🎄 12 Days of Writing Wonder: December National Days for Kids
Celebrate the joy, creativity, and wonder of the season with these December National Days!
Each day features a playful writing prompt, a book to snuggle up with, and a simple family fun idea to spark imagination.
Whether you use them in your classroom, homeschool, or around the kitchen table, these activities are designed to keep kids writing—and smiling—all month long.
🌟 December 1 – National Christmas Lights Day
Write a five-sentence description of a Christmas tree using as much alliteration as possible. (Example: Twinkling towers of tiny teal lights…)
📖 Read: The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans — a tale of kindness and wonder that glows from within.
🎉 Family Fun: Bundle up for a nighttime walk or drive to see neighborhood lights. Let everyone pick their favorite display and describe it in one dazzling sentence.
🧦 December 4 – National Sock Day
Imagine your socks could talk. What stories would they tell about your day?
📖 Read: Smelly Socks by Robert Munsch — a silly favorite about a girl who refuses to take off her stinky pair!
🎉 Family Fun: Does your family have socks with no match too? Gather all the “lost and lonely” socks into one big pile and set a 60-second timer. See who can create the silliest mismatched pair — stripes with polka dots, Christmas with dinosaurs, anything goes! Everyone wears their funniest pair for the rest of the day.
✉️ December 7 – Letter Writing Day
Write a letter as a famous book character TO another character. What would Peter Rabbit write to Lucy (from Narnia)?
📖 Read: The Jolly Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg — each page hides a real letter to open and read.
🎉 Family Fun: Give everyone three postcards and a 5-minute timer. Write a quick note of thanks or encouragement to three different people, then deliver or mail them later.
⏳ December 8 – Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day
You’ve just landed in the year 2125! What do you see? What has changed?
📖 Read: The Time Warp Trio: Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Scieszka — a hilarious journey through time.
🎉 Family Fun: Pick a decade and dress up like it’s 1950, 1980, or even the far-off future! Cook a meal “from another time.”
🏠 December 12 – Gingerbread House Day
Describe a gingerbread house without using the words “gingerbread,” “cookie,” “sweet,” or “candy.” Focus on sensory details.
📖 Read: The Plan for the Gingerbread House — A charming, step-by-step tale that follows a group of determined kids as they dream, design, and build the ultimate gingerbread creation. Perfect inspiration before (or after!) making your own gingerbread masterpiece.
🎉 Family Fun: Build or draw silly gingerbread houses. Try “engineer mode” and see whose design stands tallest before tipping!
☕ December 13 – National Cocoa Day
Write a mini-poem comparing hot cocoa to something comforting… like warmth, friendship, courage, etc.
📖 Read: The Sweet Story of Hot Chocolate — A deliciously cozy picture book that stirs together history, culture, and the comforting magic of cocoa. Kids will love learning how hot chocolate traveled from ancient civilizations to their own favorite mugs. It’s the perfect read-aloud for a chilly December day.
🎉 Family Fun: Host a hot cocoa taste test with different toppings. Name your family’s signature cocoa blend!
🐒 December 14 – National Monkey Day
Write a fun rhyming couplet or limerick featuring a mischievous monkey.
📖 Read: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina — the timeless, mischievous monkey classic.
🎉 Family Fun: Banana Olympics! Try a banana toss, peel relay, or “build a banana split” challenge.
🧩 December 21 – Crossword Puzzle Day
Write a short poem where every line begins with the same letter—just like building a puzzle out of matching pieces.
📖 Read: The Puzzler’s Mansion by Eric Berlin — a mystery full of codes, riddles, and teamwork.
🎉 Family Fun: Create your own crossword using family names, pets, or favorite foods. Swap and solve! This online generator from Education.com that makes it easy!
🥚 December 24 – National Eggnog Day
Write a story that begins with a single cup of something magical.
📖 Read: Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson — a cozy tale of friendship and staying awake for joy.
🎉 Family Fun: Mix up homemade eggnog or a “kid-friendly” version with milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Sip by the tree while reading aloud.
🦒 December 27 – Visit the Zoo Day
Tell a story from the point of view of a zoo animal after the visitors go home.
📖 Read: A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead — a gentle, award-winning story of friendship and care.
🎉 Family Fun: Visit a local zoo or enjoy a virtual tour online. Act out your favorite animal’s movements!
♠️ December 28 – National Card Playing Day
Create your own card game! What are the rules, and what makes it fun? Bonus: Illustrate three of the cards!
📖 Read: Okay… this day calls for a GAME pick instead of a reading pick! Try Sleeping Queens — a fast, family-friendly card game created by a kid and loved by readers, writers, and imaginative thinkers alike.
🎉 Family Fun: Host a cozy family game night! Try an old favorite or invent something new together. Let the cards decide who takes out the trash or gets to choose tomorrow’s activity.
Want more ideas? See our full blog post on National Card Playing Day for writing prompts, top game picks, and inspiration for bringing meaningful play into every day.
🎆 December 31 – Make Up Your Mind Day (New Year’s Eve)
Reflect on the year’s favorite memories and make a “Yes List” for next year—new foods, places, or ideas to try!
Read: What Do You Do With a Chance? by Kobi Yamada — a story that reminds us to be brave and say yes to new opportunities.
🎉 Family Fun: Celebrate Make Up Your Mind Day with a family taste test! Pick 3–5 different brands or flavors of root beer and pour small samples into numbered cups. Everyone tastes each one and secretly votes for their favorite. Reveal the results at the end — you might be surprised which one wins! (If root beer isn’t your family’s favorite, try it with sparkling waters, hot cocoas, or even different types of popcorn!)
May your December be filled with light, laughter, and lots of stories waiting to be told. 🌟
