Free Printable Kid’s Christmas Planner Lapbook

No one gets more excited for Christmas than children. From making Christmas wish lists to planning out activities, they seem to be the whole reason we want to go the extra mile during the holidays. Sometimes it feels like they can even be a little bit self-centered in their thinking, anticipating the presents they’ll get, the food they’ll eat and what fun they’ll have.

While all of that is definitely part of the magic of Christmas, it’s also a fantastic time to help them learn new skills, focus on others and give back. This fun Kid’s Christmas Planner Lapbook is a great activity for parents and children to make together and use all throughout the holiday season to plan the perfect Christmas. It also makes a great classroom activity for teachers!

Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

• free printable pdf with 7 craft sheet designs
• cardstock paper
• scissors
• Glue stick
• Regular sized file folder
• Brad fastener
• Pencil, crayons, markers
• stapler

Instructions:

Open up the file folder. Fold each side inward to meet in the middle. Use a flat object, such as the handle of scissors, to crease the new folds to make them crisp and neat. Now, your folder should have three inside sections.

Glue the sheet with the Christmas tree to the middle of the opened folder. Be sure to center it carefully. Smooth it out with your hands to remove any air bubbles or creases.

It is up to you whether you want to work on one panel at a time or cut everything out in advance. I like to cut everything out first and then glue it down in sections. I keep each section together until I’m ready for it.

LEFT PANEL:

The left panel design is the one with the Fav Festive Foods and Top Wish List hidden flaps. You’ll begin by gluing the candy cane panel onto the file folder, making sure to ensure it is fully secured.

Then, cut around the red and green “flower” sections so that they will fit on top of the white sections on the candy cane panel. Fold gently along the dotted lines of the red and green flowers so that the inner square section is highlighted.

Apply glue to the center of the white flower sections on the left panel. Then place the red and green flowers onto the centers of the white flowers so that the square sections match. Do NOT glue the flaps down, as this is where your children will write and draw their favorite things.

RIGHT PANEL:

Similar to the left panel, you’ll begin by gluing down the plain candy cane rectangle with the plain white circle and the bottom section of your calendar. Make sure it is fully secured to the folder.

Next, cut out your red spinner wheel cover. Use your scissors to poke a small hole through the spinner cover at the x mark. Slide a brad fastener through the spinner cover and through the right panel of your lapbook. Secure the brad on the other side of the folder and flatten it out.

Now it’s time to create your calendar. Cut out each page along the solid red lines. Look on each calendar page for the rectangle which says “Cut out this rectangle,” and remove ONLY that rectangle. This will create tabs for your calendar pages. Stack your pages together in order with the Calendar Planner cover on the top. Position the pages on top of the printed calendar planner on the right panel, then use a stapler to secure through all layers to create a booklet. Be sure to keep the staples as far to the left as you can so that the calendar will open properly.

Fill in the dates using the current year’s calendar for the end of November through Christmas Day.

CENTER PANEL:

For your center panel, first you’ll want to cut out your yellow gift tree star and glue it to the top of the Christmas tree. This will stick out the top of the folder, even when it is closed.

Next, cut out the ornament covers and white inside ornaments. For every person on the child’s Christmas Gift list, cut out one ornament and one white inside ornament. Have the child arrange the white ornaments on the tree, gluing them down in any arrangement they like to decorate the tree.

Then, the “top” ornaments will need to be folded just below the “metal hanger” and glued just at the top so that the ornament will cover the white part and allow the child to write or draw gift ideas inside. Write the name of each person on the front of the top ornament.

FRONT PANEL:

Cut out the two lapbook front panel designs. Glue them to the front left and right panels carefully so that the words “Christmas Planner” are lined up evenly. These panels will be glued up last so that they cover the brad fastener and the staples that were used earlier.

This printable also includes a page to write down your ideas for the lapbook using the Brainstorming Chart. This will be helpful for the children to be able to know exactly what they want to put inside the book before they actually do it.

Enjoy filling this lapbook with your special Christmas plans. It’s going to make the holiday extra special!

Katie Reed

Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.