Christmas crafts

1-2-3 Come Do Some Christmas Writing With Me

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeI love diddling around with a “play-on-words” and since my students especially enjoy Pete the Cat stories, I thought it would be fun to make some writing prompts using the word “Purr-fect”.

Whenever I toss a bit of craftiness into a writing prompt, my students can’t wait to get down to business.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeWith that in mind, I designed 6 cat-themed picturesinside a semi-circle.

As always, patterns come in black & white for students, as well as full-color, so that teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeFive of the six patterns feature a blue cat, while the 6th is a brown-colored cat. 

Children of course can color their cats however they want.

The semi-circle shape makes it easy-peasy to cut, then glue to the top of their writing prompt once they color it.

A semi-circle may be a new concept for some students, so be sure & grab that teachable moment to explain this interesting 2D shape.

I’ve included 2 sizes of paper, with lined & unlined options.

Both are trimmed with a snowflake border.

pete the cat Xmas writing prompt craftsThere are 3 writing prompts to choose from.

Pick your favorite or give students a choice.

I've also included a blank template, so that students can write about something else. 

"A List of Things for a 'Purr-fect' Christmas" is especially simple and provides practice for the "make a list" writing standard.

I've included my sample in the packet.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeYounger students can simply make a Christmas card using the “Wishing you a purr-fect Christmas” greeting topper, which they glue to their snowflake-bordered paper.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeThis paper becomes the center portion of their craftivity where they write their name.

For that finishing touch, they can color, cut & glue a "dangler" to the bottom.

To add even more variety, there are 5 different “danglers for students to choose from.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeThese are glued to the bottom of their writing prompt paper.

These too, come in black & white, plus color.

I've featured 3 different creative font options as well.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeBesides the “humped” toppers, I’ve also included a chimney cat.

He’s peeking out from the rooftop.

The writing prompt papers for this craft are blank, allowing students to write whatever they want.

Students could also pick one of the writing prompts that are part of the other craftivity. 

In my sample, I kept things simple and made it a sweet Christmas card.

For that finishing touch, students can add a single set of bricks (left photo) or a double stack (right photo) to the base of their writing paper.

Because they are so different, you could stretch the lesson and have students do a semi-circle writing prompt craftivity, then for another day, have them make the chimney cat Christmas card.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeCompleted projects make a sweet December bulletin board or hallway display.

I’ve included a poster to add some extra pizzazz.

This activity pairs really well with my quick, easy & fun, cat-themed Christmas ornament packet. Click the LINK to take a look.

Christmas Around the World ActivitiesToday's featured FREEBIE is also a Christmas card activity.

Since Christmas Around the World is a super-fun way to get some geography into your December lessons, I thought making a "Christmas Around the World" greeting card would be fun. Click the LINK to grab your copy.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas activities, December bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for December, Christmas cards for kids to makeWell that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.

December is flying & I still don't have all my decorating or shopping done! Do you?

My feet have certainly hit the floor running this morning. Wishing you a fun-filled & stress free week.

"Heal the past; live the present; dream the future." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Make a Christmas Ornament With Me

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Pete the cat ornament, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberIf you’re looking for a quick, easy & super-fun little craft for your students to make, I think you’ll enjoy these cool cat ornaments to help wish someone a “Purr-fect” Christmas.

My Young Fives love anything with animals, especially a cool blue cat, so I thought making a Christmas ornament would be entertaining.

You’ll love the versatility of this activity as there are 5 options, which fit a variety of ages, grade levels & abilities.

Pete the cat ornaments, Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberWith 20 cat-themed balls to choose from, there is plenty of variety too.

As always, patterns come in black & white for students, as well as full color, so that teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share.

Making a sample, not only helps you explain what you want your students to do, it acts as a catalyst for excitement.

 If your students are like mine, be prepared for many of them to ask, "Can we please make another one." Woo Hoo!

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberBesides the pictures, I’ve also included two “greeting” ball options, plus a blank version, so that students can draw their own picture, glue on a school photo, or write their own greeting.

The options?

Pete the cat activities, pete the cat christmas ornament, pete the cat crafts, christmas ornaments, christmas centers, christmas crafts1. Keep things super-simple & have students color & cut out a single cat ball, then flip it over and add a greeting to make 1 flat ornament.

I always like to tuck a little something in my students’ back packs as a surprise.

Pete the cat ornament, pete the cat activities, pete the cat crafts, christmas ornaments, christmas crafts, christmas centers“Paper love” is an inexpensive but truly thoughtful gift, and this simple flat ornament is really easy to make a class set of. 

I made 20 in just half an hour. You could also add their school photo & then laminate. 

I always like to tuck a little something in my students’ back packs as a surprise. “Paper love” is a nice gift, and this simple flat ornament is really easy to make a class set of.  I made 20 in half an hour. You could also add their school photo & then laminate.  Pick one of the designs for their ornament from you, then run off the other cat pictures for them to make one of their own. 

Punch a hole in the top, and tie with a yarn loop. Voila! You're done.

