Guest Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Hi Anyone who can help? I've planned Christmas cards, hats, decorations, songs, num & lit activities; sorted out school play castings and costumes etc. I thought I was doing well- until I rememberd- calendars. Any simple ideas that won't take me hours to prepare and the children seconds to do, for an original calendar idea. We have been given the small calandar booklets to stick at the bottom. It's reception class by the way! Did photos last year, doing handprints as cards and wanted something a bit more exciting than 'just' a picture or painting. Not too fussy am I!! Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Hi w got children to draw them selvs on the months of the calender..photocopied them then stuck the calender bits on the bottom... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Ooo, you're running out of time for anything much in the way of paint or collage. You could do photo's again, afterall it is a different class. Ours are 4 small pieces of card each with a tree in a different part of the year, stuck onto a big piece of card to follow the seasons. The older children have been able to think about the colours they need for each picture but the younger ones have needed more help and we've let them glue anything onto different colour card, orange for autumn, green for summer, yellow is spring and blue is winter. The calenders all look individual but still follow the seasons in colour. The most adventurerous we did involved gathering together 12 pictures from each child during the time from Sept to Dec. These were bound into a calender with a picture for each month. Doubt I'll do that one again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 I'ld just let the children loose with all the creative materals and see what they come up with!! Have a smaller piece of card, Stick it onto a larger piece and add calendar book thingy. Parents will love it whatever. Ta dah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Thanks for the ideas. Running out of time- I 've not started Christmas work with the children this week (except learning songs for the whole school (out of hand) production / west end show!!). Still 3 weeks, 2days left (not that I'm counting) and Christmas work will start on Monday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Good luck Karen I've held off the Christmas stuff so far.....trying to get to Dec 1st before I start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Quite right! That was my plan but might sneak a few things in on Mon or Tues if I can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 It's very tempting isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 How about some computer art! I made an outline of a christmas tree by drawing on to an OHP acetate and then blu-tacing to the computer screen. Children followed outlines and decorated, changing colours, using spray can and in fill tool as they wish. I mounted theses as cards because I prefer to have a non Christmassy image on the calendars but you could choose a different object for your calendars. How about hands on calendars and trees as cards?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magenta Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 We have also used ict to make some of our cards. We are lucky enough to work in the ict suite, so we used 'Dazzle' paint program to make the pictures. More confident chn. made snowmen, others made starry pictures - all done in 2 hrs (chn. are out most of this week due to moving into refurbished unit, that's why they have been done so soon!) Earlier in the term chn. also used 'Dazzle' to make shape patterns - they chose a background colour then used shape tool to add shapes and the fill tool to colour in different colours - the results are very effective (the rectangles really reminded me of Mondrian!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 We did 'coloured sand' pictures last year. You can either buy your coloured sand, or make your own using food colouring and a plastic bag!---- just give it a few shakes, (you may also ned to add water, then let teh sand dry out) The calendars were really effective, and the children enjoyed using sand in a different way. If you want to be really adventurous, you can haver some Christams shapes, e.g. trees and santa, and let the children decorate them, but we just used small pieces of card last year. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magenta Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Found this on a link already posted here. Won't be much use in school as you can't easily pring page, but I've spent ages on it, fascinted by the patterns you can make!!Kaliedoscope painter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verona Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Magenta, I've just spent ages making patterns as well Really good! Shame it's not easily printed though Sue J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelle Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 One of the calendars i have done over recent years is - Using 'brusho' or similar, get the children to colourwash a piece of A4/5 card. When dry - Draw each member of their family using black felttip, marker pens only. Double mount (black card +other matching tone) Add calendar tab and loop. result looks really effective and is a lovely keepsake. Works well with a self portrait too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 So many fantastic ideas. Don't know what to choose now. This will keep me going for years to come. That's assuming I'm 'allowed' to teach reception class for years to come. I'm so often told that you should move around and not stick with the same year grp, but I really enjoy the different approach of the foundation stage. Sorry- change of topic! I'll return to that another time in a better location! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 Hi Karenb124! I'm currently trying to plan Christmas activiies for nxt week but having a bit of brain freeze! Would you be willing to share some of your numeracy and literacy ideas?! As for calenders you could make a 'stained glass window' by sticking some white tissue paper onto a plastic sheet and getting the children to stick sequins and bits of coloured paper onto it. You then put another piece of tissue paper on top and paste glue all over. When it is dry it should peel off the plastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 Hi Karenb124! I'm currently trying to plan Christmas activiies for nxt week but having a bit of brain freeze! Would you be willing to share some of your numeracy and literacy ideas?! As for calenders you could make a 'stained glass window' by sticking some white tissue paper onto a plastic sheet and getting the children to stick sequins and bits of coloured paper onto it. You then put another piece of tissue paper on top and paste glue all over. When it is dry it should peel off the plastic! 