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🎄 What We’re Using This Christmas (Amazon Favorites)

Here are a few things we’re loving and actually using this Christmas season:

🎄Kids’ Christmas Activity Book (Amazon)
🎄Christmas Playdough Kit (Amazon)
🎄Christmas Book Set (Amazon)
🎄Easy Gingerbread House Kit (Amazon)
🎄Washable Christmas Stampers (Amazon)
🎄Christmas Fun Game (Amazon)
🎄Kids’ Christmas Craft Set (Amazon)

 If you’re anything like me, December comes with a mix of magic and… well, chaos. Your preschooler is excited, there are crafts everywhere, wrapping paper in corners you didn’t know existed, and somehow you still want to squeeze in meaningful learning without adding more stress to your day.

And that’s exactly where low-prep preschool Christmas STEM activities come in.

These activities require:

• Simple materials

• Minimal setup

• Short attention-span-friendly steps

• Big learning outcomes

And best of all, they turn holiday excitement into hands-on problem-solving, early math skills, creativity, and scientific thinking… all while letting you relax a little.

Whether you’re homeschooling, keeping kids busy on a December afternoon, or simply trying to make the holidays feel magical without a ton of planning, these STEM activities are here to help.

Let’s jump in.

Why Christmas STEM Activities Are a Lifesaver in December

Before the activities, here’s the truth I wish another mom had told me sooner:

👉 STEM isn’t “extra” — it’s actually one of the simplest ways to keep kids calm, engaged, and learning with low prep.

Kids love:

• Building

• Testing

• Pouring

• Experimenting

• Exploring

These things naturally reset their brains, focus their energy, and help them self-regulate.

During the busiest month of the year, STEM activities become your secret tool for:

• Teaching without worksheets

• Keeping hands busy

• Strengthening attention span

• Encouraging independent exploration

• Making memories

And because preschoolers learn BEST through play, these activities don’t feel like school… but they still build foundational STEM skills beautifully.

20 Low-Prep Preschool Christmas STEM Activities

Each activity includes simple materials, quick setup, and clear learning benefits.

1. Marshmallow Snowball Structures

Materials: Marshmallows + toothpicks or pretzel sticks

Let your child build “snowflakes,” Christmas trees, or little houses using marshmallows and pretzels.

STEM Skills: engineering, symmetry, fine-motor development

Why it works: Preschoolers LOVE squishy building materials. Everything feels fun, not “school.”

2. Dissolving Gingerbread Man Science

Materials: Gingerbread cookies, warm water, cold water, bowl

Place a gingerbread cookie in warm water and another in cold water. Watch what happens.

STEM Skills: observation, comparing, early chemistry

Conversation starters: “Which cookie dissolves faster? Why do you think?”

3. Christmas Sink-or-Float Test

Materials: Bowl, water, small holiday items (ornaments, pinecones, ribbon, bells)

Test whether each item sinks or floats.

STEM Skills: prediction, buoyancy, classification

Why they love it: Preschoolers adore dropping things into water—simple as that!

4. Candy Cane Color Mixing

Materials: Mini candy canes, warm water

Unwrap colorful candy canes, place them in warm water, and watch the colors swirl.

STEM Skills: dissolving, color theory

Extension: Try cold vs warm water for comparison.

5. Christmas Tree Cup Stacking Challenge

Materials: Green plastic cups

Challenge kids to build the tallest or strongest “Christmas tree tower.”

STEM Skills: engineering, balance, spatial reasoning

Low prep: Literally just cups — that’s it.

6. Ornament Ramp STEM Challenge

Materials: Cardboard, tape, round ornaments

Create ramps with cardboard and roll ornaments down.

STEM Skills: gravity, force, speed

Add-on: Try changing ramp height and predict what will happen.

7. Build-a-Sleigh Challenge

Materials: LEGO or DUPLO, small toy Santa

Invite your preschooler to build Santa a sleigh sturdy enough to carry him.

STEM Skills: engineering, creative problem-solving

Why it’s magical: Mixing toys + Christmas sparks instant engagement.

8. Peppermint Oobleck

Materials: Cornstarch, water, peppermint extract

Create Christmas-scented oobleck and explore solids vs liquids.

STEM Skills: states of matter, sensory science

Bonus: Add red food coloring to swirl in holiday colors.

9. Christmas Shadow Matching with Flashlights

Materials: Flashlight, ornaments, small Christmas figures

Shine a light and explore how shadows change when items move closer or farther.

STEM Skills: light, shadow, cause and effect

Kids love: Holding the flashlight like a little scientist.

10. Toothpick Christmas Trees

Materials: Gumdrops or marshmallows + toothpicks

Build 2D and 3D tree shapes.

STEM Skills: geometry, structure building

Make it festive: Use green gumdrops for tree colors.

11. Melting Ice Ornaments

Materials: Ice ornaments (freeze water in muffin tin), warm water, droppers, salt

Let kids melt the ice “ornaments” using warm water and salt.

STEM Skills: states of matter, temperature

Why it works: Sensory, hands-on, and surprisingly calming.

12. Christmas Coding for Preschoolers (Unplugged!)

Materials: Painter’s tape grid + printable picture cards

Create a simple grid on the floor and place a “Santa” card at one end. Kids give simple directional commands to get the “elf” card to Santa.

STEM Skills: sequencing, early coding, logic

Zero screens needed!

13. Jingle Bell Magnet Maze

Materials: Jingle bells + magnet wand + shallow tray

Hide bells under the tray and use the magnet wand to move them around.

STEM Skills: magnetism, cause and effect

Huge hit: Bells make it extra fun.