2. Another option is to make the ornament a “flip up”.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberHere you choose a cat ball to color & cut out, then add a dab of glue to the top of a "greeting" ball, then press the cat ball on top. 

You could also include a blank ball as well, or instead of the greeting.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for December3. The third option is an “Ornament Dangler” involves 3 ornaments glued together vertically, with a greeting centered on the back.

Grab that teachable moment for vocabulary building, as some children will not be familiar with the terms vertical & horizontal.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberCompleted projects look amazing swirling & twirling from the ceiling.

Plus the dangler, still neatly folds up for safe travels home in a back pack.

4.  My personal favorite option is the  three-part, 3D ornament.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Pete the cat ornament, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberAlthough a 3 dimensional ornament looks a bit tricky, I think you'll find that after you make a sample of your own, you'll see that they are really quite simple to put together.

I twirled the ornament around, so that you can see all 3 cat pictures, which make one-3D ornament.

Whenever I want to do something a bit more complicated with my Y5s, I enlist the help of our 3rd grade reading buddies.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Pete the cat ornament, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberMy littles get the one-on-one help that they need, plus it's a great experience & self-esteem builder for the older students.

If you do this, make sure you have ornaments for the older kiddos to make one right along with their younger partner, for they will be just as excited to make a cool cat ornament of their own.  

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Pete the cat ornament, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for December5. Finally, a four-part 3D ornament, is assembled just like a three-part one, so it's pretty easy too. 

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Pete the cat ornament, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberA 4-part ornament involves just one more step; gluing the 4th ball to the ornament. Here I added a "greeting" ball to 3 cat pictures. 

I had an absolute blast designing this craftivity & making my samples.  I hope you enjoy making some ornaments too.

Today's featured FREEBIE is a sweet "Rip & Tear" snowman craft.

snowman crafts, snowman activities, winter bulletin board ideasRipping and tearing strips of paper is not only fun for your kiddos, it's a terrific way to help strengthen their finger muscles. 

Completed projects turn or amazing and make a "snow" special bulletin board or hallway display.

Pete the cat activities, Pete the cat crafts, Christmas Pete the cat, Pete the cat ornament, Christmas ornaments, Christmas crafts, keepsake ornaments, December arts & crafts, Center activities for DecemberWell that's it for today. Thanks for popping in.

Gotta run and get ready to watch this evening's Christmas parade. Several of our grandchildren will be in it!

Wishing you and yours a “purr-fect” holiday season, brimming with a ton of fun. 

"Try to learn something about everything and everything about something." -Thomas H. Huxley

1-2-3 Come Do A Reindeer Christmas Craft With Me

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsI wanted to do a keepsake craft with my grandchildren, that I knew my daughter would love, so I traced one hand on a folded sheet of dark brown construction paper. 

This way, I cut once, and had two hand prints for each child.  They glued these "antlers" to a reindeer head that they enjoyed coloring. 

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsThe “hand print” reindeer turned out so cute, that I thought I’d turn them into something teachers could do as well. Thus a new Christmas Craftivity packet emerged.

The craft is simple, quick and a whole lot of fun.

As you can see by the samples, completed projects make an adorable bulletin board too.

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsI’ve included several posters to add a bit of pizzazz to your display. 

There are a few to use with the writing prompts, as well as two others that you can hang up with just the reindeer craft, if you opt to only do that.

There are a variety of “print & go” reindeer patterns to choose from.

Pick which is most appropriate for your students.

Younger children can simply do the reindeer craft. 

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsMy Y5s absolutely love glitter, so I often use it as a positive, behavior-modification tool.

(If you're focused and on task, when you complete your project, you get to visit the "glitter station"), which I manage. Keeping everything inside a copy paper, box lid, provides easy clean up with no mess.

That splash of red glitter really adds the "Wow!" effect.

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsWiggle eyes are another way to add to the "cuteness factor".  My granddaughter chose two different sizes, which added extra whimsy, so when I created the packet, I included several sizes of "eyeball" patterns. 

You can see by the photographs, that the same reindeer takes on a whole different look, depending on the placement of the eyes.

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsAdding a sprig of holly, then bending the leaves up, provides a bit of 3D pizzazz; as does pressing on some flat-backed jewels. 

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsTo extend the craftivity, older students can practice their “point of view” writing skills.

Students pretend to be a reindeer, and think of something the animal might say if they could actually talk.

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsThis is a lot of fun, which results in some really silly & hilarious chatter.

I've included three,"speech bubble" templates for you to choose from, as well as patterns with my completed samples, so that teachers can quickly and easily make an example to share.

Samples not only help explain things, but really are a catalyst for excitement.

Since older students don't get to do many "crafty" things, they are especially excited to get down to the business of writing, when you toss in a little art into the activity.

They also do a particularly fine job, when they know their work will be hanging in the hall.

For that "finishing touch", have students practice an AB-AB (red-green) color pattern, by writing with two different color markers, which really adds extra pizzazz.

