Learning Objectives

• The students will identify the letter S.
• The students make and recognize the S sound.
• The students will learn to trace and write upper and lower case Ss.
• The students will identify objects that begin with the letter S.
• The students will participate in Spider, Spider Finger Play.
• The students will make strawberry pops.
• The students will listen to books that feature the letter S.

Handwriting and Alphabet Recognition

Introduce the children to the letter S along with simple objects that begin with the letter S. Create a colorful letter S poster board that presents both the upper and lower case S. Include pictures of objects cut from magazines that begin with the letter D. For example: Squirrel, saw, skunk, star, snail, snow, sand, sugar, slipper, shoe, seashell, strawberry, scale, snake, shirt, spider, seal, and sandwich.

Write both the upper and lowercase S on a whiteboard or chalkboard. Demonstrate the S sound and ask the children to make (repeat) the S sound. Next ask the children to think of words (names, objects, or places) that begin with the letter S.

Allow the children to practice tracing the letter S in both upper and lower case using a letter S worksheet. A good example of such a worksheet is available on the First Preschool website. Children can also practice writing and tracing the letter S on blank sheets of paper using pencils, colored pencils, or crayon.

Letter S Group Time

Spider, Spider Finger Play

Spider hurrying,
(Run fingers back and forth.)
Spider scurrying,
See her silken thread.
(Stretch thread between fingers and thumb.)
Spider hurrying,
(Run fingers back and forth.)
Spider scurrying,
See her little web.
(Make spiral with fingers.)

Letter S Cooking and Snack Activity

Strawberry Pops

Ingredients:  10 ounces of sweetened strawberries and 2 cups frozen yogurt.

Tools: Blender, Popsicle molds, popsicles sticks

Add fruit and yogurt to a blender.  Puree, and then pour into Popsicle molds.  Insert Popsicle sticks and freeze for 3 hours or until set.
Letter S Story Time

• Snake Camp by George Edward Stanley [Random House, 2000]
• Snow Day by Lester M. Laminack and Adam Gustavson [Peachtree Publisher, 2007]
• Tiny Snail by Tammy Carter Bronson [Bookaroos, 2000]
• Shark in the Park by Phil Roxbee Cox , Jenny Tyler and Stephen Cartwright [Usborne Books, 2006]
• Max Dragon’s Shirt by Rosemary Wells [Puffin, 2000]
• She Sells Seashells: A Tongue Twister Story by Grace Kim and Patricia Hammel [Scholastic, 1996]

Including these simple activities into the curriculum of child care centers will greatly enhance preschoolers’ language learning. Lesson plans should contain clear learning objectives but also remember to seize spontaneous moments of opportunity to teach.

*Spider, Spider finger play taken from MrsJonesroom.com.

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According to Art and Creative Development for Young Children by Schirrmacher and Fox [Delmar Cengage Learning, 2008], “Creative expression fosters emotional development and positive mental health by validating the uniqueness of the individual…Creativity fosters success and mastery since there is no one right way involved…children feel worthy and confident knowing that they can have an effect on their environment”.

Preschool teachers and daycare providers have the opportunity to foster creative development in young children by providing art activities that explore media and materials and encourage imagination.

Crayon Melt Art is an outstanding illustration of a creative activity that provides the opportunity for expression and promotes spontaneity in material usage. It is also a great way to introduce children to textured materials.

This lesson contains the materials list, preparation instructions and procedures for this activity. The age appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning are also included.

Crayon Melt Art Materials List

• Electric Griddle
• Aluminum foil
• Old crayons
• Blank sheets of paper
• Oven mitts
• Damp Cloth

Activity Preparation:

Cover the electric griddle with aluminum foil to protect it.  Cover table with butcher paper and place paper and crayons on the table. Set the griddle on low to warm it.

Procedures for Roller Print Art Activity

This activity requires close adult supervision!!

1. Invite the children over and tell that you are going to take turns making colorful designs by melting crayons.
2. Invite one child over and let them carefully draw a pattern on the foil with crayons. The crayons will melt and create colorful designs.
3. With oven mitts on, place a sheet of paper over the crayon design and carefully smooth the paper down.
4. Lift the paper off. The design will transfer onto the paper.
5. Using a damp cloth, wipe the foil clean and invite another child over to participate in the activity.

