Reindeer Unit Study for Homeschool Families at Christmas time.
A Homeschool Family-Style Reindeer Unit Study for all ages of learners to discover the myths and facts about the fascinating reindeer.
In this Real Reindeer Unit Study, your kids will explore the folktales and fables of reindeer, make a pickle glow, learn about the Saami who live with and depend on the reindeer for food, clothing, and transportation, and much more!
This Real Reindeer Unit Study is designed to be done together, as a family, with your children of all ages and covers all subjects except daily math.
Some links in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you click on them, I may make a tiny commission, at no extra cost to you.
Reindeer Unit Study: English Language Arts
Read Aloud Living Picture Books
Reindeer Christmas by Mark Kimball Moulton and illustrated by Karen Hillard Good. If you only read one book on this list, make it this one! Just before Christmas, a grandmother and her two grandchildren help a weak deer that is cold and hungry. This story captures the magic and wonder of the Christmas season, without all of the material commercialism.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Rudolph Shines Again by Robert L. May and illustrated by Antonio Javier Caparo are the original Rudolph stories, written years before the classic television special was created.
Mr. May was commissioned by the Montgomery Ward company in 1939 to write a Christmas story. He borrowed the basic story from the folk tale of The Ugly Duckling and wrote it in the same rhyming poetic style as Clement Clark Moore used for A Visit From St. Nicholas (Twas the Night Before Christmas). These two stories are very different from the licensed versions that go with the 1964 television special.
Interesting tidbit of trivia: Johnny Marks wrote the iconic song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1949, ten years after his brother-in-law, Robert May, created the character in his book.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett. A classic story from one of my favorite authors. A girl tries to get Santa’s reindeer ready to pull his sleigh, but they won’t behave. She finally realizes she’s been too bossy and not listening.
Independent Readers
The Reindeer Girl (Winter Journeys) by Holly Webb is the story of a young girl who goes to visit her great-grandparents in Norway but becomes a part of one of her great-grandmother’s folk stories. This book about caribou, the dangerous Arctic winter, and the Saami culture is written at a 3rd to 4th-grade reading level.
Folktale
How the Reindeer Got Their Antlers by Geraldine McCaughrean and illustrated by Heather Holland is a sweet story of how the caribou were embarrassed by their heavy, awkward antlers and fled to the north to hide. They later meet Santa and help him with his sleigh. This Pourquoi origin story is told from a Creationist worldview.
Writing
Write about a pretend pet reindeer. Work on using adjectives to describe your reindeer. Then use your creative writing skills to make up a humorous story about your reindeer.
Use the My Pet Reindeer Creative Writing worksheets in the Resource Shop (it’s free!) It comes in 3 different difficulty levels; choose the one that is best for your child.
Poetry
Read the original 1836 poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas (known today as Twas the Night Before Christmas) that gave names to Santa’s reindeer. Print out the poem and get copywork for grammar also. It’s free in the Whole Child Homeschool Resource Store.
Reindeer Unit Study: STEAM
Science
Preschool
For some preschool-level reindeer facts, read the book, I’m a Reindeer by Mallory Loehr, illustrated by Joey Chou.
Elementary
Watch the movie, A Reindeer’s Journey, narrated by Donald Sutherland, rated G. It’s the documentary story of a young reindeer, Ailo, born in Finland. Many libraries carry the DVD or you can stream it free on YouTube.
Also, check out this video from Gross Science to learn why reindeer antlers sometimes look bloody. You’ll also learn how they can see UV light.
Use this reindeer notebooking page from Homeschool Helper Online to show what you’ve learned about reindeer.
Middle and High School
Read about reindeer (a.k.a. caribou), Rangifer tarandus, in this article from World Deer.
Write a 5 to 7 paragraph report telling what you learned about reindeer.
Technology
Make a pickle glow with electricity just like Rudolph’s nose with these instructions from the Owl Teacher.
Or light up a light bulb (like Rudolph’s nose) with just static electricity from your hair. Instructions are in a free download from Education.com
Engineering
Figure out how to re-shape a candy cane (without breaking it) by creating a foil template and heating it up with these instructions.
Arts
Fine Arts
John James Audubon was famous for drawing amazing pictures of birds. But did you know that he also drew other North American animals?
You can see his rendering of Tarandus Furcifer, Agassiz. Caribou, or American Reindeer. (v. 3, no. 26, plate 126) in the University of Michigan Collection.
You can learn more about Audubon’s interesting life in this Biography article.
Practical Arts
Make Rudolph Noses Pretzel Bites. They only take 3 ingredients and you can even make them gluten-free if you use gluten-free pretzels!
