Alekhya wrote in to ask:
What kind of activities can be taught to kids on New Year’s Eve Richard? I have students ranging from class-1 to class-5 with me. Can you please give me some innovative ideas? I really find your techniques and approach of teaching English to kids awesome. Thanks a lot for all the mails you sent to me, I will be looking forward for the rest of your mails.
Thank you
Thank you very much for the email and the nice words Alekhya!
One really great idea – and I know this sounds silly, but stick with me! – is the Thanksgiving theme because you get them thinking about the things they have been most grateful for throughout the year.
And then you can use that as a springboard to getting them to think about what they want or want to do in the New Year.
Doing the grateful part first really makes the difference. They don’t just come up with “I want a mountain of toys”, instead they really think about what they have and what they really need. And of course the youngest kids come up with some of the most amazing things!
Hope that helps!
Be genki,
Richard
P.S. There’s also the Happy New Year song if any of you happen to be teaching past midnight! 🙂
Earn More From Your Passion For Teaching English!
Hi Richard! Hi everyone!
Thanks to our government we don’t have lessons on New Year’s Eve this year. As most of our teachers are women it’s essential for them to spend the last day of the year at home preparing for the New Year party.
But nevertheless we celebrate the holyday with our kids many times (with every class) during the last week of the year.
So this year my favourite New Year party games are:
“Hot potatoes”,
“Father Frost says…”(A version of “Simon says…”),
“Magic Words” ( a variation on “Sticky Fingers”),
“Santa’s Face”
“Hot Potatoes” (one of multiple versions of this playground game):
Players standing in a circle pass a ball counting from1 to 31.
And each time instead of saying an advent date (and also the Christmas date) they have to say “Merry Christmas!”
Instead of 31 they say “Happy New Year!”.
Those who make mistakes have to sit down in the middle of the circle and become “potatoes”.
The person who then says “Happy New Year!” must throw the ball above the players who sit in the middle.
If a “potato”-player chatches the ball all the “potatoes” get “hot”, they can stan up and play again. The player who has cought the ball beginns a new game.
“Father Frost says…”
There is a proverb in Russian language: “The frost isn’t hard, but doesn’t allow to stand still.”
So, players have to look what temperature is “outside”: “Father Frost” may say it or show on a drawn up thermometer on the board and then say what to do. If the weather is cold or frosty (the temperature below zero) players have to do what is said. But if the waether gets warm ( the temperature 0 or above) they can stand still. Those who made a mistake are out.
“Christmas Card Hunt”
Kids are devided in teams. Players # 1 from each team get a half of a card and have to run around the classroom and find the other half of it. When they are back then there comes players’ # 2 turn.
The team who collects most cards wins. but then they have to remember and name objects from the cards. The team which can remember more objects wins.
Try them if you like. Hope you enjoy them.
I wish all of you colleagues a very Happy New Year! May all your resolutions come true!
I’m happy to be a member of GenkiEnglish society!
Julia
Thanks Julia, these are fantastic ideas!!