8 Fun Christmas Math Activities for Upper Elementary (Easy, Low-Prep Ideas)
How many times have your students asked how many days are left until winter break? If you’ve lost count you’re not alone.
Because once December arrives our whole room hums with glitter, carols, and gift talk. And honestly, who can blame kids?
No matter what those fractions and long division problems won’t be reviewing themselves. And what’s worse, your planning time shrinks faster than the cookie tray in the staff room.
That’s where today I’m taking in these Christmas math activities. Goal is to help your students get the festive fun they’re craving while helping you get practice that actually counts.
The best part, it works just as well for a busy classroom as for homeschool lessons at home.
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Check out more about these 8 Christmas math activities for upper elementary. You can use them for centers, morning work, early finishers, review days, and the last days before winter break.
1. Christmas Math Mystery Picture Puzzles
We all know how early finishers can turn a calm room into a noisy one fast? This is the reason why mystery picture puzzles are so handy. Your fast workers will get something quiet to do that’s still real math.
Here’s how it works… Cut out the puzzle pieces. Your students solve each problem and then use the answers to reveal a hidden Christmas picture. If they put a piece on wrong spot, they know right away which problem to recheck. This way you’re not checking every page yourself.
Want to make this year’s Christmas special? Set up a Christmas Mystery Math Station in your classroom.
Just put the puzzles and coloring supplies in one bin and let students pick a puzzle when their work is done. You can use multi digit addition and subtraction with the 4th graders while your 5th graders take on multiplication and division.
And if you’d rather not make your own try these Christmas math mystery picture puzzles include 12 puzzles that cover all your four operations.
2. Christmas Addition and Subtraction Math Mazes
Teachers, here’s the thing.
By December we all still have some of our kids trip over regrouping. And the funny thing is another plain worksheet won’t fix that. But a maze might make it more engaging for them to practice.
Want to know how? In a math maze, each right answer shows the path forward. And if they have a wrong answer it leads to a dead end this way kids catch their own mistakes.
Try this, make a maze your December morning-work challenge. Your students solve problems like 4,586 + 2,739 = 7,325 or 6,002 − 2,457 = 3,545 and follow the path. Then review the trickiest step together.
And these Christmas addition and subtraction math mazes give you 3 mazes with multi-digit problems and regrouping.
3. Christmas Math Color-by-Number Activities
Some days we just need our class to practice calmly.
And that’s when Christmas math coloring worksheets can save the day.
It’s simple to set up. Your kids solve each problem find the answer in the color key, and color that part. But what if an answer isn’t in the key? That’s their cue to check again.
Now here’s the best part. When the pictures coloring are done, you can hang them on a bulletin board. So everyone get to see the real math your students practiced.
Try these Christmas multi-digit operations coloring worksheets for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division practice.
4. Christmas Fraction Scavenger Hunt
Working on fractions this December and have a feeling that students are not able to stay still and find it hard? Why not use movement to your advantage and let your kids move?
In a scavenger hunt you place question cards around the room. Then your students walk to a card, solve it, and write the answer on a recording sheet. And because each answer leads to the next card, they keep going on their own.
It’s a great way to review adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators.
For example, one card might ask for 1/2 + 1/3. Your kids find a common denominator of 6, so 3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6. And another might ask for 3/4 − 1/6, which is 9/12 − 2/12 = 7/12.
This works best with 5th and 6th graders. But if you teach 4th grade, just keep the denominators the same, like 3/8 + 2/8.
Do not have time and want something to use in your next period? Try Christmas adding and subtracting fractions scavenger hunt includes 18 question cards, a recording sheet, and an answer key.
Bring Some Fun With Ugly Sweater Day!
Oh, and before I forget if your school has an ugly sweater day or a class party… a math-themed sweater is an easy way to join in.
I have made a list of fun ugly math sweaters for math teachers so your students aren’t the only ones who are joining the Christmas math fun!
Sure, it’s a small thing. But it can add some cheer to the last day before winter break. If that sounds like you, check out this Christmas math ugly sweater for teachers [AMAZON ASSOCIATES LINK] (affiliate link).
[Image: Christmas math ugly sweater for teachers, only if allowed under the Amazon program]
5. Christmas Long Division and Multiplication Coloring and Word Problems
Practicing long division takes time. And in December, your kids may run out of patience before they run out of steps.
