Quick & Easy Tips For Your Winter Bulletin Boards

     Do you need some budget-conscious ideas to put a bit of “pop” and “pizzazz” into your winter bulletin boards? Here’s how you can add some flair to your creations. These things are usually deeply discounted after the holidays, just in time to decorate your classroom and hallway!

• Use blue, snowflake-printed wrapping paper to cover the “sky” portion of your January bulletin board when making a winter scene.
• Aluminum foil makes a great “ice rink” on the bottom portion for skaters and penguins.
  
• Use the large sheets of white batting for “snow”. Roll it out and trim so that it looks like various sized hills, then staple them so they slope up and down across the board.
• Many of the other “wintry” or foil wrapping papers make lovely backgrounds too.
• Attach plastic and flocked snowflakes with fish line and dangle them from the ceiling so that they hang just above your board at various lengths.
• Scrunch up lengths of white tissue paper to add a 3-D “snow” border.
• Twirling blue, white, and silver crepe paper and using that as your border, gives a nice pop. Loop it from the ceiling and hang large 3-dimensional tissue paper snowflakes in between.
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• A similar effect can be created with alternating blue and white paper chains as your students practice various colored math patterns.
• Use your students’ cut out-paper snowflakes as your border.  Make them stand out by putting them on a piece of balled-up tissue.
• Using an exact-o knife cut half of the section of your printed cardboard border and bend it outward.  For example, if your border has snowmen in a row on it, cut the right side of the snowman out and fold it over so that it has a 3-dimensional look. 
• Make a “display” above and beside your January bulletin board with paper plate snowman heads.
  
• Dangle these creations from the ceiling and stack some like a totem pole on either side.
  
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• If your students are making snowmen, have them apply dimensional things to their artwork, like tying on a piece of plaid ribbon instead of coloring on a scarf, or gluing on real twigs for arms and using plastic buttons instead of drawing them on.
  
• Glue the carrot nose on like a hinge, so that it pops right off the page!   
• Blue, white and silver curling ribbon added to the corners of your January bulletin board helps and sparkle and depth. Use the ribbon to hang things and then curl and leave dangling to twirl and swirl, to add interest.  
• The use of opalescent glitter on students’ wintery artwork adds a twinkling effect and is fun for children to sprinkle on wet white paint. I use it to add glitz and bling when I write my students’ names on winter projects.  
• Sheets of Styrofoam, cut with a knife, make nice “icebergs” and “igloos” to add dimensional objects to your students’ artic projects.  
• White pom poms and cotton balls, are great “snow balls” for student work too.
  


• Small Styrofoam balls sliced in half and placed in a pile next to a winter poster or on each corner are a cute snowball accent.  
• If you mix equal parts of white Elmer’s glue with non-menthol shaving cream, students have a wonderful “snow frosting” that they can add to any winter artwork! This needs 24 hours to dry, but the puffy affect is outstanding!  Have students apply with a Popsicle stick. 
• And speaking of Popsicle sticks…they make perfect fences, ice skate blades wrapped in aluminum foil, sleds, and the tiny ones are great hat brims for snowmen.  
• Finally, use student work to make the shape of a piece of winter art to decorate a large hallway wall if you don't have a bulletin board.
  
• For example, when displaying student writing, hang it in the shape of a humongous snowflake so that you have papers hung on six intersecting blue yarn lines; if they’ve made paper snow globes, arrange them in one big circular shape on top and use a huge black paper circle cut in half for the base.
  
• Have students write about snow on a white paper circle and then hang the “snowballs” in such a way that they create a huge snowman, or use their cut out-paper snowflakes in the same way.
  
• If your students make penguins, put them in a parade and display them in a row along the bottom of the wall waddling into your room.
  
• Make a "real" igloo on the wall, using recycled foam meat trays.  They are easily cut to make the rounded shape for outside pieces. 
  
• Post smaller artwork on it with tiny pins or have students write the final drafts of their winter poem somewhere on a block of "ice".
• Making winter bulletin boards can be “snow” fun with just a little imagination!  

So What Are You Doing On Party Day? 1-2-3 Come Play Some Classroom Christmas Party Games With Me

Planning games for your Christmas party is no easy task. Young children are still learning the life skill of fair play and tears often happen when they don’t win or they are out of a game. 