Crayon Melts Art Lesson Objectives

Objective 1

To provide the opportunity for expressive activities through the crayon melt activity by encouraging the children to create designs using crayons.

Verbal Cue A: Today we are going to make crayon melts!

Verbal Cue B: you can use the crayons to make a design.

Objective 2

To encourage spontaneity in material usage by allowing the children to choose colors or to blend the colors they choose

Verbal Cue A: Which color would you like to use first?

Verbal Cue B: I like the way you are mixing your colors!

Objective 3

To promote the sharing of art materials to foster social interaction and cooperation

Verbal Cue A: Let’s take turns using crayons.

Verbal Cue B: Can you let Bill use the red crayon?

Crayon Melts is a enjoyable, creative activity that children in preschool and child care centers ages 3 and older will certainly enjoy. While it is a creative activity, it is also great for developing motor skills. 

Crayon Melt Art activity adapted from: Kuffner, Patricia. Preschooler’s Busy Book: 365 Creative Games and Activities To Occupy 3-6 Year Olds [Meadowbrook, 1998].

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Consider the following reading lists and resources for free Spring worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets for your child care center:

Reading List

Spring Board and Picture Books Baby-Age 3

Spring by Geurda Muller [Floris Books, 1994]

God Made Spring: A Really Woolly & Friends Fuzzy, Shiny Flap Book by Beatrix Potter [ThomasNelson, 2008]

Spring by Maria Rius [Barron’s Educational Series, 1998]

Guess How Much I Love You in the Spring by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram [Walker Books, 2009]

Spring: Seasons Board Book by Chris L. Demarest [Red Wagon, 1997]

Pooh’s Favorite Things about Spring by Kathleen W. Zoehfield and Elisa Marrucchi [Disney, 2000]

How do you know it’s Spring? By Linda Masterson [Goldenbooks, 2002]

Hunter Hopes for Spring by Marcus Pfister Herbert [NorthSouth, 1998]

Spring Cleaning by Else Holmelund Minarik and David T. Wenzel [HarperFestival, 2003]

Countdown to Spring! An Animal Counting Book by Janet Schulman and Meilo So [Knopf, 2004]

When Will it Be Spring by Catherine Walters [Dutton Juvenile, 2001]

What’s Hatching? by Mara Conlon and Hala Wittwer [Grosset & Dunlap, 2003]

Spring Early Readers Ages 4-8

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlison and Tiphanie Beeke [Greenwillow, 2009]

Hurray for Spring by Kazuo Iwamura [NorthSouth, 2009]

Let’s Look at Spring by Sarah L. Shchuette [Peeble Plus, 2007]

Busy Spring by Carl Emerson and Cori Doerrfeld [Picture Window, 2009]

Diego’s Springtime Fiesta by Laura Bergenand Brian Oesch [Simon Spotlight Nickelodeon, 2008]

It Grows in Spring: Learn the GR Sound by Autumn Leigh [Rosen Educational, 2002]

Keeker and the Springtime Surprise by Hadley Higgins and Lisa Perrett [Chronicle Books, 2007]

Robins:  Songbirds of Spring by Mia Posada [Carol Rhoda, 2004]

Are you Ready for Spring? by Almaflor Ada and Vivi Escriva [Santillana Publishing Company, 1999]

Splish Splash Spring by Jan Carr and Dorothy Donahue [Holiday House, 2001]

Spring by Joanne Early Macken [Weekly Reader, 2006]

Spring Preschool Worksheets and Printables

There are many worksheets for Spring that you can print out and use for your lesson plans and activities. Worksheets should include coloring pages, handwriting worksheets, and printable craft patterns.

The following websites provide free Spring printables:

First-Preschool: Coloring pages, card, patterns, crafts and worksheets.

A to Z Teacher Stuff: Spring printables, coloring pages, activities and word searches

ABCTeach:  Free Spring worksheets and printables

DLTK’s Crafts for Kids: Spring recipes, worksheets, coloring pages, crafts, games and puzzles

All Kids Network: Free color Spring printable worksheets

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Learning Objectives

• The students will identify the letter D.
• The students make and recognize the D sound.
• The students will learn to trace and write upper and lower case D’s.
• The students will identify objects that begin with the letter D.
• The students will participate in Five Little Ducks finger play.
• The students will make cinnamon donuts.
• The students will listen to books that feature the letter D.

