Ornaments (no glass)
Stockings
Christmas Cookie Cutters
Stencils
Garland
Wrapping Paper
Boxes
Menorah Pictures
Pine Tree Needles / Branches
Pine Cones
Christmas Place Mats
Pine Tree (without Christmas lights)
Christmas Wreath
Santa Claus
Reindeer
Sleigh
Artificial Poinsettia Flowers / Petals
Christmas Stamps
Red Green Paint
Lacing Cards into Christmas Shapes
Jingle Bells
Homemade Passport
1. What are ways we celebrate Christmas at home?
2. What are other ways children around the world celebrate? The resource below covers Christmas Around the World in the following countries: Africa, Japan, Ireland, Mexico, and China.
http://www.todayschild.us/education/holidays%20around%20world.pdf
1. Needle Counting- Show the children a branch from a pine tree. Ask them to estimate how many needles are on the branch. Record the answers. Count the needles together.
2. Christmas Tree Branch- Have the children use a pine branch with needles in place of a paint brush. The children can use red and green paints.
3. Lacing Cards- Cut colored poster board into a Christmas shape (tree, wreath, star) and punch holes around the edges. Then let your child lace yarn or a shoestring into the cards.
4. Fingerprint Tree- Either have the children cut out their own tree or make one for them. Then let them use a non-toxic stamp pad to put fingerprints (Christmas Ornaments and lights) on the tree.
5. Christmas Ornaments- Decorate canning lids with string, ribbon, sequins, lace, and odds and ends. Glue a pipe cleaner to the back so it can hang on the Christmas Tree.
1. Tree Shape Hop – Cut out Christmas Tree shapes from green paper. Attach these shapes to the floor with contact paper, evenly spaced so the children can hop from one shape to the next.
2. Tree Shape Game - Cut out Christmas Tree shapes from different colors of paper. Attach these shapes to the floor with contact paper, evenly spaced about one step apart from each other in a circle. Play Christmas music and have the children walk around the outside of the circle. When the music stops, each child should stand on a tree shape. It is best to have more shapes than children.
3. Reindeer Pokey
Sung to: “The Hokey 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!
You put your hooves in….
You put your red nose in….
You put your fluffy tail in…
You put your reindeer body in…
4. Old St. Nicholas
Sung to: “Old McDonald Had a Farm”
Old St. Nicholas had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!
And on that tree he had some horns (blow horns)
Ho ho ho ho ho
With a toot toot here and a toot toot there
Here a toot There a toot
Every where a toot toot
continue….
lights——-flash flash
candy canes——-yum-yum
drums——-boom-boom
bells———ring ring
birds——peep peep
stars——twinkle twinkle
snowflakes——-flutter flutter
5. We’ll Decorate The Tree
Sung to: “The Farmer in the Dell”
We’ll decorate the tree,
We’ll decorate the tree.
Heigh-ho, it’s Christmas time,
We’ll decorate the tree.
The presents we will wrap,
The presents we will wrap.
Heigh-ho, it’s Christmas time,
The presents we will wrap.
6. Santa
Sung to: “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain”
He’ll be driving eight brown reindeer when he comes,
He’ll be driving eight brown reindeer when he comes.
He’ll be driving eight brown reindeer,
He’ll be driving eight brown reindeer,
He’ll be driving eight brown reindeer when he comes.
He’ll be piled up with toys when he comes,
He’ll be piled up with toys when he comes,
He’ll be piled up with toys,
For all the girls and boys.
He’ll be piled up with toys when he comes.
He’ll be dressed all in red when he comes,
He’ll be dressed all in red when he comes.
He’ll be dressed all in red,
From his toes up to his head,
He’ll be dressed all in red when he comes!
Carols we will sing,
Carols we will sing.
Heigh-ho, it’s Christmas time,
Carols we will sing.
1. Santa’s Workshop
Here is a great big Christmas tree Trimmed with lights and balls.
(Put tips of fingers of both hands together, palms apart)
Here are Santa’s little elves.
They run when Santa calls.
(Hold up ten fingers and wiggle them)
This is Santa’s workshop,
Filled with gifts and toys
(Use both hands to form a house)
The elves and helpers fill the sleigh,
For all good girls and boys.
2. Here Is The Chimney
Here is the chimney
(Make fist, enclose thumb)
Here is the top.
(Palm of hand on top of fist)
Open the lid.
(Remove hand quickly)
And out Santa will pop.
(Pop up thumb)
3. There’s A Little Elf
Sung to: “If You’re Happy & You Know It”
There’s a little elf that’s sitting on my nose,
There’s a little elf that’s sitting on my nose.
He is sitting on my nose,
Then off away he goes.
Now there’s no little elf on my nose.
There’s a little elf that’s sitting on my knee,
There’s a little elf that’s sitting on my knee.
He is sitting on my knee,
Just watch and he will flee.
Now there’s no little elf on my knee.
There’s a little elf that’s sitting on my head,
There’s a little elf that’s sitting on my head.
He is sitting on my head,
Then away he goes to bed.
Now there’s no little elf on my head.
4. Kwanzaa
(sung to the tune of BINGO)
There is a holiday that I know, and Kwanzaa is its name oh
candle lights and food so good,
all around my neighborhood,
love and thanks for all that’s good,
and Kwanzaa is its name oh.
5. One Little, Two Little, Three Little Candles
(sung to the tune of “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
shining in the kinara
6. I’m a Little Dreidel
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.)
7. 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.)
1. Wrap a large box and leave the lid off. Have children throw bean bags into the box.
2. Fly around in Santa’s sleigh using different motions like fast, slow, backwards, balancing on one foot, etc..
3. Santa Sack Relay- have children line up in a line and have to run to the other side of the playground where there is a pile of empty wrapped boxes. (
Provide prop boxes containing a book and props for various winter celebrations. Example: Hanukkah Box- A book such as Hanukkah Lights or The Hanukkah Hop; materials to play the dreidel game, a real or homemade menorah, brown playdough for making latkes and chocolate coins. In small groups, read a book about Hanukkah traditions, encouraging the children to talk about their own traditions. Engage the children in playing the dreidel game and pretend play, recreating parts of the story.
Homemade music
Use old coffee cans, make sure there are no rough edges. Remove paper around can and allow child/children to decorate it any way they desire. Tape/glue lid in place and use this as drum. Create different rhythms, beats, or try to repeat sounds played from their favorite songs.
Take plastic two plastic spoons, dried rice, beans, sand or beads. With a spoon place dried material in a spoon place second spoon on top and tape together, children can color the spoons to their desire. Create different rhythms, beats, or try to repeat sounds played from their favorite songs. Use these instruments while playing.
Old St. Nicholas
Sung to: “Old McDonald Had a Farm”
Old St. Nicholas had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!
And on that tree he had some horns (blow horns)
Ho ho ho ho ho
With a toot toot here and a toot toot there
Here a toot There a toot
Every where a toot toot
continue….
lights——-flash flash
candy canes——-yum-yum
drums——-boom-boom
bells———ring ring
birds——peep peep
stars——twinkle twinkle
snowflakes——-flutter flutter