Key Takeaways

• Plan ahead to ensure a successful and memorable classroom holiday party
• Create a festive atmosphere with winter-themed decorations and activities
• Offer delicious treats and refreshments to keep the celebration enjoyable
• Incorporate music and games to create a joyful atmosphere
• Consider incorporating meaningful traditions and thoughtful gifts to spread cheer and celebrate together

Festive Decorations and Winter-Themed Activities

Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to start thinking about the decorations and activities that will make your classroom holiday party truly memorable. Festive decorations can help set the mood and create a warm and inviting atmosphere for your students. Consider incorporating winter-themed elements such as snowflakes, snowmen, and twinkling lights to transform your classroom into a winter wonderland. 

You can also involve your students in creating decorations by organizing craft activities in the days leading up to the party. This will not only add a personal touch to the decorations but also give your students a sense of pride and ownership in the event. In addition to decorations, it’s important to plan engaging activities that will keep your students entertained throughout the party. 

Consider organizing a holiday-themed scavenger hunt, a winter craft station, or a festive photo booth where students can capture memories of the day. You can also incorporate educational activities with a holiday twist, such as a winter-themed spelling bee or a holiday-themed trivia game. By offering a variety of activities, you can ensure that there is something for everyone to enjoy and participate in during the celebration. 

Remember to keep in mind the age and interests of your students when planning activities to ensure that they are engaging and enjoyable for all.

Delicious Treats and Refreshments for a Memorable Celebration

No holiday party is complete without delicious treats and refreshments to indulge in. When planning the menu for your classroom holiday party, consider offering a variety of sweet and savory options to cater to different tastes and dietary restrictions. You can include classic holiday treats such as sugar cookies, gingerbread men, and candy canes, as well as healthier options like fruit platters and veggie trays. 

If you have the time and resources, consider organizing a baking or cooking activity with your students in the days leading up to the party. This will not only provide an opportunity for hands-on learning but also give your students a sense of accomplishment as they contribute to the party menu. In addition to treats, don’t forget to plan for refreshments such as hot cocoa, apple cider, or festive punch. 

Consider setting up a hot chocolate bar with various toppings and mix-ins so that students can customize their drinks to their liking. If you have access to kitchen facilities, you can even involve your students in preparing the refreshments on the day of the party. By offering a variety of delicious treats and refreshments, you can ensure that your classroom holiday party is a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Creating a Joyful Atmosphere with Music and Games

Music and games are essential elements for creating a joyful atmosphere at your classroom holiday party. Consider creating a festive playlist with holiday classics and upbeat tunes that will get everyone in the spirit of celebration. You can involve your students in selecting songs for the playlist to ensure that there is something for everyone to enjoy. 

In addition to music, consider organizing fun games and activities that will keep your students entertained throughout the party. Classic games like musical chairs, holiday bingo, or a snowball toss can add an element of excitement and friendly competition to the celebration. You can also incorporate educational games with a holiday twist, such as a winter-themed word search or a holiday-themed charades game. 

By offering a variety of games and activities, you can ensure that there is something for everyone to enjoy and participate in during the party. Remember to keep in mind the age and interests of your students when planning games to ensure that they are engaging and enjoyable for all.

Incorporating Meaningful Traditions into the Holiday Party

Incorporating meaningful traditions into your classroom holiday party can add depth and significance to the celebration. Consider incorporating traditions from different cultures and backgrounds to create an inclusive and diverse experience for your students. You can involve your students in learning about different holiday traditions through storytelling, crafts, or educational activities leading up to the party. 

This will not only provide an opportunity for learning but also foster an appreciation for diversity and cultural awareness among your students. In addition to cultural traditions, consider incorporating personal or classroom-specific traditions into the party. Whether it’s a special holiday song or dance that your students love, or a tradition that has been passed down from previous classes, these elements can add a sense of continuity and connection to past celebrations. 

By incorporating meaningful traditions into your classroom holiday party, you can create a rich and meaningful experience that will be cherished by your students for years to come.

Spreading Cheer with Thoughtful Gifts and Goodie Bags

Spreading cheer with thoughtful gifts and goodie bags is a wonderful way to show appreciation for your students and make them feel special during the holiday season. Consider organizing a gift exchange where each student brings a small, inexpensive gift to exchange with their classmates. You can set a budget limit to ensure that all gifts are of equal value and encourage creativity and thoughtfulness in gift-giving. 

