Crafting Holiday Magic

Crafting Holiday Magic: Explore Engaging Christmas Activities with a Language Twist.

Crafting Holiday Magic

Crafting Holiday Magic

Christmas is an exciting time for kids, even when it isn’t a traditional part of the culture. We have the opportunity to have some fun, make a few crafts and teach some new vocabulary. Try not to just do a craft for the sake of it. Think how you can make it language based, so that students are doing the activity for a purpose.

Crafting Holiday Magic: Some Ideas to use:

TPR

In groups get Ss to use their bodies to make shapes e.g. star, stocking, present, Christmas tree, sleigh, cracker.

Make a class Christmas Tree

This is a fun activity, especially if the class is fairly new. Give each student an ornament shape (see the template in the Xmas Topic Folder). Get them to draw their heads in it. You could do it as a guided drawing activity. E.g. Draw your eyes OR Draw your right eye. Draw your mouth. Give just 15 to 20 seconds for each task. At the end allow a little time for colouring for some creative expression. Draw a Christmas tree (join some A3 pieces of paper together) and get the Ss (early finishers!) to colour it. Then glue the ornaments on, and you have a class tree. Hang it on the noticeboard.

Shapes running dictation

This is suitable for levels from K1B above, though if you are brave try it with the K1As! Put Ss into pairs and model the activity clearly with the TA. Put the shapes on the board outside the classroom. 1 student runs out and then runs back to tell their partner.

Make a Christmas Card

Instead of just colouring try to be creative. E.g. lacing card. There are four templates in the folder, 1 has been done as a card, but you could also do the others. Before class you need to pre-cut the card templates (on card) and punch holes around the shape. You also need wool. Clearly model how to weave the wool in and out. It takes time but it looks great. Once finished they can draw a picture and write on the inside of the card for an original, unique card.

Make a Christmas Wreath

Give each student some green paper and draw around their right hand. Cut them out. Put the hands in a circle, overlapping the wrist part OR make a large doughnut circle to glue the hands on. Do decorate the wreath do some shape drawing. E.g. ‘Draw a yellow star’. ‘Draw a blue circle’. Cut them out and glue them onto the wreath.

Hand & Foot Reindeer

Give Ss some colour card and get them to draw around both hands and one foot. They will need some help with this. Cut out the shapes and draw a face on the foot. Colour them in. The foot is the body, and the hands are the antlers.

Other Activities

Pop-up Tree Card: Prepare some elements in advance for this creative card-making venture. It’s not just about crafting; it’s an opportunity to turn the activity into a written exercise post-card creation.
3D Star Craft: Dive into the world of fun with a 3D star craft. While it involves a bit of cutting, the end result is worth the effort.
Santa Claus Paper Craft: Bring the jolly old man to life with this delightful paper craft. An engaging activity that combines creativity with language learning.
Paper Xmas Tree: Explore the art of making a paper Christmas tree—a visual delight and a chance to incorporate new vocabulary.
Shooting Star Xmas Tree Ornament: Create a stellar ornament with a shooting star theme, adding a touch of celestial magic to the festive season.
Xmas Bingo: Pre-teach holiday vocabulary and enjoy a lively round of Bingo. Feel free to adapt the pictures to suit your preferences.
Snowman Card: Craft a heartwarming snowman card, merging creativity with the joy of the season.
Santa Hat or Decoration: Get hands-on with creating Santa hats or other festive decorations—a hands-on activity with a touch of linguistic flair.
Paper Snowflake/Card: Embrace the delicate beauty of paper snowflakes or craft a card inspired by winter’s intricate patterns.
Christmas Tree Card: Design a charming Christmas tree card, encouraging both creativity and language exploration.
Christmas Lacing Projects: Combine fine motor skills with festive themes through Christmas lacing projects—a tactile way to learn.
Colouring: Dive into a world of colors with numerous choices in our festive folder—more than just coloring, it’s an artistic expression with vocabulary exploration.
Make a Cracker: Add an element of surprise by placing candies inside the crackers. Consider including a paper crown for added fun—a delightful crafting activity with a twist.
Scoring Games: You could use a Christmas tree point system, starting with 1 at the top, building down to more squares. OR race to the top of the tree.