Handwriting and Alphabet Recognition

Introduce the children to the letter D along with simple objects that begin with the letter d. Create a colorful letter D poster board that presents both the upper and lower case D. Include pictures of objects cut from magazines that begin with the letter D. For example: Duck, dice, dog, door, dragon, dinosaur, daisy, dove, drum, dolphin, donkey, doll, dime, dad, and deer.

Write both the upper and lowercase D on a whiteboard or chalkboard. Demonstrate the D sound and ask the children to make (repeat) the D sound. Next ask the children to think of words (names, objects, or places) that begin with the letter D.

Allow the children to practice tracing the letter D in both upper and lower case using a letter D worksheet. A good example of such a worksheet is available on the First Preschool website. Children can also practice writing and tracing the letter D on blank sheets of paper using pencils, colored pencils, or crayon.

Letter D Group Time
“Five Little Ducks”* Finger Play:  Use finger puppets or simply use fingers.

“Five little ducks went out to play
over the hills and far away
When mother duck said
Quack, quack, quack!
Only four little ducks came back.
Reduce by one until you are down to one left and the last line is
One little duck went out to play
over the hills and far away
When mother duck said
Quack, quack, quack!
Five little ducks came running back”

Letter D Cooking and Snack Activity

Cinnamon Donuts
Ingredients:  Pillsbury biscuits, vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Remove biscuits from the can and create a hole in each one by sticking your finger in the middle. In medium hot cooking oil, deep fry a few donuts at a time for a couple of minutes. Turn each donut when brown. To a paper bag, add cinnamon and sugar. As you take the donuts out of the oil, shake off excess oil and put them in the bag, two at a time. Let the children shake the bag. Remove the donuts and place on paper towels or cooling rack to cool.

Letter D Story Time

• Daisy, My Dad, and the Letter D by Cynthia Fitterer Klingel [Child’s World, 2003]
• D is for Doodle by Deborah Zemke [Blue Apple Books, 2004]
• Duck at the Door by Jackie Urbanovic [HarperCollins, 2007]
• Big Dog and Little Dog by Dave Pilkey [Red Wagon, 1997]
• The Deer in the Little Wood by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Renee Graef [HarperCollins, 1999]
• Jungle Drums by Graeme Base [Harry N Abrams, 2004]

Including these simple activities into the curriculum of child care centers will greatly enhance preschoolers’ language learning. Lesson plans should contain clear learning objectives but also remember to seize spontaneous moments of opportunity to teach.

*Five Little Ducks finger play taken from Cheryl of Cheryl’s Sweethearts ChildCare.

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Fine motor skills are actions that involve the small movement of hands, wrists, feet, fingers, toes, tongue, and lips. In contrast with gross motor skills which involve larger muscles of the arms, legs and feet, fine motor skills focus on small muscle movements in coordination with the eye. Some important fine motor concepts and skills that preschool age children learn to master are bilateral coordination, visual motor coordination, grasp, hand use, manipulation skills, pincer grasp, wrist rotation, pre-writing grasp, hand strength, and tactile awareness.

Children learn fine motor skills through practice. Activities which involve writing, drawing, cutting, stringing, and buttoning are great examples of activities that promote the development of fine motor skills.

This Valentine’s Day craft includes the preparation instructions, procedure, and materials list for this activity. It also provides age-appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.

Valentine’s Day caterpillar Materials

For each child you will need:

• Pink Construction paper
• Red construction paper
• Glue
• Googley eyes
• Pipe cleaners

Valentine’s Day Caterpillar Activity Procedures

Cover a table with butcher paper. Place all materials on the table. Invite the children over to craft area. Explain to them that you are going to create a Valentine’s Day caterpillar. Let the children cut the construction paper into heart shapes. Show children how line the hearts up on the paper to create the body of the caterpillar. Let them glue eyes and antennas to the caterpillar.

Fine Motor Learning Objectives

Objective 1: To provide the opportunity for increased visual-motor coordination by using scissors to cut curvy lines.

• Verbal Cue A: Can you cut the heart from the paper?
• Verbal Cue B: I like how you are cutting curved lines.

Objective 2: To provide the opportunity for increased visual-motor coordination, bilateral coordination, hand strength, and pincher grasp through bending and positioning the caterpillar’s antennas.