Alternatively, you can organize a secret Santa gift exchange where each student is assigned another classmate to buy a gift for. In addition to gifts, consider preparing goodie bags filled with small treats and trinkets for each student to take home at the end of the party. You can include items such as candy, stickers, small toys, or holiday-themed crafts to add an extra element of excitement and joy to the celebration. 

By spreading cheer with thoughtful gifts and goodie bags, you can create a sense of generosity and goodwill among your students while making them feel appreciated and valued.

Reflecting on the Winter Season and Celebrating Together

Finally, take some time during your classroom holiday party to reflect on the winter season and celebrate together as a community. Consider organizing a moment of reflection where you can discuss the significance of the winter season and its various holidays with your students. This can be an opportunity for learning about different cultural traditions and fostering an appreciation for diversity among your students. 

In addition to reflection, consider organizing a group activity or performance where your students can showcase their talents or share something meaningful with their classmates. Whether it’s singing a holiday song, performing a skit, or sharing a special talent, these moments of celebration can create lasting memories and bring joy to everyone involved. By taking time to reflect on the winter season and celebrate together as a community, you can create a sense of unity and connection among your students while fostering an appreciation for the spirit of the holidays.

Hosting a memorable classroom holiday party requires careful planning and consideration of various elements such as decorations, activities, treats, music, games, traditions, gifts, and reflection. By incorporating these tips into your planning process, you can create a joyful and meaningful experience for your students that they will cherish for years to come. Remember to involve your students in the decision-making process and tailor the celebration to their interests and preferences to ensure that everyone feels included and valued during this festive season. 

With thoughtful planning and creativity, you can spread cheer and create lasting memories at your classroom holiday party.

FAQs

What are some tips for hosting a memorable classroom holiday party?

Some tips for hosting a memorable classroom holiday party include planning fun activities, incorporating festive decorations, and providing delicious snacks and treats for the students.

What are some fun activities to include in a classroom holiday party?

Fun activities to include in a classroom holiday party may include holiday-themed crafts, games, and music and dance activities. You can also consider organizing a gift exchange or a holiday-themed scavenger hunt.

How can I incorporate festive decorations into a classroom holiday party?

You can incorporate festive decorations into a classroom holiday party by using holiday-themed banners, balloons, and tablecloths. Additionally, you can hang up paper snowflakes, string lights, and other seasonal decorations to create a festive atmosphere.

What are some ideas for providing delicious snacks and treats for a classroom holiday party?

Some ideas for providing delicious snacks and treats for a classroom holiday party include serving holiday cookies, cupcakes, and hot cocoa. You can also consider setting up a hot chocolate bar with various toppings and serving festive snacks like popcorn and candy canes.

How can I involve the students in planning and organizing the classroom holiday party?

You can involve the students in planning and organizing the classroom holiday party by asking for their input on activities, decorations, and snacks. You can also assign them roles such as helping with set-up, leading games, or creating a holiday playlist.

ClassroomHoliday Party Ideas Book

I know so many of you are allowed to do some sort of holiday party in your classroom, and I thought about the newbies who may not have done one before – or the veterans who want to do something different, so this week’s Collaboration Wednesday question was all about what you do for holiday parties in your classroom!  Lots of ideas – including one from me at the end!

Please make sure to stop by the Fan Page or leave a comment here to let the contributors know how much you appreciate this freebie!  Thanks everyone!

Click here to email your freebie

Enjoy and have fun!

~Charity

The post Holiday Party Ideas! appeared first on Organized Classroom.

How about a quick printable to help them to see how easy it is to be kind?

Ways to Teach Kindness with Buy-In

Some students will simply write off the slogan “Be Kind” just because it’s not novel or “cool” in their eyes.

What if you took that same message and inserted in a game format?

Suddenly it’s more interesting to students who might be reluctant otherwise.

A simply bingo board with 9 ideas gives students specific things to do so they aren’t guessing at what it means to be kind.

Teaching About Kindness

While you could certainly print off the handout below and be done with it, I highly suggest having a class meeting to discuss a little more.

