3 Fun Things to Do Before Winter Break (And One for When You Come Back!)

Ah, the week before winter break. That magical time of year when students have mentally packed their bags, teachers are running on coffee and leftover holiday cookies, and the thought of starting something new feels downright ridiculous.

If you teach middle school or high school, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You've got a few days left, maybe you're between units, and you're trying to figure out what on earth to do with your classes.

Do you start something new? Finish something old? Pretend everyone is going to be fully invested in a brand-new lesson three days before vacation?

I'm going to suggest something else.

Have a little fun.

Seriously. Sometimes the best thing you can do before winter break is give everyone a chance to enjoy being together. And no, that doesn't mean abandoning all educational value. But it might mean putting the worksheets away for a day.

Here are three fun activities before winter break for middle and high school students, plus one idea for that first day back in January.

1. Put on a Great Science Movie (And Don't Feel Guilty About It)

I'm a science teacher, so obviously I have to start here.

If you haven't seen Project Hail Mary, add it to your list. A science teacher, played by Ryan Gosling, somehow ends up on a spaceship trying to save humanity from a rather unfortunate situation involving our Sun.

I mean, come on. A science teacher saving the world? FINALLY, some appropriate representation.

Here's what I particularly love about this movie: it connects to a surprising amount of the science we teach in our astronomy units.

Especially the electromagnetic spectrum. One of the biggest ideas we teach in astronomy is that scientists can figure out an incredible amount about objects they may never actually visit, simply by studying the light coming from them.

It's a pretty extraordinary concept when you stop to think about it, and Project Hail Mary gives us an entertaining opportunity to revisit the idea of how scientists gather evidence about a universe they can't exactly take a field trip through.

Of course, it's still science fiction. But that's half the fun. What's real? What's possible? And where did Hollywood get a little creative?

When I want movie day to feel like we're still actually doing science, I pull out my Science Fiction Movie Guide. It gives students a chance to think about the science behind the fiction and make connections to what we've learned in class, without turning a perfectly good movie day into another giant assignment.

But honestly, sometimes just watching a good science movie and having a conversation afterward is enough.

Project Hail Mary is rated PG-13 and runs about 2 hours and 36 minutes, so check your school's movie policies and plan accordingly.

2. Break Out the Board Games (Yes, Even With High Schoolers)

Somewhere along the way, we seem to have decided that once students reach a certain age, they're too old to just play games.

I strongly disagree.

And I'm not talking about educational games where students answer review questions to earn points. I'm talking about actual games.

UNO. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. Whatever card games you've got tucked away in a cabinet.

Let students get into small groups, spread out around the classroom, and play.

One of my favorites is Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. If you've never played it, imagine a deceptively simple card game that requires quick thinking, concentration, and the ability to remember five words in order while everyone around you slowly loses their minds.

It's wonderfully ridiculous.

UNO is another easy choice because so many students already know how to play. And if you have a few different games available, students can switch groups and try something new.

The best part? All sorts of good things happen when kids play games together. They negotiate rules, handle winning and losing, communicate, take turns, and laugh.

You know, those social skills we're constantly trying to build.

Except this time, nobody has to fill out a reflection sheet about them.

Sometimes a game can just be a game.

3. The Tallest Winter Evergreen STEM Challenge

Want a winter-themed STEM challenge that still feels a little like science class? I've got you covered.

Tell your students they've been hired to design the centerpiece for a fabulous winter festival. The organizers want a towering pine tree that will absolutely wow the crowd.

There's just one small problem.

Their entire construction budget is 10 sheets of paper and a little tape.

Divide students into small groups and give them 15 minutes to build the tallest freestanding evergreen-inspired structure possible. Think wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. No individual branches, decorations, or fancy details necessary. We're looking for height and stability, not an arts-and-crafts masterpiece.

The structure must stand on its own for at least 10 seconds. No attaching it to desks, no leaning it against the wall, and absolutely no holding it upright when the timer runs out.

That's it.

You'll have students rolling paper into tubes, folding sheets into different shapes, debating how to make a stable base, and discovering that building something tall and building something that actually stays standing are two very different things.

Some groups will create surprisingly impressive structures. Others will produce what can only be described as a pine tree that has experienced a very unfortunate winter storm.

For a little extra fun, award prizes for Tallest Tree, Most Creative Design, and Best Winter Storm Survivor.

It's festive without being tied to a specific holiday, requires almost no preparation, and sneaks in a little engineering, problem-solving, and teamwork.

And unlike a real pine tree, you won't be finding needles all over your classroom in March.

Bonus: What About the First Day Back From Winter Break?

Annnnnnd just like that, it's January. Everyone returns refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to learn!

BaHAHAHAHA.

The first day back from winter break deserves a little grace. After two weeks away, I'm not particularly interested in jumping straight into a brand-new investigation while half my students are still trying to remember their passwords.

So I created Left, Right, and Back From Break, a winter-themed sequel to my original Left-Right-Left icebreaker.

The zombies are back. Mrs. WRIGHT is back. And apparently, surviving winter break wasn't quite enough excitement for anybody.

It's a silly, low-prep way to get everyone interacting again. No awkward sharing circles. No elaborate setup. Just a little classroom chaos to welcome everyone back.

Because sometimes getting students laughing together again is a perfectly good way to start January.

A Little Fun Goes a Long Way

I love a good investigation. I love watching students figure things out, work through problems, and have those wonderful moments when something finally clicks.

But I also think there's value in giving ourselves permission to do something purely enjoyable every once in a while.

Especially in December.

Whether it's a science movie, a ridiculous card game, or a paper pine tree that collapses five seconds before the timer goes off, these little moments help make our classrooms places students enjoy being.

And after winter break?

Well, there's always a zombie apocalypse waiting.

Happy winter break, friends. You've earned it.