• Verbal Cue A: Can you bend the pipe cleaner to make antennas?
• Verbal Cue B: Where would you like to place the antenna on the caterpillar?

Objective 3: To provide the opportunity to Increase bilateral coordination, hand strength and visual-motor coordination by squeezing glue containers

• Verbal Cue A: Let’s glue the hearts onto the paper to make the body of the caterpillar.
• Verbal Cue B: Can you squeeze a little glue the back of the antennas?

Children in your child day care center will create a cute Valentine’s Day caterpillar while enhancing their fine motor skills. This activity was adapted from The Everything Preschool website.

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Here are a few simple ideas in a variety of categories.

History

Books to Share

The ABC’s of Black History: A Children’s Guide by Craig Thompson [Beckham Publications Group, 2005]

Harriet Tubman and Black History Month by Polly Carter and J. Brian Pinkney [Silver Burdett PR, 1996]

If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringold [Aladdin, 2003].

The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore and Amy Wummer [Ideal Publications, 2002]

The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles and George Ford [Scholastic, 2004]

Arts and Crafts

Growing Peanuts

George Washington Carver is best known for inventing peanut agricultural science. A fun craft which celebrates this invention is growing peanuts. Gather raw peanuts (available at most health food stores), zip loc bags, paper towels, and water.  Let each child put a couple of raw peanuts in a baggie along with a damp paper towel. Seal or zip the baggie and observe daily how peanuts grow. Remember to check with parents for allergies before attempting activities with peanuts!

Unity Wreath

A unity wreath symbolizes cultural unity. Children can cut out construction paper hands in skin tone colors (red, yellow and brown and white) to represent diverse “skin tones”. Children can then glue the hands to a wreath made of a heavy weight paper plate with the center cut out.

Music, Movement, and Gross Motor Skills

Garret Augustus Morgan is credited with inventing the traffic light. This action rhyme, courtesy of Gayle’s Preschool Rainbow, is a great way for children to symbolically honor Morgan.

Stop at the corner (both hands raised)
Wait for the light.
Look to the left      (turn head to one side)
Look to the right    (turn head to other side)
If nothing is coming
Then start and walk   (pick up legs as if walking)
Go straight across the street
Be careful and don’t talk    (Place finger at lips).

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play in the major leagues since the 1880s. This song celebrates his accomplishments.

Jackie Robinson was his name
Playing baseball was his game.
First black man on a major league team
In 1947 he fulfilled his dream.
Jackie Robinson was his name,
He made it to the Hall of Fame.

Black History Month Resources

For further ideas for planning activities in your child day care center for Black History Month, try:

• African American Awareness by Evia L. Davis [Good Year Books, 1998]
• Crafts That Celebrate Black History by Kathy Ross [Millbrook Press, 2002]
• Black Books Galore’s Guide to Great African American Children’s Books by Donna Rand, Toni Trent Parker, and Sheila Foster[Jossey-Bass, 1998]

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While young children in a child care center may or may not be able to grasp the concepts of civil rights, slavery, and racism, preschool teachers and daycare providers can share crafts and books that teach peace and unity.

Peace and Unity Arts and Crafts

Unity Hand Shake Craft

Allow children to cut out construction paper hands in two different skin tones (for example, red, yellow, brown or white). Next let them cut out rectangles the size of cuffs and glue them to the wrists of the hands. Arrange the two hands into a handshake formation and secure them with a brass fastener.

Dream Collage

Gather the children and discuss the concepts of hopes and dreams. Next, prompt each child to discuss their hopes and dreams for the future. Each child can talk about what they would personally like to have, be, or do when they grow up. Next give each child a piece of square construction paper and let them draw whatever their dream happens to be. From these pictures create a dream collage.

Story Time

Storytelling and reading to young children is a simple ways to introduce them about the lives of historical figures.

The following board books are recommended to explain concepts such as equality and peace:

• The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore and Amy Wummer (Illustrator) [Ideals Publications, 2002].
• A Picture Book of martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler and Robert Casilla (Illustrator) [Holiday House, 1990].
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Ready-to-Read. Level 1) by Margaret McNamara and Mike Gorton (Illustrator)  [Aladdin, 2007].
• What is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day? by Margaret Friskey. [Children’s Press, 1990]
• Young Martin Luther King, Jr. (First Start Bibliographies) by Joanne Mattern [Troll Communications, 2002]

Martin Luther King Jr Day Songs

1.To The Tune Of “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands

“Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream (3times)
He had the whole world in his dream.

