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Monday, December 2, 2013

JINGLE JANGLE!

I'll be dashing through the snow today on my way to Long Island and Connecticut.  Here are a few ideas that go with the five free downloads on my website this month.  I hope they make your spirits bright!

Sleigh Riding – Have children sit on the floor facing the same directions.  Demonstrate how to hold the person’s waist in front of you.  As you sing the song sway forwards and backwards to the beat as if riding a sleigh.

Jingle Bells – Let children thread several jingle bells on a pipe cleaner.  Twist the ends together to make a bracelet children can shake as you sing.

Jingle Bell Painting - You will need an empty cheese ball container or similar cylinder shape with a lid.  Cut a piece of paper so you can roll it and put it in the cylinder.  Take two jingle bells.  Drop one in red paint and the other in green paint.  Use a spoon to transfer the bells to the can.  Put on the lid, then shake up the can as you sing “Jingle Bells.”  Take out the paper and you’ll have a jingle bell painting!
S–A-N-T-A  - Write a different letter on five sheets of paper.  Draw a hand on the back of each sheet. Choose five children to hold these as you sing the song.  Explain that as you sing the song, when you turn over the letter and see the hand they should clap.

Holiday ABC Book – Write letters on paper ahead of time.  Let each child choose a letter and illustrate it.  They could use the words in the song or make up their own verse.  Make a cover, bind, and you’ll have a book children will want to read the rest of the school year.
*Make manual signs for letters as you sing.

My Dreidel - Make an edible dreidel with large marshmallows, pretzel sticks, and chocolate icing.  Insert the toothpick in the marshmallow.  Dip one end in icing.  Twirl it in your mouth.


Kwanzaa Friendship Salad – Ask each family to send it a fruit.  Let the children prepare the fruits in bite size pieces.  Put all the fruit in a large bowl and stir to mix.  Serve each child a portion in a cup.  What would happen if we had just eaten the fruit that we brought?  Would it be as good?  How is our classroom like that fruit salad?