After assembling the students, talk about each item in the box and what would kindness exactly look like – and what it wouldn’t.

For example: Let someone go ahead of you in line

Kindness: Having someone who is not in your close friend group go ahead just to be nice

Not as kind: Switching places with your bestie just to mark off the square

While the second is technically doing the task, the joy of completing an action just for the sake of going out of your way for someone else with no expectation of something in return has been lost.

Discussing each task – and even role playing – will assist children to really understand the meaning of kindness.

Kindness Rewards

Normally I a fan of rewarding positive behavior with tangible things (I am most motivated by those things), but in this case – public praise and discussing how the even made them feel will be far more powerful than a sticker or a pencil would ever be.

Once students feel proud that they went out of their way to be nice to someone else without cause, suddenly it makes more sense. And the dopamine hit will encourage repeated actions as such.

Social emotional learning isn’t in the standards, but all teachers know these are some of the more important skills for students to learn. Making into a game makes it even more fun.

Have fun seeing your students’ wide smiles when they tell you all about their good deeds!

~Charity

The post December Kindness Challenge for Kids appeared first on Organized Classroom.

But many of the students seem to believe that Santa is coming tomorrow!  No! 

And their excitement is bubbling over into your lessons making it a tad difficult to get teaching across. 

How about an idea to at least keep them reminded of the days until break?

I actually made this fun Advent calendar for my nieces, who are of preschool age and were highly upset after decorating for Christmas, watching some holiday movies, and waking the next morning to find…nothing. 

They didn’t understand the concept of time well enough to know we are still a month away from the big day! 

I knew right away that this idea might help them understand better with a visual. 

Here are the directions for the set I made, but as you will note in the directions, you can also adapt this same idea to the classroom and I have some freebies below for you to do just that!

Supplies Needed:

• Metal Muffin Tin (depending on how many days you need and what you want to place inside, it can be 12 or 24 spots.  I used 12 for my example because I have 3 nieces who all needed a little prize for each day and the 24 cup one was too small inside, but if you are placing the reward slips of paper instead for a whole class, grab the 24 cup version so it all fits on one.)
• Adhesive Magnet Paper (first-choice) or Magnets for the back of business cards (if you can’t find the other)
• Cardstock
• Printed Numbers posted below (and laminated if you wish for them to last longer)
• A Large Nail and Hammer
• Ribbon
• Prizes or Reward Slips of your choice (also posted below)
• Scissors
• Optional:  A Scrapbooking Hole Punch in the corresponding size of the diameter of one of your muffin tin cups

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

Directions:

1.  Start by adding 2 holes to one end of the muffin tin. 

Just place the nail over the spot where you want the hole, and tap it with the hammer (not all the way in).  It will create a hole for you.

2.  String your ribbon through the hole and tie a knot in the back to keep it secured.  You now have a handle that can be used to hang up your creation on the wall!

3.  Print off the number cards.  I have included both the 3″ large numbers (for the 12-cup pans) and the smaller 2″ numbers (for the 24-cup pans).  Laminate if you like.

4.  If you have adhesive magnetic paper:  Peel off the backing, and add your page of numbers.  Make sure it is securely attached. 

Use a scrapbook hole punch in the corresponding size to cut out your new magnetic numbers!  Super easy! 

Move on to number seven.

5.  If you could not find magnetic paper (they were completely out everywhere I checked in my town), use your business card magnets and place your already cut out numbers on the backing and trace the shape.

Use your scissors to cut out your shape.

6.  Peel off the back and attach to the backside of the numbers.  It serves our purpose fine!

7.  Place all your numbers on the muffin tin in the correct place so you can see it put all together!

8.  Last, insert prizes or reward slips into the cups for your students (or own children).  Take them out to share on the appropriate day of the month! 

For my nieces’ version, I placed candy, coins, and other small trinkets in the calendar. 

For a classroom, I would use the reward slips below.  Cut the strips apart, roll up like a pinwheel, and place inside the cups. 

If your students have earned the reward for that day (maybe cut them a little slack – lol) take off the number and celebrate!

Hopefully your students will enjoy this fun calendar as much as you will after it is created! 

