Books : Christmas #1

There are so many Christmas books out there to choose from but I have some favourites that I would like to share with you.

The first go to book each year is Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs.  The book is set up like a cartoon but it is nice to look at with a smaller group of kids and ask them to make up the story or just ask them what they can see.  You can tell them the story as you follow the cartoon strip like story but there isn't much text.

Don't be put off by the above!  It is really a great story and it is really a nice read.  The kids love it especially because Father Christmas isn't a big thing here so they don't know what he actually does.  This book shows a typical Christmas Eve/Day for Santa and a British look at the holiday.

There is also a second part to the story which is actually the prequel.  Father Christmas Goes on Holiday shows you what Santa does the rest of the year.  After all he has a lot of time to waste in between one Christmas and the next.

What I really like about both of these books is the style.  It may not be the best kind of book to read in a group/morning circle situation but it is nice to look at in a small group.  I also love that the pictures really tell the story and the kids know what is happening even if they don't understand the English.  Most books have great illustrations but they don't always tell the story well enough to look at the book without reading.  These two books do.

Another plus is that there is a film of both books (joined together into one piece) and the kids love watching them.  There is more language in the film and the story is changed around a little to make sure both books are fully shown.  If you are lucky you can find a copy of the film which also has The Snowman on it.  Another book/film by this author that is one of my favourites to watch with the kids and is from my childhood.

Christmas Songs #7 : The Snowman Dance

The Snowman Dance actually started out as the Easter Bunny Dance (look out for that version in Spring) but I wrote that song after Easter. However the kids had seen it in my song folder and asked me to play it.  They loved it so much I decided to rewrite it for Winter.

Some of you may recognise the melody.   It is from a famous Elton John song so I have him to thank for the inspiration for this one :)

I am letting my kids sing and dance this one at our Christmas Concert.  The Snowman Dance has got to be the #1 hit this year and as soon as I play the last note they start shouting 'Again!'.

The moves for the Snowman Dance should be self explanatory if you check out the lyrics.  You can find the lyrics complete with the guitar chords here.   You can also listen to a recording of The Snowman Dance below.  A reminder : This is just me being recorded by a phone/computer so it is not the best quality but hopefully enough for you to hear the melody.

Oh and I recommend watching The Snowman (see pic).  One of my fondest christmas memories as a child is watching this when it played on TV for the first time.  I try and watch it every year with my kids at work.  They always enjoy it despite the sad ending.

Tweet

Christmas Songs #6 : Christmas Time is Here Again

I know that 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' is the go to song at this time of year but after all these years it is getting a little boring.  I wanted to show the kids there is more to Christmas than the old traditional song they have sung for the last four years and give them something new to add to their song collection.  After all I am with the pre-schoolers and this is their last Christmas in Kindergarten.

So I wrote a song.  Christmas Time is Here Again!

This is becoming a bit of a habit.  I just hope that other people like my songs too.  The songs are loved by my kids and this new one is no exception.

Christmas Time is Here Again! is simple, it's peppy and you can teach your kids some Christmas words.  I add a sniff at the end of the first verse, a yum yum at the end of the second verse and a Hooray! at the end of the third verse.  I also added an extra chorus at the end so the song could replace 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas'!

The lyrics complete with the guitar chords can be found here.   You can listen to a recording of Christmas Time is Here Again! below.  A reminder : This is just me being recorded by a phone/computer so it is not the best quality but hopefully enough for you to hear the melody.

Tweet

Christmas Songs #4 : Let it Snow

In my last couple of posts about Christmas Songs, I mentioned I had found this great site (with guitar chords) that had a load of Christmas songs that I hadn't even heard of.  However there were also a couple of those songs that I know and love.  I wanted to get the kids interested in the 'original' Christmas songs and decided to rewrite Let it Snow so it would be easier for the kids to learn.

There are only three verses but it is much easier for them to sing and they really love it.  I can't wait to play them the original version over the next few weeks.  

Another great thing about the song Let it Snow  is that the kids want to sing it all the time because they think it will actually snow if we sing it often enough. Cute and funny!  I hope someone finds this song as much fun to sing with their kids as I do.

The lyrics can be found here.  I don't have an audio file for this one because the melody is very well known.  You can find guitar chords on many a website if you want to play along.

Tweet

Christmas Arts & Crafts #2

Apologies for the radio silence.  I have been fighting a cough and it has been winning.  I will try and get more Christmas items posted asap because, well, it is nearly here already!

