The holiday season is a great opportunity to expand students’ learning beyond the traditions they may be most familiar with. As students explore different holidays and celebrations, they can also build an appreciation for the many ways people around the world celebrate. These Holidays Around the World centers make it easy to bring that learning into your everyday classroom routines. Students can explore different celebrations while practicing important kindergarten math and literacy skills in a hands-on, engaging way!

Holidays Around the World Centers

These Holidays Around the World centers make it easy to bring meaningful, hands-on learning into your classroom while introducing students to holidays and traditions celebrated around the world. Designed to be used throughout the October–February stretch of the school year, these Holidays Around the World centers give you a full season of engaging literacy and math practice!

The complete resource includes 48 Holidays Around the World centers total—24 literacy centers and 24 math centers—featuring 8 different holidays celebrated around the world. Each holiday includes 6 centers: 3 literacy and 3 math, giving students multiple opportunities to practice important skills while learning about different holiday traditions.

8 Holidays Around the World

Students will explore:

• Diwali
• St. Lucia’s Day
• Hanukkah
• Las Posadas
• Christmas
• Kwanzaa
• Ramadan
• Lunar New Year

From October through February, you can introduce each holiday at an appropriate time and pair the corresponding centers with your Holidays Around the World activities, crafts, and read-alouds.

48 Literacy & Math Holidays Around the World Centers

With 24 literacy centers and 24 math centers, students get plenty of opportunities to practice essential kindergarten skills in a fun, hands-on way. Each holiday includes 3 literacy centers and 3 math centers, making it easy to incorporate these activities into your existing center rotations.

In addition to the 48 Holidays Around the World centers, you’ll also receive:

• 48+ Printable Response Sheets for students to show what they know
• 48 Kid-Friendly “I Can” Visual Direction Cards to help students work more independently
• 48 Teacher Direction Cards with simple instructions for setting up and facilitating each center

Everything is designed to make your Holidays Around the World centers easy to prep, simple to implement, and meaningful for your kindergarteners.

Here is a sneak peek at all of the Holidays Around the World centers:

Holidays Around the World Centers: Diwali

CVC Word Diyas

At this center, students will decode CVC words. They will decode the word on the rangoli and match it to the picture on the diya.

Firework Sounds

For this center, students will identify the beginning sound of 18 pictures. They will name the picture on the firework card and place the card on the mat with the matching beginning sound.

Ladoo Letters

Students will practice uppercase letter formation with this literacy center. Students spin the spinner and trace the corresponding letter on the mat using a dry erase marker.

Diwali Numbers

At this center, students will subitize numbers 1-10 using ten frames and finger counts. They will match the ten frame and finger count models to the numbers to build the lanterns.

Diwali Comparison

Students compare two groups of objects by determining which group has less with this math center.

Rangoli Patterns

With this center, students complete the rangoli design using pattern blocks. Students can either reflect the design over a line of symmetry, or they can build the design and count how many of each pattern block type they used to make the design.

Holidays Around the World Centers: St. Lucia’s Day

Saffron Bun Sounds

For this center, students will segment each CVC word and identify the vowel sound.

Gingernut Cookie Alphabet

Once students get to this center, they will identify the missing uppercase letters in the alphabetic order.

Yule Goat Sounds

For this centers, students will identify the beginning sounds of 18 pictures. The center includes the beginning sounds b-, d-, f-, m-, p-, r-.

Count the Candles

For this center, students will practice 1:1 counting by placing the correct number of candles on each crown .

Crown Cake Tens

With this center, students will use a ten frame to find the missing addend and make ten.

St. Lucia’s Buns Comparison

At this center, students will compare two groups of objects by determining which group has more. For each card, students will count the number of buns in two groups and mark their answer with a clothespin.

Holidays Around the World Centers: Hanukkah

Dreidel Digraphs

At this center, students will identify beginning digraphs ch-, sh-, th-, and wh-. They will name the picture on the dreidel card and sort it to the correct digraph header.

Hanukkah Rhymes

With this center, students will match two rhyming pictures to complete the menorah.

Spinning Sounds

For this center, students will identify the ending sounds of 16 pictures. The center includes the ending sounds -l, -g, -t, and -r.

Counting On Presents

At this center, students will count on from a given number (0-20). On the cards, students are given a present with the starting number. They will place the two missing presents on the number strip to complete the order.

Sufganiyot Addition

For this center, students will model addition equations within ten. Students will model the equation with small manipulatives that represent the sufganiyot. Then, they will match the sum card to complete the equation.

Teen Number Latkes

At this centers, students will model numbers 11-20 on a double ten frame. To model each number, they can use any small manipulative, such as pom poms, linking cubes, mini erasers, etc., to represent the latkes.

