4 Simple Winter Holiday Classroom Crafts
With the winter break fast approaching, a lot of us teachers will be scrounging the internet looking for fun, simple, winter holiday classroom crafts to do with their students to help break up the days. Considering the fact that most of our schools try to honor all the holidays that fall in the month of December, it can be pretty tricky to find multiple choices that work best for any given classroom.
To make your holiday craft hunt easier, I’ve compiled a list with descriptions of really simple, small projects that you can use as a mini guide to help you if you are short on time (which, in most cases, we are). They are primarily meant for the younger crowd, but each link provided can be searched further to see what works best for the excited students waiting for their holiday break to begin!
The Kwanzaa Weave Mat is a simple craft that allows students to not only celebrate the holidays, but also serves as a possible placemat for a festive party. Just make sure you have plenty of construction paper to pull this off, as you may need a variety of colors to appeal to the kids making it. If you wish, you can also have students decorate the corners, or even draw on the weaves themselves.
The spinning top is a toy that has stood the test of time surprisingly well, thanks in part to Hanukkah. The dreidel comes out around this time every year, with kids playing for chocolate coins…and for keeps! While they don’t have the same look as the traditional top, the bottle cap/toothpick combination shown in the link above allows students to create their own take on the holiday toy. Just start saving bottle caps early! Don’t overload on drinking too much soda, though.
Need to “make a “gift” for mom and dad? The reindeer popsicle ornament should fit the bill. The adorable, little craft piece will be one that is treasured for years, even though it is so easy to make! You can even dress it up by wrapping it in tissue paper, sending it home with students to present to their parents. It’ll be hanging on the Christmas tree in no time.
This is a craft that can be done regardless of what holiday students celebrate! The paper snowflake is a staple, and it is so great because students can compare and contrast their final products due to the fact that not one will be like another! You can even lead into this project with a lesson on weather, identifying how one snowflake is different from all the others. That should make for some fun times!
These are just a few ideas to help you get started with your holiday classroom craft making. Good luck with any decisions you make, and remember to stock up early!
Happy Holidays!
Logan J. Fowler is a special education teacher in Princeton, NJ.
