Updated 11-19-07

 

 

Literacy      

Rudolph! Rudolph!

In this book, Rudolph has a different colored nose on each page. I used a piece of velcro to make the book interactive by matching the colored nose to the color word on each page. The text reads:

 

 

Rudolph! Rudolph!             

What will you do?            

You can't guide Santa        

If your nose is blue!

 

Rudolph! Rudolph!         

Santa gave a wink.

But what will he think

If your nose is pink?

 

Rudolph! Rudolph!                       

Your way cannot be seen

Through the wintry weather

If your nose is green!

 

Rudolph! Rudolph!            

You're such a silly fellow    

Who will know it's you   

If your nose is yellow!

Rudolph! Rudolph!

How will you get back?

You can't see in the dark

If your nose is black!

 

Rudolph! Rudolph!

It's time to go to town.

But Santa's wearing a frown

'Cause your nose is brown!

 

Rudolph! Rudolph!

It's time to fly at night.

But you're quite a sight

'Cause your nose is white!

 

Rudolph!  Rudolph!

The children are in bed.

 And now I know you're ready

'Cause your nose is red!

Reindeer Tricks

In the book on the right, Rudolph is a stick puppet who illustrates some positional words as he flies. He ends up falling off a roof and landing in a snowdrift (a pocket covered with cottonballs.) Directions to make this book can be found in Kim's kid-made books at:
Hi Terri,

I am going to have to change that link. Kim, who made the book, retired and took her site offline. Another teacher has her books on her site now. Here is the link:
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/seasonal_related.html

 

 

Emergent Reader Holiday Books

Maureen Tumenas, a former kindergarten teacher, wrote these emergent reader books and generously offered to let me post them on my site.

Important: They are designed to be copied back to back and stacked on top of each other.

 

Brown Reindeer, Brown Reindeer, What Do You See?

 

Christmas Lights

 

Here Is Santa

 

I Can See Christmas

 

I See Hanukkah

 

Our Christmas Wishes

Make a collaborative class book by having each student illustrate and finish this sentence:

 

The one gift I most want for Christmas is _______________.

 

All About Reindeer

This book provides some factual information about reindeer.

Teacher's Helper, Kindergarten, Nov/Dec/Jan 1996-97

 

Holiday Shapes Book

Have students illustrate each page with the correct number of shapes OR have the shapes pre-drawn on the page and have students decorate them.

 

1  winter day I looked to see that

   holiday shapes were all around me!

 

2  triangle trees standing in the snow.

 

3  square gifts with Christmas bows.

 

4  diamond cookies just made to eat.

 

5  round latkes for a Hanukkah treat.

 

6  star shapes in the winter night.

 

7  rectangles shine with Kwanzaa light.

 

Christmas Tree Book

Copy a Christmas tree on green paper. Illustrate each page as directed.

 

On my Christmas tree there will be

A shining star just for me.

 

On my Christmas tree there will be

A ringing bell just for me.

 

On my Christmas tree there will be

A blinking light just for me.

 

On my Christmas tree there will be

A singing bird just for me.

 

On my Christmas tree there will be

A smiling angel just for me.

Rhyming Christmas Tree

I don't recall the source for this activity, but Christmas pictures are inserted on colored circles to make ornaments. I passed out these out to the children and they put them on the "tree" when they heard something that rhymed with their ornament picture. An example might be: Santa doesn't play a game, but my clandle has a flickering _____. (flame)

Play a game to review words and letters. They may draw one ornament on the "boy" or "girl" Christmas tree for each flash card they can read.

 

 

Centers      

Use curved and straight pieces decorated in candy cane stripes to make letters and words.

 

Art Projects      

 

Make a Santa mobile. Put a mustache, nose and eyes on a 6x18" piece of pink construction paper. Glue a 1 inch white band to the top and roll this into a cylinder. Staple 2 red triangles inside the top of the cylinder; bring these triangles together at the top by stapling on a white circle. Decorate with a holly leaf and berries. Accordion fold 6 one and a half inch strips of white paper and glue inside bottom of Santa face. Hang by the circle at the top.

Cut light bulbs from paper or craft foam. Students write one letter of their name on each bulb. Use pinking shears to cut black strips of paper and fold them over yarn and staple to the bulbs to attach to the necklace.

 

Use an Ellison die-cut to punch out 2 Christmas trees from craft foam. Glue on sequin decorations and let dry. Cut one tree halfway up from the bottom and the other halfway down from the top. Slip 2 trees together so it will stand.

