Christmas Advent Activities

Tis almost December, the season for many celebrations!

Children like to countdown until special days because it helps with the waiting.

It is better to get the activity ready early!

 

The first one is free and all that is needed are cotton balls! The download comes in color or black and white for coloring.

 

Simply start on December 1 and glue a cotton ball on the number one on Santa's hat.

Glue a ball on each number as the day arrives. After 25 days he makes a beautiful picture!

If cotton balls are not available the child can color in each number.

 

There are math activities that can be done during the month using Santa, counting days that have cotton balls, then how many days left, odd and evens, etc.

 

This also makes a great early present!

Print the picture out and give the child a baggie with 25 cotton balls!

 

Christmas Santa's Beard Countdown Math Activity

 

 Another product is a little larger and has two versions, the 12 day or the 25 day advent tree.

 

 

Christmas The 12 Days or 25 Days of Advent Calendars

 

The 12 Days Tree has a green border around it and is made of 4 SHEETS of 8 ½ by 11 paper. It is 16 inches tall and 21 inches wide.

The 25 Days Tree has a red border around it and is made of 6 SHEETS of 8 ½ by 11 paper.
It is 23 inches tall and 21 inches wide.

 

This includes 42 fun activities that can be done during this advent time!

After printing out the desired tree, trim some edges to allow the pages to fit together like a puzzle. If you want the tree to be one big poster, glue together and then laminate the whole thing. If you prefer to assemble the tree each year, laminate each page, cut the pages out, and lightly tape the tree together.

Print the activities pages out. The thicker the paper, the more durable the pieces will be. Laminate and cut apart the individual pictures. There is an extra blank page for adding other activities of your own.

Decide the activities to be added to the tree. If using the tree one time, the pictures can be glued to the tree. When using the tree over again, it is better to attach Velcro to the squares on the tree and the back of the pictures or use tape lightly to hold them on.

 

 

 The last product is not really an advent calendar activity, but can be used to create an advent book.

 

This is really an ABC Christmas book.

I have two versions, one without tracing words and the other has words to trace.

 

Christmas ABC Class Book With Trace Words

 

They illustrate a page a day can be done until Dec. 24 then the last pages can be finished.

 

For each page I have different words to pick for the letter. For example letter Cc has the words; cookie, candle, candy cane, carols, Christmas, card, candy, coal, camels, Christ Child.

 

 

Christmas ABC Book-You Pick The Pages

 

 When finished you have a keepsake book that can be read and reread over and over!

 

If you have a classroom of students the book can be used as a class made book!  

Each child can illustrate a letter page with the word they pick and the finished pages can be collected into a class book to share.

 

So many fun ways to countdown to that special day!

The Sweaters of Christmas!

Oh, the sweaters of Christmas, they have been given such a bad rap!

I love Christmas sweaters!

 

It was very special to have a decorated sweater for Christmas as I was growing up! It was even better if they had cute pictures, ribbons, bows, bells and sparkly thread.

Christmas-themed sweaters were first produced on a grand scale, when the Christmas holiday was becoming increasingly commercialized. Initially referred to as “Jingle Bell Sweaters,” the first sweaters saw decades of popularity!

 

Then came the word "ugly" when referring to Christmas sweaters. 

 Gaudy, bad taste, tacky, the more stuff on them the better! People hold parties to celebrate the worst sweaters of the year!

So for fun I created a cute craft activity for children to make their own version of the Christmas sweater. It is one that can also be done with parent help as a family project. 

Decorate the Sweater

 

This adorable Christmas activity includes the cover sheet, 4 different blank sweater templates to use and a parent letter.

When finished, it then becomes a prompt for story writing and telling. It is always fun to see the different methods of creating an ugly sweater!

Also see my other activities for:

Christmas

Winter

 

Maybe you will have a wonderfully ugly sweater of Christmas!

I'm pretty sure I will! 

Christmas Free Santa's List and Geometric Shape Activities

Another Christmas Free product to share with you is a very simple letter to Santa activity!

It comes in color or black and white, with some suggestions for using. It can be used even with the littlest learners because they can dictate what they want to say.

