DECEMBER THEMES
    
    
    
    These pages are dedicated to all the wonderful childcare providers and teachers that have become my friends and support through my daycare email lists. Most of the activities and ideas on these pages come from them. Please visit there sites or send them a note to let them know what you think of their ideas. Also, feel free to email me with ideas of your own for activities or other themes that you feel would be appropriate for any particular month. I will add your ideas with links to your website and email address. Thank you, and enjoy!
    
    
    
    
    LETTERS: G & H
    
    
    Dramatic Play: The Letter G

    Reinforce money concepts and promote letter recognition with this early childhood activity.

    Materials: Large sign labeled "Mr. G's Garage Sale", items children bring from home and play money.

    Description: Who doesn't love a garage sale? When we study the letter G I have my children bring one or two items from home for the sale. A note is sent to parents with the information concerning the sale. The day of the sale the children price their items ex. $1.00 -10.00. The items are displayed and play money is given to each child. The children take turns shopping for their treasures and counting out the correct money for each item they purchase. Of course I add extra toys, books etc. Parents have enjoyed this activity also.

    This idea comes from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care

    
    
    
    
    NUMBER: 4
    
    
    Coming Soon
    
    
    
    
    SHAPE: Star
    
    
    Popsicle Stick Stars:

    Have the children create stars by gluing popsicle sticks together in star formation. Paint yellow and add glitter to make them shine. If added string they make lovely ornaments.

    This activity fromkara777@columbus.rr.com (Kara)

    
    
    
    
    COLOR: Yellow
    
    
    Banana's On A Stick

    Ingredients:
    Banana's cut in half (so you have 2 fully round banana halves)
    popsicle sticks
    peanut butter
    graham crackers, crushed

    Push a popsicle stick in the flat (bottom) part of each banana half. Spread peanut butter over the entire banana. Roll in crushed graham crackers and serve. My kids love this tasty treat!

    The following activities, songs and treats come from Cynde at johnp@pennswoods.net. Send her an email if you like her ideas.

    Make things Yellow

    Cornstarch Finger Paint

    Materials:
    3 tbsps. sugar
    1/2 cup cornstarch
    2 cups cold water
    Food coloring
    Soap flakes or liquid dishwashing soap

    Mix sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan over low heat. Add cold water and stir until mixture is thick. Remove from heat. Divide into four or five portions (in muffin tins or cups). Add a drop or two of food coloring to each portion and a pinch of soap flakes or soap. Stir and let cool. Store in airtight container.

    Yellow Playdough

    Materials:
    1 cup flour
    1 tbsp vegetable oil
    1 cup water
    1/2 cup salt
    2 tsp. cream of tartar
    Food coloring

    Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly until ball forms. Cool and knead until smooth.

    Sing About Yellow Things

    Oh Mr. Sun

    Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
    Mister Golden Sun,
    Please shine down on me
    Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
    Mister Golden Sun,
    Hiding behind a tree...
    These little children
    Are asking you
    To please come out
    So we can play with you
    Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
    Mister Golden Sun,
    Please shine down on..
    Please shine down on...
    Please shine down on me!

    6 Little Ducks

    Six little ducks that I once knew
    Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones too
    But the one little duck with the feather on his back
    He led the others with a quack, quack, quack
    Quack, quack, quack,
    Quack, quack, quack
    He led the others with a quack, quack, quack
    Down to the river they would go
    Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble, to and fro

    You Are My Sunshine

    You are my sunshine
    My only sunshine
    You make me happy
    When skies are grey
    You never know dear
    How much I love you
    So please don't take my sunshine away

    Yellow Stars
    (tune: I've been working on the railroad)

    Yellow stars are shining brightly,
    in the nighttime sky.
    Yellow stars are shining brightly,
    Just watch as they sail by.
    You can make a wish upon them,
    And it might come true.
    Way up in the sky above us,
    The stars shine for you.

    Make Yellow Treats

    Banana Pops

    Ingredients:
    banana on a stick
    yogurt
    nuts, coconut or granola

    Dip banana in yogurt, then roll in nuts, coconut, or granola and freeze.

    Lemonade:

    Ingredients:
    4 lemons(juiced)
    3 cups water
    1/2 cups sugar
    ice cubes

    Mix together and serve.

    Pineapple Cheese Squares

    Ingredients:
    bread
    margarine
    cheese
    pineapple rings

    Layer the margarine, cheese and pinapple on the bread slices. Bake at 350 until cheese melts.

