Classroom Christmas Party

Christmas Idea #4 - Classroom Christmas Party
The Organized Classroom Blog recently wrote a great article about hosting a winter/Christmas classroom party.  For tips, ideas and games, you must head over to her blog!  Here are a few highlights...

Snow Globe Game (printable game)
Pass the Hot Chocolate (no picture to show for this idea.)
Winter Snow Bingo (printable game)

Build A Snowman Relay Race

Want some more GREAT party ideas?  Check out Mrs. Bainbridge's Class to download a FREE Christmas party idea book (8 pages) full of games, treats, activities and more!  Such a great resource to print out and keep for the future!!

Minute To Win It - Christmas Party Games

Christmas Idea #3 - Minute To Win It Christmas games for a party.

You might be feeling a little stressed or overwhelmed if you are a room mom and are in charge of coming up with a holiday party for 20-30 children.  If you are looking for ideas for a work party or family Christmas party, I have you covered. 

For any age, why not try a few "Minute to Win It" type of games!?!  If you have never watched the hit NBC television show, allow me to catch you up on what you may have missed.  You will work in 2 teams (mainly because a little competition is so much more fun!) to complete tasks using items you probably already have around your house.  They may seem easy, but don't be fooled!  Besides you only have 1 MINUTE to complete the task!  YIKES!  Our family played a few of these games at our Christmas eve party last year and even the grandparents were getting in on the fun!  Here are a few ideas to use:

NOSE DIVE -

Items Needed:
Vaseline (Petroleum jelly)
Cotton Balls
Bowl

Directions:
Choose one player from each team to take a turn.  Have the player put a dab of Vaseline on the tip of their nose.  Without using any other body part (other than the nose), have the player move the cotton balls one at a time from one end of the table to a bowl at the other end of the table.  The player who can move the most cotton balls into the bowl within the minute will be awarded the point.

FACE THE GINGERBREAD MAN -

Items Needed:
cookies (in this case, gingerbread)

Directions:
Using only the face, players must move the cookie from their forehead to the mouth.  The team who can move the most cookies in 1 minute will receive a point.



SNOWBALL FIGHT -
Items Needed:
White paper for each player or team.

Place a dividing line in the middle of the room. Players or teams will need to wad up the white paper and have a snowball fight. The player or team who has the least number of “snowballs” on their side after one minute is the winner.


MARSHMALLOW TOSS -
Items Needed:
One wreath,
Large Bag of marshmallows
One bucket for each player.

Directions:
Have one person hold the wreath to their side and place the bucket behind the wreath. Players will have one minute to throw marshmallows through the wreath into the bucket. The player with the most marshmallows in the bucket after one minute is the winner!

MERRY FISHMAS -


Items Needed:

30cm plastic pole (think the thickness of say a straw) with a hook on the end.
15 cm candy cane which is hung from the bottom of the candy cane (ie; upside down) and securely attached to the end of the pole by fishing line.
4 small candy canes

Players must use Candy Canes as fishing hooks and hook four candy canes on top of each other. Think Barrel of Monkeys.


THE NUT STACKER-

Items Needed:
Candy cane
7 larger sized nuts...as in nuts and bolts (Check the size to make sure a candy cane could fit through the hole)

Directions:
Hold the candy cane in one hand by the hook.  Using the straight end of the candy cane (ONLY), pick up the nuts and place them one on top of another as high as you can.  The goal is to reach 7 nuts high, although our family record was 5 before the tower of nuts fell over.

Other ideas might include:
*Who can eat a donut tied to a string using only their mouth in 1 minute?
*Who can blow the most bubbles (using bubble gum) in 1 minute?
*Who can wrap the most presents in 1 minute?
*Who can unwrap a present using only spoons in 1 minute?

To see a few of these games in action and for a few more ideas check out The Mason's Blog.

Christmas Gifts for the Neighbors

Since you might need a start to getting all your gifts ready for the month, here are a few ideas to kick things off.

Christmas Idea #2:  Gifts for the neighbors...more to come...
Try a package of pasta (any kind will do) with a tag saying "Have a PASTA-tively Merry Christmas!"

Source:  Some of This & Some of That

A jug of apple cider with the tag (already made for ya) saying "We couldn't de-CIDER if you have been naughty or nice, so you're just getting some cider and spice.

