April 16, 2026
There is something so magical about December in the classroom. The twinkle lights, the cozy stories, and the excited little voices make it the perfect time to bring out your favorite Christmas read alouds for kindergarten. Holiday books have a way of calming the busy energy and turning your classroom into a place where imagination and wonder feel extra special. Keep reading for our favorite Christmas read-alouds and activity ideas!
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Gingerbread in Disguise tells the funny story of Ginger the gingerbread cookie who realizes they need to hide fast or they’ll get eaten! Determined to stay safe, Ginger decides the best solution is to dress up in clever disguises. From silly costumes to creative outfits, the gingerbread cookie tries everything they can to blend in and avoid hungry eyes.
The Disguise a Gingerbread activity is a fun and creative project where students help a gingerbread cookie stay safe by giving him a clever disguise. Using the printables from the Gingerbread in Disguise resource, students choose from a wide variety of large, ready-to-cut costumes that fit perfectly on the oversized gingerbread template.
To extend the learning, students can complete matching writing pages such as:
Grab the Disguise a Gingerbread activity from Simply Kinder + HERE and check out more Disguise a Gingerbread activities HERE.
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett is an imaginative story that tries to answer one of the biggest Christmas mysteries: How does Santa actually get into houses on Christmas Eve?
Throughout the book, the narrator wonders about all the funny and impossible ways Santa might squeeze, slide, shrink, or wiggle his way down a chimney. Each page explores a new possibility, from bending like a noodle to slipping in with a sprinkle of Christmas magic. Your students are left smiling, laughing, and imagining all the silly ways Santa just might make it inside.
The Santa’s Stuck Christmas Craft is a fun, easy, and adorable holiday craft that lets students create their own silly scene of Santa getting stuck in a chimney. Using the color, cut, and glue templates included in the resource, students assemble a big paper Santa with his legs sticking straight up out of a brick chimney.
To extend the fun, the craft comes with matching writing pages where students complete prompts like “Oh No! Santa’s Stuck!” or add their own short narrative about how Santa ended up in this silly situation.
Grab the Santa’s Stuck craft from Simply Kinder + HERE!
There’s an Elf in Your Book by Tom Fletcher is an interactive story that pulls students right into the fun. An energetic little elf is ready to test whether the reader is on Santa’s Nice List.
The elf gives silly instructions on each page to see how well students can follow directions. As story goes on, the elf becomes a bit mischievous and tries to trick students into doing something “naughty.” Students love being part of the story, and you will love how it encourages listening, participation, and a whole lot of giggles.
The Elf Yourself Christmas Craft is an adorable, personalized holiday activity that turns each student into their very own cheerful Christmas elf. Using the printable templates, students add a small photo of their face to the elf body parts, then color, cut, and glue the pieces together to create a custom elf that looks just like them.
Students love seeing themselves “become” an elf, and the finished craft makes a joyful and highly engaging holiday bulletin board display. Add a title like “Santa’s Little Helpers” and you’ll have a festive December showcase.
Grab the Elf Yourself activity from Simply Kinder + HERE!
Dasher by Matt Tavares is a beautiful Christmas story that shares the magical origin of Santa’s famous reindeer. A brave reindeer, Dasher, dreams of a life outside the traveling circus. One night, she escapes and follows the North Star. Along her journey, Dasher meets a man with a sleigh full of gifts who is struggling to deliver presents without enough pulling power. Dasher offers to help, and together they discover the joy of giving and the magic of Christmas.
Become one of Santa’s sleigh-pulling crew by creating Reindeer Hats. Students cut and glue template pieces to make their own reindeer hat. These hats are perfect to make before listening to Dasher. Grab the FREE Reindeer hat at Simply Kinder + HERE.
Pick a Pine Tree follows a family as they choose a pine tree and bring it home to decorate for Christmas. The book walks readers through each step of the tradition cheerfully and invitingly. The book captures the excitement, togetherness, and magic that come with preparing for the holiday season.
Students build a Christmas tree using the letters in their name with this festive craft. This craft is editable and can be used to practice many skills beyond names (letters, math facts, CVC words, etc.). Build your own Christmas tree farm once these are completed.
Grab the Christmas Tree Editable Name craft from Simply Kinder + HERE.
Christmas read-alouds always make for a magical December in classrooms! What are your favorite Christmas read-alouds? Please tag us on Instagram here or share inside the Simply Kinder Teacher Facebook Group here.
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