Wrapping Paper Recycle

Yesterday as the wrapping paper was flying all over the place I had the same thought I do every year... This is so wasteful.... but yes, oh so fun!

And I am not one of those people who opens a present so carefully that I will be able to use the paper again.... I'm too reckless in my approach.

BUT I still think some of the wrapping paper could be used again.... in our classrooms!!

And what about the wrapping left on the roll that I say I'll use next year... but sure enough I always seem to buy more because who knows what the latest trend will be.. so why not use that paper now? Or save it to use in my classroom next December.

Plus, this idea can work for birthday wrapping... any of it!

My little ones LOVE sticker stories.... so I thought, why not wrapping paper stories?

 Or even a little math action can work... especially because so many wrapping papers are individual pictures of things:

You can grab your copy of these writing pages for FREE if you just click on the image below:

And then I had another idea.... have you noticed that on the back of wrapping paper they have been making it a grid.. which is super useful when cutting and wrapping!

But also, can be useful in class. The upper grade teacher in my started to go crazy thinking of perimeter and area problems.... but the kinder and first grade teacher in me thought.... a 100s chart!

We will be at the 100th day of school in no time and to prepare we need to do some number writing which will be way more exciting on wrapping paper {plus keep my photo copy number lower!}

I will quickly cut out 10x10 grids and have them write using a ball point pen....which is another special treat.... but markers would smear and pencils will poke through too easily.

Then we may color in all the numbers with zero in them to practice counting by tens. And perhaps outline or color the numbers for counting by fives. You know... just all those neat things you can do with a 100s chart.... but on wrapping paper.

Hope you are enjoying your holiday... before you throw all that wrapping paper away... think about re-using it again!