Learning About Santa's Job!

Today we started the day with letters and numbers.  The kids were spelling their names, putting numbers together to make larger numbers like 80, and matching letters with words around the room.  The best part....we didn't direct any of that.....it was what they chose to do! 

When we finished our calendar, and practiced our holiday songs, you can hear the rain falling outside, so our trip to the playground was cancelled.  We set up some sensory centers and the kids thought it was a special treat.  Animals hiding in rice, dump trucks and pasta, lacing and tracing, building with modeling clay, and, a class favorite, Mr. Potato Head!  We did make it out for a quick walk around the block once the rain stopped and that was a big hit....because of the puddles!  We jumped and splashed our way through the neighborhood while we talked about the decorations we saw!

Our story today was How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky.  The story starts when Santa was young and needed a job, no one was looking for a man in a red suit to deliver gifts on Christmas. So Santa tried just about everything in the community-- from a chimney sweep to a postman to a circus performer. But none of these worked out. It wasn't until he met a group of elves who helped him use all his special talents, that Santa was able to find his dream job.

For our language activity, we discussed all the jobs we have talked about recently during our Community Helpers theme.  In order for the community to work, everyone has to do THEIR job.  In order for Christmas to work, Santa has to do his job, the elves have to do their jobs, and the reindeer have to do their jobs.  The reindeer can't make the toys.....they don't have hands.  Santa can't pull the sleigh....he can't fly and wouldn't be strong enough.  The kids all had something to add about the kinds of jobs that they want to one day have.

During art, we pretended to be elves.  We were going to "build" a picture frame for our families.  The kids each selected colored Popsicle sticks and made them into the shape of a square.  We hot glued them together and added some buttons for decorations. It's hard work to build something simple.....we will definitely leave building bikes and airplanes and dolls to the elves.....they are so much better at it then we are!!