Reindeer Unit Study: History & More
Service Activity
Make Reindeer Noses Treat Bags to give away as a small gift to neighbors to brighten their day!
History
The Saami people live in the very northern region of Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Russia. While they are considered indigenous people, they weren’t there before the Scandinavians who also live there. In the past, they were called Laplanders or Lapps, however, some find those terms to be offensive and prefer Saami or Sapmi.
Learn more about the Saami in this classic living book, Children of the Northlights, by Ingri d’Aulaire & Edgar Parin d’Aulaire.
Here’s a map of where they live.
The Saami people are best known for their semi-nomadic herding of reindeer. The reindeer provide them with food, clothing, and transportation.
You can learn more about the Saami “The Reindeer People” in this Nat Geo Live video from Erika Larson.
Music
Up On The Housetop was written in 1864 by Benjamin Hanby. It’s the second oldest secular Christmas song. (The oldest is Jingle Bells). The original first verse was sung
Up on the house, no delay, no pause
Benjamin Hanby, 1864
Clatter the steed of Santa Claus.
Down thro’ the chimney with loads of toys
Ho for the little ones, Christmas joys.
You can download a copy of the original score as it was first published here. Both the original and the modern day lyrics are included in a printable in the Reindeer Unit Study Bundle, along with a vocabulary worksheet and a venn diagram worksheet to compare the two versions.
You may also wish to use the lyrics as additional copywork.
You can listen to the most famous version of Up on the Housetop sung by Gene Autry in 1953. Or check out one of my favorite Christmas groups, Pentatonix, singing this more modern version of Up On The Housetop.
Gross Motor & Sensory Awareness
Do the Reindeer Hokey Pokey with Jack Hartmann
Reindeer Brain Breaks from Pink Oatmeal
Make a Reindeer Sensory Bin like this one with just a few simple items. Learn how (and get the patterns) in the Christmas Sensory bins post.
Even More Reindeer Extension Ideas
Watch the Reindeer Cam: Santa’s Official Reindeer Live Feed.
Reindeer Life Cycle Printable Pack for preschool and kindergartners
Homeschool Christmas Giveaway
During the Christmas and holiday season many families, especially one-income families, feel the financial strain! We all know families that have been hit hard with job loss, displacement, and more. In an effort to ease financial burdens and help families further explore homeschool and educational opportunities, this year’s giveaway is worth more than $1615 in Homeschool prizes!! There are 6 Giveaway Packages (each worth more than $200) with 1 winner each, for a total of 6 Winners!Thanks to these amazing brands and bloggers that love supporting the homeschool community, we’re able to give back to homeschool families in the best way!
Inside the giveaway, you’ll find more than $1615 spread across 6 prize packages to bless six (6) amazing families this Christmas season!
Click here to learn more about each of our prize packages.
 |
Prize Package 1 ($397 Value)Giveaway includes: CTCMath Family Membership (12-months) from CTCMath |
 |
Prize Package 2 ($219.98 Value)Giveaway includes: Math Mammoth Blue Series bundle (digital download) from Math Mammoth 2 – Pallas Center Unit Studies (Digital) from Pallas Center Science Mini Bundle from Monkey and Mom |
 |
Prize Package 3 ($270 Value)Giveaway includes: Self-Paced Online Science Class with Interactive Online Laboratory from College Prep Science |
 |
Prize Package 4 ($200.96 Value)Giveaway includes: Night Zookeeper from Night Zookeeper Around the World curriculum + 1 companion product from Let’s Go Geography Handmade Christmas Bundle from Thrift Schooling Penguins MEGA Pack from In All You Do |
 |
Prize Package 5 ($297 Minimum Value)Giveaway includes: The FORM Curriculum from Glory to Glory Fitness |
 |
Prize Package 6 ($230 Value)Giveaway includes: An Annual Subscription to all of Your Story Hour stories from Your Story Hour One Year Family Subscription – Happy Typing! from All The Right Type Win a $50 Shopping Spree to Mama Sue’s — Faith, Family, and Fun for Your Home! from Mama Sue’s |
Learn more about each of the 2025 Christmas Giveaway Sponsors:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Want to enter to win? Simply enter by following as many sponsors on the form below, and you’re in it to win it!
You are responsible for reading the Terms and Conditions before entering. Entering this giveaway confirms that you have read and understand the terms.
Be sure to follow my Pinterest board Christmastime Homeschooling for more great hands-on activities and ideas for your Reindeer unit study!
And most importantly, pin this post so you can refer back to it during your Reindeer unit study.
