And that is just one part of one room! Anyway, we spent about two hours there and headed back to school. We missed our lunch time so we ate lunch in the classroom, then it was off to specials. Our P.E., Music, and Art teacher combined all classes today to do a huge cooperative learning activity (Yes, they are slightly insane.) After specials we went straight to our Winter Party. I was WAAAAYYY to ambitious this year. We had approximately 45 minutes to complete the party. I wanted the kids to complete three crafts, eat, and get packed up to go home. What was I thinking? I had six parents there to help. The room was insane.
We tried to make the hand print ornaments
Cute right? But most of ours ended up more like balls of globbed paint. I had read that it is best to use paint pens to decorate the snowmen - so I brought out the paint pens, but they were too hard for the kiddos. Next year, I will just use little paint brushes. I really liked the idea and the hand print part went great - it was just the decoration part that needed some help. AAANNNNDD the timing. What was I thinking when I decided that these globes of paint would be dry in 15 minutes? Definitely not a project for last minute completion.
The next catastrophe came from the paper stockings and candy canes. These were almost done (at least I did something in advance). The kids has worked with their big buddies to write four things, in complete sentences, that they could do for their parents. They wrote the sentences on candy canes and decorated paper stocking to put them in - but I thought it would be fun to do the glitter part of the decorations at the party. That part wasn't a bad idea, but the box top that I was using for the glitter ended up with a hole. We now have glitter in the carpet and I will be sending students home with glitter on them for weeks.
Was that the end of the chaos? No way! I knew the ornaments had to go home in something, so I had a parent bring in Chinese take out boxes. The idea was for the kids to decorate paper and wrap the boxes in the decorated paper. What I should have done is wrap the boxes first and then let the kids decorate. That would have required genius forethought. Instead the kids decorated first and were upset because their decorations were covered during wrapping, the paper was too big for the boxes, and it took three parents helping the entire time to just get some of the boxes done. Still kids ended up with blank boxes.
On top of all of this, I had cupcakes, candy, drinks, chips and gifts to pass out and give the kids time to eat. Before I knew it, dismissal had started and there was stuff everywhere! I called on the parents for help. We went to each kid individually and started stuffing their bags full of all of their stuff just to try to get them out of the door. First grade was dismissed and I hadn't even gotten half of them packed up. Second grade was dismissed and we were finally out the door - but not without a lot being left behind.
Next year - ONE project during the party... all paint and glitter to be done well in advance AND our bags are packed before we even get started.
I need this winter vacation :-)
Love the ornaments! Those are too cute. I might have to try that with my kindergartners next year :). So how long did they take to dry?
ReplyDeleteOur ornaments were only given a short time to dry. I am sure most went home messed up. Next time I will give them a whole night. The picture is an example, not what most turned out like. :-)
ReplyDelete