December Holiday Themed Day - Freebies!

So usually, each month or "holiday" our team does a themed day where parents come in and we do a stations type of day.
September was {Apples}
October was {Pumpkins}
November, we did our {Thanksgiving Performance} (no stations that day!)
December, we're doing Holiday Day.

Confession.
I don't do holiday parties.
I don't like parties. I'm totally against pumping kids full of sugar and cookies and candy.

Ok. I know I'm not normal. I even cringe when my daughters have parties in their classrooms because I don't want them to have it.

I'm not in the norm, I know. But I still LOVE to do parties.  I just do more activities and crafts than I do sugar.  The kids love it.

I haven't been at this school...or in 1st grade...for Christmas yet. I was out on maternity leave last year. So I'm making this up as I go! haha

Hopefully, we get enough volunteers. At my old school, getting volunteers was a thing of luxery, so I'm still not very used to it. Sometimes I get too many volunteers here and and sometimes, not enough. Just depends on the event and the timing, I guess.

So this month, my plan is to have 5(ish) stations... here are some ideas I have, though I haven't really finalized my list of activities yet.

1. Measurement Tree

I have done this activity for YEARS. I don't remember where I first got the idea (maybe Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten??), that's how long I've been doing it....but this year, since I found lots of scrapbook paper on sale, I've decided to do it with pretty Christmas paper.   My girls did it this weekend... they turned out so cute!  

I pre-cut the strips into 1" strips and then they measured them out to 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 inch pieces.

I decided to change the paper on them because it wasn't "popping" enough for me.

2. Weighing with Jingle Bells

I got this idea from Heather a looooooong time ago. But it's so fun! Click the pic to head to her blog.

3. Candy Cane Craft

I'm going to let them do different patterns, since these days, candy canes can come in all kinds of different stripes.

4. Candy Cane Experiment

I've never done this experiment during rotations before, only as a whole class experiment....so I hope it works out! The recording sheet I got came from Brown Bag Teacher - click her picture below to grab her freebie!

5. Magic Milk Experiment

How does Santa drink all that milk all night long??!! Why, Magic Milk of course!  I got the recording sheet from Kristen.  Click the pic to go to her post to download.

6. Stocking Craft

Many moons ago, I started making these for Christmas. They turn out super cute! And it's great motor skills practice.  Check out the post {HERE}.

7. Hat Craft

Because most themes I just have to have a hat. I blame my teacher neighbor. She started it. haha.

I found one {HERE}.

and a tracer for the antlers {HERE} if you want it.

8. Reindeer Craft

I absolutely LOVE this reindeer shape craft!  Click the pic to check out the post where I got the idea.

9. Cookie Science Experiment

Because I love food. And my husband loves dunking his cookies, so this was an actual conversation we had in our house the other day. So, of course it became an idea for a classroom activity.

Click the pick to download.

10. My Sweet Story

This is from one of my favorite blogger friends. I would totally love to teach with this girl - she has some great ideas!!  This one is {My Sweet Story} - where they drop a peppermint candy on the mat (mat of adjectives) to fill in their story -Mad Libs Style writing. I'm going to have the parent read them their story and then they have to illustrate it on the back. 

 (stole this picture from her blogpost - check it out HERE!)

Whew! Ok.. now... how to dwindle it down to just 5!?!

Which ones would you pick??