RULES FOR 2021

As you think about New Year's Resolutions, reviewing class rules when school begins again might be at the top of your list. Here's a repeat of "The Rules of the Virtual Classroom" and "The Rules of the (Traditional) Classroom" to get 2021 started in a positive way.


THE RULES OF THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
Chorus:
The rules, the rules of the virtual classroom.
The rules, the rules of the virtual classroom.

Get ready and have your supplies.
Get ready and have your supplies.
Chorus

Sit, sit up straight in your chair.
Sit, sit up straight in your chair.
Chorus

Look, listen, and you will learn.
Look, listen, and you will learn.
Chorus

Sing, dance, and make new friends.
Sing, dance, and make new friends.
Chorus

https://bit.ly/drjeanVirtualRR

THE RULES OF THE CLASSROOM
(Children repeat each line.)
Chorus:The rules, the rules of the classroom.
The rules, the rules of the classroom.

Wear, wear, wear a mask.
Wear, wear, wear a mask.
Chorus

Wash, wash, wash your hands.
Wash, wash, wash your hands.
Chorus

Stay six feet apart.
Stay six feet apart.
Chorus

Look, listen, and you will learn.
Look, listen, and you will learn.
Chorus

https://bit.ly/drjeanSafeRR

Our Class Rules

Ask children to think of other rules that they think would be good for 2021.  Encourage them to illustrate their rules and then put their pictures together to make a class book.

RING IN 2021

Ring in the New Year (Tune: “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”)
Let’s all do a little ringing, (Shake hands as if ringing bells.)
Let’s all do a little ringing,
Let’s all do a little ringing
It’s a Happy New Year!

Let’s all do a little clapping… (Clap hands.)

Let’s all do a little dancing… (Dance around.)

Let’s all do a little smiling… (Smile.)

When is your birthday?

When is your birthday?

When is your birthday?

Stand up and cheer.

(Say months of the year.)

January, February, March…

(Children stand up on their birthday month.)

Let’s all be a little kinder…  (Pat friends on the back.)

For a Happy New Year!

*Download this book at drjean.org.

Funky Feet in 2021
Step into the new year with this idea.  All you'll need is some funky duct tape.  Each day write some information you want to reinforce on a sheet of heavy paper and tape it to the floor with the funky tape by the classroom door.  Children repeat the information each time as they go in and out the door.  For example:

Letters - children say the letter and something that starts with the sound
Math facts - children say the answer
Sight words - children read the word
*Hint!  You could also make letters, numbers, or shapes on the floor with the duct tape.
                                          

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Make a brochure by folding a piece of paper into thirds.   Label the sections “Yesterday”…”Today…”Tomorrow…”  Children draw what they were like when they were little (babies or toddlers), what they look like now, and what they will be like when they are grown-up.

*You could also let children make a time line of their lives.  

New Year's Resolutions Flip Book

What is a New Year's resolution?  Why do people make resolutions?  

Make a flip book by folding a sheet of paper in half lengthwise.  Fold in half.  Fold in half again.  Open.  Cut halfway to the center fold as shown.  Write the numerals "2021" on the flips.  Children open each one and write (or draw) a goal for the New Year. 

Soaring in 2021 - Let children draw (or write) goals for the New Year on a blank sheet of paper.  Fold the paper into an airplane.  Children state their goal and then fly their plane across the room (or outside).

LET IT SNOW!

Here are some other creative January ideas for art, games, and centers.

Note!  Although you might not be able to do some of these because of Covid, you can share the activities with your families.

Snow Flakes 

Let children fold coffee filters in half, then fourths and eighths.  Cut little “bites” out of the folded edges.  Open.  You can make colorful snowflakes by coloring the coffee filters with water soluble markers before cutting them.

Hint!  Make snowflakes out of newspaper, tissue paper, wrapping paper, and other types of recycled paper.

 

*Challenge children to write letters, numbers, sight words, etc. on a piece of paper and then cut out a snowflake.  Can they identify the different shapes?

