Every year since 2001, we’ve been knee-deep in the joys (and chaos!) of holiday class parties. After two and half decades, we’ve collected invaluable insights to help make class parties fun and manageable. In this episode, we’re sharing our top 10 tips for hosting a successful class party that keeps kids engaged without the chaos.

If you’re someone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by trying to entertain 25 energetic kids, this episode is for you! We’re sharing practical advice for planning, organizing, and running a party that’s enjoyable for kids, stress-free for you, and appreciated by teachers.

Highlights from the Episode:

[00:00] - Tradition Spotlight on half birthdays

[00:04:43] - Communication is Key

[00:10:34] - Deal with the Details in Advance

[00:17:07] - Keep it Simple

[00:23:51] - This week’s Get A Headstart Tip for

[00:24:30] - What’s on our to-do lists this week

[00:27:01] - Our Nice Lists

Resources mentioned:

• Oriental Trading Valentines
• Target Valentines
• Mindware Valentines
• Paper Source Valentines
• Grab The Holiday Headstart Playbook
• Take the Holiday Profile quiz
• Follow on Instagram @theholidayheadstart 
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! 

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll like these too:

• Teacher Approved Podcast Episode 33
• Teacher Approved Podcast Episode 34
• Teacher Approved Podcast Episode 96

More about the Holiday Headstart:

Do you want to make the holidays magical and memorable but life gets in the way and things end up feeling stressful instead of special? You’re in the right place. Co-hosts Emily and Heidi are two sisters and former elementary school teachers who have cracked the code on how to keep up with all the annual holidays, events, and day-to-day to-dos. 

They’ve learned how to bring their experience and planning in the classroom into their personal lives - and now they want to share their best tips with you. Tune in weekly to learn how to work just a little at a time so the days that you look forward to most don’t get sacrificed to the busyness of daily life. They’ll talk holiday planning (hello, Christmas!), traditions, and ordinary days too…because those should feel just as significant!