We finished up the last few days before vacation with a holiday game called "Pass the Parcel" from the United Kingdom. After learning about the 4 countries in Europe that make up the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) and finding them on our class map, students sat in a circle to play the game. I had wrapped a small box many, many times in different kinds of holiday wrapping paper. I finished it off with brown paper to make it look like a mailed package or parcel. I played holiday music and the package was passed around the circle. When the music stopped, the person with the parcel got to unwrap a layer. The game continued until the last wrapping was undone, revealing a box. In a real game of "Pass the Parcel," a gift is inside the box. In our box there was a candy called a Hershey's Hug, symbolizing that the winner was to receive a gentle hug from me and any teacher aide. Earlier in the game, one layer of wrapping was birthday paper. The person who got this paper was given a high five. This game was fun for the children because there was great anticipation when the gift was unwrapped. If it was not the box, children would yell out, "Pass the Parcel" and the music would begin.
The game starts with a parcel wrapped in brown paper.
The parcel is passed around the circle while music plays.
A layer of paper is removed each time the music stops. Will there be a box or more paper?
The parcel continues to be passed around the circle.
This student got the birthday wrapping. He will receive a high five.
The teacher aide gives a high five to the person who got the birthday wrapping.
This student unwrapped the last paper to find the box with the Hershey's Hug.
The teacher aide gives a hug to the student who unwrapped the last paper and found the candy hug.