For added fun, play some Christmas music while children work. My students often sing along.

reindeer crafts, counting booklet, skip counting activities, counting backwards activities, Today's featured FREEBIE is another reindeer craft. This one is called, "You Can Count on Rudolph".

Students trace & write the numbered, circle-shaped pages, to make a "Rudolph's Nose" counting booklet.

There are patterns for counting by 1's to 20, counting backwards from 10 to 0 or 20 to 0, plus skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's, and 10's. 

I've also included a "red-hot" cinnamon treat, counting activity too.

reindeer crafts, Christmas crafts, hand print crafts, December writing prompts, December bulletin board ideas, Christmas writing promptsWell that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

The snow is gently falling, which really puts me in the mood to decorate. 

Wishing you a warm and cozy day.

"...He puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzle was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadnt before.  Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas, perhaps means a little bit more. "

From: "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss

1-2-3 Come Do a Place Value Christmas Tree With Me

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsI am so excited to share my latest place value craft that I just finished. 

As you know, studying place value can be a bit tedious for some students, so I designed this "decorate a Christmas tree" craft, to put some “Woo Hoo!” into practicing place value.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsCreating a super-cute PVT (Place Value Tree) is an especially fun activity for your students, and a nice alternative to worksheets; making it that “extra special something” you can do for the month of December.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsCompleted projects turn out absolutely adorable, and make an outstanding bulletin board or hallway display.

I’ve included 2 posters to help decorate.

You’re sure to get lots of compliments, as the results definitely have that “Wow!” factor, as mixing math concepts with an artistic twist is truly interesting.

The packet is very versatile, with lots of creative options for your students to choose from, which not only results in a nice variety of Christmas trees, but allows you to diversify your lessons.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsA place value tree appeals to a variety of ages and abilities.

The versatility allows younger kiddos, as well as older students, to create a Christmas tree that will have a two, three or even 4-digit number value!

Keep things simple for little ones and limit the number of decorative pieces and options, while challenging older students to create a bigger value for their trees.

The sample on your right uses "ones" blocks for ornaments, with a tree trunk made out of two, "10s" rods; giving it a total value of just 32. Perfect for students working on two-digit numbers.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsThe sample on the left, has a value of 769. This tree has no trunk (However, there are 4 trunk options to choose from), while the 1st tree, at the beginning of my post, not only has a 100-block trunk, but a decorative tree stand pot as well. Notice the "holly berry" is a ones block.

A 10s rod can also be a fun decoration. Make them look like a peppermint stick, by coloring an AB-AB (red-white) color pattern with a red marker or crayon.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsCheck out the last sample tree at the end of this article, to see how I made a 10s rod look like a candlestick, with a ones block glued on diagonally, for a "flame".

I had an absolute blast designing my samples, so I can safely say, that I think your students will also have a great time making their own place value Christmas tree. 

Thirteen tree patterns, 4 stars and 2 angel tree toppers to choose from; plus  endless ways you can mix and match the ones, tens and hundreds block ornaments, provides a lot of variety to your classroom's creations, making for an awesome display.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftschristmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsOnce children have finished their place value tree, they figure out how much it is “worth”.

Solving this “mystery math” problem is also a ton of fun.

I’ve provided several worksheet options that will help students figure this out, as they practice and reinforce the various concepts of place value.

I've put a worksheet next to the matching tree in the photographs below.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftschristmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsChoose which worksheets are most appropriate for your kiddos. 

Each of the 3 is different enough, so that you can do all of them. 

"Showing" their math of how they came up with their total, and explaining any conversions that they had to make, is a simple way to assess comprehension too.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsThe half-page worksheet on the left, is great for practicing a variety of  math skills associated with place value.

Picking a partner and comparing their tree with a classmate's, provides practice with "greater, less than and equal to", math standards as well.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsA worksheet can also be part of your display. 

Students can write their total on the star or angel tree topper, or so that the place value really shows up, you can run off the 6 different elf tags, for children to write their name and the value of their tree on; placing the tag next to their Christmas tree on your bulletin board. 

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsI've also included several present patterns, if you'd like to add some gifts under the tree.

christmas crafts, christmas tree crafts, place value activities, math centers, math bulletin boards, Christmas bulletin boards, math craftsThese are decorated with a ones block in the bow, a 10s rod on the ribbon, or a 100s block as a gift tag. 

The trees look pretty with a black, blue or purple, construction-paper background, with the gifts glued underneath.

 There are also several whole-group activities for graphing, data collection and analysis as well.

Limited time? This makes a super-fun homework assignment.

Another idea is to have students work with a partner or create one PVT in a small group of three, which will divide up the work and expedite completion.

Here’s a fun challenge: Give the small group a total tree value, and see how close they can get to hitting that number.

Christmas writing prompt craftToday's featured FREEBIE is a "Sweet Tweet"; which is an interesting and fun way for students to practice writing. 

Students color, cut and glue the bird to the top of their writing prompt paper, then each day (for 10 days) they jot down (tweet) something sweet that they've done. (After all, Santa and the elves are watching & very interested in this information!)