He had me and you, in his dream
He had me and you, in his dream
He had me and you, in his dream
He had the whole world in his dream”.

2. To the tune of “Bingo”

“There was a man who had a dream

His name was Mar-tin Lu-ther King

Mar-tin Lu-ther King, Mar-tin Lu-ther King, Mar-tin Lu-ther King

His name was Mar-tin Lu-ther King

Doctor King, he had a dream

He wanted peace for everyone

P-E-A-C-E, P-E-A-C-E, P-E-A-C-E

His name was Mar-tin Lu-ther King”.

For children ages 3-5, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities do not need to include a complicated historical explanation. Strive to convey the concepts of harmony, and cooperation in your daycare center.

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Activities for preschool children should include those that develop physical gross motor skills. Snowman bowling is an activity that will promote major muscle coordination and it’s just plain fun for preschool aged kids.

According to the Encyclopedia of Children’s Health, gross motor skills are the abilities required in order to control the large muscles of the body. Some important physical gross motor concepts and skills that preschool age children learn to master are balance, spatial orientation (which means that the child is aware of the position of his or her body in space as well as in relation to other people and objects), laterality (which means that the child is aware of the left and right sides of the body), and the coordination of major muscles.

Daycare centers can encourage gross motor skill development through effective lesson plans and play. A fine example of an activity that promotes the development of gross motor skills is snowman bowling.

This lesson plan includes not only the preparation instructions, procedure, and materials list for this activity, but also the age appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.

Snowman Bowling Materials List

• 10 Snowman Template
• 10 empty 2-liter soda bottles (plastic)
• Rubber or plastic balls for bowling

Activity Preparation

Cut out the snowman templates and tape each one to a 2 liter soda bottle. Arrange the pins in a bowling formation. Set balls near the bowling station.

Procedures for Snowman Bowling Activity

Invite the children over to the snowman bowling area. Explain to the children that you are going to roll the balls toward a target. Model to the children how to roll the balls toward the snowmen to knock them down. Children can also kick the ball to knock down the snowmen. Let take turns bowling.

Gross Motor Learning Objectives

Objective 1: To provide the opportunity for projectile management through rolling balls toward the snowman targets.

• Verbal Cue A: Let’s play snowman bowling.
• Verbal Cue B: Can you roll the ball toward the snowmen?

Objective 2: To develop spatial relationships (body and space perception) using the prepositions inside, outside, forward, and straight ahead in verbal cues.

• Verbal Cue A: Roll the ball straight ahead and toward the snowman?
• Verbal Cue B: Can you roll the ball forward?

Objective 3: To provide the opportunity for projectile management by kicking the ball toward the snowman targets.

• Verbal Cue A: Can you kick the ball toward the snowmen?
• Verbal Cue B: Let’s kick the ball straight ahead and knock the snowmen down.

With this simple and fun activity, preschoolers will enhance their gross motor skills and develop a greater sense of spatial relationships. Please keep in mind that this is not a competitive activity, so do not keep score or enforce rules that promote competition.

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Creativity, according to Joan Bouza Koster’s Growing Artists: Teaching Art to Young Children [Cengage Delmar Learning, 2004], is ”being able to see a problem, form ideas about it, and then communicate the results.  When children manipulate and experiment with art materials, they are creating something new and unique and in doing so, are being creative”. Art, therefore, nurtures creativity.

Preschool teachers and daycare providers have the opportunity to promote creative development by providing art activities that explore media and materials and encourage imagination.

Winter Wonderland is an excellent example of an activity that provides the opportunity to for expression, to encourage spontaneity in material usage, and to introduce children to textured materials.

This lesson plan includes a materials list, preparation instructions and procedures for this activity to make childcare jobs easier, but also the age appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.

Winter Wonderland Materials List

• Old Christmas cards with outdoor scenes
• White glue
• Water
• Paint brushes
• Iridescent white glitter

Winter Wonderland Activity Preparation

• Cover a table with butcher paper
• Gather materials
• Create a glue and water mixture. Place in a shallow pan.
• Place all materials on the table

Activity Procedures

1. Invite the children over and tell them that you are going to be making a winter scene on construction paper.
2. Let the children select one or more winter scene or scenes from old Christmas cards
3. Let the children brush on the water and glue mixture with a paint brush
4. Allow the children to sprinkle glitter on the winter scene and shake off the excess glitter
5. Allow to dry

Winter Wonderland Lesson Objectives

Objective 1

To provide the opportunity for expressive activities by allowing children to create unique winter wonderland scenes.