I try to head problems off at the pass before they happen. I also like to set the stage ahead of time. I've rarely had a problem.  Here’s the scenario:

“Everyone’s a winner in this class!  OK. If you’re a winner raise your hand! If you want to play some games and have fun raise your hand! If you’re a good sport raise your hand.” "Wonderful.  We are going to play games for the sheer fun of playing games.  Sometimes we win; sometimes we don't; but we can always have a good time when we play together, so no poor sports right?  Great; let’s start the fun!”

Even tho’ it’s party day and we are playing games, I try to keep things geared towards some intellectual activities and report card standards.

I’m also trying to teach all sorts of cooperative life skills such as sportsmanship, waiting their turn, working as a team, showing self-control, having patience etc. so games in themselves are a wonderful way to practice these things.

 SPEED: I start out games with some paper table top and “Speed” games. “I Spy” a number or letter are great for reinforcing letter and number identification.  I run off a “Paper Packet” and staple it.  Students put their name on the cover and wait for directions. 

The I Spy sheet is on the top.  I’ll call on a quiet child to spy a number or letter.  Children spy and trace the called out number/letter and then I’ll call on another child until the paper is complete.  Students select a specific color crayon hold it in the air and I’ll explain the directions for the next page. 

They’ll turn it as soon as I say: “Ready-Set-Snow!”  The first student done raises their hand.  I go over and check their paper, if it’s correct they get a sticker on their paper, and then I explain the next page etc. I have room helpers checking and starring the other student’s work as well.

Click on the link to print a set of speed games.  To make more simply buy a Christmas coloring book and adapt the pages to fit your needs. Christmas Speed Games

 Hot Present: Wrap the cover and bottom of a box in cute wrapping paper.  Fill the box with tiny candy canes. Children sit in a circle. Put on Jazzy Christmas Music like Jingle Bell Rock or something festive.

Have a parent run the boom box . They are not looking at the children.  Children pass the box and when the music stops the person holding the box is out.  So that this is still fun, they dance with the adults on the side line.  The adult playing the music plays it for 5-15 seconds and then hits the pause button.  The last child left gets to take the lid off the box and passes out the candy canes, stickers or whatever little treat you want to put in it.

 What’s Missing? Children sit in a circle. Explain to them that they must not peek and that peeking is cheating and that is not honest and that if they’re caught they will not get to play. Ahead of time gather some things that are Christmas related.  I have a jingle bell, candy cane, ball ornament, gingerbread man, Christmas cookie,  tiny wreath, tiny stocking,  Santa (ornament), sleigh (ornament),  tiny Christmas tree.  I got most of the miniature things I was looking for in the miniature ornament section at Hobby Lobby. Start out with 5 things.

Put them in the middle of the carpet in a circle. Say them in order: bell, candy cane, ornament, gingerbread, cookie. Tell the children to close their eyes as tight as they can.  Have parents check. Cover the things with a tag board circle, slip your hand under the circle and take one of the objects out. Say “OK open your eyes.” Then remove the circle. The first one to yell out what’s missing is the winner.  Replace the object and add another one. Say them in the exact order again adding the new object.  Play as before and then add another object until you have added all ten objects.  My students absolutely LOVE this game.  I play it for every season.

 Shapely Presents: This is my Christmas version of “Four Corners” Cut out a triangle, rectangle, circle and square from tag board. Wrap them in Christmas foil wrap or aluminum foil and put a bow in the middle.  Hang the presents  from the ceiling so that they dangle from each corner of your room.

Choose a child to be Santa to start. Cover Santa’s eyes. The rest of the children (elves) scurry around and must end up in a shapely package corner before you and Santa blast off in your sleigh counting backwards from 10-0.  Any elf not getting into a corner or who is caught moving and has not frozen when Santa has blasted off and yelled “Freeze!” is out of the game and must sit on the carpet by teacher who is covering Santa’s eyes. Santa’s eyes are covered and he chooses a package to be delivered to the North Pole with those elves who will load those shaped presents on the sleigh. He chooses a rectangle.  

"OK all those elves in the rectangle package corner are out and sit on the carpet. They help Santa blast off by counting with him." The first Santa gets to join the “free” elves. Teacher chooses a new Santa from the “Out elves” and play continues ‘til only one elf is left and is the winner.  My students also LOVE LOVE LOVE this game so I change it for every holiday.  It's a wonderful way for them to get the wiggles out too!

