Activities for children based on Christmas films including Elf, The Polar Express and The Snowman
Do your children want to spend their days sprawled on the sofa watching Christmas films? Is school closed or they're home isolating and they'd much rather be in front of the box than knuckling down with school work?
If you're struggling to motivate the kids ahead of the end of term, or are looking for activities to enjoy at the weekend, former primary school teacher Laura Steele of education resources website PlanBee shows how to turn screen time in front of seven festive family favourites into fun learning experiences.
1. Father Christmas
Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, this short animated film takes a look at what Father Christmas does on the other 364 days of the year.
After the film ask your child to choose one of the destinations Father Christmas visits on his holidays and put themselves into his shoes (or boots!) and write a postcard home, explaining everything he saw and got up to there.
In the film, Father Christmas doesn’t enjoy all the visits he makes. Encourage your child to write him a letter, suggesting where he should go next year, and why he might like it better than his holiday this year.
Father Christmas spends time organising presents for us, but what present would he like to receive? Ask your youngster to draw a picture of the gift they would get for him, and write a short explanation of their choice.
2. The Snowman
Also based on a Raymond Briggs book, in this film a young boy’s snowman magically comes to life, and takes him on an adventure to meet Father Christmas.
In the film the boy and the Snowman never speak to each other, but if they did what would they say? Children could write an imagined conversation between them, or even act it out.
We see the boy building the Snowman step-by-step. Encourage your child to draw pictures and write instructions for each of the different stages of construction.
You could also ask them to design their own snowman! Ask them to label what they would use for his eyes, nose, mouth, buttons and so on.
And if you watch the film carefully, you will see many different animals. Can your child spot them? As an extra challenge, they could choose an animal to research and perhaps make a poster or write a report about it.
3. Elf
Elf focuses on the character of Buddy, a human who has been raised by elves at the North Pole. On discovering that he is not actually an elf, Buddy travels to New York in search of his real father.
Buddy is given a snow globe of New York City any budding artists could draw their own snow globe showing where they live or where they'd like to be at Christmas.
Can you also challenge your children to describe or draw the film’s funniest, happiest and saddest moments that they remember?
4. The Grinch
Based on the 1957 book by Dr Seuss, a creature named the Grinch hates Christmas and everything to do with it so he devises a wicked plan to ruin the festive season for the town of Whoville.
Children could write a character description of the Grinch, detailing his appearance, his personality, what he does, and how he changes by the end of the film. Could they also describe or draw a picture of Whoville at Christmas? Would they like to live there? Could they explain why?
You could also ask your child to step into Grinch’s shoes and describe or act out their thoughts about Christmas both at the beginning of the film, and then at the end, and discuss how they differ.
5. The Polar Express
The film follows a young boy who is beginning to lose his belief in Father Christmas but boards a train to the North Pole and has amazing adventures, makes some special new friends, and regains his belief in the magic of Christmas.
Get your children to design a ticket for the Polar Express. Who would they give it to, and why? Which two letters do they think The Conductor would cut out on it, and why? Which full word would be created on reboarding the train?
In the film, the symbol of Christmas spirit for the Boy is the bell he receives from ‘Mr C’. Ask children to draw and explain what represents the Christmas spirit for them?
At one point, the train passes the Northern Lights. Older children could research exactly what this phenomenon is and even perhaps create their own artwork.
6. Klaus
A young postman who is not very good at his job is sent to serve an unwelcoming, frozen town in the far North. When he meets an old toy maker, Klaus, and together they begin delivering presents to the children of the town, things begin to change…
Get youngsters to imagine that they are one of the children living in Smeerensburg and challenge them to write their own letter to Klaus, telling him how they have been good, what gift they would like and why.
In the film, Klaus has carved alcoves into a tree trunk for a family of figurines. Children could make or draw their own version of this, complete with everyone that is special to them.
Klaus says: ‘A true selfless act always sparks another’. Ask children to name the selfless acts they remember from the film and can they think back to any selfless acts they have made in the past or could make in the future?
7. Arthur Christmas
Santa’s rather accident-prone son, Arthur, sets out on a mission to deliver a present that was left at the North Pole on Christmas Eve
Watch the film and then write a short description of each member of Santa’s family: Santa himself, Mrs Santa, GrandSanta, Steve and of course, Arthur. What characteristics do they each have? How are they similar but also how are they different?
Arthur is particularly fond of his slippers. Unfortunately, he loses them during his adventure. Can your child design a new pair for him?
Challenge your children to design and make their own version of ‘Christmas: the Board Game’. What will the board look like, what’s the aim of the game and how is it played? Will they need any extra items such as counters or question cards?
PlanBee has a number of activity sheets related to the Christmas films. You can download them here.
