Holiday Week Rescue Kit for Teachers: Quick Wins to Survive the Week Before Winter Break

The week before winter break is famously magical and famously exhausting. Students are excited. Routines feel wobbly. Schedules get interrupted. Your patience gets tested. And somehow, instruction is still happening in between assemblies, glitter projects, door contests, and sugar induced energy levels.

This is the time of year when teachers need real, practical, grab and go tools that don’t take hours to prep. So think of this post as your Holiday Week Teacher Rescue Kit. These ideas are low stress, low mess, and high engagement so you can keep your students learning while keeping your sanity intact.

Use one. Use a few. Use all of them. And breathe easier.

-Rescue Tool One: Quick Video Activities to Reset the Room

There is something magical about pressing play on a short, structured video during an unpredictable school week. Students instantly focus and follow along because it feels different, fun, and special.

Try adding a:

● 1 Minute Winter Holiday classroom countdown timer

● Winter holiday themed movement break

● Guess that sound brain break challenge

These are great for transitions, brain breaks, and those moments when students need to move in controlled and purposeful ways. Pop one on between activities, before lining up, or when your lesson finishes earlier than expected.

-Rescue Tool Two: Print and Go Craft Pages

December is when simple is best. A “quiet craft” can save your day when indoor recess hits or when you just need your students to settle.

Printable templates like:

● Holiday greeting card pages

● Print and go craft worksheets

● Coloring pages with writing prompts

give students something productive and creative to work on with zero prep from you. Put them in a center, use during morning work, or offer them as a calming activity when the noise level starts to creep up.

-Rescue Tool Three: Literacy and Phonics Activities with Movement

Students still need learning structure during December, even while excitement is peaking. Movement based phonics activities are perfect for this time of year because they blend academics with energy release.

A quick “Phonics Moves” video where students read and act out blend words can bring the noise level down while keeping the lesson meaningful.

Focus on:

● Winter themed word families

● Simple CVC words

● Short vowel flashcards for quick blending practice

Your kids feel like they’re playing. You feel like you’re teaching. Everyone wins.

-Rescue Tool Four: Independent Work That Builds Confidence

Sometimes you just need ten minutes of independence. No glitter. No glue. No chaos.

Try offering:

● Goal setting pages for the new year

● Choice challenge cards for goal setting

● Monthly planner independent worksheets

These give students something calming and purposeful to do while you catch your breath, catch up on grading, or handle a classroom curveball.

-Rescue Tool Five: Kindness Projects That Fill the Little Gaps

Small kindness tasks keep students busy, focused, and in the holiday spirit. They also turn downtime into something meaningful.

Have students:

● Make thank you cards for school staff

● Invite classmates to play a game

● Create a bulletin board of good deeds

These activities help redirect holiday energy into something positive, which is a blessing for both the classroom and your sanity.

Final Thoughts

The week before winter break is about survival, connection, and keeping the learning environment calm and joyful. You do not need elaborate activities. In fact, simple is almost always best.

Lean on the rescue tools that save time. Use printables that keep students engaged. Press play on activities that reset the room. And most importantly, give yourself permission to take the easiest path that still feels good.

You deserve a peaceful glide into winter break. And your students will remember the fun and structure you gave them, even in the busiest week of the year.