It's Show Time! Winter Holiday Ideas

Let's face it, when you have anywhere from 80 to 100 Elementary students on risers, there is little room for physical scenery. This is where Banners, Costume Props and Small Props come in handy.

 

• MATERIAL: Broadcloth or Heavy Cotton
• Size Option 1: 2 yards L x 26" W
• Size Option 2: 1 yards L x 26" W
• DOWEL to hang Banner from
• STRING / RIBBON to attach to Dowel
• 3 M HOOKS that remove cleanly from walls
• DECORATING MATERIAL IDEAS: Felt, Material, Paint, Foam Cutouts

WINTER OBJECT THEME IDEAS: Kwanzaa, Music, Snowflakes, Star of David, Menorah, Christmas Tree, Bethlehem Star,  Round Peppermint Candies, Candy Canes, Stockings, Christmas Ball Ornaments

WINTER WORD THEME IDEAS: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa in different languages

1. Red Wagons: as a train to carry various props. Line the hallways, foyer, etc... with the wagons.
2. Small Moving Boxes: covered in White Paper. Each box decorated with a letter to spell out a Holiday Greeting. Example: "Happy Holidays" would take 14 boxes including 1 blank box for the space between the words. (you can use any wrapping paper inside out as long as the backside of the printed paper is white)
3. Poster Board: to do "the wave". 1 Letter per student to spell out a Holiday Greeting.
4. White PVC Pipe: lightly sand off the words on the pipe. Wrap the pipe using RED DUCT or ELECTRICAL TAPE to create the stripes of a Peppermint Stick. You can also wrap the pipe with Painters Tape creating stripes and Spray Paint the pipe RED.
5. Various Size Moving Boxes: wrapped as presents.
6. Holiday Foam Cutouts: ex. Candy, Snowflakes. Attach to Dowels or White PVC Pipes. Prop them up in a bucket of sand or in a bucket with a Styrofoam block in it. Option 1: have some students during the opening number in parade style enter in holding these props then placing them into buckets already in position on the stage or around the room. Option 2: Already have these props in place.
7. Tree Branches: Spray Painted White.

1. Attach a cardboard/foam Snowflake to a Red/Green or Navy Blue shirt with glue or tape.
2. Tree Hats
3. Attach Snowflake Foam cutouts to the palm of gloves with glue or tape
4. Holiday Scarves, Mittens, Hats
5. Black Top Hat: Add Holiday Ribbon and a sprig of silk/plastic Holly
   
6. Holiday Shirts, Sweaters or solid color shirts (Red/Green/White/Navy Blue/Gold/Gray)
7. Vests: How to make Holiday Vest Overlays:

• Buy Solid or Holiday Material
• Have each child stand with their back facing you
• Measure the Width of the child's shoulders
• Measure from the shoulder down to the child's hip
• DOUBLE this measurement so the vest covers both the front and back of the child
• Option 1: Cut material into a SQUARE so it lays like a Diamond
  
• Option 2: Cut the material into a RECTANGLE 
  
• Cut a hole in the center for the child's head
• Wear over WHITE shirts
• Wear MISMATCHED Holiday designed socks or colors
• If a child is wearing Reindeer Ears, why not have them wear a Red Bow around their neck and a Gold Name Tag

1. Program (don't forget copyright info and Thank You's especially the maintenance crew)
2. Students Height Formation
3. Student Line-Up Order
4. Prop List
5. Scenery List
6. Equipment List
7. Sketch of any area that will be decorated and label where props/scenery pieces are placed

• Parents/Grandparents/Guardians
• Older Students

If you put the word out - if you invite - and they can - they WILL come ☺

Make a list of what you need and shoot out an email and send a flyer home.

Must Be Santa Movements Power Point Picture Graph PDF File

“Must Be Santa” (PreK-1)

Looking for a cute, adorable, easy to learn song to perform at a Winter Holiday Concert or just for fun? Look no further. “Must Be Santa” is an EASY echo-like song. These Easy to follow, Step by Step instructions of Simple Movements for the students to act out while they sing, require no formal music training! 

The download also includes a PDF File:Teaching Approach, Guide to using/assembling the Picture Graph (if you chose to print off the Power Point slides as Posters) to accompany the teaching section called “Let’s Talk About The Song”. Album information included along with a website link to view the lyrics (words).

I hope your students enjoy pretending to be Santa as much as mine do!

The following Skills are incorporated:
Music: Melody, Rhythm, Singing, Listening
Math: Counting
Art: Color Identification
PE: Gross Motor Movement
Drama: Pantomime, Portraying a Character
Science: Identifying Body Parts, Comet (G1)
LA: Collaborative conversation, answering questions about key details, Speaking audibly, Expressing thoughts, feelings and ideas clearly
Geography: Germany (G1)

for all you do!

Have a Great Day and remember to take time for yourself EVERYDAY!

Donna Marie & Mary