    Read About Yellow

    Big Yellow Taxi by Ken Wilson-Max

    Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue? by Tana Hoban

    Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert

    Blue and Little Yellow: A Story for Pippo and Ann and Other Children by Leo Lionni

    Fun With Yellow

    Lemon Prints

    Cut lemons if half and let dry slightly. Provide a pan of yellow paint for the children to dip the lemons in. Let them make lemon prints on white paper or other painting surface.

    Sand and Water Table

    Color uncooked rice with yellow food coloring for a change in the sand table. Add dried corn kernels or yellow craft feathers for variety.

    Thanks again to Cynde for the wonderful activities, songs and treats about the color Yellow.

    
    
    Space/Day/Night
    
    
    Coming Soon
    
    
    
    
    5 Senses
    
    
    Coming Soon!
    
    
    
    
    Winter Holidays
    
    
    The following Christmas Activities come from Kara at kara777@columbus.rr.com (Kara). Send her an email.

    Hand Wreath

    Trace around both child’s hands on green construction paper. Cut out several hands. Cut out the center of a paper plate and glue the green hands around the rim of the plate. Draw or glue on a bow.

    Christmas trees

    Cut out a Christmas tree shape from green construction paper. Have the child use one finger to put “bulbs” on their tree. Use a star sticker for the top.

    Wrapping paper

    Use cookie cutters or sponges to print on butcher paper to make wrapping paper.

    Here's a cute recyclable wreath.

    It's also a great way to work on counting. Using 1 pipe cleaner, "string" about 10-12 packing peanuts. The wreaths may then be painted green, or if you are lucky, you can find the ones that are already green. These make cute tree ornaments!

    Bells

    Use little plastic cups (plain). Punch a hole in the bottom of the cup. Paint school glue all over the cup. Next put the cup in a Ziploc bag filled with glitter. Close the bag and shake. Insert a yellow pipe cleaner into the hole. Curve the part sticking out the top of the bell into a hook to hang, and shape the part of the pipe cleaner that’s in the bell into a clapper.

    Candy Canes

    For toddlers, cut out candy canes and have them marble paint with different paints to create their own candy canes.

    Santa Hat

    Supplies:
    Red Construction Paper
    Glue
    Cotton Balls

    Cut out a large triangle out of red construction paper. Glue on the cotton balls to make a white ball on one of the triangle tips, and glue cotton balls along the bottom edge to form the brim.

    Thanks again to Kara for those great ideas! Dont forget to send her an email.

    The following Hanukkah ideas come from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care

    Playdough Menorah

    Supplies:
    Playdough
    Birthday candles
    Large candles

    Roll out piece of playdough and press to form base. Place large candle in center and four small candles on each side of large.

    Wrapping Paper

    Supplies:
    Blue paint
    Large pieces of white paper
    Plastic margarine lids
    Small Hanukkah cookies cutters (or basic shapes)

    Pour small amount of paint into margarine lids. Dip a cookie cutter into paint, stamp on paper, and then let paint dry.

    Candle puppets

    Supplies:
    Toilet paper rolls
    Popsicle sticks
    Foil
    Glue
    Scissors
    Markers
    Yellow construction paper

    Cover toilet paper roll with foil. Cut a flame shape out of paper and draw a face on it. Glue flame on end of the popsicle stick. Insert stick in roll, hold roll with one hand, make flame dance with other.

    Tasty Menorahs

    Supplies:
    Bread
    Cream cheese or butter
    Carrot sticks
    Pretzel sticks
    Raisins

    Spread bread with cream cheese or butter, arrange 8 pretzels as candles and carrot stick as large candle in center. Use raisins as flames at ends of carrot and pretzel sticks.

    Drediels

    Supplies:
    Pencils
    Glue
    Paint and paintbrushes
    Small milk cartons or boxes

    Fold tops of milk cartons down to make boxes. Mix a little glue with paint and let children paint boxes. Poke pencil through box from top downward so point is on bottom.

    Poem: (for dreidel)
    I have a little dreidel,I made it out of clay.And when it's dry and ready,A dreidel game I'll play.

    The following Christmas ideas come from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care

    Pretzel Wreath

    Supplies:
    Little Pretzels
    Glue
    Ribbon
    Glue pretzels together so they form a circle -like a wreath. Glue a second layer on top of that making sure the pretzels on this layer meet in the center of a pretzel on the bottom layer. Hang with a ribbon.