 

Snow Prints

Let children draw winter scenes on blue construction paper with crayons.  Give them white paint and a sponge or Q-tip to “make it snow.”

Positive and Negative

Fold a sheet of construction paper in half.  Cut three semi-circles similar to the one shown on the fold.  Open.  Explain the positive and negative shapes.  Use the snowman cutouts for some of the games mentioned yesterday.  Tape wax paper to the the back of the negative design as shown.  Let children decorate and the hang on  a window.

  

Ice Skating

Give each child 2 paper plates.  Demonstrate how to place these on the floor and put one foot on each plate.  Slide your feet as if skating.  Put on some waltz music and let the children skate, twist, and turn.  Play “freeze.”  When you stop the music children must “freeze” in their positions.  When the music begins again they may continue to skate.

Snow People

Instead of drawing snow “men,” encourage children to paint or draw snow ladies, snow children, snow pets, and other characters.

Sock Snowman 

You will need a white tube sock and some fiber fill for this project.  Children stuff 3 large handfuls of fiber fill into the toe of the sock to make the snowman’s body.  Tie off with yarn or string.  Stuff 2 large handfuls to make the middle section.  Tie off.  Stuff 1 large handful for the head and tie off at the top.  Invert the top of the sock and pull over the head for a hat.  Children can decorate with markers, felt scraps, etc.  Encourage them to name their snowman and tell a story about what they would do if it were real.

Icebergs

Fill plastic containers with water.  Add food coloring and freeze.  Place these in your water table and tell the children they are icebergs.  Add walruses, polar bears, and other plastic arctic animals.

 

Snow Dough 

You can use any play dough recipe for snow dough.  Simply omit the food coloring and let the children knead in iridescent glitter to make it sparkle.  (My favorite dough is: 2 cups flour, 2 cup salt, 2 TB. cream of tartar, 2 TB. vegetable oil, and 2 cups water.  Mix ingredients together in a pan until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture forms a ball and sticks to the spoon.  Cool and knead.  Store in airtight containers.)

Note!  Make sure children wash hands before and after playing with dough.

SNOWMAN SKILLS

Skills and standards are a lot more fun with a snowman theme.

I’m a Little Snowman
(Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little snowman (Bend knees.)
Short and fat. (Extend arms in a circle.)
Here is my broom and (Hold out right hand.)
Here is my hat. (Touch head with left hand.)
When the sun comes out (Slowly melt to the ground.)
I’ll melt away.
But I’ll be back another day!

I’m a snow lady, (Bend knees.)
White and round. (Extend arms in a circle.)
In my hat and apron (Touch head and waist.)
I don’t make a sound. (Index finger on lips.)
When the sun comes out (Slowly melt to the ground.)
I’ll melt away.
But I’ll be back another day!

                                                   *Download this book at drjean.org.

How To

Let children discuss how to make a snowman. Dramatize making a snowman by rolling a big ball, and then a middle size ball, and then a small ball for the head. Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple. Have children write a book about how to make a snowman.

Before and After 

Have children fold a sheet of paper in half. Ask them to draw a picture of a snowman before it melts on the left. Can they draw a picture of the snowman after it melts on the right? What makes a snowman melt?
*Give children cartoon frames to illustrate a snowman melting.

Snowman Addition 

Draw snowmen on poster board similar to the one shown. Laminate. Children make sets (or write addends) in the top two balls and then put the sum in the bottom ball.

            

Snowball Math

Fill a clear jar with snowballs/cotton balls. Let each child estimate how many snowballs are in the jar and write their name and answer on a sheet of paper. At the end of the day count the snowballs. Who guessed more? Who guessed less? 

*Let the children use the “snowballs” to make sets or to do addition and subtraction problems.

Science Experiment 

Give each child a clear cup with an ice cube in it. Ask them to draw a picture of what it looks like. Have them predict how many minutes it will take their ice cube to melt. Encourage them to draw what it looks like after five minute intervals.