If nothing else, it will serve as a nice visual for knowing how many days of LEARNING are still left in the calendar year. 

How else could you use this project in your classroom?  We would love to hear even more ideas in the comments below!

Enjoy!

~Charity

The post DIY Countdown Calendar appeared first on Organized Classroom.

Here is a super quick snowman days before Christmas craftivity that might help!  

You could actually use this a couple different ways:  either make one for the classroom to hang up and place in a prominent location – or – it could be a fun behavior reward activity for all students to complete during a Fun Friday celebration of a holiday party.

Eiher way – it’s pretty simple.  

I am not a crafter.  At all.  

So if I can make this look cute, then students won’t have any problems at all.  AND – I love that it is pretty mess free too.

What you’ll need:

• Plain foam pieces and Glitter foam pieces:  white (I found a soccer ball and flipped it over so I didn’t have to cut one out of the rectangular white piece), orange, black
• {You could also substitute a paper plate for the white circle piece to make it even easier for students}
• Stickers:  Letters and Numbers
• Black Sharpie
• Pink Chalk
• Glue Dots or Hot Glue

Let’s Get Crafting!

1.  Cut out a hat from the black pieces and attach to round white piece with either glue dots or hot glue if you have a parent helper.  Add a strip of orange to the hat.

2.  Use the number stickers to add the numbers 1-24 around the edge.  OR you could also just use a black sharpie to do the same if you don’t want to mess with the stickers.

3.  Add your letter stickers to the hat.

4.  Make 2 pink circles out of chalk on the face.  Note:  make sure you do the chalk FIRST and not sharpie first, otherwise you will smudge the sharpie and your pink circles will have dark gray smudges in them.  Ask me how I know this.  lol.

5.  Next, use a sharpie to create the eyes and mouth.

6.  Cut out a nose from the orange foam and attach with a brad through the white circle.

7.  Optional:  Use a piece of ribbon and hot glue or tape the ends on the back of the snowman and hang up on a hook.

That’s it!  Easy, right?  And you know I am all about easy, especially when the students are crazy hyped up during the month of December.  

Happy crafting and I am curious:  what is on your holiday wishlist?  Leave me a comment below.

~Charity

The post DIY Snowman Tracker appeared first on Organized Classroom.

Today I wanted to share a fun and inexpensive gift idea for your colleagues. 

Seriously – it is so simple and fun!

I don’t know what you all like to use on your desk, but on mine, I use a coffee mug to store my big people teacher scissors, pens, markers, grading pens, and pencils. 

They all fit nicely inside the mug and it is heavy enough so it doesn’t tip over at all.  Easy and cute!

So why don’t you make a custom writing utensils holder for your colleagues this holiday season?  Or if they are big coffee drinkers, you can always gift it for the actual use as a mug.

Here is how:

Step 1:  Grab a cheap white mug at your local dollar store or big box store.

Step 2:  You will also need large monogram letter stickers – doesn’t matter what is on the sticker, just that it is a good size and the shapes you need.  Place the letter sticker on the mug to use as your stencil.

Step 3:  You might need to find these at your local craft store as I am not sure the big box stores carry them:  https://amzn.to/2VszfYe” target=”_blank”>Oil-based Sharpies.  You can use regular sharpies, but they will not last as long and will wash off if the mug is used and washed along the way.

Step 4:  Use the Sharpies to decorate the mug.

Step 5:  Take off the sticker.  Check out your beautiful masterpiece!

Step 6:  You are going to bake your mug in the oven to “set” the Sharpie. 

Place it on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Do not preheat the oven.  You want the mug to heat up at the same rate as the oven.

When finished, leave on the pan and allow to cool fully.

Step 7:  Grab some new scissors, pens, and pencils, along with a fun gift tag and leave on his or her desk in the morning!

How fun and super useful too!  Happy creating!

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

If you make these, I would LOVE to see your pictures on our Facebook fan page.  I know there are some crafty teachers out there.

Talk to you soon!

~Charity

The post Marker Mug Magic appeared first on Organized Classroom.

These are SUPER easy to make!  Read through the directions and then I have a bonus freebie at the bottom for how to pull it all in together!

