Joy to the World – Fun Learning Activities for a Christmas Countdown

Hi friends!

Welcome back to our Christmas countdown series here on Printables by Janille – Teaching Fun for Kids! So far, we’ve explored Silent Night, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Silver Bells, Away in a Manger, and Deck the Halls. Today we’re celebrating one of the most joyous carols of all: Joy to the World. This carol is perfect for spreading excitement, and I’ve included crafts, reading lessons, and math activities for Preschool through 6th grade.

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The History of Joy to the World

Joy to the World was written by Isaac Watts in 1719, based on Psalm 98 from the Bible. Watts was inspired to write the song as a hymn celebrating the coming of the Messiah and the joy that Christ brings to the world. The melody we sing today was arranged by Lowell Mason in the 19th century, who adapted it from Handel’s music.

The song became popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in English-speaking countries. It was often sung in homes, churches, and schools to celebrate Christmas. In many cultures, Joy to the World is associated with festive decorations, family gatherings, and the sense of happiness that surrounds the holiday season. In the United States, it became part of the tradition of singing Christmas carols door-to-door, a practice that continues in many places today.

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Craft: Joy Garland

Materials Needed:

• Colored construction paper (red, green, yellow)

• Scissors

• Glue or tape

• Markers or crayons

• String or yarn

Instructions:

1. Cut construction paper into small squares or circles.

2. On each shape, write a word from the song: “Joy,” “World,” “Heaven,” “Sing,” etc.

3. Decorate each shape with markers or crayons.

4. Tape or glue the shapes onto a long piece of string to create a garland.

5. Hang the garland in your home or classroom to celebrate the song.

Worksheet/Visual Idea:

• Provide printable shapes with dotted lines for cutting.

• Include the song words in dotted letters for tracing before decorating.

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Reading & Literacy Lessons

Preschool:

• Trace “Joy to the World” on dotted letters.

• Practice saying “Joy, joy, joy” while clapping or stomping to the rhythm.

Kindergarten:

• Sight words: “joy,” “world,” “sing.” Highlight them on a lyric sheet.

• Read aloud: “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”

1st Grade:

• Phonics focus: Identify “j” in Joy and “w” in World.

• Write the first line neatly on lined paper.

2nd Grade:

• Vocabulary: Define “heaven” and “fields,” and use each in a sentence.

• Draw a picture showing a joyful scene from the song.

3rd Grade:

• Sequencing: Cut out the lines of the first verse and put them in order.

• Writing prompt: “Describe a joyful celebration using 3–4 sentences.”

4th Grade:

• Poetry study: Identify rhymes and rhythm in the verse.

• Rewrite one line in your own words while keeping the meaning.

5th Grade:

• Analyze imagery: How does the song create a feeling of joy? Write a paragraph.

• Compare two recordings of Joy to the World in 2–3 sentences.

6th Grade:

• Historical discussion: Why was this carol written in the 18th century, and why is it still popular today?

• Journal prompt: Imagine a celebration described in the song—write a descriptive paragraph.

Visual/Worksheet Ideas:

• Tracing sheets for Preschool/1st grade

• Lyric sheet with highlighted sight words for Kindergarten

• Sequencing cards and writing prompts for 2nd–6th grades

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Math Lessons – Joy to the World

Preschool (Counting and One-to-One Correspondence)

1. Count 1–5 decorations on your garland.

2. Count 6–10 decorations.

3. How many yellow shapes are on the left side?

4. How many red shapes are on the right side?

5. Point to 3 green shapes and count them.

6. Clap for each shape you see (1–5).

7. Touch each shape and count aloud.

8. Count 5 shapes in a row.

9. Add 2 more shapes to the garland. How many now?

10. Draw 4 shapes and count them.

Kindergarten (Sorting and Tallying)

1. Sort 10 garland shapes into red and green. How many of each?

2. Tally the number of yellow shapes.

3. Tally the number of decorated shapes.

4. Draw 3 groups of shapes and count each group.

5. Count how many red shapes are on top.

6. Count how many green shapes are on bottom.

7. Add the two groups together.

8. Circle all yellow shapes and count them.

9. Draw 5 more shapes and count the total.

10. Color 7 shapes and leave the rest blank.

1st Grade (Addition & Subtraction)

1. 4 + 5 = ___

2. 3 + 6 = ___

3. 7 + 2 = ___

4. 5 + 5 = ___

5. 9 + 1 = ___

6. 10 – 3 = ___

7. 8 – 4 = ___

8. 6 – 2 = ___

9. 7 – 5 = ___

10. 9 – 6 = ___

2nd Grade (Addition, Subtraction, Word Problems)

1. 12 + 5 = ___

2. 15 – 7 = ___

3. There are 10 decorations, 3 are removed. How many remain?

4. 8 + 6 = ___

5. 14 – 9 = ___

6. 7 + 7 = ___

7. 13 – 4 = ___

8. There are 16 shapes, 5 are red. How many are green?

9. 9 + 8 = ___

10. 20 – 6 = ___

3rd Grade (Multiplication & Introduction to Division)

1. 3 × 6 = ___

2. 4 × 5 = ___

3. 6 × 2 = ___

4. 7 × 3 = ___

5. 8 × 2 = ___

6. 12 ÷ 4 = ___

7. 15 ÷ 3 = ___

8. 18 ÷ 6 = ___

9. 9 × 2 = ___

10. 5 × 5 = ___

4th Grade (Division, Multi-Step Word Problems)

1. 24 ÷ 4 = ___

2. 36 ÷ 6 = ___

3. 18 ÷ 3 = ___

4. 48 ÷ 8 = ___

5. 30 ÷ 5 = ___

6. There are 32 decorations for 4 garlands. How many per garland?

7. If 5 decorations fall from 25, how many remain?

8. 60 ÷ 10 = ___

9. A garland has 24 decorations divided into 3 rows. How many per row?

10. 72 ÷ 8 = ___

5th Grade (Word Problems & Multiplication)

1. Each decoration shines 3 times per minute. 8 decorations = ___ shines

2. 5 decorations × 4 garlands each = ___

3. 7 decorations × 6 garlands each = ___

4. 9 decorations × 2 shines each = ___

5. If 12 decorations are used 5 times each, total uses = ___

6. 3 groups of 7 decorations = ___

7. 4 groups of 6 decorations = ___

8. There are 10 decorations × 3 shines each = ___

9. 8 decorations × 7 shines each = ___

10. 15 decorations × 2 garlands each = ___

6th Grade (Fractions, Ratios, Multi-Step Problems)

1. 12 decorations: 3 red, 9 green. Fraction red = ___

2. Ratio red:green = ___

3. 18 decorations: 6 gold, 12 silver. Fraction gold = ___

4. 24 decorations: 8 gold, rest silver. Ratio gold:silver = ___

5. If 3/12 decorations are red, how many are green?

6. 1/4 of 16 decorations = ___

7. 2/3 of 18 decorations = ___

8. If 5 red decorations are added to 10 green, new ratio = ___

9. 12 ÷ 3 = ___ (fraction interpretation)

10. There are 15 decorations, 5 red, 10 green. What fraction are green?

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Wrapping Up

I hope your kids enjoy crafting, reading, and counting along with Joy to the World! Each week in our Christmas countdown series, we’re making learning hands-on, festive, and fun. Stay tuned for the next post, where we’ll explore another beloved Christmas carol with activities for every grade!