Christmas Ornaments

[bright sparks]

I make reindeer food every year at my Xmas party. I use the oats with edible sugar in green and red. That way I don't have to be in any way concerned about the little ones eating it as it is completely edible. I buy pots from the dollar store(3 for $1)I fill the sensory tray or the water table up with the ingredients and put plastic spoons in for the kids to stir with and fill their pots up. When they are done they decorate the pots with Xmas stickers.

Its such a great all around activity that even the youngest kids can get something out of and at my Xmas party its a great opportunity for parents to interact with their children in an activity.

I still have to empty my camera onto my computer with pictures but I will post some soon. We are decorating our trees daily. Even though it's the 13th already, everyday when the box of assorted"decorations " comes out they are super excited to pick theirs and stick it on.

Yesterday we made Xmas cookies with the cool Christmas coloured chipits.

My preschoolers are making a simple Xmas card this week which isn't a big flashy thing, but is promoting fine motor skills. I have a sticker sheet for each of them which has a tree and then all sorts of decorations and candy canes that they decorate it with. Just the task of peeling those stickers off is working wonders for all those little muscles in their fingers and muscles. It's also a great independent activity for them. All those looks of concentration, sheer determination and tongue chewing that goes along with the peeling of the stickers is hillarious and cute to see

Another craft we are starting today, and maybe finishing tomorrow is foil ornaments. I have cut out shapes of ornaments from sturdy cardboard and then the kids will cover them in foil. Once thats done they will paint their ornament any colour they like. Once the paint is on I give them a q tip to wipe of paint from the foil in fancy patterns. Here is a link to this super easy and cheap Xmas craft. I'll post mine when they are done.

http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Eas...Ornaments.html

This is the craft for my preschoolers next week

http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Nor...nterpiece.html

and our baking activity too...

http://christmas-forever.tumblr.com/...-to-make-these