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.

'Tis the season for attending all sorts of activities, so time to go see the school Christmas play. Three of our 10 grandchildren are old enough to be in it this year. 

Wishing you a delightful December, filled with many memorable and love-filled moments.

"Christmas, gives us time to pause and reflect on the most important things around us." -David Cameron

 

1-2-3 Come Make An Educational Santa Craft With Me

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to makeClement Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas” is said to be one of the most famous American poems ever written.

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to makeBecause of its popularity, easy cadence, rhyming words, and the fact that the poem is packed with over 60 Dolch sight words, I wanted to design a craftivity to incorporate into our reading activities, while covering the poetry genre and practicing the “sequencing & retelling” a story standards.

I came up with this “flip-the-flap” Santa booklet.

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to makeChildren color, cut & sequence the “beard” pages, then glue their top tab to the base, adding Santa’s face as the “cover”.

To retell the story, they flip his beard up to reveal the graphics, which prompt them to explain what’s happening. 

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to makeFor some extra 3D pizzazz and to help strengthen finger muscles, have children pull several cotton balls apart, brush Elmer's glue on the brim of Santa's hat, then press on the "fur". 

A large white pom pom glued to the tip adds the finisheing touch. 

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to makeWhile working on the sequencing booklet, I thought teachers could also use the pattern for a variety of other things.

So I tweaked the templates and included patterns for:

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to make* A “Ho Ho Ho-ping you have a Merry Christmas” card.
Older students can compose, then write a letter to the recipient on the back.

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to make* A “Dear Santa” letter with a twist.
Instead of having children write the usual “I’d like a …….” have students ask Santa to bring a specific gift to a special person in their life, then explain why.

For example: “Dear Santa, could you please bring a pair of boots for my baby brother Fred, so he can play outside in the snow with me. Love, Ean”  and finally,

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to make* Blank patterns so that you can make a flip the flap booklet for another Santa story, or to use as a creative writing prompt of your choice.

Completed projects make a cute bulletin board or hallway display.

Also included in the packet are:

* A photo-poster of Clement Moore,
* Background information on the poem, and
* A copy of the story-poem, which you can read together as a whole group; calling on children to take turns reading a stanza. There's also
* An “alphabetize Santa’s reindeer” worksheet

Cover Snowman StackersToday's featured FREEBIE is "Snowman Name Stackers"

I like to do some sort of January craftivity, before Christmas break, so that we don't come back to a bare-looking hallway.

Since we do a big snowman theme, my kiddos enjoy making a Snowman Name Stacker.
They are a quick, easy and fun decoration for your students' lockers, or as a wall display.

activities for the night before christmas, christmas crafts for kids, santa crafts, december literacy centers, december writing prompts, december bulletin boards, christmas cards for kids to makeWell that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. 

I am literally "dashing through December" with more fun-filled activities and committments to attend than ever before.

I have to keep in mind, that it's important to savor the journey of getting things accomplished, and not just the accomplishment. 

 Wishing you lots of warm and cozy moments.

"He who has not Christmas in his heart, will never find it under the tree." -Roy L. Smith

1-2-3 Come Make a Nativity Craft With Me

Would you like your kiddos to be able to sequence & retell the Christmas story?  With that in mind, I designed 2 simple & fun craftivities, which will help them do just that.

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftFirst up: “Follow the Star”, which is a nativity “flip-the-flap” booklet,

If you do a "Christmas Around the World" ed-venture, this craftivity makes a nice addition to your travels.

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftThe stable is the base of the booklet and is printed on card stock to make it sturdy.

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftOnce the booklet is complete, it is free standing and makes a cute decoration.

The “doors” of the stable open, to reveal graphics of the major events that take place; from Mary & Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem to the birth of Jesus.

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftBesides black & white patterns for students to color, cut & glue, I’ve also included colorful templates so that you can quickly & easily make an example to share.

There are several page options as well.

I’ve provided pages with text for beginning readers, as well as pages without words for younger kiddos.

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftYou can also use these pages for older students, so they can write about what is happening and explain the graphic, or find a matching Bible verse to record on the appropriate pages.

To use for extra writing practice, I’ve also included a completely blank page.

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftOn the back of the stable, students can write “Jesus loves me.” or “Jesus is the reason for the season.”

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftThere are add-on graphics included as well: 4 star patterns for children to choose from, plus a cow & donkey they can glue to the back of the last, opened pages, so that when the doors are completely open, the animals flank the manger.

Brushing some Elmer’s glue on the star, then sprinkling with gold glitter adds extra pop & pizzazz. 

nativity crafts, story of Jesus' birth, Christmas crafts, Christmas activities, Christian crafts, Sunday school crafts, December activities for Sunday school, retelling a story activities, sequencing activities, Nativity craft, manger craftThe "looking down" photo on the right,  shows how the pages support the stable.

