We all know that December is a crazy month for teachers because there is so much to do in the classroom and in your personal life. Decorating, making gifts, wrapping gifts, lesson plans, and all those other little things can make the holidays stressful for teachers. I’m here to help with 7 of my favorite teacher hacks for December that save my sanity and help me ENJOY (yes, enjoy) the holidays in the classroom. These tricks can be used in preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and any elementary classroom.
Remember teacher friends: what’s important is having HAPPY students and a HAPPY teacher!
What’s not important: having everything Pinterest perfect and a stressed out teacher who is miserable.
1 – Student Decorated Tree
Kids LOVE to decorate trees so LET THEM. It’s their classroom too so why not let them decorate it (and redecorate it) as much as they want! Will it look Pinterest perfect? Nope but that’s ok. I personally LOVE our hot mess of a tree because the STUDENTS did it. During centers, students can decorate or redecorate the tree. And guess what, now it’s one less thing you have to do!
Here is an up-close view of our tree with some kid made ornaments added too it. I love how personal it is to our classroom!
2 – KID Made Ornaments
As a parent I want gifts my CHILD MADE (not something the teacher made). It is so much more meaningful to share with parents thoughtful, imperfect ornaments made by my students’ little hands.
Check out a few of the ornaments we make in the classroom, and send home as gifts for the holidays.
Bead Candy Canes – Students string pony beads on a pipe cleaner. It’s festive and simple. These are some my young three-year-olds made during morning table time as a fine motor activity. My pre-k friends made patterns with the beads to sneak in some math.
Dough Ornaments – I totally cheat and use Model Magic because I just don’t have good luck with salt dough. Use a coupon from Michaels to make Model Magic affordable. They are simple to make too and a great fine motor activity.
Give each student a small ball, have them roll it with a rolling pin, and use a cookie cutter to make the shape. Poke a hole in the top with a pencil so you can put a ribbon through it once it drys. LET IT DRY. Then have students paint it. I use regular washable paint from the art easel and let dry. —THESE TAKE ABOUT A WEEK TO FULLY DRY.—
3 – KID MADE Cards
Have students MAKE SIMPLE CARDS. Grab some washi tape (Target Dollar Spot), stickers (Target Dollar Spot or Dollar Store), and holiday colored markers. Fold some white cardstock in half. Have students copy the word Merry Christmas using the word card (GRAB THE FREE HOLIDAY WORD CARDS HERE) on the front and sign their name on the inside. If they are older they can write their families a message on the inside as well.
Whys stress making perfect holiday cards? Families want cards their KIDS MADE not the teacher. We do this activity for a small group. They will be so PROUD when giving their families cards that they made!
***If you have kiddos who this would be too challenging for, write the words with a pencil for them to trace or attempt to trace.
4 – Classroom Visitors Made EASY (aka elf or a gingerbread man)
Having a classroom visitor is stressful! We all know that moving that thing around and thinking of something for them to do at the before you leave or in the morning is just too much on some days. Here’s an idea: Have your elf or gingerbread man visit for a week or two, not the whole month if that helps.
We have a gingerbread man visit our classroom when we read various gingerbread books. My students can touch him and play with him . MY STUDENTS LOVE IT! They build houses for him with STEM drawer items and in the blocks center. He sits by them at circle time. He joins us at the table for snack time, and he even goes outside with us (some days).
Connect it to learning! Our gingerbread man is so versatile! Here are some examples of what our classroom visitor does:
- leaves us books to read during circle
- leaves us stickers or new markers for the writing center
- leaves us new props for the blocks center
- gives us art projects (like to create a gingerbread house for him with a box)
- anything item/instruction that connects to what we are doing that day
It is so simple and it gets my students EXCITED about learning. It’s a win-win. I have premade and editable letters from the gingerbread man in THIS PACK.
5 – Start Family Gifts EARLY (if you want to do something extra)
Don’t wait until the week before winter break to do family holiday gifts! Kids will be sick during the winter months, making it very stressful to get them done. I start the holiday gifts two weeks or three weeks before to make sure I have enough time. It’s the best feeling ever to have gifts finished before the week before break. You will not believe what a relief it is to get this task done early.
Now look at your class and think about what gift you can actually MAKE without you losing your mind. Don’t select something that so complicated or completely teacher made.
It’s OK to just do ornaments like the ones I’ve already shared about. Families will LOVE an ornament!
If you want something more try making Christmas Stained Glass Pictures. I will warn you: these do take a few days to complete because they do take time to make. If this would stress you out, try something different or just send ornaments home.
If you want something easier, try Glass Jar Keepsake (simple and oh so pretty)!
6 – Do Special Projects Throughout the Month (not all the last week before winter break)
If you have a list of special projects you want to do, do them throughout the month. It won’t be enjoyable for anyone if you are squeezing too many activities in the week before break. It will be easier for you to manage and you can spread out the fun all month long. Also, don’t plan too many special projects because it’s overwhelming for you and your kiddos. Check out my tips and tricks all about Making Milk Carton Gingerbread Houses HERE.
7 – Make Centers FUN
With everything you have to do this month, make center time FUN and engaging for your students. This way if you have to pull students during centers to finish a gift, ornament, or something the other students can do independently. Plus, if your students are having fun and they are engaged, you will have FEWER behavior issues!
Need ideas? I’m here to help!
Check out all my favorite Christmas Activities & Centers HERE (grab the freebies too)! If you can’t do holidays in your classroom, check out my favorite Gingerbread Activities & Centers HERE (I have gingerbread freebies for you too).
I hope those holiday hacks help you! I am wishing you an enjoyable and less stressful holiday in your classroom!
Remember teacher friends: what’s important is having HAPPY students and a HAPPY teacher!
What’s not important: having everything Pinterest perfect and a stressed out teacher who is miserable.
Need more teacher hacks? Check out these posts!
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