14. Christmas Playdough Engineering

Materials: Playdough, beads, pine needles, cinnamon sticks

Invite kids to make structures, trees, ornaments, or towers.

STEM Skills: fine-motor skills, engineering

Pro tip: Homemade cinnamon playdough smells amazing.

15. Reindeer Catapult

Materials: Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, spoon, mini pom poms

Build a basic catapult and launch “reindeer noses.”

STEM Skills: force, motion, problem-solving

Preschool-safe: Use soft pom poms for launching.

16. Ornament Weighing Station

Materials: Balance scale + small ornaments

Let them weigh ornaments to see which are heavier or lighter.

STEM Skills: measurement, comparison

Add learning: Sort from lightest to heaviest.

17. Christmas Pattern Blocks

Materials: Pattern blocks or cut-paper shapes

Kids build Christmas shapes (tree, wreath, stocking) using geometric pieces.

STEM Skills: shape recognition, spatial awareness

Low prep: Print and go.

18. Santa’s STEM Bridge Challenge

Materials: Craft sticks + tape + small Santa toy

Ask your preschooler to build a bridge strong enough to hold Santa.

STEM Skills: engineering, structure, testing

Kids adore: Seeing if Santa will fall through.

19. Magnetic Christmas Sensory Bin

Materials: Rice dyed red/green, jingle bells, magnetic items, magnet wand

Let your child “hunt” for magnetic Christmas treasures.

STEM Skills: magnetism, exploration

Super low prep: Dye rice once and reuse it all season.

20. Sparkly Snow Slime

Materials: Clear glue, saline, baking soda, glitter

Make sparkly Christmas slime.

STEM Skills: chemistry, mixing, sensory

Why it works: Preschoolers will happily play for 20–30 minutes.

Tips for Making Christmas STEM Actually Low-Prep

To make these truly helpful during a busy season, here’s what I do:

Keep a small STEM basket

Fill a basket with:

• Pom poms

• Jingle bells

• Toothpicks

• Cups

• Tape

• Craft sticks

• Playdough

When everything is in one place, setup takes 30 seconds.

Use the same materials across multiple activities

Coffee filters, marshmallows, bells, magnets, and cups can cover dozens of STEM challenges.

Let your preschooler guide the activity

Follow their curiosity and let them change the rules. It builds independence and creativity.

Choose activities that clean up easily

Most of these involve only one or two materials.

Common Preschool December Problems These Activities Solve

These STEM activities help when:

✔ Your child is bouncing off the walls

✔ They need something hands-on but not messy

✔ You need 15 minutes to drink your coffee or prep lunch

✔ You want meaningful learning without worksheets

✔ You’re homeschooling but low on energy

✔ You want festive learning without buying more supplies

✔ You need activities siblings can join in on

These little STEM invitations save your day during the busiest month of the year.

How to Use These Activities for Homeschool Learning

If you’re a homeschool parent like me, here’s how these STEM ideas fit beautifully into your December rhythm:

• Use them as morning invitations

• Add them to your Christmas unit study

• Turn them into quiet time activities

• Include them in sensory bin rotations

• Use them on days when your child needs a BREAK from structure

And remember: STEM counts as real learning.

Even simple preschool STEM builds:

• Measurement skills

• Scientific thinking

• Problem-solving

• Cause & effect

• Creativity

• Early math

• Motor skills

This is meaningful learning — without overwhelm.

Final Thoughts: Let STEM Bring Calm, Joy, and Magic to Your Christmas Season

December with preschoolers is BUSY. But it’s also full of wonder, and you deserve activities that don’t drain your energy — activities that bring connection, calm, and joy into your home.

These low-prep Christmas STEM ideas do exactly that. They’re quick to set up, fun to explore, and packed with learning you can feel good about.

If this post helped you find a few new ideas — or even just reminded you that learning doesn’t have to be complicated — then I’m so glad you’re here. And if you want even more simple Christmas activities, homeschool printables, or learning ideas to make the season magical, make sure to explore my other posts.

Your support helps me keep creating helpful content for your home and homeschool.

💬 Leave a Comment

Which activity are you trying first?

Or do you have a favorite Christmas STEM idea to share? I’d love to hear from you below!

🎁 Explore More Christmas Favorites!

👉 See all Kids’ Christmas Craft Supplies (Amazon)
👉 Browse Christmas Children’s Books (Amazon)
👉 See Christmas Learning Toys & Games (Amazon)
👉 Find Budget-Friendly Stocking Stuffers for Kids (Amazon)
👉 Top Christmas Gifts for 5–8-Year-Olds (Amazon)
👉 Best Christmas Gifts for 9-12-Year-Olds (Amazon)
👉 Christmas Family Activity Kits (Amazon)

Related Posts You Might Enjoy:

• The Ultimate Homeschool Starter Kit: Everything You Need in One Place

• New to Homeschooling? Here’s Everything You Need to Know to Get Started

• How to Create a Cozy Christmas Morning with Kids (That’s Calm, Joyful, and Full of Magic)

• Top 10 Christmas Books for Kids Who Love Science & Learning (so you’ll actually get them excited — and learning)

• Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Kids Who Love Science & Learning

• Christmas Around the World: How 6 Countries Celebrate the Holidays

• Our Favorite Family Holiday Traditions (and Little Things That Make Them Magical)

• Best Books to Read with Your Kids This Christmas Season (so you can make memories — and actually enjoy story time)

Thank you for reading my blog! Stay tuned for more tips, resources, and printable materials to help make your homeschooling experience enjoyable and effective. Check out my store for a variety of educational products and printables to assist you on your homeschooling journey.