Pictures of Christmas from different Cultures
Dreidel (Hanukkah)
Stockings
Wooden Shoes
Child Appropriate Menorah (Hanukkah)
Child Appropriate Kinara (Kwanza)
Boxes wrapped with wrapping paper
Wrapping Paper cut into squares
Pictures of Candy Canes, Wreathes, Decorated Trees, Menorahs, Kinaras, Dreidels, Misteltoe, Stockings, etc)
Music/Song Sheets of Christmas Songs/Music
Empty Jug of Egg Nog
Empty Bottles of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Pumpkin Spice, etc
File Folder Game related to the Holiday
Empty Pinata (La Posada)
Santa Hat
Elf Hat, Elf Ears
Greeting Cards
Child appropriate Nativity Scene
Advent Calendar
Homemade song book for carolers
Silver bells
Insta-snow
Plastic ornaments
Christmas cupcake liners
Green cones (like what snow cones are served in)
Multicultural puppets, people, etc
Drum ("Little Drummer Boy")
Cookie cutters
Pie pan
Empty boxes of food and drink containers that you might see at Christmas time
Water table: plastic ornaments, green water, plastic candy canes, plastic stars, etc.
Sensory table: insta-snow, green cones for trees, silver bells, shovel, etc.
1. Show pictures that introduce the many ways people around the world celebrate Christmas and talk about how it is celebrated on different days or for several days (the link below describes how different countries celebrate Christmas).
http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/armenia.shtml
2. Explain the gift of giving and helping those in need. Practice giving and sharing.
3. Glue “decorations” on a paper tree
4. Decorated old oatmeal containers and use as drums. (Kwanzaa)
5. Paint toilet paper rolls 3 red, 3 green, 1 black to make candles for a Kinara, tape a paper flame to ends of rolls, glue rolls to small box or paper towel roll
6. Decorate a paper lantern. (Japanese)
7. Make Christmas cards
8. Wrap small boxes with wrapping paper, tissue paper, construction paper, newspaper, etc
9. Guess what is in the stocking. Fill stocking with different items (such as bows, bells, ribbon, wrapping paper pieces, small toys, etc), let children feel and guess what is in it.
10. Cut out shapes using “Christmas” cookie cutters and playdough.
11. Pretend play a Christmas party
12. Show pictures and talk about the different ways families travel during the holidays to see their friends and families
13 Color with red and green
14. Decorate a stocking
15. Glue paper cup on paper plate ahead of time. Let children paint and decorate with yarn and pom poms to make sombrero.
1. Spin the dreidel
2. Hide and seek reindeer (hide printable reindeer and find them)
3. Ring Around the Christmas Tree (played like Ring Around the Rosies)
4. Toy delivery (see how fast you can deliver toys to the children)
5. Pass the present (play like hot potato)
6. Follow the reindeer (play like follow the leader)
1. Reindeer Pokey
You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.
You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Pokey and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
Continue with:
You put your hooves in….
You put your red nose in….
You put your fluffy tail in…
You put your reindeer body in…
2. Feliz Navidad
3. Advent Song (tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Advent is a time to wait
Not quite time to celebrate
Light the candles one by one
Till the advent time is done
Christmas day will soon be here
Time for joy and time for cheer
4. The 7 Days of Kwanzaa (tune:12 Days of Christmas)
On the first day of Kwanzaa, my family gave to me, a cup for our family unity
on the second day of Kwanzaa, my family gave to me, 2 woven mats and a cup for our family unity
repeat the song, adding the following lines
3rd- 3 special flags
4th – four kinds of fruit
5th – five ears of corn
6th – six handmade gifts
7th – seven kinara candles
5. Hanukkah is Here (tune: The Farmer in the Dell)
Oh, Hanukkah is here. Oh, Hanukkah is here
Light the candles, one by one. Oh, Hanukkah is here.
