Wednesday, December 26, 2012

New Year's Eve Craftivity and Writing Activities!

Out with the OLD and in with the NEW!
For a NEW YEAR'S project,
we will be doing this fun 
Craftivity & Writing Activity!

The writing templates are on i-pads and i-pods! So cute hah!
You can create a booklet with this craftivity or just use one paper.

"Game On! I will be playing my best in 2013!"
or
"Tweeting in the New Year!"

The little girl/boy hold an i-pod in his/her hand too!



Sunday, December 16, 2012

Praying for Sandy Hook




I am completely devastated and heart-broken over the horrible and senseless shooting at Sandy Hook Elementarty. I can't even wrap my mind around it. I can't stop thinking about all the children, families, teachers, students, police officers and everyone involved. I am praying for PEACE and COMFORT over everyone involved. I am praying for God's protection over their hearts and minds and that they are able to find rest and not be plagued by nightmares as they sleep. Sometimes I don't even know what to pray for. I can't even begin to imagine the pain and deep sorrow each person is feeling.

As a kindergarten teacher, wife of a police officer, mother of a five year old, and friend to so many people in my community, my heart felt prayers and deepest sympathy is with each of the people involved in this tragic incident.

You've been R.A.C.Ked

I love Christmas and I love giving. I want to teach my daughter the true meaning of Christmas and that giving is so much more rewarding than getting. I kept seeing "RACK" ideas on Pinterest. 
RACK stands for Random Acts of Christmas Kindness.
I especially loved the ideas from 
FIRST GRADE PARADE and LIL LIGHT OF MINE!

RACK IS NOT MY IDEA!  I used the ideas from the two websites above but created my own templates to follow what we would be doing in our home. A lot of people do 25 days of RACK, but I am only doing the last 12 days of Christmas.

The top part of the card is our family activity and the bottom is our RACK for the day. This is such a powerful and meaningful way for a child to experience giving! I love what Cara Carroll said, "There is no greater blessing than being able to bless others with kindness and this will definitely be a tradition we continue for years to come.  Such a blessing to spread God’s love and keep the TRUE meaning of the season at the forefront!" I absolutely agree!



You can download my 



This is my daughter Makena. We had a picnic next to the Christmas tree. I let her do all the setting up and decorating for our special dinner. We had potato soup and goodies. 
It was one of my favorite things I have EVER done!

If you would like more ideas about RACKing, you can check out my Serving Others Pinterest board.




These are some great ideas from First Grade Parade:
advent6

advent7

These are some great ideas from Lil Light of Mine:




Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Christmas Craftivities!

 These are some of the Christmas craftivities I do in Kinderworld:

1. Reindeer Hand and Foot Place-mats with cute little poem




2. Santa Handprints with writing that says, "I see Santa! Ho! Ho! Ho!"

4. There are so many cute Christmas handprints. I found a bunch of them and created on picture using a variety of hand and foot prints. I did this at home with my daughter and niece. 







3. Elf Glyphs (I will be attaching the kiddos toy list to Santa on the hands).
The glyph is from Mathwire.com. Click HERE to get it.

 
Add Santa's List to the elves. You can find the list in my 



4. Snowman Cans (we filled it with red shredded paper and added candy mints inside)
This year we added adorable little buttons below the scarf.


5. Puzzle Wreath  Ornaments (add picture in the middle) OR Holiday Ornaments



6. Gingerbread boys and girls and Gingerbread Cards made on PIXIE

6.  Snowman Card

7. Christmas Countdown Chain

8. Reindeer Food and Poem

(I use oatmeal, Cheerios, red and green glitter for the sugar, and Christmas sprinkles)




I made this MAGIC REINDEER FOOD and RECIPE CARD.




I saw this ADORABLE picture on Pinterest HERE and I definitely want to take these cute pics of my cutie patooties this year!!!

this would be the best christmas card, ever.



