Easy December Learning Routines for Busy Families
- Ashley
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
December is magic… and also chaos.
Between concerts, travel, holiday events, theme days at school, and trying to keep everyone healthy, most families feel like their normal routines just fly out the window this month. And one of the first things to slip? Daily reading and learning habits.
But here’s the thing: Keeping small, simple, and consistent routines in place helps your kiddo stay confident and avoids that “December slide” where reading feels harder in January.
Here are a few easy ways to keep learning going this month, without adding more to your already-full plate.
Practice a Tiny Bit Every Day
You don’t need an hour.
A simple routine: Choose 10 words a day (sight words, spelling words, or any list you already have).
Then:
Read them
Write them
Use them in sentences
Read a story - Use a quick ChatGPT story using this prompt: "write a holiday themed story using these words (insert words here) for my (insert grade level) child."
This gives your kiddo the practice they need with their words in fun and fast ways!
Add More Fun Ways to Practice
Learning doesn’t have to stay at the table. Try a few movement-based or hands-on ideas:
Word Hop: Lay words on the floor and have your kiddo hop to the one you call out.
Spelling Toss: Toss a soft ball and spell a word one letter per toss.
Craft + Words: Add spelling words to gingerbread cutouts, paper snowflakes, ornaments, or little gift tags.
Find It Challenge: Tape words around the house and let your kiddo race to find the one you say.
If you're looking for even more fun, low low-prep, creative, kid-approved ways to practice reading and spelling, grab my free Christmas Reading Bingo board with 20 more ideas! Just download, print, and have instant activities ready to go all month long.
Explore New Cozy Read-Alouds
December is the perfect month for warm blankets, quiet lights, and snuggly stories. Check out some of my favorite cozy winter stories here. Reading together doesn’t just build literacy… it also builds connection. And that’s something every family could use more of during a busy month.
Make time each day before bed, after dinner, in the parent drop-off line, or whatever works for your family.
Want More Ideas (With Zero Prep)? Grab My December Learning Freebie.
If you’re exhausted and stretched thin, you don’t need to build your own activities from scratch.
My December Reading Bingo Freebie was designed exactly for busy December families.
You’ll get:
Hands-on, fun activities your kiddo will actually want to do
Word-list-friendly ideas (works with ANY spelling or sight word list)
Quick games you can play in 5–10 minutes
Zero-prep printables to make learning feel light during a heavy month
December is busy, but learning doesn’t have to disappear. Lets it make the month easier for you and more fun for your kiddo.
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