12 Days of Christmas

As mentioned earlier, I thought I would share this idea that I use to use when teaching. About a week or so before I started this activity, I would send home a sign up sheet with my students asking if any parents were interested in coming to the class (for about 30 minutes) to do a Christmas activity. The activity was up to the parent and the ideas were always creative. I always got an amazing amount of support and my students loved having a new activity each day. It was fun for some of the kids to have their parent come in the classroom, who might not otherwise have the time to do so.

The day before the 12 Days started, the class would make stockings. I had templates to trace so that I could guarantee they would be large enough. The students would trace two, punch holes around the edges and then lace the stocking together with yarn (making sure not to lace the top closed). Most of the time when the parents came, they brought some kind of treat for the kids to add to their stocking. On the last day of school (before Christmas break) they kids would have a stocking full of goodies to take home.

(If you decide to try doing the 12 Days of Christmas, make sure to count out the days before Christmas Break so that you don't short yourself any time.)

Here are a couple of ideas I have seen parents use in the past...

* Crafts from Oriental Trading (including the picture frame ornament
* Christmas Caroling (parent brought in a key board)
* Watch the Grinch Who Stole Christmas (cartoon version) while eating milk and cookies.
* Decorate icecream sugar cones (upside down) as X-mas tree with green frosting. Add red hots as the lights/ornaments.
* Read The Polar Express and gave each child a bell on a string/bell-shaped candy.
* Made ornaments by using pipe cleaner and beads.

Be creative when coming up with ideas. Share family traditions, stories, games, stories, or songs. Hope this idea of the 12 Days of Christmas can help someone out!?!