When everyone is done, read the booklet together as a whole group, calling on students to explain the various events taking place. Encourage children to sequence & retell the story of Christ’s birth to their families, as they share their nativity booklet at home.

nativity crafts, crhristmas crafts, retelling a story activiteis, sequencing a story activities, birth of Jesus activities, storytelling wheelsNext up is a nativity "storytelling wheel".

Since my storytelling wheels have been so popular, I thought it would be fun to design one for the Nativity.

Great for parochial schools, Sunday school, Christmas Around the World activities, or simply for your own child.

Storytelling wheels are a quick, easy & fun way for students to practice the “retelling & sequencing” a story standards.

nativity crafts, crhristmas crafts, retelling a story activiteis, sequencing a story activities, birth of Jesus activities, storytelling wheelsThere are 3, “print & go” cover options to choose from. Pick your favorite, or give students a choice.

There are full color patterns to use for an independent center, as well as a sample to share, plus a black & white pattern, so students can make their own.

After students have completed their wheel, practice retelling the nativity story using the manipulative.

Everyone starts by turning their wheel so that Mary & Joseph, who are traveling to Bethlehem, appear in the “pie-slice window”.

Call on a child to begin the story. Continue to turn the wheel, calling on different students to tell you that portion of the story, explaining the “picture prompt”.

Afterwards, have students pick a partner and take turns sharing their nativity wheel with each other. Sometimes we do this with our older reading buddies.
This is a quick, easy & fun way to check comprehension too.

nativity puzzle, nativity crafts, crhristmas crafts, retelling a story activiteis, sequencing a story activities, birth of Jesus activities, storytelling wheelsFor more sequencing & retelling practice, I've also included a nativity puzzle . There are two "base" options, which will help practice ordinal numbers as well as reading.

nativity puzzle, nativity crafts, crhristmas crafts, retelling a story activiteis, sequencing a story activities, birth of Jesus activities, storytelling wheelsFor writing practice, have students complete the “Here’s What Happened” writing prompt worksheet, then color it.

There’s a full color template so you can quickly & easily make an example to share, or do as a whole group activity with little ones.

December writing prompts, Christmas crafts, Christmas writing prompts, December bulletin board ideasToday's featured FREEBIE is a "Wishful Thinking" writing prompt craftivity.

Students finish the prompt: "If money were no problem and I could have 5 super-fabulous gifts for Christmas, I'd like..."

Completed projects make an adorable December bulletin board.

Christmas crafts, nativity crafts, december writing porompts, december vbulletin boardsWell that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Two of my nine grandchildren are coming over today, so my feet have hit the floor running this morning. 

I've planned some "merry making" Christmas crafts.  Wishing you a day filled with warm hugs and happy giggles.

"Christmas is the kindling for hospitality." -Washington Irving

1-2-3 Come Travel Around The World With Me!  

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcaase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, December writing prompts, Woo Hoo!  Having spent over 200 hours researching & creating, plus a small fortune on graphics designing things, I’m so excited to post this jumbo “labor of love”, "Travels Around The World" packet, which features the awesome talents of 38 clip artists!

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcaase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, December writing prompts, This super-fun packet is extremely versatile, as everything stands alone, so you can mix & match creating a unit that is tailored specifically for your class, or use pieces and parts with lessons you already have implemented. 

I think my students, favorite part of our Travels Around the World is making the cereal box suitcase, which can be done in class or for homework.  

The sky's the limit of how you want to design them. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcaase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, December writing prompts, We add 2 file folders to make a drop down interactive "briefcase" of sorts, which includes a pocket for their passports, tickets and boarding passes.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcaase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, December writing prompts, The extra files are a great way to keep everything neat & organized and provide space for them to glue on a variety of activities that we do.

My kiddos absolutely LOVE collecting the "suitcase stamps/stickers" to decorate with. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcaase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, December writing prompts, They get a few to start out, then receive more as we travel to the various countries.

Others I use as a motivational & behavior modification incentive, which is very successful.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, December writing prompts, Another huge hit is making a passport.

There are 4 options, including a passport specifically for "Christmas Around The World" traveling,  as well as a huge variety of passport stamps, which they also enjoy collecting. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, December writing prompts, The train tickets and plane, bus, & boat boarding passes. are also a huge hit.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, December writing prompts, Via a letter, students are invited to come travel with the gingerbread man, who makes a speedy tour guide. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, December writing prompts, "Gin" keeps them apprised of places they should visit by sending postcards.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, December writing prompts, I had an absolute blast designing these from real photographs & stamps from those countries. 

There are 3 from each country, as well as "color me" postcards, so that students can practice "point of view" writing in a fun way.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, December writing prompts, A set of gingerbread-themed posters announce where children will be traveling and how they will get there.

The 6 countries included in this packet are: USA, Mexico, Canada, Sweden, Italy & Germany.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, I've included a variety of maps, which come in color to use as posters, plus black & white for students.

They come labeled & unlabeled, so you can use them as an assessment tool as well. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, My personal favorite activity, is the "Snap & Scrap" journal, with a Christmas-themed page, as well as a generic counterpart.

