BUILDING IDEAS!

Remember the links in blue are clickable so you can see more!
CHRISTMAS: LEGO ADVENT
If you are checking in with us, and it's before Christmas, check out our DIY LEGO Advent Calendar to make at home. Tons of great ideas including snowflakes and snowmen! Make sure to bookmark it for last year too.

Christmas Scenes Building Ideas shows off some of our more challenging building ideas from the advent calendar above.

Try building some simple LEGO Christmas ornaments too!
NEW YEARS
Build LEGO numbers to represent the new year.

Make a LEGO ball to ring in the new year.
GENERAL WINTER
Build a snowman

Create one of a kind snowflakes

Build a wintery scene depicting a snowball fight

Make a skating rink or ski slope

Build a house covered in snow

Try a LEGO mosaic with a winter tree
VALENTINE'S DAY
Build a LEGO hearts puzzle

Build LEGO letters to spell LOVE
Build a LEGO candy box ST. PATRICK'S DAY
St. Patrick's Day is still considered to be a winter holiday although it's so close to spring!

Build a Leprechaun

Build a Shamrock

Build a pot of gold

Build a Leprechaun Trap
GAMES
Bored and stuck inside this winter?

Build a LEGO Checkerboard

Build a LEGO Skittles game

Build Playing Card Holders

There are so many ways to play with LEGO, and I hope you take a few of these winter LEGO challenges and give them a try! If you come up with a great LEGO winter activity, let me know! I love to get new ideas from my readers.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE PRINTABLE LEGO PAGES
Click on each of the photo below to print out LEGO robot coloring pages, I SPY, math, challenges, literacy, and more!
Amazon Affiliate Links for Your Convenience. See disclosure.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Winter LEGO Building Activities and Challenges for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you actually get snow or not, you can still enjoy building wintery LEGO creations. LEGO is awesome all year round, and seasonal LEGO challenges are perfect for the kids! Our winter LEGO building activities are perfect for all the holidays during the winter season as well as general fun themes like snowmen and snowflakes.