A classroom in December deserves a bit of magic, but school comes with its own rules: in many schools, no real candles, no nails in the walls and no cables across the floor. The ideas below work within them: almost all of them run on batteries or USB, none need a flame, and the children can help with nearly every one. Here are 8 ideas, from the window to the teacher's desk.
1. A window that waves to the schoolyard
Animated curtain lights turn the classroom window into a screen the whole schoolyard can see: Santa, a snowman, falling snow or a greeting you type in the app. The curtain hangs from the hooks in the box, runs on USB 5V from a phone charger or a power bank, and comes in 2 × 2 m and 3 × 3 m, so measure the window first.
Shown: nine of the designs on the smart animated curtain lights, 400 LEDs.
2. Snow on the ceiling for story time
Draw the blinds, switch off the main lights and point a small projector at the ceiling: snowflakes, Santa, snowmen and reindeer turn slowly through 16 designs while you read. It works from about 1.5 to 5 m away and runs on USB, and it's just as good for the class party on the last day.
Shown: the Christmas light projector and its 16 Christmas patterns.
3. The class's drawings on a string of lights
Give every child a card to draw on, then clip the drawings to a string of warm light along the wall or across the window. The clips slide along the wire, so new drawings can go up every week, and it runs on a battery box, so it hangs wherever there's space.
Shown: photo clip string lights, 2 m with 20 LEDs, 5 m with 50 or 10 m with 100.
4. A word in lights
Spell a short word in marquee letters, like JOY, PEACE or the name of the class, and stand it on a shelf or the windowsill. Each letter is 22 cm tall and runs on two AA batteries; the letters go from A to Z without accents, so pick a word that doesn't need them.
Shown: light-up marquee letters, sold one letter at a time.
5. One door a day for the whole class
An Advent calendar on the teacher's desk gives every school day in December a little moment: one child opens the door of the day, and the squishy dumpling behind it joins the row on the windowsill. Take turns so everyone gets a go; for a big class, the double pack has two calendars.
Shown: opening a door of the squishy Advent calendar, 24 doors.
6. Candlelight for the reading corner
Many schools don't allow real candles, which is where flameless ones come in. A set of three pillar candles flickers like the real thing in the reading corner or on the circle-time rug, and the remote's timer switches them off after 2 to 8 hours.
Shown: flameless candles with remote, a set of three in white, ivory or smoke gray.
7. A class tree wrapped in light
If the class has a tree, wrap it in a ribbon with LEDs built in: ribbon and fairy lights in one, and the children can help wind it round. It runs on a battery box, so there's no cable across the floor, and it comes in 5 m or 10 m, gold or silver.
Shown: Christmas ribbon lights on a tree, with warm-white, cool-white or multicolor LEDs.
8. A birch tree on the teacher's desk
A white birch tree with warm lights on every branch brings the season to the teacher's desk without taking it over. It runs on USB or batteries, so it works with or without a socket nearby, and it goes home for the holidays.
Shown: lighted birch tree, 24 LEDs (about 60 cm / 24 in tall) or 144 LEDs (about 63.5 cm / 25 in).
Before you decorate the classroom
- School rules: many schools don't allow real candles, nails in the walls or extension cables, so check with the school first; everything here is flameless and runs on batteries or USB.
- Batteries: the letters take 2 × AA each, the photo clip lights 3 × AA, the ribbon lights AA in their battery box and the candles 3 × AAA each; the curtain's remote takes AAA batteries. None are included.
- USB: the curtain lights and the projector run from a USB adapter (5V; 5V/2A for the projector) and the birch tree from USB or batteries; adapters are not included.
- Timing: the first door opens on December 1, so order the calendar by mid-November.
- Age: the calendar contains small parts and is not suitable for children under 3 (choking hazard).
- Delivery: free tracked shipping, dispatched in 1 to 3 business days and delivered in 7 to 12. Order by 10 December to have it in time for Christmas.
- Not quite right? Unused items in their original packaging can be returned within 30 days of delivery.
More ideas
- Saying thank you at school? Here are 8 Christmas gift ideas for teachers.
- Counting down with children? Here are 8 Advent calendar ideas for kids.
- Decorating the children's room too? Here are 8 Christmas kids' room decor ideas.