Learning Station - Stack Santa Hats

This was a fun way to work on our fine motor skills.  The kiddos had fun stacking in different ways. 

Christmas Week 2

Grow A Tree - Hey look!  They look even better today! 

Decorating the Tree - The kiddos hung up their ornaments that dried over the weekend.

 

Journals - Santa - The kiddos were given 2 squares of paper and were asked to create a Santa for their journal.  Here are a few of them ...


Woven Snowflake Ornaments - The kiddos wound yarn around and around, then we added jewels.  I found this cute idea on this blog:  Here!

 

Science - Bending Candy Canes - Whaaat?!  We warmed them up a bit and then changed their shapes.  The last batch Ms. Sara left in the oven too long, drat.  They looked like deflated candy canes.  Ha!

Just pop them in the oven at about 250 degrees for a few minutes.  I firest saw this idea on this blog:  Here!

Circle Time - Putting the last cotton ball on Santa's beard...

Journal Time - I had the kiddos draw a Christmas scene in their journals today.  Here are a couple of them...

 

Stick Reindeer - I love these guys!  I've been wanting to do them for a while now!  I'm glad we squeezed them in today.  Hope they cheer up you

Peeking out of a kiddo's bag!  I found the idea for these guys on this blog:  Here!

Stuck in the Chimney! - Santa - Oh dear!  The kiddos could choose if they wanted Santa's head or feet sticking out...

 

I saw this cute idea on this blog:  Here!

 

Hand Print Reindeer - Toddlers - These turned out super cute!

 

Merry Christmas and I'll see you all in January!

Learning Station - Pasta Wreath

Day #1 - Today the kiddos glued bow tie pasta in a wreath shape.

Day #2 - I added a bow and some kiddos painted with glitter.

I got this cute idea from this blog:  Here!

Learning Station - Find Your Gifts!

This was a most anticipated event!  It started nice and calm, with a kiddo or two... but then it became a slightly chaotic festival.  The kiddos searched through all the gifts to find all the ones they had created for their loved ones.

Gift for Parents - Plates

Each year I have the kiddos draw a special picture on a plate or bowl (dollar store) using Sharpie oil based paint pens.  I write their description on the back, then bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for a half hour.

Here are a few plates from this year...

A doggie with a race track and stripes.

 

The toddlers had bowls...

 

 

 

Gift Making for Siblings

I love to have the kiddos make gifts for their loved ones.  I hope it helps them catch a bit of the giving spirit of Christmas instead of just the getting.

This year we made Christmas crocodiles.  This is probably my favorite sibling gift we do.  It takes a lot of mini eyes and clothes pins (the kiddos are welcome to make as many crocodiles as they can come up with people to give them to).  It does take a bit of time to hot glue all the eyes on, but it's totally worth it.  We wrap each of these as well, which also takes time, but the kids are just beaming with their crop of crocs to give.

 The kiddos paint them, I glue the eyes on once they've dried, then they add glitter glue or detail with sharpies.

Christmas Week 1

Welcome to our first of two Christmas weeks.  It's kind of like Santa's workshop.   We make ornaments and gifts and enjoy the festive feel.

Ornament - Craft Stick Wrapped Tree - The kiddos wrapped their little trees with sparkly pipe cleaners.   They turned out super festive!

Here they are on the tree...

 

With the youngster class I had them lace beads first.  I think I may like this better.

 

I got this idea on this blog:  Here!

Science - Crystallized Candy Canes - We mixed Borax into boiling water then poured it into our jars with our pipe cleaner candy canes.  Hopefully in the next few days our candy canes will become crystallized!

I didn't get any pictures while we were making them (pouring boiling water).  But here are the kiddos checking them out on the counter.

Our candy canes are done (Monday to Friday)!  Ms. Sara will clean them up a bit and then we'll hang them on the our tree! 
Here are crystal bits that were growing on the bottom of the jars. 

I go this idea on this blog:  Here!

Here they are on the tree...

 

Tree Decoration Station - Just for fun!  The kiddos could decorate and un-decorate to their hearts content.  This station was especially popular with the toddlers.

 

Gift Making - The kiddos are hard at work.  They have been working with stamps and glitter markers to create beautiful pictures which get wrapped and placed under the tree.

I love to pull out whatever craft bits the kiddos want and set them loose...

Santa Twins - I love when the kiddos pull out the Santa hats and roll play.  These two delivered presents to the rest of the kiddos while they were playing.

Science - Grow A Tree - It's been 1 week since we started this experiment and LOOK!  It worked!  Our crazy grass trees are growing!  

Our Class Tree - Our tree is filling out and looking good!

Cereal Box Wreaths - Toddlers - The kiddos enjoyed dipping pom poms in glue and decorating these wreaths.  They turned out super cute.  

Cereal Box Trees - The older kiddos painted several cereal boxes for this project and the wreaths (above).  Now they get to decorate them!