    Christmas Puppets

    Supplies:
    Little Paper Bags
    Glue
    Crayons
    Construction Paper
    Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.

    Get creative and make all sorts of Christmas characters. Make Santa Claus; make eyes, ears, ect, and then use cotton balls, felt, ect for the hair and beard. Don't forget the hat and red nose - like a cherry. You can also make rudolph, Mrs. Claus, elves......

    Candy Cane Reindeer

    Supplies:
    Candy Cane
    Glue
    Brown Pipe Cleaners
    Small Wiggle eyes
    Small Red Pom Pom
    Thin Ribbon - optional
    Small Bell - optional

    Bring pipe cleaner under curve (neck) of candy cane and then twist to tighten into a V shape. Bend into a Z shape to look like antlers. Glue on two small wiggle eyes and the small pom pom for a nose. String the bell through the ribbon and attach it to the candy cane. You may need to use a hot glue gun - with adult help.

    Shredded Wheat Wreath

    Supplies:
    Cool Whip Type Lids
    Shredded Wheat
    Glue
    Green Food Color
    Red Hots

    Crumble up shredded wheat and mix with enough glue and green food coloring to coat. Put it onto the cool whip lid and shape it to look like a wreath. Press in the red hots for the berries and let dry overnight.

    Wreath

    Supplies:
    Paper Plate or Cereal Box, ect
    Glue
    Crayons
    Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.

    If you are using cardboard, cut it into a circle about the size of a paper plate. Cut the center out of the paper plate or cardboard to make a wreath shape. Use various craft supplies to decorate.

    Reindeer Magnet

    Supplies:
    Small Dog Biscuit
    Hot Glue - adults only
    Small wiggle eyes
    Small Red Pom Pom
    Brown Chenile - cut into 2 - 2-3 inch strips
    Magnet Strip

    Work on the dog biscuit vertically. Hot glue the red pom pom onto the bottom -where the dog biscuit indents- for the nose. Hot glue the wiggle eyes into the middle of the biscuit. Bend the chenile into antlers and hot glue them to the top, back of the biscuit. Glue the magnet onto the back.

    Christmas Card Holder

    Supplies:
    Gallon Milk Jug
    Brown Paper - can use paper grocery bags
    Glue
    Crayons
    Large Red Pom Pom - optional

    Take the gallon milk jug and cut off the top section, just below the handle. Cover with brown paper. Trace the childs hand on another piece of brown paper, cut them out, and glue on as antlers. Draw eyes and mouth, and attach the big red pom pom for the nose.

    Christmas Reindeer Craft

    Supplies:
    Large Craft Stick - or popsicle stick
    Pipe Cleaner
    Glue or Hot Glue Gun
    Markers
    Wiggle Eyes
    Small Red Pom Pom
    Thin Red Ribbon or a magnetic Strip

    Make a reindeer by shaping the pipe cleaner into a V shave and glueing it to the top, back of the stick; glue on wiggle eyes and nose, and draw a mouth. You can make this a gift tag by writing To: and From: on it; you can use the ribbon and make it an ornament; or you can make it a magnet.

    Christmas Trees

    Supplies:
    Green Construction Paper
    Glue
    Red Paint
    Misc. Collage Materials

    Cut out Christmas tree shapes. Decorate the Christmas tree: you can dip a finger in in red paint and make fingerprint ornaments, you can use various collage materials, such as glitter, buttons, fabric scraps, to decorate as desired. You can also make wreaths.

    Pasta Christmas Wreaths

    Supplies:
    Small Paper Plates
    A Variety of Different Shaped Pasta
    Craft Glue
    Silver or Gold Spray Paint
    Tinsel Bow

    Cut center out of the paper plate. Glue pasta noodles around the outer ring Try to completely cover the paper plate. Let glue dry and then spray paint the desired color. Embelish with a bow of tinsel.

    Egg Carton Tree

    Supplies:
    Two Egg Cartons
    Large Piece of Paper
    Glue
    Paint
    Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.

    Cup the egg cartons so you have one row of 6 cups, one row of 5 cups, and so on to 1 cup. Paint the outside of the egg cup green. When the paint is dry, glue them on a large sheet of paper as follows: Glue the 6 cup row on the bottom of the paper, just above that glue the 5 cup row, and so on until you have used all the cups. It should look like a triangle when you are done. Decorate with misc. craft items.

