Free Printable - Christmas in Australia - Montessori Nature Printables

Celebrate the holiday season with these engaging and educational Montessori-inspired printables that focus on Christmas in Australia. The set includes pin-punching cards, posters, and a match-up activity, perfect for preschool students. These free printables not only enhance fine motor skills but also educate children about Australian holiday traditions, making it a fun and meaningful learning experience for young learners.

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to explore the festive traditions of various countries. Let’s dive into the unique Christmas celebrations in Australia. And what better way to engage preschool students in the learning process than through interactive Montessori activities? In our Free Resource Library, you can download pin-punching 3-part cards, posters, and match-ups, all designed to enhance fine motor skills in a fun and educational manner.

Christmas in Australia

Christmas traditions in Australia are quite unique due to the country’s warm climate during the holiday season, which falls during the summer months. Here is some information about Christmas traditions in Australia:

Santa in Australia: Just like in other countries, Australian children often believe in Santa Claus or “Father Christmas.” However, since it’s summer in Australia during Christmas, Santa is often depicted wearing a red bathing suit and carrying a surfboard instead of the traditional fur-lined suit.
Celebrating Outdoors: Australians love to celebrate Christmas outdoors because the weather is warm and sunny. Families and friends often gather in parks, gardens, or beaches for barbecues, picnics, and games.
Christmas Decorations: Australian homes are decorated with Christmas lights, wreaths, and colorful ornaments. It is also common to see Christmas trees decorated with Australian-themed ornaments, such as koalas, kangaroos, and native flowers.
Carols by Candlelight: One of Australia’s most cherished Christmas traditions is attending or participating in “Carols by Candlelight” events. These events take place in parks or outdoor venues and involve singing traditional Christmas carols by candlelight.
Christmas Hat: Many preschools and schools in Australia encourage children to make or wear their own Christmas hats. These hats are often made using bright and festive materials like tinsel, ribbons, and ornaments. It adds a fun and creative element to Christmas celebrations.
Australian Santa’s Helpers: Instead of reindeer, Santa’s sleigh is often depicted being pulled by kangaroos or “six white boomers” (a type of kangaroo) in Australian Christmas-themed stories and songs.
Traditional Christmas Meal: While Australians generally have a more relaxed and casual Christmas, the traditional Christmas meal often includes a roast turkey, ham, seafood, salads, and a festive dessert called “Pavlova” – a meringue-based dessert topped with fresh fruit.
Christmas Stockings: Children in Australia hang stockings for Santa Claus to fill with small gifts and treats. They often leave out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his kangaroos.
Boxing Day: In Australia, December 26th is an important public holiday called “Boxing Day.” Families often continue the festive celebrations by participating in outdoor activities, sports events, or shopping sales.
Gift Exchange: Just like in other parts of the world, Australian families exchange gifts on Christmas morning. Children excitedly open their presents, and it is customary to write thank-you notes to show appreciation for the gifts received.

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Christmas in Australia Themed Free Printables

Use these resources with whimsical clipart to explore Christmas traditions in Australia with your students. This resource will come in handy if you are planning to create activities and shelf work for the Christmas Around the World Unit in your Montessori and early childhood classroom.

Age: Preschool ages 2.5 – 6 years

Subjects and uses in the classroom: Christmas, Australia, Multicultural area, Fine motor, Prewriting, Scissors skills

Christmas in australia pin punching cutting cards montessori nature free printable

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The printable contains 12 cards with Christmas in Australia elements.
Please note that push-pinning activities require constant adult supervision.

Print the pages on cardstock or regular printing paper.

Gather a giant push pin for pin punching, padding to absorb the pricks, glue, paints & brushes or corks, and pieces of construction paper.

Invite the child to choose a card and poke out an outline. Carefully tear the picture shape.

To make a card – invite the child to glue the pin punching card onto construction paper and decorate the frame by dipping one end of a cork into paints and leaving prints around it.

Alternatively, use Pin Punching Cards to make a coloring booklet or cutting activities.

Print on printing paper. Cut cards. Invite the child to trace and color Christmas elements and staple pages.

Christmas in australia match up cards montessori nature free printable

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There are many uses for the printable. One of them is introducing children to new vocabulary and making glue-and-paste activities.

Younger children can be encouraged to match colored pictures to the black-and-white version.
Cut cards, laminate, and attach hook and loop dots to add an extra challenge for little fingers.
If you would like to enlarge the background, here is how you can do it. Hit Print. Make sure your Advanced Settings ‘Print As Image’ has been deselected. Then hit ‘Poster’ and set your ‘Tile Scale’ according to how large you would like your poster to be. It will print on two sheets if you set it at 100%. Trim sheets as needed and connect your poster pieces using scotch tape.