Christmas Crazies!!

Ho ho holy crow - I can't believe there are only 10 more school days until Christmas break! Jeepers! We have had a total blast with holiday activities this week and the kids have been super excited, which has led to a bit of chaos. I'm not sure my little friends can handle all the excitement without totally losing it. But honestly, who doesn't freak out a little at this time of year? It's just so fun!!

Last week we got ourselves ready by creating our countdown chains. The kids hang them next to their desk and we cut off a link each day until we reach the top! When we cut the final link off, it will be Christmas! You can create countdown chains with your little ones too by clicking here!

 

 

On Monday, we decorated the room to spread some Christmas cheer :) We decorated the tree together and put up our lights. It was so sweet to see them working together. This was the first time decorating the tree for some of them and it just warmed my heart.

 

  

They are so cute!! I also added a bit of charm this year by creating a fireplace in the room to hang our stockings. I am in LOVE with it. It makes me feel like I am still up north :)

At first I put the the bow above it, but it just didn't do it for me. SO I went out and bought a cute little wreath to hang above it. The kids love sitting and reading their books in the library next to the big fireplace.

I use the stockings as part of our special December behavior management system. Because our classroom has a Rockstar theme, we call them their "Rocking Stockings". Each day in December that they end the day on a good color (green, orange, purple, or blue), they earn a special treat to put inside their rocking stocking. I just use little goodies that I pick up from Walmart, the Dollar Tree, and Oriental Trading. Things like stickers, pencils, erasers, candy, etc. They really do work harder to earn good behavior colors! They get to take their stocking home the day they leave for Christmas break.

 

Outside of our room, I always create a huge gingerbread house. The kids always get excited when they see it. I added a little something different this year by putting some fun sparkling snow toward the bottom. I put some lights on the floor and covered them with polyfill. Then I sprinkled some glittery buffalo snow on top. It looks much better in person, it was hard to capture the "magic" in a picture.

This week we also began our Holiday Behavior Books! These things are a blessing in my room. It is just the right amount of bribery to use this month. Read below to see how it works!

 

 Santa delivers the books to our classroom in December. It has a special rhyming note on the cover from Santa explaining how it works. There are three pages for the three weeks in December before we leave for Christmas break. Each page has 5 missing pictures. At the end of each day, all of my little ones who are on a good color get to add a sticker to their book. On day 1, they put their sticker in box 1 (it is a little cat sitting in front of the fireplace). On day 2, they put their sticker in box 2 (a gift under the tree) etc. They are sooooo sad when they don't get to add their sticker. But it's good, because they work harder the next day! At the end of the week they get to color their picture in. The next week, we move to page 2, and so on!

HOLIDAY BEHAVIOR BOOK PAGES

DAILY BEHAVIOR BOOK STICKERS

That is just the beginning of our Christmas fun!!

This week I will tell you all about our crazy, mischievous little elf visitor.

Here's a preview of what he's been up to...