A Danish preschool in Esbjerg has swapped still holiday activities for a creative new project: washing Santa’s sleigh. It is part of a new movement calendar designed to get children playing and moving during December.
New Christmas Calendar Encourages Active Play
In Denmark, December mornings often start with children opening a small door in their holiday calendar before heading to school or preschool. Yet this year, many preschoolers are opening a very different kind of calendar—one that gets them moving instead of sitting still.
The Danish sports association DGI has launched its first-ever “movement Christmas calendar” for preschool children. Each weekday until Christmas Eve, kids can open a virtual door on a tablet to find that day’s physical activity. The idea is to replace some of the more passive December traditions with simple movement and play.
According to DGI’s project consultants, teachers and childcare professionals have long requested ideas to help incorporate movement into everyday preschool activities. The new calendar offers that in a festive and easy-to-use format.
From Santa’s Sleigh to Paper Snowball Fights
The calendar includes games like “Freeze Like a Troll,” “Fix Santa’s Sleigh,” and “Snowball Fight with Paper.” Each activity encourages teamwork, imagination, and movement. At Børnenes Kontor daycare in Esbjerg, children have embraced the idea with enthusiasm.
Staff open the day’s virtual door together with the children, who then watch a short video that explains the new game. For the teachers, it has become a fun and flexible way to make physical play part of the daily rhythm.
One of the most popular games involves washing Santa’s sleigh, which combines movement and role-play. Teachers say it also sparks ideas for everyday activities beyond December. When the holidays end, the same concept can easily turn into washing a toy car or spaceship instead.
Popular Among Danish Preschools
DGI reports that more than 4,700 preschool teachers and other childcare workers have signed up to use the movement calendar this season. It is designed specifically for young children who are still in preschool, not yet in elementary school.
Each calendar includes 17 different activities, one for each weekday in December leading up to Christmas. All activities can be done indoors or outdoors, and most require little to no equipment. Videos guide the adults through setup and provide inspiration for adapting the games.
For families with children in Danish preschools or for newcomers curious about how childcare works in Denmark, this approach highlights how Danish institutions emphasize learning through play. That focus is part of what makes the country’s early education model notable, as explained in guides like childcare in Denmark.
More Movement, Less Chocolate
Of course, no December is complete without chocolate calendars. At the Esbjerg preschool, four-year-old Jonathan still has his chocolate calendar at home, a gift from his Christmas elf. When asked which he prefers, he admitted he loves chocolate most. Yet the movement calendar offers a balance, giving children the chance to be active during a month filled with sweets and sitting still.
Interestingly, while the idea of an active Christmas calendar has existed for school-age children through earlier projects from the organization Dansk Skoleidræt, this marks the first time that DGI has targeted preschoolers specifically.
The concept fits neatly with Denmark’s larger interest in promoting health and activity as early as possible. It also reflects the country’s reputation for creative learning environments and emphasis on well-being in early childhood education.
In the end, washing Santa’s sleigh may be a small moment of play, yet it captures a bigger cultural theme in Denmark: combining fun, imagination, and movement as part of everyday life.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Childcare in Denmark Guide Expats
The Danish Dream: Best Child Care in Denmark for Foreigners
DR: I Jonathans børnehave skal de vaske julemandens kane som del af ny bevægelses-kalender
