* Pretzel Wreath- Use little pretzels, heart shaped with an x in the middle, glue 1 layer in a circle, like a wreath, glue 2nd layer on top, joining over middle of 1st layer. Weave ribbon between the holes if you like. Hang with ribbon. * Rudolph Christmas Card Holder- Take a gallon milk jug and cut off the top section right below the handle. Cover with a brown grocery bag. Trace the child's hand onto black construction paper and place on the back of the carton for antlers. Draw eyes and mouth and attach along with a big red pom-pom for the nose to other side. Place cards inside. * Reindeer Pokey You put your antlers in, you put your antlers out. You put your antlers in and shake them all about. You do the Reindeer Pokey and 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 fluffly tail in... You put your reindeer body in.. * Here are 2 fingerplays for the Christmas season: Santa Claus Here is the chimney (make fist, enclose thumb) Here is the top (place palm on top of fist) Open the lid (remove top hand) and out Santa will pop. (pop up thumb) Gingerbread Man Stir a bowl of gingerbread (stir as in bowl) Smooth and spicy brown Roll it with a rolling pin up and up and down (Pretend to roll) With a cookie cutter, ( pretend to cut out) make some little men. Put them in the oven ( place in oven) till half past ten! * Child's Hand Prints Wreath About this project - Make a Christmas wreath using a child's hand prints. This project is rated EASY to do. Supplies - any size muslim green and red tempra paint Project how to - Cut muslim square to desired size Trace circle in pencil for size of wreath Paint green paint onto child's hand and randomly place around wreath continue until you have a nice full wreath, but not so much as to cover the hand imprints Using red make berries * CHRISTMAS PROJECTS Use cookie cutters to make designs on paper.Just dip the cutters in paint & stamp on the paper. RECYCLE CHRISTMAS CARDS Cut the cards apart.Take the front of the card & punch holes all around it.Let the children sew or lace around the card.I like to use the ribbon that is used for balloons. It can be laced w/out using a needle.It is under $2.00 for a huge spool. CHRISTMAS CUTTING WORK Save those Christmas catalogs.I set them on the shelf w/a pair of scissors & let my kids cut out items that they like.They can also make a xmas wish collage w/them. SNOWFLAKES Cut some snowflakes out using>paper doilies.They really are pretty.Some kids need step by step instruct. EGG CARTON BELLS Cut apart those egg cartons.Let the kids paint.Insert a hole in the top.Add a pipecleaner w/a bell on the end. POINSETTIA Cut out 5 leaf shapes using red construct. paper.Glue the leaf shapes in a circle onto green paper.In the center of the flower put some glue & add some uncooked popcorn for the flower center. REINDEER Glue 3 ice-cream sticks together in an "A" shape.After the sticks have dried,decorate them.They can be painted brown at this stage or left plain.Glue on a pom-pom at the bottom point of the "A" shape>this is the nose.The reindeer is an "A" that is turned upside down.Now glue on 2 eyes>above the nose on each side of the "V" shape. At the top glue on some holly & a ribbon in the top center for hanging. RED & GREEN CHAINS>to decorate the room. Christmas collages>reuse all those scraps of wrapping paper,tinsel,ribbon,cards etc. * A Shy Santa Isn't it the strangest thing, That Santa is so shy? (hide face with hands) We can never, never catch him, (make fingers run) No matter how we try. It isn't any use to watch, (hold hand to eyes and look) Because my parents said, "Santa Claus will only come When children are in bed!" (shake finger) * Mini Christmas Trees Materials: •thick cardboard •scissors •green paint •coloured sequins •glitter glue (gold) •craft glue •ribbon -------------------------------------------------------- Method: 1.Draw a christmas tree or trace around our template. 2.Cut out two trees from the cardboard. 3.Draw a line up the middle of the first tree. 4.Cut a slit, approximately the width of the cardboard, approx half way up the first tree, starting from the BOTTOM. 5.Draw a line down the middle of the second tree, and this time cut a similar slit but from the TOP. 6.Slide the two trees together. 7.Paint the tree's green and wait to dry. 8.Using the glitter glue highlight the edges of the panels of the tree. 9.Glue sequins of assorted colours on each panel to look like christmas decorations. Sequins were only a suggestion, as the decorating of your tree is entirely up to you. 10.Poke a hole in the top of the tree with a pair of scissors and thread your ribbon through. This will allow you to hang your Christmas tree up. * Method for Mini Trees: 1.Draw a christmas tree or trace around our template. 2.Cut out two trees from the cardboard. 3.Draw a line up the middle of the first tree. 4.Cut a slit, approximately the width of the cardboard, approx half way up the first tree, starting from the BOTTOM. 5.Draw a line down the middle of the second tree, and this time cut a similar slit but from the TOP. 6.Slide the two trees together ...... Big Tree: I used this same method to make a big tree - using a dishpack box, as we didn't have any real christmas trees in Saudi Arabia. I spray painted it green and we hung homemade ornaments on it. Another Christmas Tree Idea - especially good for two year olds: Copy and pre-cut a green christmas tree shape for each child. The children decorate them with the peel and stick dots (1/2 inch) used for color coding. (e sold in office supply stores). I used green zerox paper as the dots stick to it better than construction paper. The dots are inexpensive but you could add other Xmas type stickers too . One very young two had trouble peeling the dots so I had to pre-peel for him and lined them up on the table edge for easy grasping. * Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Activities Make antler headbands after tracing the children’s hands onto brown construction paper. One year I found some glossy brown poster board in an art supply store to make the antlers - more attractive and durable. The best part is the dap of red lipstick that goes on the children’s noses. Then