- Tuesday 04 December 2018
Is it really that time of year again? The Christmas spirit will come flitting into your classroom in no time, and pupils will be excited for the holidays and that all important evening when Santa comes down the chimney; but we don't have to wait until Christmas to celebrate! Have pupils make their own Advent calendars in the lead up to Christmas so that when it comes, they are all prepared to count down the final days. Have a look at these handy, no-fuss calendar ideas that will have your pupils wanting the days to go on and on.
Santa Advent calendar
Materials:
Santa template - download here
scissors
cotton wool balls
coloured markers pens or pencils
pen
glue
Instructions:
Photocopy template and distribute. Pupils colour Santa's face and cut him out. With a pen, students write the numbers 1-24 on Santa's beard, leaving space between each number. (Younger pupils can write numerically, while older pupils can place the numbers at random.) Each day in December, pupils glue a cotton wool ball over the corresponding number. The closer it gets to Christmas, the bushier Santa's beard will be!
Christmas tree calendar
Materials:
green paper
coloured card for the backing
yellow stars
small circles (cut or punched out)
coloured pom-poms
glue
scissors
Instructions:
Cut out a tree shape from green paper (use a template or cut freehand) and glue it to the backing card. Glue a star to the top of the tree. Write the numbers 1-24 on the circle dots and place randomly on the tree. On each day of December, pupils glue a pom-pom on the correct number, slowly filling the tree up. By Christmas Eve, pupils will have a lovely decorated Christmas tree!
Possitive Affirmations/Class reward hanging calendar
Materials:
small paper bags (each pupil will need 24)
ribbon
stapler
coloured paper
coloured pencils/marker pens
craft items (e.g. pompoms, glitter, scraps of material)
Instructions:
Pre-cut lengths of ribbon (24 per pupil, all at different lengths). Distribute the ribbons, along with 24 paper bags, to each pupil. Have pupils write the numbers 1-24 on the bags and decorate them as they line, using pencils/marker pens and craft materials. Pupils staple a strip of ribbon to the top of each bag. Tie all loose ends together in a knot. All the bags should be hanging at different lengths. Hang the calendars on display in the classroom. Pair students and have them write positive affirmations about their partner, which they then fold up and place inside each bag. During December, pupils receive an affirmation and can take their calendar home and continue to receive them until Christmas.
Alternative:
You could make one calendar for the whole class that counts down to the end of term (this may need to be started in November for schools that finish early in December). Instead of positive affirmations, have rewards, such as: 10 minutes free time inside/outside, choice of book for class reading or play a game such as 'Heads down, thumbs up'.