I've included several pages of interesting information about how each country celebrates Christmas, should you want to do the "Christmas Around the World" theme.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, The "snap" part, is a camera craft featuring a lens "booklet", with pictures specific to that country.

You can opt to do just the camera(s), or hinge them with a piece of tape to the "scrap" page, so that it flips over to reveal the information underneath.  

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, Each country also comes with factual information, which is incorporated in the "Fan Of Fun Facts For _________" craftivity.

The title is a double play on words, for the craft opens like a fan, and students quickly become "fans" of these super-interesting facts. 

Later, check comprehension by playing "Name That Country?" by reading a fact and having students tell what country it came from. 

"Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, I Spy A Country" is another game you can play to help reinforce map skills.

Teachers jot down 3-5 clues on the poster, then students write down their dated-answer on their worksheet. 

X number of correct answers and they receive a "super spy" stamp for their suitcase.  

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, I've also packed in a lot of travel-themed writing prompts, such as making an itinerary, which provides a vocabulary building opportunity. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, Students can also do a "Sightseeing Check It Out Then Check It Off" list, flag booklet, and travel journal. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, There are several options for the travel journals as well, from a "color me" text it page, to a cut & glue class-made book. 

They are different enough so that you can do them all, or pick & choose what's appropriate for your kiddos. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, The beauty of this jumbo packet is that it's very versatile, so you can mix & match things to do individually, as a whole group, with a partner, in small groups, or for homework.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, The projects can also supplement other geography activities you already have implemented.

Besides social studies, many items practice a variety of other standards like graphing, weather, telling time, comparing & contrasting & research, with a bit of math tossed in for good measure. 

There are also a variety of ways to use the packet.  Teachers can give the information, or students can pick a country and research it independently.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, The "Travel Bucks" are a fun way for students to give their presentations, as they become "travel agents", who share highlights about their country, in the hopes that their fellow classmates will use their travel cash to buy a trip from them. 

Top sales certificates & suitcase brag tags add to the fun, and are a wonderful incentive.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, An easy-peasy writing prompt for any age, is the "ginger-gram", where students fill in the blanks with a country they would like to live in, as well as one they would not. 

Older students can explain why. I've included a poster for the center of your display, as well as a suitcase sticker kiddos can earn upon completion.

Another simple writing activity is the "Travel Quilt" craft, which practices adjectives in a unique way. 

Even younger kiddos can do this, and completed projects make an awesome bulletin board.

I've included a poster for the center of your display, as well as a suitcase sticker kiddos can earn upon completion.   The "Peace is in our hands" craft, is also quick & easy, with lovely results making a terrific hallway display.

This craftivity really helps children wrap their heads around the "big picture" of their "personal geography" and their cut out hand prints add that keepsake, finishing touch.

I've included a poster for the center of your display, as well as a suitcase sticker kiddos can earn upon completion.  

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, Because my kiddos are learning about seasons, weather and appropriate clothing to wear, I designed the "Pack It Up" suitcase craftivity; where they color, cut & glue various clothes suitable for a particular country, to a "suitcase" page; while older students simply list the items they want to take. 

The suitcase opens to reveal several pages of the different things they packed for the various countries that they visited.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, Besides a “Christmas Around the World” theme, you can use this unit all year long, as I have matching generic counterparts.

Start whenever you want, then in December, board the “Holiday Express” & add the activities of how these countries celebrate Christmas.

Lessons are easily diversified for various classroom abilities & grade levels.  Simply pick what’s appropriate for your kiddos. 

a"Travel Tweets" are also an interesting way to get students enthusiastic about writing, as is the "Welcome To Our House"  booklet, "Airport Adventures" and "Whooooo Do You Want To Travel With?" color-me worksheets.

Besides black & white versions for students, I’ve included colorful templates, so you can quickly make samples to share.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, There are also graphs, Venn diagrams, posters, a song, and some worksheets, which can also be used as assessment tools.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, As you can see there's a ton of fun for you to choose from including some puzzles.

These come in color for an independent center, as well as BW so kiddos can make their own, as they practice recognizing & sequencing numbers from 1-10, or skip counting by 10s to 100. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcaase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, December writing prompts, Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to take a look. Travels Around The World.

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, Today's featured FREEBIE comes from the packet and is a "Merry Christmas From Around The World" poster and coloring card, which includes an alphabetical list of how 28 countries say "Merry Christmas" , with 4 links to other websites with more countries. 

Christmas Around The World activities, Xmas around the world activities, Christmas crafts, geography activities for early elementary, gingerbread activities, passports for school, geography passports, passport craft, passport stamps, suitcase stamps, suitcase stickers, travel stickers, passport stamps, maps for students to color, maps for students to label, world maps, December writing prompts, Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

My feet have hit the floor running, as there is much to do, and not enough time in the day to get it all done.

But I will endeavor to slow my pace and enjoy the journey, making sweet memories, as we decorate our blessed home for Christmas.  Wishing you and yours a special day.