Snowball Reading and Math

Give each child a sheet of scrap paper. Tie this in with skills you want to reinforce by having them write a letter, vocabulary word, math fact, etc. on the paper. Wad up the paper to make snowballs. Divide the class into two teams facing each other. When the teacher says, “Let it snow!” the children start throwing their snowballs at the opposite team. Before children can throw the snowball back they must open it up and tell a team member the information on the paper. (It’s O.K. to ask for help.) After several minutes the teacher says, “Freeze!” and everyone must stop throwing. Each team gathers up the snowballs on their side and counts the amount. Who has more? Who has less? In this game, the team with the least amount is the winner.
*Keep throwing snowballs as long as the children are interested.

Frosty’s Magic Hat
Make flashcards for letters, numerals, words, math facts, or other skills. On several cards draw a black hat. Explain that when Frosty’s magic hat appears the children get to stand up and dance around. This is an easy game that you can play during transitions if you only have a few minutes.
                                                                       
Snowman’s Mystery Word
Draw a snowman on the board. Think of a word or phrase and put blanks for each letter. Children guess letters (similar to Hangman). The teacher writes the letters on the appropriate spaces. If a letter that is not in the word/phrase is called out the teacher erases part of the snowman and puts the letter in the “trash pile.” Can they decode the word before the snowman is erased?

Snowball Seriate
Cut different sizes snowballs (circles) out of cardstock. Let children seriate them from largest to smallest.

Counting Snowmen
Cut out 10 or 20 snowmen from heavy paper. Write the numerals 1-10 (or 20) on their bodies. Mix up the snowmen and then have the children put them in order.

SNOWING SNOWMEN

Whether you live in Alaska or Florida, everybody loves snowmen! Here's a finger play, puppet poem, and story you can make this week and you'll be good to go back to school!

Five Little Snowmen Finger Play
Five little snowmen fat. (Hold up five fingers.)
Each wore a different hat.
Along came the sun and melted one. (Bend down one finger.)
Now, what do you think about that?

Four little snowmen fat… (Hold up four fingers.)
Three…Two…One
                                               

Cut snowmen out of felt as shown. Place a different colored hat on each one. Remove one snowman as each verse is said. 
*Place the flannel board and snowmen in a center so children can practice saying the rhyme and make sets.
*Make a simple flannel board by gluing a piece of felt to the front of a file folder. Staple the sides. Store pieces inside and glue a copy of the poem to the back.

Snowman Puppet
Cut a snowman out of heavy paper and decorate with markers. Cut a circle for the nose the width of your index finger. Cut another circle the size of your index finger out of a cup. Match up holes and tape the snowman in place. Put your hand in the cup and stick your index finger through the hole as you repeat the rhyme below.
A chubby little snowman
Had a carrot for a nose.
Along came a bunny
And what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny
Looking for some lunch
Ate that little snowman’s nose
Nibble, nibble, crunch! (Slowly pull your finger back into the cup.)

Snowman’s Story
Once there was a beautiful snowman made of white snow. Along came a red bird one day and the bird said,
Ha, ha, ha,
He, he, he,
You’re the funniest snowman I ever did see.
The snowman said,
Oh, dear, oh, dear,
Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest snowman you ever did see?
Well, said the bird, you should be red like me. Red is such a bright, happy color.
So that night the snowman got some red dye and turned himself red. 
                                                       

The next day along came a yellow duck.
Ha, ha, ha….(The story continues as the snowman dyes himself yellow.)
The next day along came a green frog…
The next day along came blue bug…
            

The next day the snowman was feeling rather sad. Just then along came a little girl. She said, “Why are you so sad?” The snowman said, “I’ve dyed myself red and yellow and green and blue and I just don’t feel like myself.” The little girl said, “You are wonderful just the way you are! Always be yourself!” 