 

Trace one footprint and two handprints to make a reindeer. Add wiggly eyes and a pompom nose. Hang ten in a row and use the antlers to practice counting by fives and tens to 100.

Slide beads (tri-beads) on to a pipe cleaner and bend over to make a candy cane. Put the beads on in a pattern--AB or ABC to reinforce math skills.

 

Make a Santa by stuffing a water bottle with red crepe paper. Make a belt from black electrical tape. Add wiggly eyes and a cottonball beard.

 

Watercolor Tree

 

 

 

Form decorated gingerbread men into a tree shape.

 

Spray paint a coffee can. Insert a wire handle and sponge paint a snowman decoration on the can. Use the can to carry home Christmas ornament gifts.

 

 

 

Handprint Snowman Ornament

Paint child's palm and fingers white. Carefully have them hold the blue ball to create the five snowmen. Use a paint marker to make hats, faces, and scarves. Attach a tag with this poem:

These aren't just five snowmen

As anyone can see.

I made them with my hand

Which is a part of me.

Now each year when you trim the tree

You'll look back and recall

Christmas of 2004

When my hand was just this small!

 

Tag for Handprint Snowman Ornament

 

Large Ornaments

Cut large green and red circles with a 12 inch diameter. Have students color and cut out 2 simple pictures such as Santa, a snowman, a star, or a gingerbread man. Attach an ornament hanger to the top of each side of the ball after gluing a picture on each side. These make colorful decorations hanging from the ceiling.

Candy Cane Mouse

 

Make an oval shape (about 4 inches long) from green paper or felt. Cut two slits (close to an inch long) horizontally about an inch apart. Add red mouse ears, a red pompom nose, and bead or wiggle eyes. Slide a candy cane through the slits and the round end becomes the mouse's tail.

 

 

 

Rectangle Tree

 

This tree was designed by our Art Teacher, Ms. Bittle.

 

 

Santa Countdown

Glue a cotton ball on each day in December to count down to Christmas day.

 

Santa's Elves

This idea came from Mrs. Begg's site. I used Adobe Photoshop to "liquify" the children's ears and make them longer and pointy. The children cut out the hats and collars and glued on the cottonballs.

 

Christmas Countdown

 

Make read and green chains to count down the days till Christmas. The star at the top has this poem:

From December 1 till Christmas

Is the longest time of year.

Seems as though old Santa

Never will appear.

How many days till Christmas

Is mighty hard to count

so this little paper chain

Will tell you the exact amount.

Take off a link every day.

It isn't very hard.

Christmas Day will be here

When you reach the star.

 

 

Handprint Wreath

Sew or hot glue a pocket at the top of the felt for the dowel rod. I used pencil to lightly trace a Cool Whip lid in the center so the heel of the child's hand made something close to a circular shape for the center of the wreath. Paint the child's hand with acrylic paint. Use a finger dipped in red paint to make some holly berries. Glue on a red bow. Write the child's name and year at the bottom of the wreath. Tie a piece of yarn to each end of the down for a hanger.

 

 

        

Wooden Tree

 

This tree was created by Mr. Hatherill, our other kindergarten teacher's father. The children painted the pieces and used a pencil eraser dipped in paint to make the ornaments.

 

Reindeer Food

                

 

Leave this letter, 2 bags (oats and gold glitter), 2 spoons and the labels to be "found" by your class. You can add the ingredients to a Christmas ziplock bag or make a reindeer lunch bag like the one below.

 

Dear Mrs. Flanagan and Little Giraffes,

Here are all the things you'll need to make the secret reindeer food that will help my reindeer find their way to your house on Christmas Eve. there are 2 spoons and 2 bags of secret ingredients. Use the big spoon to scoop out 2 spoonfuls of magic food. Use the little spoon to scoop out 1 spoonful of magic gold. Mix them together in a bag. Sprinkle this on your lawn or sidewalk on Christmas Eve so we can find your house or apartment. Don't worry if some is left over...sometimes reindeer don't eat a lot when they have to fly. I sent along some directions for you to take home with the magic food. Be good! HO! HO! HO!

Love,

Santa

 

Tag for back of bag:

 

Reindeer Food

 

Be sure to take this magic food

And sprinkle it on the lawn.

On Christmas, Santa's reindeer

Travel miles before the dawn.

The smell of oats and glitter path

Will guide them on their way.