Holidays Around the World Centers: Las Posadas

Rhyming Pinatas

At this center, students will rhyme a word to a picture to complete the piñata.

Las Posadas Sentences

With this center, students will decode words in sentences. They will read the sentence under the candy bag and match the correct piece of candy to the bag.

Tamale CVC Words

For this center, students will segment CVC words to build each CVC puzzle. Students will name the picture on the vowel card. Then, they will segment the word to determine the beginning and ending sound.

Addition Poinsettias

At this center, student will fluently add within five. Each card has students model the addition equation on a five frame. Then, they will match the correct sum to complete the equation.

Subitizing Piñatas

For this center, students will subitize ten frames and tally marks to complete the piñata. The center focuses on numbers 1-10.

Las Posadas Patterns

At this center, students will extend AB, ABB, AAB, and ABC patterns. They can use colored pom poms or other small, colored manipulatives to complete the patterns on the mats.

Holidays Around the World Centers: Christmas

North Pole Alphabet

At this center, students will build uppercase and lowercase letters. They can use pom poms, bingo chips, or other small manipulatives to form the letters.

Rhyming Presents

For this center, students will determine if two pictures rhyme or do not rhyme. Students will name the pictures on the present and sort the present to the correct tree.

Nutcracker Families

At this center, students will identify the word family for each CVC picture card. First, they will name the picture. Then, they will sort it to the correct word family as they build each nutcracker.

North Pole Measurement

With this center, students will use a unit of nonstandard measurement to measure each holiday object.

Gingerbread Addition

For this center, students will add one more to the first addend. They will model the addition equation on the ten frame using any small manipulative, such as mini erasers, pom poms, mints, etc. Then, they will match the correct sum to complete the equation.

Missing Stockings

For this center, students will identify the missing number in the number sequence.

Holidays Around the World Centers: Kwanzaa

Alphabet Djembe Drums

At this center, students will recognize uppercase and lowercase letters by matching the letters to build each drum.

Zawadi Syllables

For this center, students will count the number of syllables for each present. They will name the picture on the card, count the syllables, and clip the number of syllables with a clothespin.

Mkeka CVC Mats

With this center, students will identify the rime for each CVC word. They will complete the CVC puzzles by matching the onset and rime.

Muhindi Numbers

At this center, students will subitize teen numbers using tally marks, double ten frames, and base ten blocks. They will place three muhindi (corn) on the mat to represent the number.

Kinara Shapes

For this center, students will recognize 2D shapes. They will match the real-world object and 2D shape to build the kinara.

Kwanzaa Crops

At this center, students will graph and analyze data. On the center mat, students will spin a spinner and graph their spin on the chart.

Holidays Around the World Centers: Ramadan

Fanous CVC Words

At this center, students will substitute the beginning sound to create a new word.

ABC Dates

With this center, students will order the letters in alphabetical order. The center includes both uppercase and lowercase letters.

Ramadan Syllables

For this center, students will count the number of syllables for each rug. They will name the picture on the card, count the syllables, and sort the rug to the correct mosque.

Base Ten Lanterns

At this center, students will use base ten blocks to model numbers 11-20 as ten and some more. They will count the base ten blocks and use a clothespin to clip the correct number.

Ramadan Shapes

For this center, students will recognize 3D shapes by matching the real-world objects to the correct mosque.

Ramadan Subtraction

With this center, students will fluently subtract within five. They will model the subtraction problem by crossing off the correct number of crescent moons under the equation and matching the difference card.

Holidays Around the World Centers: Lunar New Year

Lantern Word Families

At this center, students will identify the word family for each CVC picture card. First, they will name the picture. Then, they wil sort the lantern to the correct word family mat.

Firecracker CVC Words

For this center, students will identify the beginning, middle, or ending sound in CVC words.

Lunar New Year Blends

With this center, students will decode CCVC words with l-blends. After decoding the word on the red envelope, they will match the correct gold coin to the envelope.

Base Ten Fish

At this center, students will use base ten blocks to model numbers 11-20 as ten and some more. Linking cubes can also be used to create a ten rod and individual units.

Chinese Lion Digits

For this center, students will form the numbers 11-20. Each of the number mats requires students to write each number four times.

Fortune Cookie Numbers

At this center, students will identify the number before, between, or after in a number sequence. They will complete the number order by placing the missing fortune cookie on the mat.

More Holidays Around the World Activities

If you love these Holidays Around the World centers, you will love these Holidays Around the World activities and craft!

Pair these Holidays Around the World centers with these fiction and nonfiction Holidays Around the World books.

For more holiday fun, check out this list of holiday party station ideas for the classroom!

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