Merry Christmas!

I hope that you and yours enjoy a very Merry Christmas! Be sure to find a few quiet moments to enjoy a good book with your children. Try being a little silly with voices and characters. Invite your children to help create voices or to repeat lines throughout the story. This is a great time of the year to revisit old favorites and find new ones.

I am looking forward to seeing you next week!

Christmas Lights

We read a story today called The Light of Christmas by Richard Paul Evans. In the story, a little boy, Alexander, travels many miles alone to the town square to see the Keeper of the Flame light the Christmas torch. It is rumored that this year the Keeper will choose the person who brings the truest gift to light the torch.

Just outside the gates, Alexander sees an old man. He offers him warm cider and wraps him in a cloak, promising to return with help. But, and here’s the sad part, no adults will help the boy. They are afraid the gates will close and they will miss their chance to light the torch. The boy decides to return to the man alone, only to find the man gone. He sits sadly outside the locked town gates.

Of course, as adults, we know who the old man was and who will have the truest gift. To my delight, the children knew early on. They understood that the gift of love and unselfishness is indeed the truest gift.

Alexander was chosen to light the flame…just as your wise children predicted.

We also read a silly story called Moosletoe by Margie Palatini. If that wasn’t enough, we made a foam gingerbread ornament, colored paper Christmas ornaments and decorated Christmas activity folders while watching the beginning of Frosty the Snowman.

It was a good day. I am surely looking forward to next week…

Guess Whose Beard is Long and White?

Today was another wintery day in western Pennsylvania, so imagine my surprise when eleven children arrived, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for story time!

We read a couple of Christmas stories, complete with outrageous character voices, sang a few songs, and did some fingerplays. The children had big belly “ho ho ho’s”, helped me pull and push to get Santa out of the chimney, and giggled as wombat tried to get a part in the Nativity. I really enjoyed watching the children participate today---right down to the youngest children, one who smiled the entire time and one who contently chewed on Mr. Pinkfish.

I can hardly wait until next week…

Stories, Songs and Fingerplays

Chubby Little Snowman

Chubby little bunny had a carrot nose.
Along came a bunny and what do you suppose?

That hungry little bunny who was looking for some lunch,

ate that chubby snowman’s nose.

Nibble, nibble CRUNCH!

We Can Build a Snowman

We can build a snowman

Make him big and tall.

See if you can hit him

With a big snowball!

Dear Old Santa

Guess whose beard is long and white,

long and white, long and white.

Guess whose beard is long and white?

Dear old Santa!

Guess whose coat is red and white,

red and white, red and white?

Guess whose coat is red and white?

Dear old Santa?

Guess who comes on Christmas Eve,

Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve?

Guess who comes on Christmas Eve?

Dear old Santa!

 

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner

Santa’s Stuck by Rhonda Greene

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

When I got to work this morning, after braving the snow and the wind and the bone-chilling cold, I discovered that I only had one child registered for the after school holiday stories. I was so disappointed as I had such a great time with the children who came for the sessions on dinosaurs.

I decided I would just offer a few stories to the one patron (if she wanted to stay). If walk-ins arrived (please, please please), we would continue. If not, the remaining sessions would be cancelled.

When I went to the junior room at about 3:20PM to gather whoever might be there, I got the most pleasant surprise…four children were waiting for me and ready for stories. Two of the boys are from last session and I am delighted they have returned. Two little girls who were waiting had been accidentally registered for the afternoon preschool stories. A few minutes later, the one girl who had pre-registered arrived. Holiday stories would not have to be cancelled!

The group is a pleasure…laughing in all the right places, singing, playing along with all the silliness that tends to be part of any story time I do. Below are the stories and songs we did today. I also included the ridiculous reindeer jokes that had us giggling and groaning.

Next week we will read more stories, complete a simple craft, and time permitting, watch a short holiday movie.

Thanks for braving the weather and the roads today. I was tickled to see all of you!

Stories and Songs:

A Wish for Wings that Work by Berkeley Breathed

Truffle’s Christmas by Anna Currey

Dear Santa Claus by Alan Durant

Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett

Call Rudolph

Eight little reindeer pulling Santa's sled
One fell down and bumped his head.
The elves called Santa and Santa said,
"Can seven little reindeer pull my sled?"

Seven little reindeer...
Six little reindeer...
Five little reindeer...
Four little reindeer...
Three little reindeer...
Two little reindeer...

One little reindeer pulling Santa's sled;
He fell down and bumped his head.
The elves called Santa and Santa said,
"Call Rudolph!"

REINDEER JOKES (don’t say I didn’t warn you…)

What do you call a 3-legged reindeer?     EILEEN

What is the first thing elves learn in school?  THE ELF-ABET

Can a reindeer jump higher than a house? SURE. HOUSES CAN’T JUMP.

What did the reindeer say before he told the joke? THIS ONE WILL SLEIGH YOU.

Why don’t reindeer have bells? BECAUSE THEY HAVE HORNS.

Why do reindeer get lost? BECAUSE THEY NEVER ASK FOR DEER-ECTIONS

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful…

I will admit to being a little bit worried today. I was looking forward to starting holiday stories but the weather was working against me. Surprisingly, when 1:00PM rolled around, there were eight wonderful children and their brave caregivers who had ventured out on the snowy roads! Seven of the children were new to my story time. I could not have been happier!

I hope everyone had a good time. Below are the stories we read and the songs we sang. I am looking forward to seeing all of you next week.

Stay warm!

 

Stories and Songs:

Snow Bears by Martin Waddell  

Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

Call Rudolph

Eight little reindeer pulling Santa's sled
One fell down and bumped his head.
The elves called Santa and Santa said,
"Can seven little reindeer pull my sled?"

Seven little reindeer...
Six little reindeer...
Five little reindeer...
Four little reindeer...
Three little reindeer...
Two little reindeer...

One little reindeer pulling Santa's sled;
He fell down and bumped his head.
The elves called Santa and Santa said,
"Call Rudolph!"

Old St. Nicholas "Old McDonald Had a Farm"
Old St. Nicholas had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!
And on that tree he had some horns (blow horns)
Ho ho ho ho ho
With a toot toot here and a toot toot there
Here a toot There a toot
Every where a toot toot

Old St. Nicholas had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!

lights-------blink blink
candy canes-------yum-yum
drums-------boom-boom
bells---------jingle jingle                                                                                                                                                birds------peep peep
stars------twinkle twinkle
snowflakes-------flutter flutter