Source:  No Fuss Fabulous

This idea looks like it may take a little more time, but if you are feeling a little crafty this year and have the time to spare, then you might just enjoy this clever snowman kit idea.  Don't worry the tutorial is there too...check go to The Fickle Pickle to read more...

Oh and I like this poem to go with the kit found on One of A Kind...

I am a little snowman.  I am so fat and round.

I started from a snowflake that fell upon the ground.

I have black coal for my eyes, a great big scarf of red.

I have a carrot for a nose, a hat upon my head.

I have some buttons on my vest, and for each hand a glove.

I have a smile for all who pass, because I was made with love.

"Wishing you a holiday season full of peace, joy and hope soap!" from Crap I've Made.

A (child proof) nativity set that children could play with and act out! 

(Idea from I Am Momma Hear Me Roar)

Finally in this post, One of Kind suggests the following:  Tie a tag to a box of Ding Dongs and Ho Ho's saying "Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas from the Ding Dongs next door."

Easy DIY Christmas Countdown

Even though I had promised my readers 31 fabulous Halloween ideas and fell short by a few, this time I am coming through with 25 Christmas ideas.  Some ideas I have planned to feature will be ideas to use with your family, in a classroom, for a party and even gift ideas for neighbors, teachers and more.  How do you know you can trust me on this one?  Because I am already working ahead and have the posts saved and ready to share as the days arrive.  This has to be a no-fail way right?!?

Christmas Idea #1 - Christmas Countdown

I realize there are a lot fewer days now until Christmas (from what you see in the picture above), but you get the idea.  This is such a simple and inexpensive craft idea to get you ready for Christmas.  Head on over to Life {Sweet} Life to download your choice of the Christmas countdown.  You can choose to either print it from home or send it to a photo center.  Stick the countdown behind a picture frame and using a dry erase marker, change the number of days until Christmas!  LOVE IT!

FREE Christmas Bingo!

 For all of you room moms out there, getting ready for your classroom Christmas parties, here is a link to The Teacher's Wife, where she is offering a FREE black and white or color Christmas Bingo only until December 1.  After that, you will need to purchase the set for $2.00 from her TpT store.  Print out and laminate a set to use as a center at your holiday party this year.  Mark off the spaces with Christmas candy as the pictures are called.  Any activity + candy = fun for kids!

Thanksgiving Ideas for the Kids' Table

Growing up, I must admit that Thanksgiving wasn't one of my favorite holidays.  Don't get me wrong...I love turkey, pie and a great home cooked meal, but it felt like there was nothing more than the eating.  Now as an adult, my own family usually gets together with my husband's side of the family, where my kids play with their cousins, the guys watch a football game or two and the girls sit in the living room looking through ads in the paper to see which stores we will visit in the middle of the night, all for the sake of a good deal...yeah I'm one of those crazy people!  Playing games and eating comes with the holiday too.  Well if your family has kids or kids coming to dinner, here are a few ideas you can use to keep them entertained at the "kids table".
Have the kids make these darling little turkeys using Rice Krispies.

While sitting at the table, waiting for the food, have the kids color some Thanksgiving pictures using this FREE package of assembled crayons.

and FREE coloring page, which could double as a placemat.

I am a sucker for Peanut Butter, so making these Nutter Butter turkeys would be a BIG hit at my house. 

Ingredients needed:
Nutter Butter Cookies
M&M's (minis)
White Cookie Frosting
Red, Yellow and Orange Jelly Beans
Candy Corn
(Full Sized) Reese's PB Cups
(Nabisco) Chocolate Wafer Cookies

How about these simple Pilgrim hat cookies from Woman's Day?  3 ingredients!  (Nabisco) Chocolate Wafer Cookies, 1 tube orange frosting with piping tip, and small Reese's PB cups.

I love this idea from Fiskars.  Fill a pie tin with some items to munch on so that when dinner isn't ready on time, the kids will have some food to snack on.  Fill the tin with items such as popcorn, M&M's, Bugles chips, nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, etc.  Make sure to cut a shape in the lid to resemble the top of a pie.

Also, from Fiskars, turn a paper cup upside down and decorate it like a Pilgrim's hat to hold the crayons.  If the table is covered with some white butcher paper, the kids can enjoy the wait time while coloring!

Lastly, I thought I should add some nutrition to the mix.  Maybe serving vegetables like this would make the kids want some?!?

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!  Check back next week as I start the Christmas ideas coming...

