Looking for an Advent tradition that’s simple enough for a three-year-old and still meaningful for the whole family? Try an ABC Christmas countdown. You take one letter a day, starting with A on November 30, and you reach Z on Christmas Day. Each day takes a few minutes: say the letter, talk about a Christmas word that starts with it, and do one small hands-on activity.
Here is the full plan, plus ideas to keep it fun.
Why letters and Christmas go well together
Preschoolers learn letters best in short, playful moments that repeat. A countdown gives you a built-in daily habit, and the Christmas story gives every letter something to talk about. By Christmas Day your child will have traced, built, and said all 26 letters, and you’ll have shared 26 small conversations about why we celebrate.
How to do it
Pick a regular time, like after breakfast or before bed.
Say the letter and its sound together.
Talk about the day’s word and what it means in the Christmas story.
Do one activity from the list below.
Mark the day on a countdown chart so your child can see Christmas getting closer.
Keep it short and happy. Stop while it’s still fun, even if that’s after two minutes.
Hands-on letter activities to rotate
Pick one each day:
Build the letter with candy canes or pipe cleaners.
Trace the letter in a tray of flour, salt, or sugar.
Make the letter with play dough.
Write the letter on a grown-up’s back with your finger and guess it.
Find the letter in a Bible or on a Christmas card.
Dot the letter with cotton swabs and paint.
Lay out the letter with buttons or beans. (Watch little ones closely with small items.)
Write the letter big in the air with your whole arm.
Say a word that starts with today’s letter.
The 26-day ABC Christmas countdown
Nov 30, A is for Angel: angels brought good news to the shepherds.
Dec 1, B is for Bethlehem: the little town where Jesus was born.
Dec 2, C is for Christ: Christ the Lord is born.
Dec 3, D is for Dream: God spoke to Joseph in a dream.
Dec 4, E is for East: the wise men saw a star in the east.
Dec 5, F is for Frankincense: a gift for the King.
Dec 6, G is for Gifts: the wise men brought gifts.
Dec 7, H is for Heaven: angels from heaven sang.
Dec 8, I is for Immanuel: the name means “God is with us.”
Dec 9, J is for Jesus: his name is Jesus.
Dec 10, K is for King: Jesus is the King.
Dec 11, L is for Love: God loves the world so much.
Dec 12, M is for Mary: Mary is Jesus’ mother.
Dec 13, N is for Night: shepherds watched their sheep at night.
Dec 14, O is for O Come, Let Us Adore Him: the wise men worshiped Jesus.
Dec 15, P is for Prince of Peace: one of the names for Jesus in Isaiah.
Dec 16, Q is for Quickly: the shepherds hurried to find baby Jesus.
Dec 17, R is for Room: there was no room at the inn.
Dec 18, S is for Star: a star led the way.
Dec 19, T is for Treasures: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Dec 20, U is for Us: God is with us.
Dec 21, V is for Virgin Mary: God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary.
Dec 22, W is for Wise men: they came from far away.
Dec 23, X marks the spot: the star stopped over the place where Jesus was.
Dec 24, Y is for You: how will you celebrate Jesus’ birthday?
Dec 25, Z: from A to Z, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Tip: on busy days, combine the talk and the activity into one minute: “Today is S for Star. Can you make an S with your finger in the air?” That still counts.
Make it a family tradition
A few easy ways to add to the countdown:
Read Luke 2:1-20 together on the first day and again on Christmas Eve.
Set up a nativity scene and let your child find the people and animals as their letters come up.
Bake cookies for a neighbor on G for Gifts day.
Make a birthday card for Jesus on Y for You day.
Take a walk to look for the brightest star on S for Star day.
Want the printed pages?
If you’d like everything ready to go, ABC’s of Christmas: A Jesus-Centered Early Learning Activity Workbook follows this same A to Z plan. It’s 44 black and white pages for ages 3 to 6. Each letter page has a large model letter, dotted letters to trace in uppercase and lowercase, a short Bible verse from the International Children’s Bible, and a picture to color. It also includes a Christmas Choiceboard, 25 Family Ways to Celebrate Jesus’ Birth, a My Christmas Countdown chart, a maze, and a certificate at the end.
It works at home, in homeschool, or in Sunday school. If you start on November 30, you’ll finish with the Z page on Christmas Day.
👉 Get ABC’s of Christmas on Amazon ($9.99): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HNQ5GY1N
Ordering for a Sunday school class or co-op? See our Group Orders page: https://www.thelearningbean.com/group-orders
Merry Christmas from our family to yours.
The Learning Bean. Where Learning Starts.