    Styrofoam Ball Ornament

    Supplies:
    Styrofoam Ball - about 2 and a half inches
    Glue
    Paper Clips
    Paint
    Misc Craft Items - glitter, jewels, ribbons, ect.

    Put some glue on one end of a paper clip and push it into the ball, this will be the hanger. Paint and decorate as desired.

    Triangle Reindeer

    Supplies:
    Popsicle Sticks
    wiggle eyes
    Glue
    Red Pom Pom

    Put 3 popsicle sticks together to make a triangle. With the point facing down, the top stick should be placed lower to make antlers, glue together. Glue red pom pom on the point for a nose, and glue the eyes on the sticks about half way up from the point.

    Glue Ornaments

    Supplies:
    Glue
    Glitter
    Paper
    Wax Paper
    Tape

    Draw a Christmas shape -such as a bell- onto the paper; tape the paper onto the table. Lay wax paper over the design, and tape it to the table. Trace design with glue, you will want it to be kind of thick. Sprinkle glitter over glue. Allow to dry over night and then peel off of wax paper.

    Pipecleaner Ornaments

    Supplies:
    Pipe Cleaners
    Tri-cornered beads
    Ribbon - optional

    Thread the beads onto a pipecleaner so they nest together. You can bend to shape a candy cane, a wreath, a star, ect. You can also punch holes in ribbon and weave it onto the pipecleaner, between each bead.

    Christmas Necklace

    Supplies:
    Cling Wrap
    Christmas Candy - about the size of a quarter
    Curling Ribbon

    Cut 2-3 feet of cling wrap and lay flat on table. Starting on one end, place candy in the center of the cling wrap. Do this the whole leghth of the cling wrap, leaving 2-3 inches between each candy. Fold the cling wrap over a few times -the long way- to seal the candy. Tie a piece of curling ribbon around the cling wrap in between each piece if candy. Tie the ends together to make a necklace.

    Days Till Christmas Bell

    Supplies:
    Paper Bowl
    Paint
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Pipe Cleaner
    Misc. Craft Supplies - optional

    Turn the bowl upside down and paint, allow it to dry. Cut stripd of paper to make a paper chain for however many days there are left until Christmas; reserve on strip to attach chain to the bowl. Place dried bowl upside down on the table and poke a small hole in the center bottom. Bring two ends of a pipecleaner together; stick ends down through the hole in the bowl until half of the pipecleaner is through. To keep the pipe cleaner in place, twist it on each side of the bottom of the bowl, and put some glue on it. Add the paper chain to the top of the bell, and tear off on chain link each day until Christmas. You can also use misc. supplies to decorate the bell.

    Gingerbread Man

    Supplies:
    Paper Grocery Bag
    Glue
    Crayons
    Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.

    Cut a gingerbread man shape out of the grocery bag. Color or decorate as desired.

    Jigsaw Ornament

    Supplies:
    Popsicle Sticks
    Glue
    Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces
    Child's Picture
    Light Weight Cardboard
    Ribbon

    Glue popsicle sticks together to form a triangle. Glue the puzzle pieces onto the triangle to make a frame. Glue the picture behind the frame, and then glue the cardboard behind the picture. Add a ribbon for hanging.

    Reindeer

    Supplies:
    Paper Grocery Bag
    Glue
    Crayons
    Red Pom-pom
    Ribbon

    Trace childs shoe and both hands onto the paper bag. Cut them out. The shoe is the reindeers head, and glue on the hands to be the antlers. Glue on the pom-pom and ribbon, and decorate as desired.

    Plaster Ornaments

    Supplies:
    Faster Plaster
    Christmas Candy Molds
    Paint or Markers

    Use the Faster Plaster and Christmas candy molds to make ornaments. Decorate them with paint or markers. Attach a hanger, pin backs, or magnets to the plaster mold.

    Christmas Placemats

    Supplies:
    Paper
    Used Christmas Cards
    Glue
    Crayons, Markers, or Paint
    Clear Contact Paper

    Cut the pictures from cards. Draw a picture on a piece of paper and this was the back. Then glue on the card pictures. Cover both sides with contact paper.

    Glitter Bells

    Supplies:
    Cereal Box, etc
    Glue
    Glitter
    Ribbon or Yarn
    Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.