Free! Christmas Santa's List

 

In my last post I shared a another FREE activity for a Christmas Train.

Santa Express Geometric Christmas Train

 

I also have many other fun products that use the same geometric format.

A good activity for doing this is my

 Christmas Geometric Shape Santa. 

It has a very simple beginner geometric Santa included

that has only a few parts to cut and put together! 



 Again all of these activities are in color, black and white or grayscale.

I also have the 

Geometric Gingerbread Man.

 Two favorite characters.

Geometric Christmas Elf

 

Geometric Christmas Green Grouchy Guy

Plus the Christmas Reindeer and Nutcracker!

Geometric Christmas Reindeer

Geometric Nutcracker for Christmas

 

I think this one is my favorite one

Geometric Snowflake for Winter.

 

Geometric activities are not the only products in my store for Christmas or other times of the year!

 

I would love for you to visit and see what I have to make learning fun!

Christine Maxwell Hand to Heart TpT Store!

 

Here A Turkey, There A Turkey, Everywhere Turkeys And Turkeys!

Looking for a different and simple way to create the turkey bird with little people?

 

 This project uses pinecones which can be found anywhere that there are evergreen trees. While there are many different kinds of cones, for this activity I used the rounded ones. They have an evergreen tree shape when sitting on their flat bottoms.

After gathering them, I want to make sure that they are free of any tiny hosts that could be
hiding in them. I place them on a foil lined cookie sheet and 

bake at 250 degrees for about 45 minutes.

It makes the house smell like a pine forest!

To make the turkey body turn the cone on the side and glue it to a circle paper base. Allow it to dry for a day before adding the other parts. 

I used a heart punch to create the pieces, but you do not need a punch to do this activity. 

I will explain with two other ideas, so keep reading!

The head is one half of a heart and add a paper beak and waddle from paper scraps. The eyes are wiggly just for fun, but can simply be paper circles from scraps. Make the head completely flat on the table and let dry for a little while. It goes on the front of the cone with the branch pieces called scales sticking out.

The tail feathers are colored papers, but can be printed ones for a different look. They go near the back side of the pinecone between the scales with a touch of glue to keep them in place. See the picture above of the side turkey.

Little touches like hats, bows and fake leaves are not needed, but fun to add.

No heart paper punch, no problem!

A simple way for little people to create hearts is to have them fold a piece of paper in half. They grasp the paper on the folded side with their thumb on the top and pointer finger behind as shown in the picture. Thank you to my husband for letting me use his thumb in the picture!

They can then trace around the thumb or have another child do it, then cut on the line. When they open it, they have a heart! It is such fun to see all the different shapes and sizes of the hearts.

 Another easier way is to have them fold the paper in half and write the number 2 on the fold. Then they only cut the half heart part of the two on the fold and not the tail.

When they open it again there is a heart!
They are always so proud that they have learned how to make hearts and
will remember forever!

A Thanksgiving activity that is fun to do with making these turkeys is to have the child creative spell what they are thankful for and write it on each tail feather. The littlest learners can dictate what they are happy to have and someone can write them on the feathers for them.

This little turkey is thankful for his friends, family, dog, food, house and toys!
What a cute keepsake for the feast table!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Back to School!

It is time for our Back To School!

 Great first day activity to get children talking and interacting!

 

School Compound Word Puzzle Match Set using All School Words 

Here are 30 self-checking puzzle matches of compound words that can be used with the whole class, small groups or in centers. These are words that are used in the classroom!

The instruction page has several games to play using these pieces. For example, give each child a puzzle piece, making sure that another child has the matching piece. The students then scramble to find their match.

 

It can easily be adapted for the littlest learner by only using the simplest word concepts introduced. Plus little ones will use the pictures, while the

older student will read the words.
 Print, laminate, cut apart, and use year after year!

 

 A new product that I have added to my

Christine Maxwell Hand to Heart TpT Store

 

Apples and Baskets Number and Ten Frames Matching

What a great way to practice number matching with a fall theme of apples and baskets!
There is a set in color and a set in black and white for less ink use. Plus the black and white lined set can be run on colored paper to add more creativity to the activity!

