Make a Yarn Word for Your Tree or Home

 

Christmas Would You Rather

 

The Ultimate Christmas Tree Craft to Keep the Kids Busy This Holiday Season

 

Santa and His Reindeer

 

What is Your Reindeer Name?

 

Snowman Listening Activity

Initially, I drew the snowmen (3 circles) and numbered them on a sheet of legal paper, then ran off copies for the classroom.

Here are the directions:

1. give him glasses and a surfboard (or skateboard)
2. he's very cold - he needs a scarf, hat, and shoes
3. make him patriotic - red, white, and blue
4. make him a Christmas tree, including ornaments and a star on top
5. make him a mouse
6. make him Santa
7. make him look like a regular snowman, including twig arms, a top hat, and carrot nose
8. make him a sign pointing to the North Pole

You can easily adapt this to fit more winter-themed activities. 

Christmas Activity - Santa and "Santa Pie"

Take a cheap paper plate and cut into quarters. Color the natural curve that was the center of the plate, add cotton balls at the top, and along the bottom edge for the beard and hat topper. A pair of googly eyes and a small red pompom for the nose, and you have Santa!

When my students put their Santas on the table to dry, they placed them back into circles and called them Santa Pie, LOL!

Christmas Goodie Bags - A Wildly Successful Experiment!

Every year, as per school "custom", we have the children do a book exchange for their presents under the tree. Similarly, we teachers give each child a coloring book and small pack of crayons. And, as it's been every year, there are students who don't bring a book to trade out, (which left me to go to my emergency stash to wrap one), or some parents go whole hog and buy these elaborate, expensive books (despite the "no more than $5" requirement). Which means some kids have a great present to show off, while others may only have a slender board book from the dollar store.

This year, my compadres came up with another idea that they got from fellow teachers at other schools. It's called Secret Elves, and here's how it works.

The following letter is sent to all parents:

Dear Parents,

During the last week of school before Christmas vacation, our class will be participating in Secret Elves. Your child will be assigned one day to be a Secret Elf and bring a special treat for their classmates. There are 24 students in our class, so be sure that if you're buying items by the package, there will be enough to go around. Please see the calendar below for your child's Secret Elf day.

Some suggestions: 

* Christmas pencil

* small ornament

* playing cards

* candy (no hard candy)

* small toy (look in party aisle)

* small book

* bouncy ball

* key chain

* spin tops

* baked treats - individually wrapped, like Rice Krispy bar, brownies, etc.

* erasers

* small Frisbees

* toy rings, necklaces, or bracelets

* plastic bugs, animals, etc.

* plastic holiday cups

* holiday straws

* spring pop-up toy - Santa, Reindeer, etc.

* parachute toy

* holiday temporary tattoos

* stickers

* holiday whistle

* mini bubbles

* small activity book or notebook

Thank you for all your help!

Then below that, we placed names inside a calendar square. Prior to each child's day, we sent them home with reminder wristlets. To prepare for the stash of goodies, each child got a white paper sack to decorate. As the goodies came in, we distributed the items. The students grew more and more excited as the bags got fuller. By the last day of school, they were crammed to the top. (These are a couple of bags that were accidentally left behind.)

We followed our usual routine the last day. But instead of having snack time, that's when we had our party. But we didn't get to open our bags. (Imagine 24 little kids spreading out all of it on their tables!) Instead, they were given their bags as they left, their eyes bugging out of their heads as they clutched their heavy sacks.

No child got more than another. No child got "better" than another. And for the couple of children who didn't bring anything, I didn't have to substitute something to make up for the lack.

After talking to the other teachers, we decided this experiment had been a wildly successful attempt. We plan to do it again next year, and the next, and the next...

Here's hoping your Christmas party was also a rousing good time!

Another Quick and Easy Christmas Activity - Santa, Please Fill My Stocking (pattern included!)

Short and sweet, the children get to color their stocking however they want. Then they can either draw what they want Santa to put into their stocking (or, in our case, they found a picture in a catalog), and glued it on. Add some cotton balls for the fluffy cuff, and you have a hangable work of art. (For those students with good scissor skills, they can cut out the stocking before working on it.)  Click here for a PDF copy of the pattern.