First, grab some baggies, puffy paint in a variety of colors, and your template (or the free download at the bottom of this post for the student projects).   I just did a search for free snowflake templates online.  The best size is 4-5 inches big when printed out.

Insert your template into the baggie, shake your paint well, and apply liberally.  The trick is to make sure the lines are pretty thick, otherwise they might tear when removing from the bag the next day.  Allow to dry for at least 24 hours even though the bottle says 4 hours.

What it looks like when dry the next day!

Peel and stick!

Now for the student gift ideas!   I have a bonus freebie!   Simply download this fun little printable that has a snowflake poem on it, cut it out, and have students write their name on their page before slipping inside a sandwich baggie.   Then, have each child use the paint to create their own unique snowflake without a pattern over the white box on top of the baggie.   Allow to dry as usual.

Then, simply wrap the baggie carefully with wrapping paper (don’t remove the cling – they can do that after opening), add a bow and a gift tag, and send on home for under the tree.

Something different, something easy, and something cute!   All bases are covered!  YAY!  PS – this is a fun project to do with your own kids at home too.    They turn out super nice and stick to the window great!

Hope you enjoy and I would love to see some pictures of your projects on our Facebook page.   Thanks for stopping by and talk to you soon!

~Charity

The post Student Gift Idea: Snowflake Window Clings! And a Freebie! appeared first on Organized Classroom.

I realize as a teacher, you can think of 100 billion useful gift ideas – or maybe you prefer no gift at all.  ORRRRR – perhaps you are similar to me in knowing my own child’s teacher this year is a long-time classroom veteran and she honestly has pretty much everything she could possibly need (other than a bottle of wine for my super talkative son – ha!)  But, since I can’t easily send a bottle of booze to school via the school bus, I have to find a plan B.

Let me also toss out there that I tend to forget about these things until the last minute.  So I don’t have much time to grab something that at least lets her know I appreciate everything she does for my child.

If you have been following me for any length of time, you know I am not super crafty, but I was quite pleased with my craftiness this afternoon upon realizing it is just about Winter Break and I had yet to come up with a unique idea.

The best part?  It is REALLY easy and inexpensive!

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for staff morale in your school? This 111 page digital book has you covered!

Includes 15 articles from Organized Classroom, including topics such as:
-Work/Life Balance Tools
-Top 10 Survival Tips for New Teachers
-Several Fun (and Easy) Gifts for Your Colleagues
-Teacher Appreciation Ideas
-Staff Celebration Suggestions
…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

You will need the following supplies:

• Metal Stars
• Scrapbook Paper
• Mod Podge
• Foam Brush
• Paper Plates
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Optional:  Gift Tag (download below)

Steps to Get Your Craft On:

1.  Grab your pencil and trace one of the star points on the scrapbook paper.  I “eyeballed” the point I couldn’t trace and then used the star straight edge to connect the points.

2.  Cut them out.

3.  Cut the “triangles” into half.

4.  Pop your star on to a paper plate.

5.  Pour a small amount of Mod Podge onto an extra paper plate and use the brush to add some to one side of the star and add your paper.

6.  Do all the papers, then lightly brush the entire star with Mod Podge to seal it al in.  Don’t drown your star in Mod Podge though or you will have a lot of paper buckling.  {Ask me how I know this.  lol!}

7.  Allow it to dry overnight and you are finished!  OH YEAH!  Add a super cute tag and ribbon to the top.  Toss into a gift bag with some candy and perhaps a mall gift certificate.

Super cute!  A gift that will show up from year to year on that teacher’s tree!  The chocolate and gift card are just some nice little extras just for her too!

Want the gift tag I created for my child’s teacher gift?  Grab it below or in the OC VIP Team Freebie Library now.

Enjoy and have fun creating those gifts!

~Charity

The post “Star” You In Need of Easy Teacher Gifts? appeared first on Organized Classroom.

Well, there are some fantastic, frugal, and easy gift ideas in today’s latest Collaboration Wednesday eBook from the fans at The Organized Classroom Blog’s Facebook Fan Page!  For the naughty – and for the nice!

Thanks to all the contributors this week – YOU are what keeps me motivated to continue to pull these handy resources together!

Enjoy and have fun!

~Charity

The post Student Holiday Gift Ideas! appeared first on Organized Classroom.