Celebrating Christmas in the Classroom – Child Initiated activities
This week we are thinking about celebrating Chrsitmas in the Classroom using Child Initiated activities that will spark the kidlets’ imaginations and inspire them to apply their learning, and super impress you! Oh how I love teaching, and Christmas. Together I have so much fun prepping for this time of year!
Let’s get straight into it!
Literacy and Physical Development – fine motor skills
I love the idea of getting kids to wrap “gifts” and then label them with “to” names and “from”. I would use empty junk modelling boxes so they could take them home too (after the essential snap for the assessment folders…).
The number one thing I teach every September is scissor skills. Their future primary teachers thank me for it (not necessarily audibly, but in my head they love me for it). It is oh-so important that kids can use scissors safely and independently as early as possible. I would love to leave this inspirational tray in the making area with maybe some cards, or cardboard boxes…
Maths
I would extend the following idea to include recording how many bricks have been knocked down (thinking chalk, easel or whiteboards), and then encouraging addition for totals, number bonds – “how many left, how many total?” etc.
Extend this one to include numbers to 20, and then encourage repeating patterns to make the number!
The next one is an order the present numbers 1-20 activity, however, I would also encourage 3d shape identification, pattern making and even writing labels/gift tags for the gifts. They are so shiny and sparkly they wont fail to catch the little people’s eyes….
I think this next activity would be a great maths mastery activity, and to extend it even further it would be great to ask the children to explain/record their method.
Other!
Light tables are amazing canvases for semi permanent art and I would use this as a maths teaching task, then leave out for the kids to use to make trees, wreaths, stockings – ooh so many possibilities!
Think of the potential of the following exploration tray – what could you put in the boxes? Get the kids to write Christmas wishes? Ask for toys by putting a note in them? Take the sticky back of the bows? Sort the bows by colour? Size? I am getting So ExCiTeD!!
I would also:
- make scented playdough – gingerbread, peppermint, pine (separately not together)
- explore any ice that forms in the garden – maybe even put some water in a tuff spot, and allow it to freeze over night.
- use salt (or sugar) in a tuff spot with people, houses or vehicles to encourage snowy small world play
What do you recommend putting out?
