As an elementary school teacher, or as the parent of an elementary school child, it can be difficult to find fun activities all year round. Kids grow tired of just studying all the time. They would rather be outside playing or doing something creative. Although you might not be able to let them outside all the time, you can encourage their creative side in a fun way that will also teach them important lessons. If your class seems to be bored with the usual routine you might want to consider trying some fun coloring crafts. Coloring allows each child to express themselves and control the outcome of a creative project. Most kids feel like every element of their life is controlled by adults. They have no decision in matters such as education, bed time, and what they eat. Giving them the opportunity to do something creative provides them with a little opportunity for autonomy. One of the things that you will teach elementary school kids throughout their grade school years is how to celebrate holidays. You will teach them some of the basic cultural ideas behind holidays and the history of holidays. A great way to teach some of these ideas while helping the kids have a great time is through holiday coloring crafts. I have described some of my favorite holiday coloring crafts below.
1. Holiday decoration coloring. For almost every holiday there is some sort of traditional decoration. A great way to introduce these decorations to a class is to have them make them for themselves. If you are celebrating Halloween have your class color scary ghosts and goblins. If the class is still quite young you might need to provide the outlines in which the kids will color. Christmas is great for coloring because of the rich variety of colors associated with the holiday. Have the children design and color their own stockings, presents, and Christmas tree designs. For students who celebrate other holidays you might want to do some research about the traditional colors associated with it. This could be a great opportunity to educate the class about holidays and traditions that would otherwise go unnoticed or celebrated.
2. Holiday gift cards. It is almost always appropriate to distribute holiday gift cards for almost any occasion. This sort of activity can be great for building cohesion in your classroom. Have the children design a card that is appropriate for the specific holiday or occasion. Allow them to write a nice note to their friends or class mates. Make sure that they color the card with colors specific to the holiday.
3. Holiday t-shirt design. Purchase cheap cotton t-shirts and clothing markers for your class. Have them design their own t-shirt for the holiday. They can design a holiday scene, such as Santa Claus and his elves making presents, or a scary ghost in a cemetery. Don’t limit the creativity of your class when it comes to their designs.
As you can see, there are lots of great ideas for holiday coloring crafts. These are just a few of many ideas that you can try with your elementary school kids. Brainstorm and come up with some exciting new ideas of your own. You know the children you are working with better than anyone and you will be able to come up with crafts that will entertain and teach them. Also, don’t be afraid to ask the class for holiday coloring craft ideas. Often children are the best source of new ideas for good teaching methods.