"Maybe Christmas" he thought, "doesn't come from a store." "Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more!" -Dr. Seuss From "The Grinch"

1-2-3 Come Make Some Christmas Ornaments With Me

Here’s a quick, easy & fun Christmas name ornament, that’s a perfect little craftivity for party day or those crazy last few days of school.

Christmas crafts, christmas ornaments, christmas activitiesEven the Common Core “Grinch” police, will have no problem finding this an extremely educational activity!

It can simply be done with little ones (PK-Y5) to practice their names, along with letter recognition, and the difference between upper and lowercase letters, vowels & consonants as well as counting.

Older kiddos, (K-3rd) can practice a lot of math:
such as graphing, addition, greater & less than, data analysis, inference, guess-timation, plus comparing & contrasting with a Venn diagram.

Christmas crafts, christmas ornaments, christmas activitiesI’ve included several worksheets and graphing extensions, plus a "secret" coded Christmas message that you can challenge your students to solve.

Make it a "speed" game, and see who can decode the message first.
Afterwards, students pick a partner and write a secret message to them.

For a sweet keepsake, have children write their name on the back, along with a date and grade, then glue their school photo on. 

Click on the link to zip on over to my TpT shop to take a look: Christmas Name Ornament Laced With Math.

Laminate your students’ completed projects; punch a hole at the top & add a yarn loop.

fingerprint tree ornament, Christmas crafts, christmas ornaments, christmas activities Today's feartured FREEBIE is also an ornament. It's a fingerprint Christmas tree, sure to become a keepsake as well.  

This little craftivity, is a terrific way to review the concept of +1 more and counting to 10, and includes a poem for the back:

"My fingerprints as you can see, have made a lovely little tree. They're stacked up straight and oh so tall, with love from me when I was small."  Children sign and date.

Christmas crafts, christmas ornaments, christmas activitiesThanks for stopping by.  I've got to hustle off to go buy the ingredients to make Christmas cookies.

That was one of my favorite memories with my Grama Lydia, and I hope to make it an annual tradition with Kaiden (3) & Kaitlyn (1) who are coming over today.  Wishing you a love-flled day.

"Grandchildren are sprinkles on the cookies of life." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Christmas Craftivities With Me

"Welcome To My House" is an interesting and fun writing prompt with two door options. 

For one, students decorate their construction paper door, trim and glue the “hinge” portion to a sheet of white paper, which they also trim. The other, is a “color me” option.

christmas activities, christmas crafts, writing prompts for december, christmas writing prompts, december bulletin board ideas, christmas crafts, christmas ornamentsInside, students write their final draft completing the writing prompt: "Welcome to my home for Christmas..."

Encourage students to use plenty of adjectives that involve their senses, to help describe what a visitor might see, hear, and smell, as they enter their home.  I've included a completed sample to help you explain the lesson.

Students who don't celebrate Christmas, can simply write a "Welcome to my home" for another celebration or holiday that their family celebrates.

If you do a Christmas Around the World theme, students can choose a country, and welcome visitors to their home in France, Sweden, Mexico etc. as they write from that point of view.

Completed projects make a lovely bulletin boardI’ve also included an address tag, to go along with your display.

christmas activities, christmas crafts, writing prompts for december, christmas writing prompts, december bulletin board ideas, christmas crafts, christmas ornamentsNext up is a class-made book: Who Will Pull Santa's Sleigh?

Introducing a writing activity with a story, grabs my kiddos attention, stimulates their imaginations, and gets them excited to get down to the business of writing.

Who’ll Pull Santa’s Sleigh Tonight? by Laura Rader, is a personal favorite of my students, and was the inspiration behind this class book writing activity.

The reindeer have all come down with a cold, so Santa holds auditions for replacement animals, with some outrageous and funny results.

To practice more standards, I like to read a similar story, so that my students can compare and contrast them.

A Venn diagram activity, as well as a graphing extension are also included in the packet.

Our comparison story is, "Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight?" by Jerry Pallotta. It's an adorable “go along”, with awesome illustrations!

In this story, the reindeer are not sick, as the tale starts at the beginning, before Santa thought about reindeer for the job.

christmas activities, christmas crafts, writing prompts for december, christmas writing prompts, december bulletin board ideas, christmas crafts, christmas ornamentsMany silly scenarios are presented, as different animals try out for the job.
From skunks, kangaroos and giraffes, to monkeys, mice and even snakes, your kiddos will get lots of ideas of who should pull Santa’s sleigh. 

Finally, The Twelve Days of Christmas packet, also includes several writing prompts, as well as an emergent reader, plus several games, which practice a variety of standards, as well as some posters and worksheets.