Spin the dreidel, too. Oh, spin the dreidel, too
Spin the dreidel round and round. For Hanukkah is here
Eat some latkes next. Eat some latkes next.
Eat some latkes — yum, yum, yum –
For Hanukkah is here.
6. Ten Little Latkes
Ten little latkes sizzling in a pan, (Hold up 10 fingers.)
One jumped out, said “Catch me if you can!” (Jump.)
I chased it and chased it and chased it some more, (Run in place.)
Then that little latke ran out the kitchen door. (Wave good-bye.)
Now, there’s nine little latkes sizzling in a pan … (Hold up 9 fingers.)
Continue until there is none left.
7. I’m a Little Dreidel
I’m a little dreidel (Point to self.)
With a point and a top. (Make point with hands; pat head.)
I spin, spin, spin, (Spin around.)
Then I drop. (Fall to the ground.)
8. Go Christmas caroling to the different classrooms in center
Teaching Concepts for Fingerplays
1.Five Little Bells
Five little bells hanging in a row.
The first one said, “Ring me slow.”
The second one said, “Ring me fast.”
The third one said, “Ring me last.”
The fourth one said, “I’m a chime.”
The fifth one said, “Ring me at Christmas time.”
The sixth one said, “Ring me with the others.”
The seventh one said, “Ring me for the mothers.”
The eighth one said, “Ring me with a song.”
The ninth one said, “Ring me all day long.”
2. 5 Little Christmas Trees
5 little Christmas Trees
Standing all alone
Their heart were very sad
‘Cause they hadn’t found a home.
Then chop went the ax
And down fell the tree
And off they went with a happy family!
(continue from 4 to 1 Christmas Trees)
No little Christmas Trees
Standing all alone
Their hearts were very happy
‘Cause they all found a home!!!
3.K-W-A-N-Z-A-A (tune: One Little Two Little three little Indians)
one little, two little, three little candles
four little, five little, six little candles
seven little candles shine for Kwanzaa
shining in the kinara
three little red and three little green ones
black in the middle shines a little taller
shine little candles, shine for Kwanzaa
4. My Menorah
Here is my menorah, (Put hands together.)
Eight candles standing tall. (Fan out eight fingers.)
In the middle is the shamash, (Link thumbs and hold them up straight; let fingers fan on the sides.)
Rising above them all.
We use the shamash, (Pretend to hold a candle.)
To light a flame each night. (Pretend to light a candle.)
Eight nights of Hanukkah, (Hold up eight fingers; pretend to sleep.)
Eight candles burning bright. (Hold up eight fingers; cup hands around face like a candle flame.)
5. Driedel Game (tune: This Old Man)
My sister,
She played one.
She played dreidel
On her thumb.
With a zig-zag, wig-wag,
Dizzy wizzy spin,
Her dreidel rolled around to win.
My brother,
He played two.
He played dreidel
On his shoe.
With a zig-zag, wig-wag,
Dizzy wizzy spin,
His dreidel rolled around to win.
My mommy,
She played three,
She played dreidel
On her knee.
With a zig-zag, wig-wag
Dizzy wizzy spin,
Her dreidel rolled around to win.
My daddy,
He played four.
He played dreidel
On the floor.
With a zig-zag, wig-wag,
Dizzy wizzy spin
His dreidel rolled around to win.
6. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Teaching Concepts for Distance Learning
1. Scavenger hunt
You can gather a list or some ideas include looking for particular shapes, colors, items that are a certain length, or items that start with a particular sound.
2. Make an ABC/123 Sensory Bin
Take letter shapes, scrabble tiles, letter puzzle pieces, etc. and bury them in a sensory bin. You can use any fillers such as rice or sand. Set up a letter wash with warm, soapy water and foam or plastic letters. Alternatively, you can use numbers too.
3. https://www.virtualmusicalinstruments.com
Kid's play instruments online. Instruments include guitar, piano, pan flute, drums, and bongos.