That’s where using division math coloring helps. Because each finished problem adds color to the picture the work feels like it’s building toward something.
Here’s an example. 5,184 ÷ 24 = 216. You can also ask kids to check it by multiplying and making sure 216 × 24 = 5,184. This habit of checking is worth more than any one answer, right?
So set up a festive review center with different pages for different needs. That way, kids who still need support can start with multiplication, while others jump into long division.
And these Christmas multiplication and long division color-by-number worksheets include 6 color-by-number activities.
6. Christmas Multiplication and Long Division Word Problems
If your kids can multiply just fine but when you add words and they just freeze.
That’s why practicing word problems still matter in December.
Here is one you can use today in your classroom.
A tree farm sells 236 trees a day for 15 days. How many trees does it sell?
First your kids will write 236 × 15 = 3,540 trees. Then they check with an estimate.
Since 240 × 15 = 3600 the answer makes sense.
Do not have time to put together a meaningful math work packet for your class?
Add these Christmas multi-digit multiplication and long division worksheets in our toolkit which includes 17 practice pages with word problems.
7. Christmas Order of Operations Color-by-Number
Order of operations is one of those skills kids forget fast and need as much repetition as possible. And because it shows up again in middle school December is a great time for a quick review.
I suggest starting with a short mini-lesson.
Write 3 + 4 × (6 − 2) on the board. Now, if your kids work left to right, they’ll get 28.
But the right way is parentheses first, then multiply, then add.
So 6 − 2 = 4, 4 × 4 = 16, and 3 + 16 = 19.
Then hand out one order of operations coloring sheet as a challenge. It’s no-prep, and it fits 5th and 6th grade. For more ideas all year try these fun order of operations activities.
Want to try these Christmas order of operations color-by-number worksheets?
8. Christmas Math Review and Winter Break Worksheets
We both know the last week before break is tricky. Because we want our kids to learn but we also want a calm room.
A well-structured math review packet can help and you don’t need to assign all of it. Instead, look at what each student needs most. That way one child might work on fractions while another practices long division or decimals.
And these Christmas math worksheets also make easy 5th grade Christmas math activities to send home over break.
Check out this 5th grade Christmas math review and winter break packet that covers fractions, decimals, multiplication, division, factors, and multiples.
How to Use Christmas Math Activities Without Extra Prep
You don’t need to set up all eight activities. Here’s how to make a few go a long way.
First, set up rotating Christmas math centers. Just pick three activities, split your class into groups and switch every 10 to 15 minutes. This way you can stay with the group that needs you most.
Next you can keep math mystery pictures or fun math mazes in an early finisher bin. Because when kids grab one on their own, you don’t have to plan anything new.
Then use skill-specific printables to differentiate. So instead of one page for everyone, give each group the page it needs. And that’s how one set can work as Christmas math activities for 4th grade and 5th grade.
Need to plan a Christmas math challenge day?
Fill your last math block with Christmas math games, like a scavenger hunt and a maze race.
And finally copy a small stack of independent worksheets now, so your last week feels calm.
Oh, and one more tip. If some of your students don’t celebrate Christmas, offer a winter-themed page as well. Because that way, everyone still gets the same math practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some fun Christmas math activities for 5th grade?
Try a fraction scavenger hunt, order of operations coloring pages, long division color-by-number, and multi-step word problems. They help kids review real 5th grade skills but with a festive twist.
How can I make math fun during the week before Christmas break?
Add movement, math mystery and choice. Scavenger hunts get your kids moving, mazes and mystery pictures add a puzzle, and choice gives them some say which is what you want.
What Christmas math activities work well for math centers?
Color-by-number pages, mazes, mystery picture puzzles, and scavenger hunt cards all work well. Why? Because kids can see their own progress.
How can I keep students learning during December without lots of preparation?
Choose no-prep Christmas math activities you can print right away. Then fill one bin for early finishers and copy one week of independent pages. And just like that, you’re set.
Lastly, December doesn’t have to be a lost month for math because holiday fun and real learning can happen in the same lesson.
Just pick one or two activities, print them, and let the theme do the rest. And please, be kind to yourself this month. You’re doing more than you think.
When you’re ready, browse more holiday math activities from Daily Dose of Mathematics.