 Christmas Card Pick Up: Ask friends, relatives and parents of your students to save Christmas cards for you. Cut off the covers and then scatter them all over the floor.  Have your students tip toe around them as they come in from recess.  On your signal of “Ready-Set-Snow!” they scoot around gathering cards. As soon as they are all picked up have them make a circle and count their cards.  The one with the most cards is the winner. Who had the next most?

You can also cut the cards in half and have them put the cards together.  If they don't have the match they can "steal" it from a friend who has the other half. The one who spotted the missing half first, gets the card.

 Christmas Card Puzzle Dice Game: I laminate a class set of Christmas cards and cut them into 1/6ths giving each piece a number, making them into puzzles.  Children choose a partner and roll a dice; whatever number they roll they put that numbered card down eventually putting their Christmas card puzzle together.

Where’s Santa’s Hat: While my students are out at recess I hide a Santa hat.  When they come in I tell them to go look for it.  I make it a bit difficult and then I’ll give them “Hot” and “Cold” clues. i.e., “Jenna is ice cold, but Conrad is red hot.” So they know what part of the room they should be in.

 Guess-timation Station: On party day I’ll have several “Guess how many?" In our “Guess-timation Station math area.  How many “snowballs” in the box? These are cotton balls.  How many Rudolph noses in the baby food jar? (Red pom poms?) and how many peppermints in the candy tin? The first two are worth prizes the 3^rd winner of the candy tin, gets to take the tin of peppermints home. Children write their name and guesses on the entry form. At the end of the day I announce the answers and winners.

Reindeer Pokey: To get the wiggles out before game time and get everyone giggling. We do the Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Pokey.  We put our red noses in, also our hooves, antlers and our wagging tails; and that’s what it’s all about! 

 All I Want For Christmas ABC’s: Children sit in a circle. I start them out. All I want for Christmas is an A-Airplane.  The next child says B-Bear or whatever, the next child says, C-Crayons.    If you really want to make it hard, especially if you have older children, they have to repeat the letters that came before and then add theirs.

 Remember Doggy Doggy Where’s Your Bone? You can play this with a PRESENT and play "Kelli Kelli where’s your present?" Or with a HAT and play "Santa, Santa where’s your hat?" or with a red ball, clown nose, or red pom pom and play "Rudolph, Rudolph where’s your nose?"  Anyway, the game is played with your students sitting in a circle.  Put a chair in the middle with the present, hat, or nose under the chair.  A child is chosen to sit in the chair and cover their eyes. 

Teacher points to a child to QUIETLY take the object under the chair.  Everyone puts their hands behind their back and teacher says "OK you can peek."“ _________,  _____________ where’s your _________?” The rest of the children chant. Fill in the blanks with whatever game you decide to play.

 Pin The... Nose on Rudolph, Pin the Hat on Santa, Pin the Star on the Christmas Tree. You decide and then make whatever it is that you’ve decided upon. For me Rudolph was the easiest. I bought a placemat with a reindeer on it.  You could also make one out of construction paper. I wrote each child’s name on a red sticker dot (Rudoph's nose). 

Students got into two lines. My room-mommy/daddy helpers gave the child their “nose”, covered their eyes with their hands, and walked them over to the placemat that another mom was holding up to their level.  They stuck it on. There was no need to twirl them around; they could barely walk straight as it was.  The name on the dot allowed me to see who was closest at the end of the game. The rest of the children sat on the floor until their name was called via the mom holding the noses.

Who is Santa? Children are sitting in a circle. Tell students they will either get a turn to be Rudolph or Santa. Assign a mom to keep track, so that everyone gets a turn. You choose a child to be Rudolph. They go out of the room into the hallway, with an adult helper. Choose a Santa.  Most children do not know how to wink so before hand, find out who can wink and make those Santa’s if not enough with this skill, then tell them that they can blink twice hard and then you demonstrate. Inform the children that they must make eye contact and be paying attention. 

How to play the game: When Santa winks/blinks at you, you say “Ho-Ho-Ho.” As soon as someone says that, Rudolph guesses who Santa is.  Santa winks/blinks two more times. Rudolph has 2 more guesses or one minute to figure out who Santa is by trying to catch him wink-blinking.