So the snowman blinked his eyes and he was once again the color of snow. From then on he was happy just being himself. And that’s why you always see snowmen with happy smiles on their faces.

*Cut a snowman shape out of the front of a file folder. Insert white, red, yellow, green, blue, and white paper. Glue the words to the story on the back. As you tell the story remove the paper to correspond with the story.
Hint! I painted snow on the file folder with White Out.

THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS...

It’s the day after Christmas and time for leftovers and cleaning. I hope you all have a special memory to treasure in your hearts. It’s sad to put away the lights and the “merry” until next year, so here are a few (inexpensive) ideas to make yourself feel better today!  I've also got a few "happies" for your lesson plans in 2021.

1. Go for a walk or get some exercise.

2. Call someone (yes, on the phone) you haven’t talked to in a long time.

3. Read a book.

4. Go to a movie.

5. Make some hot chocolate or have a cup of tea.

6. Take a bubble bath.

7. Put on some favorite music and dance by yourself.

8. Look at photos or videos of Christmas.

9. Take an imaginary vacation on the internet.

10. Make a list of all the things you have to be happy about.

                                                
Note!  You all have such unique "classroom" arrangements this year that it's difficult to write a blog that will meet everyone's needs.  Please think of my blog as a BUFFET and pick, choose, and adapt what will work for you.

Hot Chocolate Friday
I LOVE this idea! Ask each parent to send in a box of instant hot chocolate and an old coffee mug. End your week by letting each child stir up some hot chocolate. Read poems, say rhymes, read books, and fall in love with language as you sip your hot chocolate together!
                       
Dress Up
We always looked forward to dress up days. Pajama parties, beach day (Yes, in January!), what I want to be when I grow up, my favorite book character, hat day, and silly sock day are just a few ideas. You can easily tie these in with units of study or literature. (Goodness, don’t forget about “instructional time”!)

                                                     

Game Day
This was on a blog several weeks ago. Let children bring in games from home on Friday and play with their friends the last 30 minutes.

How about you?
Have you got any tips for energizing yourself and your students when you go back to school? Please email them to me (drjean@drjean.org) and I’ll share them on my blog. Thanks! I love to learn new things!

P.S.
I was looking through some old blogs and I saw this idea from KIRPC Head Start in Indiana. The teacher said she bought sheets, tied the ends with ribbons, and then hung them on hooks around the smart board. Wouldn’t this be a nice touch to your classroom in January!
                          

MY WISH...

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month. 

Harlan Miller


Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.

Laura Ingalls Wilder


Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves.

Eric Sevareid





"Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.” “Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!” 

The Grinch


My wish for you is that this day is full of wonderful blessings! I hope all the love you give to your students every day comes back to you and fills you with joy!

                               

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

What a precious gift you are to all of us from our Heavenly Father!

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

When I was a little girl I got ONE thing for Christmas. Seriously! One thing! And I was happy. I usually got a baby doll and I named her and I LOVED her. We put out popcorn and a beer for Santa. (My dad had a sense of humor and we didn’t know any better. I was probably in third grade before I realized that Santa liked milk and cookies.) We would hang up one of my dad’s socks and in the morning we’d find a few nuts, an orange, and a candy cane in it.

                                            

Those were the days before television and advertisements. Our family had one bathroom and one car for six people and somehow it worked. We never went out to eat because there were no fast food restaurants. There were no books or cartoons about Santa, so my vision of him was created from my imagination and “The Night before Christmas.”

Was I naïve? I didn’t know I was suppose to get tons of presents and leave out milk instead of beer. Ignorance really was bliss because I have such sweet memories. It’s also called selective nostalgia because I only remember the good things. I try to forget the family feuds and some of my disappointments. It does no good to recall the negative things.

That might be the secret to true happiness this holiday season. Forgive and forget the unkind words and hopes unfulfilled.  Forget the Covid Grinch.  Focus on the positive and things that you have in your control. Surround yourself with people you love, and ignore the ones you are not too crazy about.

Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and that's the best give I could ever have!

