This article appeared in "First Teacher" magazine.
Children's excitement mounts as each holiday draws near, and party day can be almost a nightmare. You know what children need least is the stimulation of a party -- another special event in a busy holiday season. Yet, teachers also know that learning about holidays and the customs surrounding them helps children learn about their world and value others. You support the importance of that learning.
So what's a teacher to do? Just remember the "KIST" approach - Keep It Simple, Teacher, and chase the nightmares away. With some planning, you can keep pretty close to your normal day's routine and keep extra commotion to a minimum.
Plan to follow your usual daily schedule, fitting the party into a time slot where it will cause the least commotion. Circle Time is a natural time for a low-key celebration.
Think of the holiday-related stories, games, songs and finger plays your children have learned. Choose their favorites and include those as your Circle Time Activities. Read a class-made book, too. Include movement activities to help youngsters expend some of their physical energy. Let the children help you make up action songs, like the one below, that can be adapted for any holiday. Include those in your event.
Holiday Song
Sung to: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Help children lower their energy level as well as their noise level by playing a game that requires listening. Try a seated, circle game where children pass one or two items around the circle while you play quiet music. When the music stops, the children holding the items do an action (jump 3 times, stomp their feet) and then the game begins again. Pass around items related to the holiday - a small pumpkin and a turkey figure for Thanksgiving, a groger and a mask for Purim.
Don't begin holiday studies too early. Making holiday ornaments and learning holiday songs for three weeks just gives children more over-stimulating days. A week of holiday preparations should be plenty for pre-schoolers.
Youngsters enjoy decorating the room, so provide plenty of materials for them to use, and hang up everything they offer. Have them make simple holiday hats or necklaces to be worn only at the party. Let them know that when they put these on the party begins, and when they take them off the party is over.
Decide whether party refreshments are going to be the children's meal or only a snack. If parents bring refreshments, be specific about what you want. Real fruit juice is preferable to sugared drinks. Fresh fruit and vegetables with a simple dip is a better choice than cupcakes, cookies, and other sweets. The children are happy with healthy foods. They'll believe that anything served is special because it's a party.
If the refreshments will be the children's lunch, consider serving nutrition-dense sandwiches. Serve fruit and vegetable finger foods instead of potato chips or other fatty side dishes.
Sandwiches take on a festive air when you pre-cut the bread with holiday-shape cookie cutters. Serve the children's favorites - sliced cheese, tuna or chicken salad, egg salad, and peanut butter and jelly are usually popular.
Special plates and napkins add a party touch, but aren't necessary if budgets don't allow them. Children can decorate plain white napkins and decorate the table with holiday items they've made from modeling dough.
If parents are included in the party, let them share the normal routine with their children. Invite parents to arrive just before Circle Time where they'll see their little ones put on their special "party" hats or necklaces to get the party going. They'll sing, move to music, do finger plays and listen to stories, just like they do every school day. The only difference is that today's selections are holiday-related. They'll be relaxed doing the "routine thing." You've helped them avoid the agony of memorizing lines and rehearsing for big productions. You've made sure the party will be age appropriate.
Invite parents to sit in the circle with their children and participate in the fun. Display posters of the songs' and finger plays' words for parents to follow.
Some parents think children should exchange gifts at holiday parties. This practice often causes more tears than joy when some children see a friend receive a coveted gift and their own gift is not of interest. Also, some parents cannot afford to buy gifts. Suggest to parents that they send a gift for the classroom if they desire. Post a "wish list" of classroom supplies that often need replacing: crayons, markers, plastic zipper bags, dress-up clothes, staples, miniature staplers, cotton balls, blank tapes, masking tape, flour and salt for modeling dough, etc. During the party, let children open the gifts they brought. Have wrapped extras on hand for children who didn't bring anything.
When the party ends, the indoors probably cannot contain the children's excitement. Remember the great outdoors, and if the weather permits, let youngsters play outside.
Remember to take plenty of photos of the party, and be certain each child is captured in a photo. You can use these later in language experience activities, and can send copies home with children.
Party day doesn't have to be a nightmare. Planning ahead and following the KIST approach will turn party days into sweet dream days. Happy holidays, and a happy party year!
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