Invitations to Create are one of my favorite art centers for my early elementary classroom, but they would be perfect for upper elementary too! We all have an urge to create SOMETHING, and so stirring that up in our students, and encouraging them to think outside the box is so important. That is what today’s post is all about.
If you search Invitation to Create on Pinterest, you will come across COUNTLESS ideas that are awesome for all year long. When I taught Kindergarten, I would make an Invitation to Create center for several of my themes – insects, Christmas, weather, etc. The premise of this concept is that you give the students materials and let them create what they want. You can do this with any material – paper, wooden blocks, playdough, craft supplies, toys, etc.
When I found these felt placemats at Target, I got inspired to create a felt Invitation to Create! Felt is one of my favorite materials to work with because it sticks to itself! You don’t need glue, tape, or a stapler. I’m not currently in the classroom, but if I was (or when I am), I would keep this center as an option all month long.
I cut pieces of felt into different shapes: circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, hearts, trapezoids, etc. When I did this with paper in Kindergarten, I used one of these chip and dip trays. But I soon realized that separating the pieces did NOTHING for us. They ended up all mixed up anyways. So I recommend keeping all of the felt pieces in a couple of plastic containers, but not being too concerned with organization. That’s the fun of creating!
You can add this center into your normal rotation, or it could be a morning bin, early finisher activity, or even a Christmas party station! I think it would be fun to give some inspiration to the students, so you can cut pictures out of magazines, or even print them out from the internet of seasonal items they could create.
When I used to do this activity, I would have my students make something, glue it together, and send it home. Well, not only was it messy, disorganized, and didn’t really make much sense, but it also depleted our supplies. My suggestion now is, once they’ve finished a creation, have them (or you) take a picture of it with a class iPad or your phone. Then, you can send it to their parents via email or text! After the picture is taken, they can take it apart and start again! That’s another reason I choose to use felt!
If you’re low on prep time, Amazon has some pre-cut shapes you can buy too! All of my Amazon links are affiliate links, but I would never suggest anything that I don’t love! Here are clickable links for you if you need them: LARGE CIRCLES, SMALL CIRCLES, SNOWFLAKES, AUTUMN LEAVES, GEOMETRIC SHAPES, HEARTS
I hope this gives you a fresh idea on another Makerspace option for your classroom! I love giving students free reign, in boundaries, to create their masterpieces!! I’d love to see your students’ work – you can always tag me on IG at @alliethegypsyteacher if you use this idea in your classroom!
Did you miss the other A Merry and Bright Classroom Posts? Here’s a recap:
Deck the Halls
A Special Keepsake
Classroom Management Strategies
December Book Recommendations
Coworker Gift Ideas
Holiday Writing Activities with a Freebie
Christmas Party Activities
A Special Keepsake
Classroom Management Strategies
December Book Recommendations
Coworker Gift Ideas
Holiday Writing Activities with a Freebie
Christmas Party Activities