I send you peace, love, joy, and hope!!!

HO HO HO AND OH OH OH!

 Here are some holiday jokes to make you smile.                     

Knock, knock!

Who’s there?
Holly.
Holly who?
Holly – days are here again!

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Dexter.
Dexter who?
Dexter halls with boughs of holly.

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Mary.
Mary who?
Mary Christmas to you!

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Avery.
Avery who?
Avery merry Christmas to you!

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Wayne.
Wayne who?
Wayne in the manger…

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Oakham.
Oakham who?
Oakham all ye faithful…

                            
Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Rabbit.
Rabbit who?
Rabbit up carefully – it’s a present.

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Donut.
Donut who?
Donut open until Christmas.

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Olive.
Olive who?
Olive the other reindeer.

What’s red and white and goes up and down?
Santa Clause in an elevator.

What did the ghost say to Santa?
I’ll have a boo Christmas without you.

Who delivers presents to dogs?
Santa paws!

Who delivers presents to cats?
Santa claws!

Why did the elf go to school?          

To learn his ELFabet!
                                         
Why do rappers like Christmas so much?
Because of all the wrapping!

What did the reindeer say when he saw an elf?
Nothing. Reindeer can’t talk.

How do you scare a snowman?
You get a hair dryer.

What do snowmen eat for Christmas?
Frosted Flakes.

What goes, “Oh, oh, oh!”
Santa Claus walking backwards.

What do you call the wrapping paper leftover from opening presents?
A christ-MESS.

What Christmas carol is a favorite of parents?
Silent Night.

Why is it so cold at Christmas?
Because it’s Decembrrrrrr!

What is in December that isn’t in any other month?
The letter “D”!

What do the cows say on Christmas morning?
Mooooey Christmas!

What kind of money do elves use?
Jingle bills!

What does Santa do in his garden?
He hoe, hoe, hoes!

BAKE COOKIES DAY

I'm excited to share an email from our daughter with my friends - and that's you!!  We are very proud of Holly and hope this will give a little LOVE and JOY to others!

Here's a link to the info about Visual Verse in Arlington; my poem will be projected on Dec. 16, and there will be live streaming from 7-7:30 on the Arlington Arts Facebook page. 

https://arts.arlingtonva.us/humanities/

December 18th is Bake Cookies Day, but its fun to bake cookies any day of the year. Here’s what holidayinsights.com says Bake Cookies Day:

'Ya gotta just love Bake Cookies Day......... 


..... Christmas is for Christians 


..... Hanukkah is just for Jews 
.

.... Ramadan is for those of Islamic descent 


..... Kwanzaa is for those of African origin 


..... Native American Day is for American Indians


But, Bake Cookies Day is for EVERYONE! 


Play Dough
Put cookie cutters and play dough on a cookie sheet. Add a rolling pin (cylinder block), scissors, and plastic utensils.

Paper Ornaments 

Put some cookie cutters, scissors, glue, and the scrap box out on a table. Let children trace around the cookie cutters, cut out their paper cookies, and then decorate with stickers or glitter pens. Punch a hole, tie on a string, and decorate the tree. 



Graph
What’s your favorite kind of cookie? Do a bar graph and tally the results. 



Recipes
Let children write their own “how to make cookies” recipes. 



Descriptions
Give each child a cookie and ask them to draw what it looks like. Next, ask them to write 2-5 sentences describing their cookie. Finally, they get to eat the cookie! 



What else? Read books or sing songs about cookies…or, just wait until a boring January day to do these things!! 


LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE DAY

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE DAY is December 21st, but keeping optimistic is something that we've all be struggling with under the Covid cloud.

 This Winnie the Pooh cartoon is one of my favorites because for some children, being with YOU every day is the best thing that can happen to them.

How can you help your students LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE?

First, have a class discussion about what it means to look on the bright side. Accept their responses without judging. Ask them for examples of what it means to be optimistic. What does it mean to be pessimistic? What kind of friends do you like to be around?
*Make a T-chart of optimistic and pessimistic behaviors.

