- Themed school days are fun for children, and Pajama Day is one of the most popular. What child doesn't like to just get out of bed, eat breakfast and head to school without having to get dressed? Plan to make your school's Pajama Day memorable for your students.
- Turn part of your school day into a sleepover with your students. Send out "invitations" in any folder that goes home to parents to let them know about your sleepover. Be sure to have the usual sleepover supplies on hand, such as movies, popcorn, drinks, snacks and--if your school allows it--candy. Tell scary or funny stories. If cost is an issue, ask the students' parents sign up to send snacks or beverages in with them for movie time. Play games and do crafts projects. For a souvenir craft project, BirthdayPartyIdeas4Kids.com suggests decorating pillowcases. If crafts supplies are going to be a strain on your budget, consider putting together a "sleepover fund" where you ask your students to contribute a dollar or two.
- Schedule Pajama Day just before winter break. Redesign your classroom to resemble the North Pole, and take a "train ride." Line up chairs to look like a train, and then you (the conductor) will call the students to the train. Once on the train, you can sing songs, play games like "Conductor Says" (similar to Simon Says), I Spy and more. Lay a couple of white sheets on the floor to represent snow, and have students sit on the sheets. Ask a parent to come in and read "The Polar Express" to the class before the children board the train back to their desks, where you can serve hot chocolate.
- Plan activities that center around having the lights off or that involve slowly dimming lights. Consider mini-lessons involving light and dark. If your students are very young, read "Goodnight Moon" and have an assistant turn out one light for every three to four pages (this will depend on how many lights are in your room) until the classroom is dark. Plug in a few nightlights to add to the bedroom effect.
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