Simple Holiday Projects

Three simple holiday projects for all ages.

Project one: Sparkly Slime!

Materials:

1. Clear glue (for large groups I purchase glue by the gallon)

2. Contact lens solution

3. Baking Soda

4. Sequins

5. a small cup or container to mix in

6. a popsicle stick or something to mix with

7. a plastic bag or container to take the slime home

Process: (as shown below)

1. Pour clear glue into a cup.

2. Add sequins.

3. Squeeze in contact lens solution. Ask students to add a bit at a time until the glue becomes stiff and slime-like in consistency.

4. Add a pinch of baking soda and the slime will be less, well, slimey.

5. Your extra-festive slime is ready! Keep slime in an airtight container or bag.

Project 2: Christmas Tree Ends

If you happen to visit live a Christmas tree lot, you can ask the farmers to donate Christmas tree ends to your class. When the trees are purchased, farmers will trim the edge to make sure the tree drinks water well. This produces a small, pine disk.

I brought a bag of these disks to the second graders and middle schoolers, and both groups loved them!

Possibilites:

1. Kids love to count the rings of the tree ends and see how old the tree is.

2. How big are the rings? Which years had more rain?

3. You can paint the tree rings.

4. You can drill a hole in the top of the ring to create an ornament.

Holiday Stars:

Winter stars work with all holidays! This is a fun project to create a keepsake.

Materials:

1. Stars - can be cut out of cardboard, card stock, or purchase pre-cut wood stars. A hole at the top allows for string.

2. Glue

3. Paint and brushes, or markers or crayons

4. Sequins or gems

5. Cups of water (if painting)

6. String

Process:

1. Paint the stars, or color them with the markers or crayons.

2. Glue on gems and sequins. You don’t need to wait for the paint to dry.

3. Pull string through the hole at the top and hang to dry.

4. Be sure to add the year, for keepsakes.

Happy Holidays!