HOLLY JOLLY WRITING

Children will be more excited about writing with some of these tips.

Napkin Books
Materials: holiday napkins, paper, stapler

Cut paper the size of the napkin. Insert 4-6 sheets of paper in the napkin and staple at the top as shown. Place these in the writing center for creative writing.

Note! The front of the napkin could also be used as a story prompt.


Sticker Story

Materials: holiday stickers, paper, pencils, pens

Let children choose a sticker and put it in the middle of a sheet of paper. Challenge them to write a poem or story or draw a picture around the sticker.


Giving Book

Materials: paper, rubber band, seasonal pencil, advertisements and catalogs, scissors, glue

Fold 3 sheets of paper in half. Punch 2 holes about 2 ½” down on the crease side as shown. Insert a rubber band in one hole and slide one end of the pencil through the loop. Slide the other end of the pencil through the other loop. Let children draw or cut out pictures of items they would like to GIVE to family members and friends.


Holiday Card Center



Materials: paper, pencil, envelopes, markers, crayons, stickers, scrap paper, etc.

Place the writing materials in a tub. Make a seasonal picture dictionary similar to the one shown. Add a class directory with students’ names and photos. Teach children how to fold a sheet of paper into fourths to make a basic card. Invite them to make holiday cards for family members and friends.

Note! You could also ask them to make cards for school helpers and volunteers.


Letters to Santa

Some of you may not be able to do this, but an open center where children could write letters to Santa might get them excited about writing.

Note! There are several free templates for these letters on the internet.

MERRY MATH CENTERS

A package of pompoms, bows, erasers, or other small items and you're set for "merry math."

Sorting
Ask children to sort the pompoms. What was their sorting rule? Can they sort them another way? 

Patterns
Use the pompoms for making patterns.


Estimating
Have children estimate the number of each type and then verify by counting.

Math Mat
Children place the correct amount on the trees.



Match Dot Cards
Pompoms are a perfect one-to-one activity for younger children.

Touch and Tell
Place numbers in a bag. Children reach in, feel a number and try to identify what it is. They can take it out to confirm and then write the number.


Number Hunt
Put numbers in a box of Styrofoam packing or sand. Children search through the Styrofoam packing and color off the numbers as they find them.

Stampers
Stamp a pattern, stamp out math facts, or stamp a set.

Roll of the Dice
Roll them, count them, add them, or let children make up their own games with the dice.