 What Elf is Missing? Children are sitting in a circle. Put a chair in a section of the circle. Tell children that they will either get a turn to be Santa OR an Elf.  Assign a parent to keep track, so that everyone gets a turn. Send Santa out in the hallway with a parent. 

Choose an elf to sit in the chair and cover them with a sheet and put a bow on top of the sheet.  Santa comes in.  Remind the children not to say anything or they will not get their turn.  Children ask. “Santa which of your elves is gone?” Santa has 1 minute to look around the room to see who is missing, and then guess that child's name.  When everyone has had a turn teacher should take a turn. You’ll be surprised at the results.  Every year, my little Y5 elves did not realize I was missing!

Play Santa Says Instead of Simon Says.

Who Am I? Write a Christmas character’s name on an index card and pin it to the back of each child.  They have all day to ask yes and no questions of anyone to see if they can guess who they are. When they guess they get a sticker on their index card.   Ideas for characters: Rudolph, The gingerbread man, The Grinch, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Frosty the Snowman, The Little Engine That Could (Tillie was a Christmas Train) Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, (A partridge in a pear tree or any of the other 12 days of Christmas things). A Shepherd, one of the 3 Wise Men etc.

Gingerbread Bowling: Save 10 water bottles and cut out brown construction paper gingerbread men.  Tape them on the front of the bottles.  Set them up in a triangle so they look like the pins in a bowling alley.  Give each child 2 chances to bowl down as many gingerbread pins as they can with 2 large Styrofoam "snowballs".

 What ever games you decide on, I hope you have a jolly holly time filled with giggles galore!  The next article is all about  Relay Races and Team Games that promote cooperation! Scroll down to read it!  Thanks for visiting.  Wishing you a very merry day.

1-2-3 Come Make Some Shaving Cream Stuff With Me!

If you haven't heard of using shaving cream in the classroom yet, you and your students are missing out on a lot of fun.  Yes, it's a little bit messy, but oh the joy of hands-on learning. 

Clear the work tables, or student desks and have children don a paint shirt.  Shake up a can of shaving cream (they sell a variety at The Dollar store) and squirt a few big dollops in front of each child. 

Tell them to smooth it out to make their very own "whiteboard!"  Using their index finger as a "pencil" have students write letters, numbers, or draw shapes.  This is a super-fun way to whole group assess. 

As you call out each letter, number,  shape or whatever, students draw that on their board.  When you've checked everyone's work by simply a glance, have them "erase" their board by smoothing it over, so you can call out something else for them to write/draw.  After you review, give your students one last dollop for them to write their name or draw whatever they like.

An extra bonus is that the shaving cream takes off sticky glue residue, as well as crayon and ink marks.  Depending on the fragrance you chose, your room should smell simply wonderful.  The cream also makes your kiddo's hands feel smooth and soft.  Take a teachable moment to talk about friction, as students rub the table top or their desk. The shaving cream will disappear, and their hands will feel warm. 

Shaving cream is also an excellent "frosting" or "snow" for winter craftivities.  The results pack a huge "Wow!" affect and were some of my students' favorite artwork.  They make an outstanding decoration for your hallway, but hang them above any one's reach, so little fingers aren't tempted to poke the fluffy "snow." To make the "snow frosting," mix equal parts of Elmer's glue to non-menthol shaving cream; mix quickly to whip up a frothy-goopy consistancy. 

Students take spoonfuls, plop them on their project and then smooth with a Popsicle stick.  Shaving cream craftivities need at least 24-48 hours to dry, depending on how thick the artwork is.  Here are 2 of my all-time favorite shaving cream creations.

 Shaving Cream Frosted Cookies Ornament: I have my students cut their cookie out of light brown paper, frost it, and then add their photo to the middle.  

If you have an Ellison Die Cutter at your disposal these cookies are adorable cut into your student's initials. Add a few real candy sprinkles and these honestly look so real, and good enough to eat!    Frosted Cookie Ornament pattern

By far, my favorite craft that I ever made with my Y5's was the shaving cream snowman.  I hung my students snowmen as a border, just under the ceiling in the hallway.  We always got zillions of compliments and everyone wanted to know the secret of the awesome looking snow!