Here are three simple behaviors that will encourage children to look on the bright side.

I CAN
Change I CAN’T to I CAN! We are AmeriCANS and so we always need to say I CAN! Teach children this little chant to say to themselves when they have a difficult task or are trying something new.

I Think I Can
(Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It")
I think I can are words I like to say.
I think I can are words I like to say.
If I try with all my might, in time I'll get it right.
I think I can are words I like to say.


BE THANKFUL
Look around at all the things you have to be grateful for each day. Pencils, books, friends, trees, food, families... If you focus on what you do have then you won’t have time to worry about what you don’t have. Start each day by passing around a smiley face puppet and asking each child to name something that they are thankful for or happy about.

MISTAKES ARE O.K.
Making mistakes is an important part of the “hidden curriculum” that is not in your state standards. If children learn to experience failure in the classroom, they will be much better equipped to handle it in real life and the work force. Losing a game, missing a word when you read, or running down the hall are all opportunities where children can learn and be challenged to try something different the next time.

I make mistakes, you make mistakes, everybody makes mistakes, and that’s O.K.

*As a teacher, model making mistakes and then saying, “I’m sorry.” Model how to clean up your mistakes. Model how to say, “Next time I will….”

*Let children role play making mistakes.

HOW MANY DAYS?

It’s getting close to winter break! I wonder if the children know that you are even more excite than they are! Here are some math activities to keep them engaged over the next few days.

Magic Number 
Children stand in a circle and begin counting off. When you get to 25 (Christmas Day) that child must sit down. Continue counting until one child is left.

Mingle Jingle
Children tiptoe quietly around the room as they whisper, "Jingle, jingle." When the teacher calls out a number, they must form groups with that amount. Those students who are leftover can do a jumping jack or other silly movement. Continue having the children mingle and jingle and form different sets.

                       

Shopping

Materials: advertisements from toy stores, grocery stores, or discount stores, paper, pencils, scissors, glue

Directions:  Write questions similar to those below on a chart. Children fold a sheet of paper into fourths and then write a number in each section. Then they look through the advertisements and cut out an object that answers each question.

1. What costs less than $10.00?
2. What costs more than $100.00?

3. If you had $20 what would you buy for your family?

4. What would you like to buy for yourself? How much does it cost?


5. Draw a T-chart on the back. On one side write "wants" and on the other side write "needs." Children cut out pictures (or write words) for things they actually need and things they'd like to have.

                                      

Seasonal Shapes
Take a walk around the school and look for different shapes in seasonal objects. Can they find a circle? Triangle? Rectangle? Square? Cube? Cone? Sphere?

*Let them make a shape collage by cutting objects out of advertisements and catalogs.

WINTER IS COMING

December 21st is known as the winter solstice or the first day of winter. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year. Although your students will probably have sugar plums dancing in their heads this week, you might want to add a touch of science to your lesson plans with these ideas.

                                                              


Science – Ask your students what causes winter. (Accept their answers without judging.) Have one child pretend to be the sun and stand in the middle of the circle. Use a globe to demonstrate how the earth rotates around the sun. It takes 365 days or one year for the earth to go all around the sun. Demonstrate how the earth tilts on its axis away from the sun to cause winter. Why? What happens when the earth tilts toward the sun? 
                    


Signs of Winter – Brainstorm signs of winter. What happens to the temperature in winter? What happens to the plants? What happens to animals?

Vocabulary – Make an attribute web of winter words. Include winter clothing, sports, holidays, etc.



Animals Adapt – How do animals adapt in the winter? What animals hibernate? 
What animals migrate?
                                             

Habitats – Some habitats are very cold in the winter with ice and snow. Other habitats are warmer in the winter. Use a map of the United States and have children identify their state. Do they have ice and snow in the winter? Can they find a state where it’s warm and sunny in the winter? What do they think causes the difference?