The emergent reader contains over 100 Dolch sight words!
Students read the sentence, trace and write the number and ordinal number word, then complete the writing prompts.

christmas activities, christmas crafts, writing prompts for december, christmas writing prompts, december bulletin board ideas, christmas crafts, christmas ornamentsBesides the writing within the emergent reader, there are also 3 other writing prompts:

* “If money were no object, list 7 things you’d like to have”;
* “A Favorite Gift” where students tell about a gift that they really enjoy and why it’s a favorite.
* “Something Special For Someone Special” where children choose a person that they’d like to give a gift to and write who-what-why. 

christmas activities, christmas crafts, writing prompts for december, christmas writing prompts, december bulletin board ideas, christmas crafts, christmas ornamentsThe featured FREEBIE today is "Me Mints!" one of my personal favorites.  Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board.  I've also included a smaller template, if you'd rather make a Christmas ornament.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. I have so much to do, I'm not sure where to start. 

writing prompts for december, christmas crafts, christmas ornaments, december  bulletin board ideasA bit of housecleaning is certainly in order before I add any more Christmas decorations... hmmmm maybe I'll just go shopping instead. Wishing you a frolicking-fun day. 

"Housework: Something nobody really notices, until you don't do it." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Christmas Writing With Me

I truly believe that if you give an interesting writing prompt to students, or toss in a bit of craftiness, or make it a bit like a game, you'll grab their attention and they'll want to get down to the business of writing.

spin a story wheels, creative writing activities, december writing prompts, elf on a shelf activities, directional writing, christmas centersWith these things in mind, I designed 4, rather creative, writing prompt packets for December. First up is my "Spin a Winter Story Story" wheel.

These 14 story wheels are easy-peasy for you, as you don't have to constantly think up seasonal writing prompts, and highly motivational for your kiddos. 

My students imaginations kick into high gear, creating some really awesome work.

So that you can use them every year, simply print, laminate, trim and attach a paperclip with a brass brad.

Children choose one, or several, of the 14-winter story wheels, then spin 3 to 5 times.

They incorporate those items into a short story or paragraph on the worksheet.

For more writing practice, I've included a "Spin a sentence" worksheet, as well as one where students spin 7 times, give those pictures a one-word name/description and then alphabetize those words on the worksheet

spin a story wheels, creative writing activities, december writing prompts, elf on a shelf activities, directional writing, christmas centersNext up is "How to Dress an Elf", where children practice giving directions. My students LOVE the crafty aspect of this writing prompt; completed projects make a super-cute bulletin board too.

Encourage students to use transitions, ordinal numbers + adjectives when they explain how their elf gets dressed.
I’ve also included a set of transitional words on mini cards.

For that finishing touch, we used opalescent white glitter, flat-backed jewels and pom poms to add a bit of pizzazz to our completed “elves”.

spin a story wheels, creative writing activities, december writing prompts, elf on a shelf activities, directional writing, christmas centersIf your students enjoy The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, they're sure to get excited about this next creative writing activity.

Diary of a Wimpy Elf includes templates to make a “top secret” file-folder diary, a variety of diary pages, clip art badges to decorate their diary cover with, plus a selection of incentive “stickers” that they can earn.

I’ve also included 30 writing prompt ideas to jump start your students' minds. 

Finally, "Stuff It!" is a personal favorite and literally stuffed with lots of Common Core.

For the writing prompt portion of "Stuff It", students gather in groups of 3-4 and exchange their decorated paper stocking with each other.

spin a story wheels, creative writing activities, ST blend activities, december writing prompts, elf on a shelf activities, directional writing, christmas centersEveryone in the group "stuffs" a Christmas compliment into their classmate's stocking, by writing something nice about that person. Encourage the use of adjectives.

These completed projects also make a nice, self-esteem building, December bulletin board, which is particularly appropriate if your school does the "Bucket Filling" program.

The other writing prompt option, is for students to "stuff" their stocking with a list of things they'd like to find in their stocking, if money was no object, or you could also write a realistic one.

Along with the writing prompts, students can also stuff their stocking with words that begin and end with the ST blend

spin a story wheels, writing a letter to Santa, creative writing activities, ST blend activities, december writing prompts, elf on a shelf activities, directional writing, christmas centers I've included an alphabetical list of 92 words that begin with st, as well as a list of 64 words that end with the st blend, plus matching mini-word cards.

There's also a set of 6 worksheets that are played as timed games, as well as an "I Spy a Shape" whole-group assessment game, plus a "Shapes on a Roll" dice game.

spin a story wheels, writing a letter to Santa, creative writing activities, ST blend activities, december writing prompts, elf on a shelf activities, directional writing, christmas centersToday's featured FREEBIE is A Letter to Santa with a twist.

Instead of children asking Santa for something they want, they write on behalf of someone special to them, that they think deserves a present. 

Introduce the activity to older students with "If there really was a Santa, and he really could bring a special gift..."

I've included my sample that you can share to help explain what you want your kiddos to do.  Completed projects make a sweet "Christmas is Caring" bulletin board too.

spin a story wheels, creative writing activities, ST blend activities, december writing prompts, elf on a shelf activities, directional writing, christmas centersWell that's it for today.  My feet have hit the floor running! I have lots more shopping to do, and our tree's still not up! 

Wishing you a day filled with energy, and lots of peaceful moments to breathe in the joy of Christmas preparations.

"May peace be your gift at Christmas, and all the year through." -Unknown

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