And you'll wake up to Santa's gifts

Next morn on Christmas day!

 

 

Christmas Program Clothes

 

Make elf hats shown in the picture. Add a sentence strip  headband to fit each child. Cut a collar from white construction paper that has been folded. Add cut out holly leaves and red marker holly berries in between the leaves. Tie bows with red crepe paper streamers that have been stapled to the collar.

 

 

 

Math            

Roll a Christmas Tree Game

 

Students need a blank sheet of paper (or use the dotted template below). They work in small groups and take turns rolling a die to make a Christmas tree, including the top, the middle, the bottom, the tree trunk, the star on the top and at least 6 ornaments. The first one to finish drawing his tree is the winner!

 

Click here to print out the Roll a Christmas Tree game.

 

Click here to print a pre-drawn dotted tree. This would be helpful for the students if they roll a 4, 5, or 6 before they've drawn the tree. It gives them a point of reference to draw their trunk, star and ornament.

 

If drawing the star is too difficult you might show them how to make an easier one. First make an X and then put a vertical line and horizontal line through the middle so it resembles a star (or snowflake).

 

Roll a Gingerbread Man Game

Students need a blank sheet of paper (or use the dotted template below). They work in small groups and take turns rolling a die to make a gingerbread man, including his head, body, face 2 arms, 2 legs and at least 3 buttons. The first one to finish drawing his gingerbread man is the winner!

 

Click here to print out the Roll a Gingerbread Man game.

 

Click here to print a pre-drawn dotted gingerbread man. This would be helpful for the students if they roll a 3, 4, 5, or 6 before they've drawn the head or body. It gives them a point of reference to draw their face, arms, legs and buttons.

 

 

 

 

Dye Christmas macaroni to use for patterning, counting or story problems. The fireplace math mat is from Box It or Bag It math.

 

 

The fireplace math mat is from Box It or Bag It math.

Christmas Patterns

Use Christmas foam shapes to make a pattern.

 

Christmas Headband

These patterns can be made into a headband.

 

Christmas Crunch Cereal Graph

We graphed Christmas Crunch Cereal.

Click here for a copy of the

Christmas Crunch Graph.

 

Candy Cane Numbers

 

Use curved and straight pieces decorated in candy cane stripes to make numbers.

Gingerbread House Money Math

Making a gingerbread house can be a wonderful opportunity to practice counting money. The materials to decorate the houses could be "purchased" for pennies, nickels or dimes. Each child would be given a specific amount of money and each topping (chocolate chips, M&M's, coconut, skittles, gum drops, etc.) would have a price posted by it.

 

 

 

 

Snacks/Recipes           

 

Reindeer

Reindeer-cut bread into triangle shape and spread on peanut butter. Use pretzels for ears, chocolate covered raisins (or brown M&Ms) for eyes and a red M&M for a nose.

 

 

Apple Santa

Make an Apple Santa by putting large marshmallows and red and green gumdrops on toothpicks and inserting them in the apples for arms, legs and head. A face can be drawn with frosting from a tube or by dipping a toothpick in food coloring.

 

                 

 

Christmas Tree

Thanks to Hada for sharing this picture and idea of using an ice cream cone decorated with green icing and candy to make a Christmas tree.

 

 

Gingerbread Houses

3 boxes of graham crackers...4 halves for the sides of the carton and 2 halves for the roof...(angle them to make a pointed roof)
1 can of vanilla frosting for each child
1 milk carton washed out and taped shut for each.
1 plastic knife for each
1 solo plastic plate to place the carton on.
Assorted bags of candy to decorate the houses (each child could be assigned a topping to bring in such as chocolate
chips, gum drops, m & m's, or skittles)
Paper plates to put the candy on...two children share the candy on 1 plate.
2 bags of coconut for snow
2 bags of spearmint leaves for bushes
1 bag of Hershey kisses for chimneys
Newspaper to cover desks

 Have 1 parent helper for every 2 children. Frost the carton and assemble the house and roof. Decorate the house with candy. Use additional frosting on the plate to make snow and a path to the door. Let them dry over night and take them home the next day. This project can be integrated into the curriculum as a math activity by having the children "purchase" the decorative toppings--see the idea above in the Math section.

 

An alternate suggestion is to hot glue the graham crackers to the milk cartons first. It is hard for the children to attach the crackers to the carton anyway, plus it uses so much icing. And, if they don't use very much icing, then when they start putting candy on it, the crackers fall off.

