I would love to share a no prep game idea with you today that gets students moving, encourages attentive listening, builds classroom community and integrates numbers and counting with your theme work.
It's called Christmas Tree. You can adapt the game to any theme or suitable topic for your students!
How to play Christmas Tree
- play outside or in large space if possible
- tell students they will listen for a word and carry out the matching action
- gift = 4 (stand in group of 4 students, linking hands)
- heart = 2 (stand with a partner, cross arms on your own chest, hands on shoulders)
- star = 5 (stand in group of 5 and make star jump shape with body)
- Christmas Tree = run or move through playing space counting, when 10 is reached, stand high on tippy toes like a tall tree, hands above head like a star
- show students the boundaries of the play space and then call out the actions as students listen and follow - give support initially
- you may like to use the picture accents from our display pack to hold up as well (help students notice the correlation between the shape and the number - i.e. star has 5 points, gift a square with 4 sides, heart has two sections)
December Classroom Door
If you are looking to create a classroom display for December you'll love the other printable pieces in our tree themed pack too!
You can use just a few pieces or all of the options included!
- there are 2 message boards to choose from along with an editable slide so you can type your own unique classroom title
- if you're pressed for time, just adding the message and one tree can help welcome your students to class
- type or write student names on the tree and use the picture accents as you choose
- your students can color, paint or crayon a tree too!
