If you’re looking for a unique and thoughtful Christmas gift for parents or grownups in your classroom this year, this directed drawing calendar is the perfect solution! This easy-to-follow directed drawing tutorial will walk your child step by step through the process of creating twelve different designs, one for each month of the year.
What does this include?
Each design features a pun related to a different holiday or special event taking place during that month. For example, the January page features a coffee cup with the pun “I love you a latte.” The December page features a bowl of soup with the pun “You Are Soup-er.”
Tips for creating this Christmas Gift for Parents in the classroom:
1- Project the directed drawing slides for the whole class to see using a document camera or the whiteboard.
2- Students can follow along with the directed drawing tutorial on their own paper.
3- Then they can add color to their design using crayons, markers, or colored pencils.
4- When students are finished coloring their design, they can trace it with a black felt tip pen or marker for extra definition.
5- Just add a photo of the student to the front cover, along with a magnet to hang it on the fridge and you have a gift that is sure to be cherished for years to come!
How You Can Do This in the Classroom
Not only is this calendar a fun and creative Christmas gift for parents, it’s also a great way for your child to practice their directed drawing skills. If you’re a parent reading and are making this at home, it would be a perfect activity to do together as a family during the holidays!
Spoiler alert: This Christmas gift for parents is NOT just for parents–gift it to to aunts, uncles, neighbors or grandparents this holiday season.
Gather up a list of months and write down a common theme for each month. Then, Google “July puns for kids” (or whatever month you’re trying to brainstorm). Once you find a pun for each month, set about finding a directed drawing tutorial on TpT, Google, or Etsy for the object you’ve chosen. For example, if you’re looking for a directed drawing tutorial of a popsicle, search “Directed Drawing Popsicle” on things like Google, Pinterest, and TpT.
Then, print out 12 pages, each with a calendar for the relevant month. Make sure to leave space for the drawing!
If this sounds like a lot of work you can also grab this premade pack here. It’s only $7, is updated for a lifetime (every year the calendar and dates will reflect the new year), and can be used for your entire class for years to come. That is a few cents per student per year! Gotta love it!
So what are you waiting for? Get started on this fun and festive project today! Your parents will love it!
Other Ideas You Might Enjoy:
It’s December…Teacher Yourself
How to Use ONE Parent Gift For All Occasions
Arm you with high-quality tools: Sleep peacefully at night knowing you’re doing what’s best for your students.
Save your energy: Provide resources that cost you little energy (that stuff is precious)---but have high impact on your students.
Light your spark: Putting fun back into your classroom after the hardest teaching years can be just what you and your students need.
Leave a Comment