Wonderful Winter Party Craft

For the winter craft, we did an open ended project.
(Photo from Makeandtakes.com)

Materials: Plastic Pony Beads
(from Michaels $4.99 each bag/color) (don't forget your 40% off coupon).

               Assorted colors of pipe cleaners/chenille

Wonderful Winter Party

Games: Relay Race (a.k.a. Reindeer Games)
Materials: small marshmallows (I used pink stars)
               Antler headband (at dollar store)
               Two Cones (or something to run around)
               A garbage can nearby
               A bowl for the marshmallows
               (to be located near garbage can)

How to play :

1.  Divide the kids into two groups (of about 3-4 kids each team). 

2.  Give each child a marshmallow to lick and stick to their forehead.

3.  Give the first person in each team an antler headband.

4. The students must walk down, and around the cone and back, without dropping their marshmallow, while wearing the antlers.

                 **If they do drop their marshmallow, have them pick it up, throw it out and get a new one, and return to the race.

5. Upon crossing the finish line, eat the marshmallow off the forehead, and pass the antlers to the next person in line on your team.

6.  Go to the back of your team line and sit down.

Rules you might want to mention:

No eating marshmallows off the ground. No sharing marshmallows.

          You must walk the entire race (if you are in the classroom).

          You can not use your hands to keep the antlers or marshmallows on your head.

Happy Holidays

Teacher Ornament Gifts
I bought these ornaments for around $3 each, and personalized them. (KMart)

Fall Crafts

Pumpkin Lanterns
Materials needed:
12" x 18" orange construction paper
9" x 12" green construction paper
red, yellow, and black construction paper scraps

ruler
scissors
glue
stapler

Directions:
Teacher Prep:
1.  Fold the orange paper in half to make a 6" x 18" rectangle.
2.  Measure 2" in from the open edge and draw an 18" line across the paper.
3.  Draw lines 1" apart between the fold of the paper and the 18" line.
4.  Prep the handle: cut 1 1/2" x 12" strip of green construction paper,
For the kids:

1.  Cut on the lines, starting at the fold.  Do not cut all the way through.
2.  Unfold the paper, bend it into a cylinder, and staple the side edges together.
3.  Add the handle for the lantern, staple the strip in an arc to the top edge of the lantern.
4.  Add the eyes, nose and mouth for the lantern, using scraps of construction paper

Love This Pumpkin

This idea comes from craftideas.info.  I used this as one of the craft centers for our Fall Harvest Party.  I pre-cut and pre-punched holes in the strips.  Kids assembled them.  I put out a variety of colors (orange, red, green, yellow) so that they could make apples or pumpkins.  Some the kids put faces on them, and others mixed and matched the colors.  The kids had fun with this fun and quick project. 

My Variation:

Scarecrow Craft

Using Popsicle sticks, the kids can create a neat craft to hang on your door.

(Photo from: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/)

You will need:

7 craft sticks

8 yellow craft sticks

foam for kids to cut and add as decoration

Googley eyes

Pre-cut hats

Glue on a plate with q tips

 Permanent Markers

Pumpkins

Curled Pumpkin Craft
Curled Pumpkin Craft

More Fall Harvest Party Ideas

Apple Tasting:
Have the class taste test a variety of apples.  Add some caramel, if you like (*apple tasting party idea). Record your likes/dislikes on an apple graph. Have the class graph the results. 

Candy Apples:

Make your own Candy Apples.

Applesauce:
Make some applesauce.

Paperbag Scarecrows:                            

(from busybeekidscrafts.com)

Corn Craft:

Pre-cut a yellow corn on the cob shape.  Add two green husks.  Pre-cut small (1"x1") tissue paper squares.  Using the eraser end of your pencil, wrap a tissue paper square and dip into glue.  Then stick it on the corn. Makes a neat 3 dimensional cob of corn.

Paint on Leaves

Photo from quinceandquire.