Before hand my students drew their snowman on a pre-cut piece of tag board.  Little ones have a tendency to either draw way too small or way too large, so demonstrate drawing 2 simple circles “just the right size.”  For really little ones, I suggest having these pre-drawn and have included a template for you.  Make sure students have written their name in the corner of their creation.

I collected a large tub of  pieces and parts to decorate the snowmen via a note home making a request,  searching my house, taking apart jewelry and going junking.

Put several scoops of “stuff” in paper bowls and set 2 on each table. Give students 5-10 minutes to pick out 2 eyes, 1 nose, something for a mouth and 3-5 items for their snowman's buttons.

It’s very important to have children design their snowman BEFORE you give them a dollop of shaving cream, because they need to work rather quickly spreading their “snow” with a popsicle stick.  It’s helpful if they arrange their parts on the side, so that they don’t forget what they chose for each feature.  They get so excited when they get the “goop” that they sometimes forgot and this really helped in the past.

I also did the shaving cream board, discussed above a day or two before.  This really helped to avoid children's curiosity of how shaving cream felt and they got down to the business of creating a snowman, instead of getting off task and simply playing with the shaving cream. 

Mix up a huge bowl of “fluff” and use a wooden spoon to give each student enough dollops so they can “frost” their snowman.  I also demonstrate how this is done.  When they are satisfied with the results they gently plop their pieces in the appropriate places. 

Remember to remove the bowls of decorations before you give them the frosting to avoid children taking more and putting it all over their snowman, instead of making it look like a snowman.  After they have completed decorating, set aside in a designated "keep out!" drying area. 

You will need at least 24-48 hours of dry time.  When you return to school they should have dried and really “puffed” up!  They look simply amazing!   Click on the link to view/download the Shaving Cream Snowman “craftivity.”  I hope you have a delightful time with these ideas.  If you take pictures, I'd LOVE to hear from you and see your "mess-terpieces!" diane@teachwithme.com

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  To check out all of the creative-educational things I spend way too much time pinning, click on the big heart to the right of the blog.  I have lots of winter boards.  I blog and design daily, so I hope you can pop in tomorrow for even more FREEBIES.

"If you don't mind smelling like peanut butter for several days, peanut butter makes good shaving cream!" -Barry Goldwater

     Quick And Easy Gifts For Your Students/Children To Make

With Tips On How To Go About It

     December’s quite a whirl wind month and it’s easy to be swept along in the Christmas excitement of children.  One can almost feel the energy in the air; it’s invigorating if you let it!

     So that I’m not overwhelmed with a zillion things to do, I incorporate the “making of gifts” as center activities instead of “extra” activities.  There’s also enough expense on the home front so I try to keep things on a low-budget scale in the classroom.  I do this in several ways:

• I shop for bargains after the holidays and during Christmas in July.  Garage sales and flea markets are also a plethora of “good stuff”. I Stock up on the things that I’ll need for the upcoming season at a fraction of the cost, and then store it for next year.  So that I don’t forget, I make a list of things that I’m out of as I pack up my December units and then hang that list inside my kitchen cupboard.  I also make a list of what I do have.
• Because I change things up each year and do so many different things, I jot down what worked and what I’ll be doing again.   I take a photo of finished projects and bulletin boards so that I know how the finished projects look and file a sample along with each of the masters.
• I’ve also found that parents are more than willing to help contribute ingredients for things, or send in an “extra” for another child that didn’t bring something, so don’t be afraid to ask and send a letter home.  This took me years to learn, until kind room mom’s prompted and assured me that it was OK to do so.  To alleviate this “last minute” asking, you can always let parents know way in advance via a list of necessities in your student handbook, monthly calendar, newsletter, or “sign up to donate things” that you display at open house and conferences. One parent also shared with me that because she works and leads a very hectic life with 5 children, she’d just as soon send in several dollars and have me pick up whatever her child needs.  When I discussed this with other parents it was pretty unanimous that all of them were happy to oblige when it came to sending in T-shirts, socks, a potholder or whatever. They’d much rather send in a few dollars than run around town trying to find something on a list and risk that it wasn’t correct.
• I’ve long since given up having everyone bring in a magazine, can, jar, Kleenex box, toilet paper, or paper towel roll on the due date. I simply have boxes in my basement and save them all year.
• Finally, the crafts I do use pretty standard supplies and I have most of them in my classroom.  I also have a “Could Use-Please Donate:” Section in my newsletter and I list things that we run low on such as wiggle eyes, pipe cleaners,  etc. Several of my teacher friends post a turkey with thankful feathers, or a Christmas tree with thankful balls with things their classroom needs for December outside their door during November conferences. They say this is extremely helpful to get them through a busy craft month.