You can read the Gingerbread Baby story and then give them a small gingerbread shaped cookie. Have them put the cookie in the carton, because they caught the gingerbread baby and they are going to make a house for him. After the children are gone for the day, hot glue the crackers to the cartons so they are ready for the next day. If you have parent helpers, you could do this all in one day. Then the children can decorate the houses without using all that icing. It would probably take 3 to 4 cans of icing for 18 children.

Send home a note to the parents with the gingerbread houses, stating that the crackers have been glued on and not to allow the children to eat the crackers but only eat the candy.
 

 

 

 

Party Games          

MUSICAL SHARES 

Set up the chairs facing outward in a circle just like in Musical Chairs.  Start the music and stop it. Everyone gets a seat just as usual and everyone takes a seat.  For the next round, remove one chair, but NOBODY leaves. Everyone stays.  Start the music again, but this time someone will have to scoot over and SHARE a chair when the music stops. Next round, remove another chair, and another. All the while they'll have to keep sharing chairs (and eventually laps).  It's great fun but I would suggest stopping when you have 4 chairs left.

 

RUDOLPH RELAY 

Set up two, three or four relay lines, depending on the manageable size of your class. (If you have more lines, everyone will get more than one chance, which is MUCH better!) Make a sturdy headband with 'hand cutouts' for antlers---one headband for each relay line. Obtain two empty shoeboxes for each line. The first person in each line will step into the empty shoeboxes, don the antlers, and shuffle the distance (however long you decide on), ring a little bell, then shuffle back. The fun part for them is shuffling across the floor!

 

SWITCH CHAIRS 

Set up all the chairs in a BIG circle facing inward. (The chairs should NOT be touching.)  Have available four sets of different Ellison holiday-themed cutouts. Give ONE to each child after they're seated in a chair facing inward. Call the name of one cutout such as "reindeer".  All those who are holding a reindeer get up and walk across the circle to sit in a seat that was vacated by someone else.  This goes pretty smoothly until you start to pick up the pace by calling TWO cutouts at once, then THREE, then FOUR. You can vary the game by saying "all the Christmas trees must HOP to an empty chair", etc.

 

RUDOLPH DASH
 Supplies: Cut circles out of red construction paper, Vaseline
Divide into relay teams. Have the first children in the lines put Vaseline on their noses and then put the red circles on their noses. Race to the finish line, drop the nose into a bowl and return to tag the next person in line. Continue with each new person adding their red nose to the bowl. If their nose falls off, they go back, add more Vaseline and reapply the nose.

 

CANDY CANE PASS (relay race)
 Supplies: 4 candy canes per team (have a few extras due to breakage)
The first player holds 4 candy canes between his fingers and passes them down the line, teammate to teammate, without dropping them.

 

SANTA, SANTA
 Supplies: Small Santa sleigh
Have the children sit in a large circle and blindfold one child. Another child will be given the sleigh and must say:
     Santa Santa, where's your sleigh?
     Someone's come and taken it away.
     Guess who, guess who?
The blindfolded child gets three guesses. The child who has the sleigh is next to be blindfolded.

 

PASS THE ORNAMENT
 Supplies: Straw for each child, Ornaments cut out of tissue paper (tree, bell, star, etc.)
Pass the ornaments down the line, teammate to teammate, by inhaling and exhaling on the straw to hang onto or release
the ornament. No hands!

 

SANTA SAYS
This is played similar to Simon Says. The player up is "Santa". Player will say "Santa says hop on one foot". The children will hop on one foot. Santa will say "Stop". The children are to keep hopping on one foot until the player says "Santa says stop". Repeat for additional activities such as, "Take one baby step forward, step backwards, turn around, sit down". Sometimes Santa will say "Santa says" and sometimes he won't.

 

FILL THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING
 Supplies: Stocking for each team, spoon for each team, bowl for each team, wrapped candy
Divide into teams. Have children line up at one end of the room. At the other end, hang a Christmas stocking for each team. Place a bowl of candy and a spoon in front of each team. Each child takes a turn taking a candy from the bowl with the spoon. They then carry the candy on the spoon to the stocking and drop the candy in the stocking. Race back to the next person in line, give them the spoon. First team to fill the stocking wins!

 

MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS

Play this game just like Duck, Duck Goose.

 

CHRISTMAS COLORS

Place pieces of red and green yarn around the classroom. Divide into teams and each team and assign each team a color. They have to find all the yarn pieces of their color and then tie all the pieces together.