Christmas is on its way! The children in my school are already talking Christmas and wanting to do Christmas things. Here are some fun online activities that you might like to try out in your classroom or day centre, ready for when the time comes!
It’s only November yet but many of us have already started our Christmas shopping and I know staff in schools and day centres will be planning Christmas activities. Here are just a few suggestions of online activities you might like to try out – maybe after the 1st December :).
Decorate the Christmas Tree
This fun activity, like all those in this blog, is available via the Topmarks Site. You are given a picture of a cosy living room with a large Christmas tree. You can drag and drop a range of decorations onto the tree. If you change your mind you can drag them into the bin to remove them. Christmas music plays in the background as you do the activity but this can easily be turned off by clicking on the on-screen icon. There is a ‘clear’ button if the player wants to start again, and a ‘save image’ button to download the image so that it can be saved and printed. This would be a really nice activity on a large interactive whiteboard too.
Christmas Patterns
This game is great for sequencing and problem solving. There are 3 levels which ask the player to insert the missing image in patterns of increasing complexity. To complete the pattern they have to click on the correct image from the range of options given. You can see an example from level 2. The only sound during the game is the train whistle as the correct image to complete the pattern is selected. If an incorrect piece is selected a voice says ‘try again’ and those words appear on the screen. Levels can be changed during the game by clicking on menu on the top left of the screen. A score is displayed at the top right of the screen so the player, or anybody supervising, can see how many patterns were completed correctly.
Christmas Jigsaws
Another fun problem-solving activity which is also great for mouse skills or hand-eye co-ordination. There are 8 different puzzles to complete, all of them available in 9, 16 or 25 pieces. You can choose to have the picture on and see a faint image of the picture behind the outline of the shapes of the pieces as you complete the puzzle, or you can have the picture off and just see the outline of the shapes of the pieces. Christmas music plays as you complete the puzzle but this can easily be turned off by clicking the icon on the screen. A sound plays as a puzzle piece is correctly inserted. A well done message appears on screen once a puzzle is completed. The player can easily change puzzles during the game by clicking on the menu button on the top left of the screen.
Christmas Jumper Designer
Possibly my favourite online activity. How could anybody not want to design a Christmas jumper? As the game starts a plain, undecorated jumper appears on screen. The player can then change the colour of the arms, body and trims, add patterns, and decorate it with motifs in small, large or medium sizes. Christmas music plays throughout but this can easily be turned off by clicking the icon on screen. If the designer is not happy with the result they can click the ‘clear’ button and start again. Clicking on the ‘save image’ button allows the image to be downloaded and saved or printed.
Musical Christmas Wreath
This is another game which would be great for the interactive whiteboard. It’s a memory game in which you have to follow a pattern of sounds. Flashing lights cue where the sound has come from. The game begins with one sound and the complexity of the sequences develops. If the sequence of notes is followed correctly the word ‘bravo’ flashes on the screen. If a mistake is made the message ‘you lose’ appears and the game begins again with a different sequence of notes. This activity is more challenging than it initially appears to be!
I hope you enjoy trying out these online Christmas activities. If you’re not quite ready for Christmas fun yet why not check out some of our other blogs with ideas for online activities on different topics: Topmarks for these great, free maths programs, Try these 3 Great Free Sites for Online Colouring or 5 Fun, Free, Easy-To-Use Online Art Programs.