Keepsake Potholder Christmas Gift For Mom: Ever since my daughter Kelli lovingly presented me with her handmade one years ago; I vowed that this would be a standard “have-to-do” on my make-it/take-it craft list.  It’s one of my all-time favorite gifts that she ever made me and it’s launched hundred’s of cute little handprints into other mommy’s hearts. Potholder Christmas Gift

Christmas Cookie Cookbook: Wrap the potholder along with a class-made cook book and a cute paper gingerbread ornament with their little darling’s face on it (See December bulletin board ideas-Gingerbread men.) and you have a “Wow!” gift that any mom will love. If you'd like to teach a Gingerbread Unit, or do more Gingerbread Art & Activities click on the links for all sorts of wonderful ideas. Christmas Cookie Class Cookbook.

Plaster Pins: Did you know that you can use chocolate molds to make plaster pins?  They pop out perfectly and can easily be painted by the youngest child and still look quite fantastic.  There’s a huge variety out there and they start at only a dollar!  Children can make these as another gift for mommy, or something for grandma as most grandparents will be popping over for the holidays. The one in the photo is painted with metallic lavender paint.   The metallic paints are wonderful to use because they not only have a shimmery luster, they also have a gloss finish.   Plaster pins Christmas gift 

Christmas Gift For Dads: A heat-filled "Soothing Sock": It’s easy to make a present for mommy, so often times daddies are left out.  Not in my class; and this is a proven winner.  Fill a tube sock with rice and cinnamon-clove Christmas potpourri, attach a note and you’re set. What could be easier than that?  Click on the link to view/print directions and pattern for how to make a "soothing sock" filled with rice for dad. . Christmas gift for dads.

Bun Warmers or Trivet Christmas Gift: These too are wonderful keepsakes. You can put a handprint on them, or use any kind of rubber stamp.  Children put the paint on with a sponge brush and then they pat, not brush the paint on the stamp; one hard press and you have a very professional looking picture.  So that it doesn’t scrape off, I take the tiles outside and spray them with clear-gloss varnish.

I choose a Christmas tree and the children decorate it with different colored balls using a Q-tip.  If you heat the tile in the microwave for 30-seconds it will get hot.  Tuck it in your basket of rolls under the napkin to keep them warm, or use your tile as a trivet.  This too is an inexpensive gift as you can pick discounted tiles up for as little as 29¢   Watch for them at garage sales at new homes.  Small tiles (4x4) are perfect for little hands, but I got an entire box full of 5x8 tiles for only $1.00 and we simply used a bigger tree stamp.  You could also use more than one stamp on the tile too.

Gingerbread Banner Christmas Gift: This is the same paint-stamping concept as above.  Go to a wallpaper store and ask them if you could have one of their discontinued fabric-looking wallpaper books. Then tear the neutral pages out and cut the bottom edges off using  pinking shears.  These stores also have fabric swatch books that make perfect banners.  Most stores will give them to teachers for free if you ask, and tell them that you’re a teacher.  I’ve only had to pay $1 or $2 in one store and it was well worth it to get such perfect backgrounds for my banner projects. 

These too look so neat and professional because “paint stamping” is very easy for even the youngest child to do.  I punch a hole in the top of this banner and use a pipe cleaner twisted into a circular shape so parents can hang it on a doorknob.  I've also glued a Popsicle stick to the top and knotted yarn to either end for hanging.