For older children, allow them to use metallic paint pens.  Leaves can be framed...or photographed and framed as a gift. 

For a younger children, allow them to paint on them with a corn syrup and glitter mixture.  The leaves will dry shiny and glittery.

Puffy Painting

Puffy Paint:
This art project can be adjusted to just about any theme.  For fall, provide the kids with pictures of different leaves.  Mix the puffy paint and let them paint with brushes. You can find the exact recipe here.
Recipe:  Elmer's glue
             shaving cream (scented or unscented)
             Food coloring

The result will be a puffy picture!  Wear your paint shirts!

Keeping It All Organized

Just found a great web-based program that will help us connect and keep organized.  Check it out: cmomgo.com.

Teacher Appreciation Week

A Pot of Flowers

Make a bouquet of easy to make flower pens. Begin by decorating a terracotta pot however you like, then add a handful of dried moss, small river rocks or dried beans, and stick in a dozen flower pens.  A wonderful gift that any teacher would appreciate.  Thoughtful, handmade and practical.

Gifts from the Class

Baby Shower Gift:

June Tailor makes a cool transfer paper that works well when transferred to baby onesies.  I buy the 3 pack ($7.99 at JoAnn Fabrics (don't forget to use your 40% off coupon).  Then I cut each sheet into 8 pieces, enough for 24 kids to design one.  Have the kids color the paper with crayons or markers.  Don't forget to have them put their name on the paper.  Then on the front of a onesie tee shirt, iron on a design.  (**Follow the directions in the package.)  Instead of wrapping the onesies...I hang them with clothes pins from a piece of yarn, stretched across the chalkboard.  The teacher will be so excited to have 24 personalized onesies for the new baby!

Thank You Student Teacher:
For less than $30, you can personalize both sides of small cosmetic bag as thank you for your student teacher. Create a bag with picture or student art that can be used for a pencil bag.  Check out Bagettes.com for more information on this very cool, yet simple gift.

Fall Harvest Party

As many parents and educators know, Halloween-themed classroom parties are a thing of the past.  When Autumn arrives, it is time to celebrate the Fall Harvest.  Here a few ideas.

Crafts:
Easy Toilet Paper Pumpkin:

Using a 15" x 15" square of festive fabric, you cover a roll of toilet paper.  This website has the directions to the craft, but in lieu of the brown paper roll, we used actual thick branches from a tree (about an inch thick). We also skipped using the batting.  We had the felt leaves and pipe cleaners prepared ahead of time, and the Kindergartners could complete the craft in about 15 minutes. Have masking tape on hand to label the pumpkins with their name.

Pumpkin Painting:

Stop at a pumpkin stand and ask the owner for a deal on the number of pumpkins you need for your classroom.  Allow each child to tempera paint a small, softball sized pumpkin.  Use a permanent marker to write their names on the pumpkin prior to painting it. Send them home in a plastic shopping bag (in case paint is not dried or begins to peel.)  Also don't forget to encourage the use of paint shirts.

Paper Bag Pumpkin:
(photo from Crayola.com)

This is an easy project.  Using a brown paper lunch bag and a green piece of string, you can create a paper bag pumpkin. If you use orange paint to color the bag...stuff the bags ahead of time.  Or use crayons to color the bag and have the kids stuff them as part of the process. Directions can be found here.  

Games:
Hoola Hoop Toss:

Place 3 to 5 pumpkins, in a variety of sizes, in an open area (the classroom carpet works great for this activity).  Have the kids toss 3 to 5 hoola hoops over the pumpkins.

Bozo's Grand Prize Game "Pumpkin Style":

Either purchase 5 to 10 fall-themed buckets or cover some ice cream buckets with fall colored construction paper.  Have the children line up and toss a bean bag into each bucket.  For younger children, five buckets are the way to go.

Snacks:
Keep snacks simple and healthy.  Kraft and FamilyFun have a variety of great "Halloween" and "Fall" themed ideas.