Christmas card is definitely a fading trend but they make a super fun and engaging center for kids of many ages!
This activity works well with these resources:
First, you need some Christmas cards! Each year about this time I start requesting old holiday cards from my students. Maybe they saved the cards from last year and I definitely want them to save this year’s cards for me so I can use them with next year’s students. Here is a flyer to get those cards collected for next year. (I also hit all my family up to save their cards. I can usually get about 100 from just them along.)
Then when I have my cards I pull and Auntie Terri and I cut the back part of the card off. Basically – I cut along the fold and throw the part with the saying away. Students then will write on the back of the cards.
I will put these in a writing center and allow my students to pick one card during their session at that center. They can make a card for a friend, a family member, or whomever. I will give them writing prompts such as “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas.”
When you are collecting cards there are a few things I have learned to watch for. First, take anything with any religious meanings out. Even if the students select it, I am not comfortable sending those home from school because I am providing them with the students. Second, the brighter the colors, the cuter the card, the more likely is a student will select it.
I like to save one card for each student to use for our parent gifts. This makes wrapping SUPER easy. Students just pick the card they like and I staple it to the brown lunch bag. No decorating is needed!