Internet Search – Visit a weather site, such as weather.gov, to compare regional weather.

Nature Walk – Go on a nature walk and look for signs of winter. Let each child take a digital photograph of a sign of winter. Put these together to make a class collage.
                                                                         


Trees – Explain that evergreen trees stay green all winter. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter. Can they find evergreen and deciduous trees on the playground? Can they find them in their yard at home?

Make a Book – Staple two sheets of paper and let children use descriptive writing to make a book called “Winter Is…”

Creative Writing – Invite children to write a story about “Old Man Winter.” I found this great writing paper free at www.teach-nology.com.



Read a Book – What’s your favorite winter book to read to your class?

                                  
                       Wishing you happy winter days!!!

PARTY GAMES

Here are some ideas for your holiday party or any other celebration. They are easy to adapt for any event. For example, instead of playing pin the red nose on Rudolph you could play pin the carrot on Frosty's nose. Rather than using sweet treats you could use pencils, stickers, or another prize.

Pass the Parcel
This is actually a game a student from England taught me. Thus, “parcel” instead of “present.” My students LOVED this! Fill a box with sugarless bubblegum, pencils, small toys, or stickers. There should be enough for everyone in the group. Next, wrap the present over and over again with wrapping paper, tissue paper, or funny pages from the newspaper. Children sit in a circle and begin passing the “parcel” around as music is played. When the music stops that child gets to open one layer on the package. (If the package lands on someone who has already had a turn they pass it on to the person sitting next to them.) Continue the game until the gift is reached. That child then passes out the goodies to the rest of the group.

Hide and Hunt
Children love to hunt for things, so if the weather is nice you can hide jingle bells, snowballs (cotton balls), chocolate gold coins, small toys, etc. on the playground for the children to find.
*Divide the class in half. Let one group hide the objects for the others to find and then reverse roles.

Crackers
These won’t really crack, but they are lots of fun to make or give to friends. They can also add a special touch to a special holiday table.

You will need: cardboard rollers, wrapping paper, candy, small toys, curling ribbon
Cut the cardboard rollers into 5” sections. Fill with candy and little toys. Roll in wrapping paper, twist the ends, and tie with curling ribbon.
*This would be a nice gift to make for a nursing home or shelter.

Magic Number
Fill a clear jar or container with candy, cotton balls, or jingle bells. The person who guesses the closest amount is the winner.

Pin the Nose on Rudolph
Draw a reindeer on a poster or chalk board. Cut out red circles and have each child write her name on a circle. Put tape on the back of each circle. One at a time, blindfold each child and spin them around gently three times. Face them towards the reindeer and challenge them to put the nose on Rudolph. Who can get the closest?

Puzzle Pairs
Take old greeting cards and cut them in half like a puzzle. Give each child one half. Have them close their eyes while the other half is hidden in the room. Children tiptoe around the room until they find their matching puzzle piece and sit down.

Pantomime and Name That Tune
Children love to perform, so they always enjoy playing “Guess who I am?” with seasonal objects or toys. They can also take turns humming seasonal songs for their friends to identify.

Word Games
Write a seasonal word on the board. How many words can they create using the letters in the seasonal word?
Hint! Pair children for this activity to enable all children to feel successful.

Holiday Four Corners
You will need four seasonal pictures to tape in each corner of the classroom. For example, a snowman, bell, candy cane, and candle. One child is “it.” “It” hides her eyes and counts to ten as the rest of the class tiptoes to a corner. “It” then calls out one of the objects. The students in that corner are out and must sit in the “stew pot” (center of the room). “It” counts to ten again as the students tiptoe to a new corner. The game continues until one child is left. That child becomes the new “it.”

Mingle Jingle
Children tiptoe quietly around the room as they whisper, "Jingle, jingle." When the teacher calls out a number, they must form groups with that amount. Those students who are leftover can do a jumping jack or other silly movement. Continue having the children mingle and jingle and form different sets.