December Library Centers

Hi friends!

Are you looking for library centers to engage your students in December? Check out these low-cost and no-cost December library centers!

December Library Centers

Book Bundles

We librarians know that books are the greatest gifts of all, right? Try creating book bundles for your students, or with your students! Bundle up related books (fiction and non-fiction) and tie them with ribbon! If you’re part of our Learning Librarians Facebook group, you saw Susan Hanlon share this idea there, and she gave me permission to share with you here!

Book Bundles Library Collage

She used sheer ribbon from the dollar store because it was easy to tie: 4 rolls of about 5 yards each made 20 bundles, tied on both sides. This will help your students work on their OPAC and searching skills as they make book bundles for other students to check out. She put the book bundles on display for second through fifth grade to check out. Brilliant, right?

Christmas Cards

Mel at Graphics from the Pond shared these cute printable Christmas cards for your students to color!

Christmas Cards to Print and Color

Click here to see the blog post where she shares the free printable! I know that many of my students don’t have money to buy cards or gifts for their friends and family. They will appreciate the chance to make something to give.

Free QR Code Listening Center

If you’ve got iPads and headphones, print out these QR Codes for winter listening centers. The QR codes link to video read-alouds on Safe Share.

groundhogs with qr codes

Holiday Coloring Pages

My students have enjoyed these intricate Holiday Coloring pages–free printables from Rachel Lynette!

Christmas Coloring Freebies

Here’s the link to the sign I use at my coloring centers. I put erasable colored pencils out at this center, instead of the Twistable crayons we normally use to color. The fine points and erasability are perfect for these detailed designs! (affiliate link)

Augmented Reality Library Center

Print out the coloring page here, on the Quiver website. Your students can color the picture, then bring it to life with the free augmented reality app, Quiver! You will need an iPad or other device with the Quiver app.

Christmas tree printable with quiver

Word Choice with Holiday Songs

I saw this idea in a tweet from SES Media Center, and I love it!

You can print the lyrics to holiday songs, then ask your students to replace some of the words with synonyms. I like Kids Wordsmyth for a good online dictionary and thesaurus. Students can use iPads (and a green screen, if you’ve got one) to film themselves singing (or reading) the revised holiday song!

You could also do this activity as a whole group. Cut apart the lyrics and have partners work together to revise a line or two of the song, then put them all together for the group to sing. Now you’ve got some collaboration going on!

What Gift Can You Give?

One of my favorite quick and easy library centers involves butcher paper, markers, and a writing prompt. For December, ask your students what gift they could give someone that doesn’t cost any money.

Gift Writing Prompt

Click here to download this printable PDF sign. I usually write one or two ideas on the blank paper, to help students understand the prompt and the size that their writing should be.

text and learning centers for school library

I’ve also got a year-long bundle of butcher paper library centers for sale in my TPT store. They’re low-prep–just print, glue them on butcher paper, and add markers for student responses.

Library Learners on Facebook

Have you “liked” my Library Learners Facebook page? That’s where I share ideas on a regular basis, when I don’t have time to write a full blog post. See you there! And happy holidays!

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    4 Comments

    1. Great ideas once again! I put out Holiday Joke Fortune Tellers for fun and folding! Along with Make a Pattern Block Snowflake design! Happy Holidays!

    2. I cannot seem to find the December listening centers in the link you provided. Am I looking in the wrong place?

    3. As a librarian in a multicultural school, I find the total emphasis on Christmas disturbing. This is a recurring theme in everything that I see this month from librarians. Not all students celebrate this holiday and by focusing library resources on it, you are marginalizing other students. What do I tell my Muslim students? my Jewish students? I intend my library to be a welcoming space for all students, so my December theme is Winter Wonderland and I focus on hibernation, winter, cozy reads, snow, winter clothing, etc. I am not intending to rant at you or denigrate your planning and resources, but can we please move past the Christmas thing.

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