Why do people around the world celebrate the same season in such different ways?
Discover the deeper meaning behind holiday traditions with this educational EPCOT Festival of the Holidays adventure!
Designed for ages 5–17, this printable, place-based learning activity transforms EPCOT into an interactive classroom where children explore world cultures, storytelling, agriculture, science, and the ways people celebrate and connect.
This isn't your typical holiday scavenger hunt.
Rather than simply searching for decorations or checking items off a list, students investigate big questions, observe their surroundings, compare cultural traditions, and develop thoughtful conclusions based on their experiences.
Available in three developmentally differentiated versions, the activity encourages learners of different ages to explore the same central ideas at increasingly sophisticated levels.
Ages 5–9: Observe, Wonder & Discover
Younger learners use age-appropriate questions, observations, and creative expression to explore what holiday traditions reveal about different communities.
Ages 9–12: Compare, Connect & Explain
Upper elementary and middle school students investigate similarities and differences, interpret cultural traditions, and explain the connections between their observations.
Ages 12–17: Analyze, Evaluate & Reflect
Older students consider the deeper purposes of traditions, examine how culture shapes celebrations, and support their conclusions with evidence from their EPCOT experiences.
Each version is designed to encourage meaningful engagement while meeting students at an appropriate developmental level.
Spaceship Earth — Communication & Human Connection
Living with the Land — Agriculture & Holiday Traditions
World Showcase — Holiday Traditions Around the World
Final Reflection — Bringing the Learning Together
Students return to the central question and use what they've discovered to create a meaningful response.
Younger learners express their understanding through art and reflection, while older students develop increasingly thoughtful, evidence-based conclusions.
Three age-differentiated educational activity versions
Ages 5–9, 9–12, and 12–17
Central inquiry question connecting the learning experience
Spaceship Earth critical-thinking activity
Living with the Land observation and analysis
World Showcase holiday presentation activities
Cultural comparison and reflection questions
Final synthesis activity
Printable six-panel trifold brochure format
Finding something is only the beginning. Understanding why it matters is where learning happens.
Traditional scavenger hunts often encourage children to identify objects, locate details, or complete a checklist.
This activity goes further.
Through guided inquiry and place-based learning, students investigate meaningful questions about culture, communication, nature, and the traditions that connect communities.
The questions encourage children to move beyond observation toward comparison, analysis, evaluation, and creative thinking.
By experiencing the concepts they're studying, learners can make connections that extend far beyond the classroom.
Homeschool families visiting EPCOT during Festival of the Holidays
Children and teens ages 5–17
World cultures and holiday traditions studies
Critical thinking and inquiry-based learning
Place-based education
Interdisciplinary science and social studies
Educational Disney World vacations
Families seeking something more meaningful than a traditional scavenger hunt
Recommended Ages: 5–17, with three differentiated versions
Subjects: World Cultures, Social Studies, Science, Communication, Critical Thinking
Featured Locations: Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, and World Showcase
Format: Printable PDF digital download
Printing: Double-sided six-panel trifold brochures
Delivery: Digital download; no physical product will be shipped.
Park Admission: EPCOT admission is required to complete the in-park activities. Holiday presentation availability is subject to Disney's event schedule.
Each trifold is designed to print double-sided on one sheet of paper and fold into thirds to create a portable six-panel brochure.
Print using landscape orientation, select double-sided printing, and test your printer's flip-edge setting to ensure both sides are correctly aligned.
For printers without automatic double-sided printing, print one side, reinsert the page, and print the reverse. Paper orientation may vary by printer.
Select the brochure appropriate for your student's age and bring it along as you explore EPCOT!
© 2026 Wander Learning Co. All rights reserved. For personal or single-classroom use only. Reproduction, redistribution, resale, or public posting is prohibited without written permission.
This independently created educational resource is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney World, or EPCOT.
Why do people around the world celebrate the same season in such different ways?
Discover the deeper meaning behind holiday traditions with this educational EPCOT Festival of the Holidays adventure!
Designed for ages 5–17, this printable, place-based learning activity transforms EPCOT into an interactive classroom where children explore world cultures, storytelling, agriculture, science, and the ways people celebrate and connect.
This isn't your typical holiday scavenger hunt.
Rather than simply searching for decorations or checking items off a list, students investigate big questions, observe their surroundings, compare cultural traditions, and develop thoughtful conclusions based on their experiences.
Available in three developmentally differentiated versions, the activity encourages learners of different ages to explore the same central ideas at increasingly sophisticated levels.
Ages 5–9: Observe, Wonder & Discover
Younger learners use age-appropriate questions, observations, and creative expression to explore what holiday traditions reveal about different communities.
Ages 9–12: Compare, Connect & Explain
Upper elementary and middle school students investigate similarities and differences, interpret cultural traditions, and explain the connections between their observations.
Ages 12–17: Analyze, Evaluate & Reflect
Older students consider the deeper purposes of traditions, examine how culture shapes celebrations, and support their conclusions with evidence from their EPCOT experiences.
Each version is designed to encourage meaningful engagement while meeting students at an appropriate developmental level.
Spaceship Earth — Communication & Human Connection
Living with the Land — Agriculture & Holiday Traditions
World Showcase — Holiday Traditions Around the World
Final Reflection — Bringing the Learning Together
Students return to the central question and use what they've discovered to create a meaningful response.
Younger learners express their understanding through art and reflection, while older students develop increasingly thoughtful, evidence-based conclusions.
Three age-differentiated educational activity versions
Ages 5–9, 9–12, and 12–17
Central inquiry question connecting the learning experience
Spaceship Earth critical-thinking activity
Living with the Land observation and analysis
World Showcase holiday presentation activities
Cultural comparison and reflection questions
Final synthesis activity
Printable six-panel trifold brochure format
Finding something is only the beginning. Understanding why it matters is where learning happens.
Traditional scavenger hunts often encourage children to identify objects, locate details, or complete a checklist.
This activity goes further.
Through guided inquiry and place-based learning, students investigate meaningful questions about culture, communication, nature, and the traditions that connect communities.
The questions encourage children to move beyond observation toward comparison, analysis, evaluation, and creative thinking.
By experiencing the concepts they're studying, learners can make connections that extend far beyond the classroom.
Homeschool families visiting EPCOT during Festival of the Holidays
Children and teens ages 5–17
World cultures and holiday traditions studies
Critical thinking and inquiry-based learning
Place-based education
Interdisciplinary science and social studies
Educational Disney World vacations
Families seeking something more meaningful than a traditional scavenger hunt
Recommended Ages: 5–17, with three differentiated versions
Subjects: World Cultures, Social Studies, Science, Communication, Critical Thinking
Featured Locations: Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, and World Showcase
Format: Printable PDF digital download
Printing: Double-sided six-panel trifold brochures
Delivery: Digital download; no physical product will be shipped.
Park Admission: EPCOT admission is required to complete the in-park activities. Holiday presentation availability is subject to Disney's event schedule.
Each trifold is designed to print double-sided on one sheet of paper and fold into thirds to create a portable six-panel brochure.
Print using landscape orientation, select double-sided printing, and test your printer's flip-edge setting to ensure both sides are correctly aligned.
For printers without automatic double-sided printing, print one side, reinsert the page, and print the reverse. Paper orientation may vary by printer.
Select the brochure appropriate for your student's age and bring it along as you explore EPCOT!
© 2026 Wander Learning Co. All rights reserved. For personal or single-classroom use only. Reproduction, redistribution, resale, or public posting is prohibited without written permission.
This independently created educational resource is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney World, or EPCOT.
