Holiday Stocking Stuffer Activity
BY APRIL MCNAIR
A Modern Teacher
What an exciting time! The holidays are here and the much needed winter break is right around the corner. I think this is the perfect time to introduce to your students: "Be a Stocking Filler".
Being a "stocking-filler" is a lot like being a "bucket-filler", except the kids fill up the stockings instead of the buckets. When a student wants to compliment a peer, they write their comment on the back of a present and place it in the receiver's stocking. Of course, the stockings need a place to hang and what better place than a chimney. Here's how you make it:
Materials:
Step 1: Using the Eclipse Black Paper, create a center for the fireplace. Depending on your walls, depends on how you will adhere the paper. I used double-sided foam tape. I just taped them up side by side, 4 in a row. How many rows and columns you have depends on the size of your space.
Step 2: Cut the red bricks using Re-Entry Red and layer the bricks along the sides of the black center. I just cut these free-hand in rectangles.
Step 3: Create a ledge using the Stardust paper. Like the bricks, I cut these free-hand.
Step 4: Add a fire and logs. I used Solar Yellow and Sunburst Yellow to create this. I just cut these free-hand again. For the logs I used brown paper in the Creative Collection Starter Kit by Neenah and cut those in rectangles with curved corners.
Step 5: Give every student a stocking template and have them decorate it. Then have them cut the stocking out. Be sure to have them write their name!
Then staple the stocking's edges to one background paper. I used an assortment of Astrobrights Paper for the background and the stockings. Stapling it creates a pocket for the "gifts" to slide into.
Step 6: Copy the presents (see materials list for free download) and cut. Place the presents in an easy-to-grab area if you prefer. Or pass them out at various times of the day/week.
And that's it! Students can write a compliment on the back of the gift template to fill their peer's stocking.
The kids can certainly appreciate compliments during this exciting time of the year. You could even incentivize it with points for each gift they receive or if they receive 5 gifts they receive a reward. It all depends on your class.
Add a sign (see materials list for free download): "Be a Stocking Filler" and the stockings to your chimney and you are good to go! The kids will be excited and hopefully, it will help them stay focused on learning and being kind to others until Winter Break!
