Posts tagged "halloween"

Arts and Crafts for this Holiday Season

Arts and crafts can add special meaning to any holiday celebration.  I know that the holiday season is fast approaching and every year, I look for for special arts and crafts projects for my kids to complete.  There are many great winter and seasonal activities that kids of all ages can do by themselves or with help.  We do many different projects over the course of the year, but I like to make the seasonal/holiday crafts special.  Often times an ornament or holiday project will be kept as a family memento.

Since the students get their fall pictures taken at the beginning of the year, I try to include them in at least one holiday art project.  Some years I have had students include their school pictures on the front of their Thanksgiving books, or I will use on a snowflake Christmas ornament.

Sometimes it can be challenging to include these activities during the instructional day.  I believe that kids need the opportunity to color, cut, and paste.  So, I might add several projects to the language arts centers, or give the kids a chance to work on arts and crafts activities when they have finished their work.  When you know what projects you want to do, you can determine when would be the most appropriate time to work on them.

Another opportunity to include seasonal arts and crafts projects is during class parties.  We typically have a Halloween party, a Thanksgiving feast, and a Christmas party.  We often  include an art project for a party activity.  We might make a hand-print bat for Halloween, a pine cone turkey for Thanksgiving, and a snowflake ornament for Christmas.

Do you have seasonal or holiday arts and crafts projects that you enjoy doing with your students?  As always, we would love to hear your comments.

Halloween Supplies for your Classroom Party

Have you been looking for supplies for your classroom Halloween party,  but don’t know what supplies to buy?  Halloween is almost here and most schools typically have a party for students.  Kids and teachers get dressed up and parade around the school.  Families come to help kids celebrate.  If you are a teacher or a parent on the party planning committee for this year, here are some supplies for the classroom and activities you might enjoy.

1. Incorporate themed incentive charts and motivational stickers into your routine.  These supplies for your classroom are great and will motivate students.  When you are grading papers or writing notes to students, use these  and you will be sure to delight students.
2. Halloween bulletin board sets are a fun way to decorate your bulletin boards.  These will add festivity to your displayed work.
3. Halloween pencils can get kids into the spirit of the holiday.  You may want to give pencils to students instead of a sweet treat.  I purchase enough pencils to pass out to trick-or-treaters at home.
4. Games are  a great activity at a party.  I have a holiday themed bingo game for each party.  Bingo cards are easy to make.  At the Halloween party, kids use Candy Corns as markers.

Remember to keep things simple.  Halloween parties can be very busy with costume changes.  If you are having a costume contest, think about using some of the classroom supplies as your prize.  Also keep in mind that any extra materials that you have left over, can be used next year.  If you have extra materials that you don’t plan on using, you can donate them to an organization that does an annual Halloween party.  The great thing about classroom supplies is that there is no expiration date!  Enjoy your celebration!