43831[/snapback] Hi Like the stained glass idea, might have to try it out on my own first though! My lit ans num plans are a bit half hearted as we don'thave to formally plan for the last 2 weeks! However here are some things I'm planning to do 9whether they will fit in around all the production rehearsals etc is another matter!): *Writing corner- lists to father Christmas and lists Santa might write *A class book- aletter to santa (main intro- Dear Santa we ahev been good thsi year and for Chrsitmas would really like) then the chn each produce their own list for each page, (finish with thank you, we hope you have a nice Christmas santa and you get a present for Ruldolph too........etc) *Writing key wods- family members, + a bit of a psed approach- draw ot cut & stick a present they think a memeber of their family/ freind would like and write name label next to it. *Sticking objects with same initial sounds into sticking labelled witht hat leter. *Order Xmas trees/ bells etc by size * pattern work with Xmas shapes *Tracing Xmas pictures- route of Santa to postbox etc for fine manipulation skills * stick decs on tree to given number- for moe able I put say, 3 decs on the tree and say, make 8, how many more do i need....... Hope some of this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 Hi! My first post here. What a brilliant site I stumbled across it a couple of weeks ago while surfing for some planning info. Its so good that you all share such positive, constructive ideas After all, we're all here for the same purpose, to help children access their learning potential! (Sorry, enthusiasm swept me away from topic!!) Anyway, hope this isn't too late for Karenb124! A couple of ideas for calendars... wrap a piece of card with lots of different colours of wool, (don't have the card too big 'cos it takes littlies ages!) They look really good backed on to a another piece of card that is complemetary to the colours in the binding. If you want a border, draw around the edge with a felt pen, or get the children to do their own pattern with those felt pen stamps. Add a tab and a loop. Honestly, it doesn't take as long as it sounds and when I did it with 4+ age the children loved it. We sorted colours, measured wool, did patterning, thought about textures.... Alternatively, you could weave strips of fabric through a very simple 'loom' of card with 5 or 6 strands of weft(?) the vertical bits you weave between! and mount the inthe same way as before. Another idea if you have got dexterous children is to weave 4 strips of coloured paper through a paper frame with 5 slots in it, but you need to try it youself first incase you have to adapt the width of the strips Hope these are ok and thanks to whoever for setting up the site Neeta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2005 Share Posted November 29, 2005 Welcome to the forum, Neeta, and thank you for your useful first post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Thanks karenb124! Will use some of those ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Hi! My first post here. What a brilliant site I stumbled across it a couple of weeks ago while surfing for some planning info. Its so good that you all share such positive, constructive ideas After all, we're all here for the same purpose, to help children access their learning potential!(Sorry, enthusiasm swept me away from topic!!) Anyway, hope this isn't too late for Karenb124! A couple of ideas for calendars... wrap a piece of card with lots of different colours of wool, (don't have the card too big 'cos it takes littlies ages!) They look really good backed on to a another piece of card that is complemetary to the colours in the binding. If you want a border, draw around the edge with a felt pen, or get the children to do their own pattern with those felt pen stamps. Add a tab and a loop. Honestly, it doesn't take as long as it sounds and when I did it with 4+ age the children loved it. We sorted colours, measured wool, did patterning, thought about textures.... Alternatively, you could weave strips of fabric through a very simple 'loom' of card with 5 or 6 strands of weft(?) the vertical bits you weave between! and mount the inthe same way as before. Another idea if you have got dexterous children is to weave 4 strips of coloured paper through a paper frame with 5 slots in it, but you need to try it youself first incase you have to adapt the width of the strips Hope these are ok and thanks to whoever for setting up the site Neeta 43857[/snapback] We've done something similar but cut out a frame shape and wrapped that with wool or thin ribbon then used it to frame a photograph of the child or their name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleucocker Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 I divided a piece of A4 paper into 4 and on each section I put a simple pencil outline of a bare tree. The children coloured each tree brown and wrote spring, summer, autumn and winter under each tree. They then finger painted green and pink for the blossom on the spring tree, green on the summer tree, brown and orange on the autumn tree and white with glitter for the winter tree. The children loved it and my class of 29 had all finished in an hour and a half!!! My CLA and I did have a bit of a production line going though. I will scan my version to put on here tomorrow. Andrea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 Calenders- this year I have made a monthly calender- each month has a different picture using that child's handprints: Jan - snow flake Feb - heart march- daffodil April- umbrella (april showers) May - lamb/chicks June- Butterfly July - flower aug - sun sept - apple tree oct- pumpkin nov - sparkler dec- father xmas/angel/reindeer it sounds like an awful lot but the children love it! I also have a poem for the front too. This doubles as a card and a present for parents for xmas and they wrap it in their own design xmas paper (using potato stamps) the children are so proud of their work! i have the monthly calender sheets Jan-dec 2006 with the blank space on top that i have created if anyone would like a copy. If nothing else each child can now tell me and order the months of the year!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 Forgot to say I hole punch the top and tie it together with tartan ribbon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 That sounds lovely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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