Introduce or review the concepts of number matching. This activity can be used, even if only a few number concepts have been introduced. Then add the other pieces as they are learned.

Glue and scissors are required if using them for worksheets! Great center or group activity too!
 Download Preview in my store to see the complete activity.

 

 

 

As a way to promote, share my educational activities and get my products in the hands of people that need them, I have been marketing with several other educators in exhibits at educational and homeschool conferences!

I am always delighted when I see and hear that something I created,

made a difference for a child!
We need your help! As back to school begins, help us get the word out about TeacherspayTeachers, so educators are able to work smarter and not harder! Teaching is stressful enough, without having to reinvent the wheel for every learning skill!

 

Best Year Ever

If you teach in a classroom, homeschool, preschool, daycare, afterschool, roadschool, worldschool or are a parent, grandparent or sitter and need fun educational activities and products for children. you need TeachersPayTeachers!

Visit my

Christine Maxwell Hand to Heart TpT Store.

I have a wide variety of activities for all subject areas,

plus decor for your educational settings!

Click on the drop down menu and go to "Most Recent" to see the new products I've added.

 

This makes me smile!

I realize this poster doesn't include the homeschoolers or roadschoolers,

but it is very real for

PreK, first grade, second grade, third........ 

 

I just uploaded a new

Tiny Book of Numbers

which is becoming a popular line of activities in my store!

Click on Tiny Books in my CUSTOM CATEGORIES to find others, 

plus I will be adding many more!

This is a quick and easy way to introduce or review numbers. Plus each child will have a great take home and review booklet to keep! Included in this activity are the numbers 1-10.

 Directions: Run the three booklet pages, printing on the front side only. The ten little number examples can be run colored or blackline.

Activity: Pass the three pages out to each student. They are to fold each sheet in half on the short dotted line and again in half on the long dotted line. Place the three folded pages together with the title on the front and The End page last. The booklet then gets stapled or glued together on the left side.

The booklet numbers and ten frames can be traced or colored during introduction or review. Pass the set of ten little pictures to each student. They cut the ten pictures apart and glue them in the box on the correct number page.

Other ways this can be used is to laminate, cut the pages apart, put Velcro on the number boxes and the little picture cards so that children can match the number of objects to the correct pictures or set it up on a magnetic board.

 

Tip: How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases by leaving feedback on Paid products!

 To do this, go to your My Purchases page, you may need to login to TpT. Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product.

I truly appreciate your feedback!  



Free! 1-10 Booklet Of Number Forms for Review or Introduction!

This is the most popular free activity in my  

TeacherspayTeachers Store!

Free! 1-10 Booklet Of Number Forms

It includes these various number forms;

Dice, Fingers, Tally Marks, Ten Frame, Ordinals, Counting Kids, Number Line, Coins, Number Formation, Formation Poem, Number Word, and Counting Cubes.

Run the booklet, printing on the front side only. The cover pages can be run on heavier paper to make the project sturdier.

Pass the six pages out to each child. They cut them apart on the dotted middle line, then put the pages in the correct sequence with front cover, pages 1 thru 10 and back cover.

The pictures can be traced or colored during introduction or review. Many other forms of the number can be added by the students on the blank left page across for the number page.

There are links in the description to other number sense products and activities in my store!

b and d Reversals Posters Visual Cues

Sometimes lowercase b and d can be confusing for children and some adults, knowing the direction of each letter, especially when doing reading and writing activities! I have created an activity to help give a memory trigger for the letters.

 

This cute new product is a set of visual cue posters to help with letters

b and d Reversals Posters Visual Cues.

Visual cues can be helpful with remembering the correct ways the letters are formed.

Lowercase b has a baby patting his belly. This is to help remind students that lowercase b has a belly. The circle for the letter is on the right side of the stick and belly starts with the letter b. 

Lowercase d has a baby with a diaper. This is to help remind students that lowercase d has a diaper. The circle for the letter is on the left side of the stick and diaper starts with the letter d.

 

Enjoy these two freebie posters in color or black and white!

 

To find other parts of this product or to purchase the smaller student sizes for individual reference, click on the link above!