Thanksgiving Gift Ideas

Looking for a quick gift for a friend, neighbor, teacher, or something to bring to dinner?  Here are a few suggestions for you this Thanksgiving.
First of all, don't you think kids would be excited to get a jar of Turkey Toes!?!  Put some candy corn in a jar and add a cute label and you are all set!

This idea from Mommy By Day, Crafter By Night, is not only super cute and easy, but also includes a FREE tag.  Head to the dollar store to pick up a container, add some fall colored M&M's (or Reece's Pieces), slap on a tag and you're ready to go!

Another easy gift idea, would be to print out one of these great printables (or another one you like).  Look for a cute 8x10 picture frame at the dollar store (or else where) and add your printable to the frame.  All in all, the gift could cost you a little over $1.  Here are a few printables I have found a love:



Source:  Balancing Home

Source:  Capital B

Source:  Craftily Ever After 

Gratitude Rolls

THIS may just be one of the coolest Thanksgiving traditions I have seen...GRATITUDE ROLLS.

As guests arrive, give them each a small slip of paper and have them write one thing they are grateful for.  Place each slip of paper on a wedge of crescent roll dough and wrap up the paper inside.  Follow the directions for the rolls and bake as usual.  At dinner, as each guest takes a roll, they read what the slips of paper say.  As suggested by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam, a fun twist to this activity is to then guess who wrote what.  What a fun way to bring the family closer and keep in mind all our blessings!

{FREE} November Calendar Cards

Although Novemeber is half way through, maybe you can print out these calendar cards to use for next year.  These are a FREE download from Doodle Bugs Teaching, and would work perfectly for sequencing numbers as a center or to use as part of a calendar. 

Thanksgiving Acorns

Since Thanksgiving is always such a crazy day in the kitchen, why not start the day off with a simple breakfast for the kids...like these cute acorn donuts.  Okay I know what you're thinking...more calories on Thanksgiving, but aren't they darling!?! 

Source:  Gracious Rain

These would also be a fun activity for the kids to make while waiting for dinner or during a class party/feast!

HaPpY HaLLoWeEn!

HaPpY HaLLoWeEn!!  I did not mean to pull such an awful trick and not post anything Halloween related for so long!  If you only knew how busy everything has been in my life lately you would completely understand!  Next year I will have to be more on top of things!  For now, I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Halloween, but more importantly I hope you will all be able to survive tomorrow.  I know I am worried!! :)

Witches Stew Game

Halloween Idea #13 - Witches Stew Game:

Family Fun offers this fun Halloween game that you can use at a class party.  Only 3 items are needed to get going...straws, construction paper and a bowl.

The instructions from Family Fun are as follows:

1.Before the party, ask your kids to help you cut ten Halloween shapes, such as ghosts, bats and pumpkins from construction paper. Each shape should be about the size of a silver dollar. Place the shapes in a pile beside a small bowl.

2.Using the straw as a vacuum, each contestant tries to pick up a shape and place it in the bowl to create the Witch's Stew. Time the players to see who can get all ten in the bowl the fastest.

Ghost Party Favor

Halloween Idea #12 - Ghost Party Favor

Are you need need of a simple, cute, and EASY (not to mention inexpensive) Halloween favor?  I stumbled across this idea from The Gaines Gang.  I love the simplicity behind this idea.  And the supplies? No problem!  In fact, I am sure you may already have everything you need on hand!

Don't Eat Jack!

Halloween Idea #11 - Don't Eat Pete Jack!

Have you ever played the game Don't Eat Pete?  It's a fun game where you need a game board (like the one above...or something different depending on the holiday) and some small treat...M & M's, cereal pieces, Smarties, Candy Corn, etc.  Put your choice of candy in the middle of each square.  Send one person out of the room or have them cover their eyes.  Have a designated "it" person choose which candy piece will be "Pete", or in this case "Jack".  Have the person return to the room/open their eyes and start eating the candy off the game board.  As soon as the person picks up "JacK" everyone yells "DON'T EAT JACK!"  Continue playing the game until everyone has had a turn to be it. 
 Toddler Approved has a great printable DON'T EAT JACK! game board just waiting to be used!

Glass Block {Candy Corn} Pumpkin

Halloween Idea # 10 - Glass Block Candy Corn Pumpkin

Crafts Direct has the tutorial for how to make one of these for yourself!  Think how cute this would be on an entry table of your hous or as a teacher gift!  If I made this, would just need to make sure my daughter couldn't break into this to steal all that candy corn.