• Verbal Cue A: Today we are going to do create a winter wonderland!
• Verbal Cue B: I have lots of Christmas cards for you to use to make your winter scene.

Objective 2

To encourage spontaneity in material usage by allowing the children to select from a variety of scenes.

• Verbal Cue A: Which winter scene would you like to use first?
• Verbal Cue B: I like the scenes you have selected for your winter wonderland

Objective 3

To introduce textured materials by adding glitter or sand to the winter scene

• Verbal Cue A: Let’s sprinkle glitter on your winter scene.
• Verbal Cue B: Let’s see what it looks/feels like after we add glitter to the paint.

Winter Wonderland is a fun, creative activity that children ages 2 and older will certainly enjoy. This Winter Wonderland activity adapted from an activity submitted by Sharon C. on the PreschoolRainbow website.

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Learning Objectives

• The students will identify the letter C
• The students make and recognize the hard C sound
• The students will learn to trace and write upper and lower case Cs
• The students will  sort, find, and identify objects that begin with the letter C
• The students will learn that C is for Christmas
• The students will create a candy cane reindeer
• The students will listen to stories about Christmas

Handwriting and Phonetics

Create a letter C poster board which shows both the upper and lower case C. On this poster board, glue pictures of objects cut from magazines or draw objects that begin with the letter C and make the hard C. Display this poster board up for the duration of the Letter C unit.

Introduce the children to the letter C, discuss the poster board, and talk about the wide variety of objects begin with the letter C. Demonstrate the hard C sound and also ask the children to make (repeat) the hard C sound. Ask students what things they can think of (objects, names, etc.) that begin with the letter C. Emphasize that C is for Christmas and discuss the meaning behind the Christmas holiday.

Have children practice tracing the letter C in both upper and lower case, using a letter C worksheet. A good example of a letter C worksheet can be found on TSL Books website.  Provide pencils or crayon and blank sheets of lined or unlined paper. Then, let students practice making the letter T in both upper and lower case.

Circle Time: Scavenger Hunt and Object Sorting

Make a scavenger hunt list with pictures of items what begin with the letter C and with the hard C sound. Hide the items within the classroom, and then go over the list with the children, explaining that all of the items that begin with the letter C and make the hard C sound. Let the children search for the items. The scavenger hunt is over when all of the items have been found.

Object sorting is great cognitive learning activity which will help children identify objects that begin with the letter C. For this cognitive learning activity, place toy or real objects which begin with the letter C and make the hard C sound in a cardboard box or other large container. Along with these items, place objects beginning with other letters of the alphabet. As each object is revealed, children will sort those objects that begin with the letter C from those that do not.

Examples of objects that begin with the letter C:  Can cookie, card, car, coat, cat, cake, camel, crayons, crown, corn, clown, cap, cup, comb, carrot, candy, clay, cow, and calf.

Arts and Crafts: Christmas Candy Cane Reindeer Ornament Craft

For this craft you will need 1 candy cane, 1 brown pipe cleaner, 2 googly eyes, 1 small black pompom, and glue for each child. Glue the eyes and nose on the candy cane. Twist the brown pipe cleaner around the top of the candy cane to secure it, bending the pipe cleaner into the shape of antlers. Trim as necessary. There you have it: a candy cane reindeer that can be hung on a Christmas tree. Discuss that C is for Candy Cane.

Story Time: Books about Christmas

Fisher Price: Baby’s First Christmas: Learning about Colors by Lauren Gaede and Lyn Fletcher [HarperFestival, 2008]

My First Story of Christmas by Tim Dowley and Roger Langton [Moody Publishers, 2004]

Merry Christmas, Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter [Warne, 2003]

Bear Stays up for Christmas by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman [Margaret K. McElderry, 2008]

Max’s Christmas by Rosemary Wells [Puffin, 2000]

These simple activities will greatly enhance language learning for children in your daycare center.  Have fun with your child care job through creative lesson planning. Be imaginative in seizing moments of opportunity to teach.

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