 Click on the Preview to see the complete activity!

Planning For Next Year.....Already!

Is it too early to start thinking about educating little learners for next year?

No!     Yes!    No!    Yes!    No!    Depends.....

It is never too early to start thinking about getting ready for the next group of littles, 

but I may not be ready to act on it yet. It varies from year to year. 

Sometimes I just need a break. 

Other times I am ready to jump right in creating new activities and products! 

Jumping in now!

I have created a fun product to welcome each student.

Hello and Welcome Animal Rhyme Cards & Posters, Farm, Zoo, Jungle & Wild Animals

 What an exciting and fun way to have the children enter or lineup each day!

There are 3 poster pages, 22 card pages with two animal welcomes on each sheet for 44 sentences, 4 welcome sentences without animals, the title page and a page of directions.

Assembly: Print the pages out on the front side only. The thicker the paper, the more durable they will be. Laminate if desired.

Poster: The poster has three parts, simply line them up together. The page with the top line is at the top and the page with the bottom line goes at the bottom. Notice the middle section does not have a top or bottom line. They can be stapled or taped together. You can also not use the middle section and just put the top and bottom together. 

You will need to trim a little off the posters to have the border match exactly right.

Cards: There are 44 welcoming animal cards with words and pictures. There are two animal card sentences to each sheet. These can be cut apart into two separate cards or simply keep them together.

The name of the animal is on each card with a rhyming word of welcome or movement. I have also used the color words red, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, black, brown, gray, tan and white in some sentences.

Activity: When introducing the activity at the beginning of the year show the children the cards and explain what each animal is. Read the sentences and discuss the meanings of the different words.

 

You decide or decide together what movement or motion is to go with each card. For example, “You rock, peacock.” could be a fist bump as they come in the door. “High ten, brown wren.” could be two high fives with both hands. Part of the fun is making up and creating an action that goes with each animal!

As the little learners practice the different cards and sayings they will be able to read them, plus they become a learned memory. They will also be able to pick and choose which animal they might decide to be as they enter each day or lineup and doing their own movement or motion! 

What animal do they feel like today! 

See other jungle or zoo activities and products here:
Zoo, Jungle and Wild Animals Calendar Pieces Make Monthly Patterns
Math Zoo, Jungle or Wild Animal Theme Skip Counting Color or Blackline
Zoo or Jungle Picture Attachments For First Day, 100 Day, & Last Day Of School
10 Little Zoo or Jungle Friends Songs, Number Flashcards and 10 Puppets
Back To School Jungle or Zoo Welcome Banner
Zoo or Jungle Position Word Posters Left, Right, Front and Back
Zoo or Jungle Song And Posters For T-I-G-E-R Was His Name-O
Zoo or Jungle Alligator Bite The Bigger Number Greater and Less
Zoo or Jungle Geometric Elephant 2D Shapes

 

Are you ready to jump in?

Back To School Stress

Feeling overwhelmed with back to school, especially as a first year teacher or a new homeschool educator. Reach out to another staff member or homeschooler for help!
A good peer is always willing to come to the rescue and
help you keep your head above water!

 If you see a teacher or new homeschooling teacher "drowning" in the classroom, maybe you can throw them a few lifeline tips to help them tread the educational water.

Free Sample Pack of Puzzles!

To introduce some of my activities, I use free samples of the product!

Puzzles are a quick fun way to introduce, practice or even evaluate learning skills.

 

Today, I am sharing my

Puzzle Match Sample Pack.

This free product has 42 puzzles that include the concepts of solid shapes (cone, cube, sphere, and cylinder), hour time (12:00-5:00), antonyms or opposites, rhyming, homonyms, time sequence, size sequence, and things that go together.

There is one whole page for each concept. It has six puzzles each for solids, time, opposites, rhyming, things that go together and homonyms, plus three puzzles each for size and time sequence.

They can be used for introducing, reviewing, or evaluating these concepts one to one, in small groups or centers. They are also fun to use in game activities, like ©Concentration.

Print, laminate, cut apart, and use year after year!

 

Download Preview to see the complete activity.

I have many other puzzle activities in my store and I am always making more!

Enjoy!