I have tips to help you have a stress free holiday season in your classroom. With the holiday season near there will be plenty of excitement and Christmas activities to go around. But do you ever find yourself completely worn out from all the activities at school that by the time you get home you can’t enjoy your own family holiday activities? I have some tips for stress free holidays in your classroom. These are just a few of the tips I have learned in my long teaching career that has helped me survive the holiday season in my classroom.
Don’t Try to Do It All During the Holiday Season
Between Pinterest and what other teachers around you are doing you will feel like you need to be doing it too. DO.NOT.DO.IT!!! You will drive yourself crazy and tired trying to squeeze it all in. Trust me, I have been there and done that. I suggest to pick 2-3 holiday activities and focus only on those. Yes, the paper plate Santa is cute, but are there other themed activites you could do that would be more meaningful? Do you have an activity that would correlate with a standard being taught? Choose only a few activities and make those meaningful. I have an entire blog post dedicated to Christmas and holiday activities, click here to read!
Stick to a Schedule
With all the activities and Christmas programs happening it is easy for your class to get off schedule. Remember, kids thrive and love a structured routine. It is very important during this busy time to stick to your REGULAR routine. When programs arrive and throw your schedule off just resume back to regular schedule activities once you are back in the classroom. I have seen a lot of teachers who just stop teaching or do fun activities the rest of the day once a disruption happens. Usually their class is being very disruptive too. Having schedule will keep everyone in the classroom sane!:))
Get the Wiggles Out
I know we are sticking to a schedule as much as possible, but don’t forget to let them get their wiggles out. In most places the holiday season brings dreary and cold weather. If it is not possible for them to go outside and play, then be sure your activities or breaks involve movement. Maybe during math or reading play a game of scoot that correlates with your lesson or standards being taught. Also, you could have the students come up to the board to workout answers more frequently. Although Go Noodle is a plus on rainy days, a movement break does not have to involve using this resource alone.
Take Care of Yourself During the Holiday Season
With everything going on during the holiday season it easy to become very exhausted. Remember to take time for yourself. I know this is easier said than done! Try to stick to your sleep schedule and if possible try to catch a few extra minutes. Try to find a few quiet minutes to yourself each day. Also, remember to stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause headaches and exhaustion. If you try to do at least a few of these everyday it will make the hectic schedule much easier to handle.
Don’t Spend a Fortune During the Holiday Season
Save your money! I know how hard it is not to buy all of those cute cheap items in the Target Dollar Spot for your students at Christmas, but trust me SAVE YOUR MONEY. All of those dollars add up when buying for an entire class. Through my teaching career I have seen some kids who love to get a small gift from their teacher, but most children will love you the same whether or not they get a gift. If you do want give them something how about an inexpensive item such as a picture of you, their favorite teacher, and them together or make cookies for the class. Just remember the money you could save could be spent on your own family, kids, or saved up to help pay a bill off. Most children will lose or break those small trinket items in a matter of weeks.
What are some ways you stay sane in your classroom during the holiday season? I would love to hear some of your ideas. Please leave a comment with your best tip for staying stress free during the holiday season. I hope I was able to give you some useful tips. Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek!