Sunday, December 9, 2012

Elf On A Shelf

I started ELF ON A SHELF for the first time in my room this year. 
I saw so many adorable ideas in Pinterest, so I am doing it at school and at home with my daughter!
I know you are supposed to start in November, but we started the second week in December.
Better late than never.
Our Elf left reports from Santa each day.
You can download them for FREE HERE.

I have pictures of my class elf and of my Kindergarten partner's class. I think her elf is a little cuter and her camera takes way better pictures! 

Day 14:
Day 14 was our last day with Elfie! We found him riding on our Express Train! He left us tickets to ride the Polar Express, bells, popcorn, hot cocoa, gingerbread marshmallows and the movie,
The Polar Express. That day, we had a pajama party and watched this special movie!!!





Day 13:
On day 13, Elfie had fun playing with all the cool technology in our class. He was playing games on the i-pod and reading stories with the Tag Reader and CD player.
He left us the book and CD "The Gingerbread Man Loose at School".





Day 12:
On Day 12, our Gingerbread man was ON THE LOOSE AT SCHOOL and he toilet papered poor Elfie when he was trying to catch him. The Gingerbread Man was just too fast!

Oh no! I can't find my picture!


Day 11:
On Day 11, Santa was "puzzled" by the kids behavior, which made Elfie want to put some puzzles together in our class. He left us the book, "Gingerbread Kids".





Day 10:
On day 10, Elfie was hanging from the ceiling with linker chains. He said he loves being crafty and made a countdown to Christmas chain. He left us the materials so we could make our own chains. Elfie left us the book, "How Santa Lost His Job".



Day 9:
On day 9, Elfie left a report that the kiddos were a little "naughty". This upset our stuffed animal friends and they tied Elfie up and told him to go home. Poor Elfie. He left the book, "Pete the Cat Saves Christmas".


Day 8:
On day 8, our poor little Elfie got sick. We found him in a tissue box covered with tissues, Band-Aids, a cup of hot tea, lotion and hand sanitizer. He left us the book, "How Santa Got His Job."



Day 7:
On day 7, Elfie wanted to practice zipping around in a sleigh like Santa, so he made his own ZIP LINE in our classroom. He left the book, "Moosletoe".



Day 6:
On day 6, Elfie was very thirsty for a sweet drink and we found him DRINKING SYRUP FROM A STRAW. He left us the book, "There Was An Old Woman Who Swallowed a Bell."



Day 5:
On day 5, Elfie had STORY HOUR with the friends in our class. He also left a giant picture of an elf. Santa reported that we need to write as many adjectives about our elf on the shelf. Elfie left the book, "Santa's New Suit."





Day 4: 
On day 4, Elfie fell in some snow on his way back from the North Pole and got dirty. He needed to take a MARSHMALLOW BATH in the sink! On day 4, we were doing a ton of reindeer activities, so Elfie left the book, "Who Will Fly The Sleigh?"



Day 3:
On day 3, Elfie was trying to go ARCTIC FISHING in the bathroom. For the fishing pole, I used a candy cane, yarn and a ring for a hook.  I put colorful goldfish in the toilet and blue cleaner. He left us the book, "The Littlest Elf."




Day 2:
When the kiddos came into the class, our room was decorated with Christmas/holiday decorations (a tree, lights, snow globe, etc). Elfie was HANGING POPCORN DECORATIONS on the window. Each day he leaves a book and a report from the North Pole. He left us the book and CD, "When Santa Lost His Ho! Ho! Ho!"





Day 1: 
We read Elf on a Shelf and we received a letter  from the North Pole.
Note: put the note in the freezer for a while so when it gets delivered, it's cold, straight from the North Pole!!!
We met our Elf and voted on a name...ELFIE! Elfie is VERY old! We call him Grandpa Elfie (he has a HUGE beard!!). The kinder partner teacher is also doing Eld on a Shelf. The kids in her class also came up with the name Elfie!!!!
We also made an Elf craftivity using a glyph.
The glyph is from Mathwire.com. Click HERE to download it.