Puzzle Frame: When you lose puzzle pieces from puzzles in your class, don’t dismay: keep them for crafts! You can also pick up 100-piece puzzles at The Dollar Store, or at garage sales for as little as a quarter.  Simply glue them to a Popsicle stick frame and you have a darling keepsake for any member of the family.  If you don’t want to take pictures of your students, send a note home asking parents to send in a family photo for this project.  Make sure to tell them that it will be used in a craft and they will not be getting it back in the same form they sent it. Puzzle Frame Christmas Gift

Secondary-Color Study Wreath: Even though we are doing crafts and making gifts, all of these in some way or another are linked to my report card standards.  We are counting, measuring, reviewing shapes, comparing, writing, etc.  If you ever need clarification on that, just drop me an e-mail and I’ll send you the specifics.  The wreath is a mini science study of colors.  Your students will get so excited when yellow and blue change right before their eyes.  Mine squeal: “Mrs. Henderson come quick! It’s green. It’s green!”  It’s a bit messy, but they have so much fun, and works as a wonderful math equation of yellow + blue= green.  Just by doing this simple and fun project they remember that little bit of science because it was so “hands-on” (pardon the pun)!  Keepsake Wreath Christmas Gift

Don’t Open It Magnet: Is your fridge covered with magnets? Mine too! A warm feeling seems to flow through you when you glance at a child’s photo or work of art as you fly through your busy day.  That’s exactly what I want this little magnet to do, “So don’t  open it…there’s nothing but love inside.” Magnet Christmas Gift

Glass Pin Christmas Gift:  If you didn't want to mess with the plaster above, and still wanted to make a pin, you could make a flat-backed clear glass stone pin.  These too are easy and inexpensive.  Most craft stores sell these flat "marbles" that are used in floral arrangements or put in vases for wedding centerpieces.  They usually sell for $1.99 a bag at Hobby Lobby, but this department and product are always on sale for 50% off, so watch for sales.   Brush Elmer's glue or spray adhesive to the back of the stone and press on your cut out picture, add a piece of tag board so that the glue from the pin doesn't bleed through, and then glue a pin to the back and you are done.  You can use a child's school photo, pictures from wrapping paper, etc.  I designed labels with 3 Winnie the Pooh pictures in a row and printed them off.  I cut the labels into 1/3's so that each child had a Pooh head to glue on their glass pin.  Before hand they stuck the sticker on a circular piece of tag board and then glued it to the back of the glass, and then glued on a pin. 

"There's an Angel In The Kitchen" Towel:  I've been making these for over 20 years!   I designed them a very long time ago as thank you gifts for people who were angels in my life, and later sold them in my Victorian gift shop, Hastings House.  They were always a huge hit.   They make the perfect gift for those special volunteers who make your life easier by helping out in your classroom, but are easy enough to make if you want to do this as a class gift for your little ones to make.   Simply send the letter home so that your students bring in the towel and 2 dishcloths; you provide the ribbon and poem  I have poems for a parent, grandparent and volunteer helper. Angel in the Kitchen towel Christmas gift 

Chocolate Spoons: This was another "hot seller" in my store.  They came in a zillion different flavors.  My daughter's favorites were Irish Cream, and Raspberry Amaretto.  It only seemed natural that I would whip up a batch for my Y5's to help "dunk" , wrap and take home as a sweet treat for their loved ones.  I do this on our Reindeer Theme Day when my students are counting red-hot Rudolph noses! We tuck a package of those in with our chocolate spoon.  This is really simple, lots of fun for little ones, and a pleasurable gift for anyone on the list! Chocolate Spoon Christmas gift

Angel Toilet Paper Roll Christmas Note Holder: I save toilet paper rolls all year so it's not a big deal to whip these little angels together with my students.  Gather a bit of aluminum foil, some scraps of construction paper and ribbon, 2 coffee filters, and a child's photograph + a pair of scissors and a glue stick and you're ready to make this cute keepsake.  Besides being a table decoration you can hot glue a spring clothespin to the back and she becomes a note or recipe card holder.  Angel Christmas Gift

These are a few of my easy-breezy favorites.  I could go on and on, but that's what next year's for...I hope you got an idea or two here that will help you sail through the gift-giving dilemma of what on earth to do for a project this year!  As always if you have something fun that you do with your children I'd love to hear from you. diane@teachwithme.com  Sharing is caring and isn't that a big part of what Christmas is all about?

Click here for all of the projects directions and patterns + the article. All Christmas Gifts 

And if you'd like to tuck a "Merry Christmas!" note in with a gift to your students, click on the link for a nice selection, including some bookmarks, a slap bracelet and even a skill sheet for your students to practice writing Merry Christmas!

Happy Merry Making!