    Cut bell shapes out of light weight cardboard. Put the glitter in a plastic sandwich bag. Paint the bell shape with glue, put it in the bag with the glitter and shake until it is coated. Make as many as you want. Let the bells dry. Poke a hole in the top and tie bells together, letting each one hang down about 5-6 inches. You can also decorate with misc. craft items.

    Christmas Tree

    Supplies:
    Green Tagboard - the bigger the better
    Paint
    Shaped Sponges

    Cut out a big green tree out of giant tagboard and sponge paint ornaments on it.

    Christmas Ornaments

    Supplies:
    Wax Paper
    Glue
    Glitter
    Yarn - various colors

    Cut yarn into various lengths. Dip yarn in glue and lay on wax paper, over lapping each piece. Let dry. Pull yarn off wax paper, attach a string to the top, apply glue and add glitter. Hang to dry.

    Christmas Stockings

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Cotton Balls
    Old Toy Catalogs, magazines, ect.

    Trace a picture of a stocking on construction paper and cut. Use cotton balls to trim the stocking on the top. Use catalogs and cut out pictures of what you want for Christmas, and glue to the stocking.

    Christmas Trees

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Colored Cellophane
    Crayons

    Cut out trees made of construction paper. Punch out holes in the tree. Have children glue colored pieces of colored celophane or construction paper to the back to cover the holes. This makes it look like lights on the tree. Turn over and decorate the tree with whatever they wish (crayons, construction paper bits, etc).

    Drum Ornament

    Supplies:
    Toilet Paper Rolls
    Red and White Contact Paper, Felt, or Paint
    Glue
    Gold Metallic Yarn
    Toothpicks

    Cut the roll in thirds. Cover with red paper, felt, Contac, or even paint or markers, just so it is covered. Glue 2 circles of white felt, paper or fabric just big enough to go over each end and glue around the edge about 1/8". Using gold metallic yarn (like the plastic canvas stuff), anchor one end to the top edge of the covered roll, then glue to the other edge going down and at an angle, then angle back up to the top and continue around in the fashion. Glue a couple of round toothpicks to the top, add a string for hanging.

    Ice Cream Cone Christmas Trees

    Supplies:
    Ice Crean Cones - Sugar Cones
    Green Frosting
    Misc Candy Items

    Take a sugar cone, turn it upside down and slather with thick, green frosting and stick *whatever* on to decorate it. VERY EASY!

    Pine Cone Christmas Tree

    Supplies:
    Pine Cones
    Green Paint
    Glue
    Misc Craft Items - such as Yarn, beads, ect.

    Cover the work area with newspaper and paint the pine cone green. When the paint is dry, glue on yarn, beads, ect for the decorations.

    Handprint Christmas Tree

    Supplies:
    Green, Red, and Yellow Construction Paper
    Crayons, Pencils, or Markers
    Glue

    Cut ten handprints on green paper, a yellow star, and ten red hearts smallenough to fit on the hand print. Start gluing one handprint at the topof the page and with the fingers pointing down. This is the top of yourtree. Use the rest of the handprints fanning out to make a Christmastree. In the star write I love....then in each heart let the kids pickspecial people...mommmy, daddy, friends, grands, pets, dolls, etc. Glue star on the top and a heart on each hand.

    Christmas Cards

    Supplies:
    OLD Calendars -can also use old Greeting Cards
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Crayons or Markers

    Simply fold a piece of construction paper in half lengthwise for the card and cut out appropriate picture from one of the calendar months to glue on cover of card. If kids can't spell Merry Christmas on their own, write it out for them on seperate piece of paper and have them try to duplicate the phrase in their own handwriting on the inside of the card.

    Christmas Tree Mobile

    Supplies:
    Green Construction Paper
    Glue
    Tape
    Crayons
    Yarn
    Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.

    Cut a large Christmas tree shape -triangle- out of green construction paper. Cut the triangle into one inch wide strips. Lay down the strips in the order you cut them out, with the strips laying about an inch apart. Tape a long piece of yarn onto the back of the strips. Use a srap of brown construction paper to cut out a pot and tape it below the tree; cut off any excess yarn hanging below the pot. Decorate the tree as desired.

    Thanks again, Tracy, for the wonderful Christmas and Hannukah crafts and ideas. Dont forget to visit her website at Lil Treasures Child Care

    
    
    
    
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    Coming Soon!
    
    
    
    

    
    
    
    
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