How to Keep the Classroom Consistent in the Holiday Chaos

Being a teacher around the holidays is like riding a bike. And juggling. And playing the harmonica. All at the same time!! So the big question: How to keep the classroom consistent in the holiday chaos?!

With the jingle bells and sugar flowing through the air, I’m not sure you could ignore the holidays even if you wanted to! So how do you keep your students’ daily routine consistent in the midst of Santa Claus coming to town?!

Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!

Holiday Consistency: Morning Work

When students come in and they have visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, keep them on track with our morning work tubs. These snowman ten frame cards are among my favorite of all the month’s activities! They bring out the kiddo in all of us!

I created these tubs because:

• YOU NEED TIME. This isn’t just a crazy time of year because of the holidays! It often also holds the end of a grading period, collecting late work, assessing skills, and communicating with parents. Let me save you valuable time and sanity.
• Keep the routine and keep the joy. I created a variety of activities with a range of tasks. Some of the tasks are academic, some focus on motor work, and some just focus on joy! These are things that the kids can do independently, leaving you time to go about your morning routine.

Holiday Consistency: Literacy Centers

Small group time can be really tricky. You need that time with each group of kids, but you also need to find something for the rest of the class to do while you are meeting with that small group. You can’t drop small groups just because it is December – remember that consistency is the key to keeping the classroom consistent in the holiday chaos. No worries though! December literacy centers are at your service.

There are 20 literacy centers in this pack! They include:

• Centers: 4 weeks’ worth of centers
• Center organization and management ideas
• Student Instruction cards (with a real photo for each activity)

These small group centers help you maintain a routine while students do developmentally-appropriate center activities.

Holiday Consistency: Fine Motor Activities

Fine motor skill practice is important for all children, and this activity can be a great targeted time filler. It will give your students the tools to practice their fine motor skills and keep the season bright.

Some of the activities are printables and others require some preparation such as laminating. I would hold onto these for a day when students felt… overly joyful… and were struggling to sit still. 😉

Ho Ho Hold On!

Remember, consistency is the key to classroom management. Keeping the classroom consistent in the holiday chaos will lead to a more holly AND jolly holiday season. So in the wave of the holiday chaos, let me take some things off your plate. Because with less work on your plate means there is more room for Christmas cookies. And then everyone wins.