play Rudolph Says, the same way as Simon Says, only with two year olds, I simplify it so that Rudolph always says.. The children had fun trotting around the play yard on stick Rudolphs. made with old broom sticks and stuffed tan socks, we used permanent markers to make black eyes and a red nose, of course.. The antlers cut out of heavy cardboard covered with brown felt and stabled onto each side of the head. Since we had only made two of the creatures, the children had to take turns riding them. Song: Galloping Reindeer (Tune: 10 little Indians) Galloping, galloping galloping reindeer, Galloping, galloping, galloping reindeer Gallopping, gallopping, galloping reindeer, galloping all around. * REINDEER CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT Recycle all your old puzzles.Using 3 puzzle pieces to make a reindeer face. Spray paint the pieces brown.Pick 2 pieces that are are similar & that do not have a straight edge or outside border for the reindeer antlers.Now find a piece that has a straight edge or outside border for the face.You want the top edge to be the top of the reindeers head.The piece should have a point at the other end so that it will look like a reindeer nose.Now take the two antler pieces & glue then on top of the face piece.You will glue them at the top portion of the puzzle piece.Now 2 giggle or wiggle eyes are glued below the two antler pieces.At the bottom of the face piece you will glue on a small pom-pom for the nose.This is hard to understand without actually seeing this project.It is very cute & very easy.Just work with the 3 puzzle pieces until you like your design of a reindeer face.It will work.A piece of green ribbon is glued on the back so it can hang on the tree.Put name & date on the back. My kids made these for Mom & Dad for Christmas. These can be made with any size puzzle pieces.I used the med. & large pieces. You can make these into pins if you use the tiny puzzle pieces.I hope you can understand this. * SNOWPERSON ORNAMENT Using a tongue depressor for the ornament>spray paint them white.Or have kids paint them white. Hat>glue on the top>black felt or fun foam hat. 2 wiggle eyes Nose>orange felt triangle Mouth>draw on w/blk.marker dots Scarf >tie on a red ribbon around the neck area Buttons>glue on 3 blk.dots /sequins Arms>2 sm.sticks >twigs are glued on the back Hanger>glue on a paperclip at the top on the back or use a ribbon The children can also apply some glue & sprinkle w/white glitter Put name & date on the back.Very cute! Hey! I ready for some snow-women.I'm tired of only seeing snowmen.We made a huge snow-woman on paper.The children added paint & glitter ,designs etc...They loved it.They name her>Frostina.Now we get lots of snow-women. * SANTA,SANTA,YOUR PRESENT IS GONE Materials: Present>a sm. box wrapped up Santa's hat >it is big enough to fit over the eyes & works like a blindfold. Procedure: 1.Select one child to be Santa & ask her to wear the hat. 2.Show the children the "present" & tell them that"this present fell off Santa's sled & they have to look for it." 3.While Santa is blindfolded & seated,place the gift somewhere in the room. 4.Remove the hat from Santa & ask the child to search for the lost present.As Santa gets close to the present,have the children say,"Happy Holidays." 5.Once the present is found,let another child have a turn at playing Santa. Ways to extend: *Put a snack of peanuts,raisins,carob chips etc...in the decorated box.When the game is concluded,open the present & share the snack. * SANTA’S NEW SUIT - Flannel Board Story; Shapes needed: Santa-in-his-underwearand Mrs. Claus (Pellon), and four felt Santa suits (red with black smudges, a red suit that’s cut too short on the legs and arms, a blue suit and a yellow suit and one red suit that fits). It was four days before Christmas. Everyone at the North pole was busy gettingready for the night when Santa flies through sky in his sled, delivering presentsto good little girls and boys. Santa Claus brought out his wonderful red suit, to make sure it was ready for the big night. (On the flannel board, place Mrs. Claus and Santa-in-his-underwear. Try on the dirty red Santa suit). "Oh no," Santa sighed. "My suit is all smudged with black soot." "It must have happened last Christmas, when you climbed in and out all those dirty chimneys." said Mrs. Claus "Good thing I discovered this problem before Christmas eve." Santa replied. "I’d better ask the elves to please wash my suit right away." It was three days before Christmas and Santa tried on his freshly laundered suit.. (On the board, try on the short Santa suit) "Yikes!," said Santa. "Something is wrong. My suit is so tight across my big belly, and also the arms and legs are too short!. (point to the arms and legs). "When the elves washed it, it must have shrunk in the dryer," said Mrs. Claus. "I’d better ask the elves to please sew me up another suit right away," replied Santa. It was two days before Christmas and Santa tried on his newly tailored suit. (Try on the blue suit) "Well this new suit fits fine," said Santa, " and it’s a beautiful color. I like it!" But when Mrs.Claus saw the new suit, she shook her head. "I don’t care for the looks of it, " she said. "Something about it is not quite right." "But there is only one day left before Christmas," said Santa. " The elves don't have much time to make me another one." The elves devided to all work overtime to finish sewing Santa another new suit. This time it was a yellow one. (Try on the yellow suit). Santa thanked all the elves for all their hard work, but he was a tad diappointed. "Yellow just isn’t my color, but I'll have to wear this suit anyway," Santa sighed. "The elves don’t have time to make me another new suit." "The children won’t even recognize you in that yellow suit." said Mrs. Claus. "Santa is supposed to wear red." Then Mrs. Claus brought out her special surprise, a bright red suit that she had sewn herself. (Have Santa try on the red suit) "You know my color and my size too," Santa said, beaming at himself in the mirror. This red suit fits perfectly!" He gave his wife a big thank-you hug and kiss. And that’s the story of how Santa got his new suit.