Craft Ideas for Second Graders

[keltrevor]

Hello! I am in charge of coming up with either a craft or game for my son's second grade christmas party. It can only take about 20-30 minutes to do. I was kind of thinking of doing a paper bag album with them. I would like to include some questions that they can then fill out during their christmas break. (Like - my favorite gift this year was..., places I went, things I did, that sort of thing).
Does anyone have any good questions that I could include? Do you think this is too complicated to get done in 20-30 minutes? There are 25 kids in his class. I am planning on having most things pre cut and put in kits for them. My mom has offered to go along and help.

Do you have any other ideas that they could do? I certainly do not have to do the album thing, it was just one idea I came up with.

I can take the "easy" way out and do a game, but I would rather do a craft with them.

Thanks in advance!

Kelley

[craftsrlb]

I just did a group of 3-5th grades..only 9 kids but by myself....(mostly 3rd grades) we did gratitude journals (catholic school) I made a template, they traced and cut out, I adhered with tape gun (they maybe could have done it) on the composition note books, so I'm not sure if glue sticks would work...but you can make it a christmas theme book of memories and they can write in it every year to save as a journal as they get older. add stickers, die cuts etc...you could even have them almost done and let them decorate and make a book mark. The books are .50 at target and the large paper clips are 12 for 1.97 at walmart..the kids love the book marks.

[postcardgirl]

Sounds great, but I would be really concerned about the time - from my experiences at 2nd grade holiday parties, they don't want to sit still for any length of time and getting them to do too much is a struggle.

[Melissa Hannant]

I did the toilet paper roll thing with my daughters 2nd grade class last year for Halloween. I called them Boo Tubes. You take white tissue paper and use a wheel to stamp whatever hoiday theme on the paper. Cut a strip of red, green or what evercolor you want for a band around the middle. I think my strip was about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Then cut a thinner strip in a different color to place on top of the larger one. Fill the tube with a treat and roll the tissue paper arond and tie off each end carfully with ribbon so that it looks like a Christmas Cracker. If you have Deer Friends, use a stamp and scallop punch to place on the strips of paper that you wrap arond the center on the wrapped tube.


Its super easy, recycles the toilet paper tubes and can be thrown in the recycling when the kids are done. They loved making them last year. The parents were happy too.

[twyant]

My son made a covered composition book in 2nd grade at the holidays. He loved it. They used tombow adhesive, stuck on a piece of construction paper they had decorated, and someone cut around the edges for them.

[biblesistersmom]

Since you are thinking in advance, could you get a digital picture of each child and make some sort of ornament with the picture? I love the one of my DD made from craft sticks with her sweet little picture in it. Hokey but cute.

[jbalcer]

we did clip boards with a group of second grade girls and ooohmmyyyyy they took forever to finish them. They were *darling* but very time consuming. I think if you did most of the work ahead of time it might go well. Love the ornament idea.

[kymom]

what about a beaded candycane ornament or weath? they are neat to hang on the tree and remember you made it in 2nd grade. A big hit with my class.

[cdjkssss]

I was in charge of crafts at my kids' school lock-in last fall. I had over 100 kids from K-5th grades make these ornaments:

Scallop punch ornaments

The key to getting them done was to have the pieces all pre-punched. Also critical was not worrying about the wacky color combinations that they picked out. And lots and lots of cheap glue sticks! The kids had a ball.

[biblesistersmom]

You can make a reindeer out of candy canes and pipe cleaners. How about a puppet from a paper lunch sack?

[carla36301]

I made these for my preschool choir last year, but I bet second graders could make these. Anyhow, here's the idea:

Baby Jesus Is Born ornament by carla36301 at Splitcoaststampers

[keltrevor]

Wow! Thanks everyone for all the great ideas. My son is camping this weekend. When he gets home I plan on showing him this and letting him help decide what to do. I am also going to Michaels and Hobby Lobby on Tuesday and plan on seeing if I find anything neat there.

Thanks again.

[twyant]

I don't want to be the downer here, but make sure you check with the teacher about making ornaments. I made snowflakes ornaments in kindergarten and the teacher was written up. Not everyone celebrates Christmas and may take offense. The ironic part was the teacher is Jewish! She thought it was a great idea. You just have to be careful.

[sowaller]

As a former second grade teacher, here are a couple of my favorites. Stamp a white ceramic tile and let the child color it with fine point sharpies or make a wreath or tree with thumbprints.

This one sounds dorky....use macaroni to deocrate a star, then spray the entire star silver or gold. Dust with glitter. They love it!

A tongue depressor prepainted white. Let the students draw red stripes, add a green foam arrow with "North Pole this Way" written on it. A few small beeds for holly berries and some leaves make a cute ornament.

Easiest of all..Use a white or frosted round ball ornament. Let the child draw a snowman face on it. Add a piece of felt across the top with a pompom on either side for ear muffs. Then wrap a piece of felt around for a scarf. These were soooooo cute last year. Everyone commented on how great they looked, and it is something the child can do completely.

Another one that is pretty simple
http://www.bhg.com/holidays/christma...tree-ornament/


Hope these helped. Let us know how it turns out!!