Christmas Trees 

This isn't a hard one but it is a fun one to make.  Nothing special but it gives the kids something to make for Christmas and to take home.

Either collect Ice Lolly sticks or buy them from a craft shop.  If you are lucky they will have coloured ones.  If not then you will just have to get the kids to paint them before hand.

One stick is needed for the 'trunk' of the tree and at least two more to cut/snap as the branches.  Use glitter, stickers, paints, pens....whatever you want to decorate your tree.  Be creative or just let the kids decide from a bunch of different items.

St Nick Sacks

Here in Austria we celebrate St Nikolaus on the 6th of December.  So this is really for this particular fest.  However you could use the same idea for Santa Claus as well.

If you are having a Christmas event where the kids will get to collect sweets & fruit like a stocking then this is a nice craft idea.

The sacks were ordered from a craft catalogue and the rest is just pieces of paper and felt we had left lying around.  Oh and come cotton wool.

This may also be a nice way to pack up presents for the parents or maybe you can think of something else you can use it for.  They definitely look good hanging up around the room before Christmas.

Paper Stars

This is a very easy one but a nice item to make on one of those rainy/snowy Winter days.  They look nice hanging around the room and you can use up your left overs or splash out for some cool shiny paper if you want.

Draw the star on some coloured paper and let the children cut them out themselves.  Wind some glittery thread or ribbon around the star and add some shiny stones or whatever you have lying around.

These are easy and quick to make.  You can make them as simple or as extravagant as you want.  Use your imagination or better yet, make a sample, show the kids and then let them create their own!  You may be surprised at the ideas they have!

Christmas Songs #3 : Christmas Cookies

In my last post about Christmas Songs, I mentioned I had found this great site (with guitar chords) that had a load of Christmas songs that I hadn't even heard of. One of those songs was Christmas Cookies.

Once again the song was a lot longer that I needed for my kids and it was difficult.  However their was that great catchy first verse.  So I just used that one and came up with two other verses of my own! 

This is a great song for the kids because after all, who doesn't like Christmas Cookies?  I have already sung this one with my kids and they love it!  It is nice and repetitive so they don't need to learn too much.  I am sure it is going to be a favourite for years to come because I love playing it on the guitar too ;)

The lyrics can be found here.  I don't have an audio file for this one but if anyone wants to hear my take on the song/my version then please feel free to post in the comments and let me know.

Tweet

Christmas Arts & Crafts #1

Christmas is one of those busy times of the year.  Not only are you busy privately but in work there is loads to do.  Making presents for the parents?  Decorating the room?  Here are a couple of ideas you can use!  More to come!

Glue Stars 

This is extremely easy to make and very nice to decorate the room or to give as presents.

All you need is baking paper, a glue gun and glitter.

Draw a star shape on the baking paper so the kids have a guide.   Then use the glue gun (help the kids!  This is hot stuff!) and trace the star using the glue.  Then fill the star with glue strands.

Before the glue dries you can sprinkle glitter on the stars.  They harden and get cool pretty quickly but make sure you check before letting the kids touch them.  Brush off excess glitter somewhere you want glitter to fall ;)  Then you can put them on a pretty ribbon and hang them up,  hang them on the windows or pack them up as presents.

Nespresso Angels

I am always looking for ways to recycle my Nespresso coffee capsules.  A couple of  years ago I came up with this idea.  Angels!

You need a ball for the head.  We used polystyrene balls but you can also use fimo or anything else that springs to mind.

The wings are made from feathers.  You could also use tin foil, coloured paper or something else you have lying around.  Be creative and try and recycle!

For the hair we used up some glitter pipe cleaners we had left over from something or other.  Although this wasn't out first choice it was something we had and could spare.  One of the good things about these angels is that we used stuff we just had left over from other projects.

The legs/feet were just thin ribbons.  These went up through the capsule (the used capsules have holes already in the top) and ball and also served as the band to hang up the angels.

The children drew faces on the angels and each angel was so different from another.  It was amazing.  The capsules can also be coated with glitter for an extra Christmassy shine!

Make sure you prepare the capsules before hand and clean them!  They start to smell otherwise.  Also make sure that there are no sharp edges left over when you remove the foil on the capsule to empty out the coffee grinds.  I have cut myself a couple of times and you don't want that to happen to the kids!

Snowmen Photo Holders

These cuties were Christmas Presents for the parents from the children.

The metal holders were ordered but you could also make them yourself if you really want to save money.  The wire needs to be thick enough though.

The snowmen are made out of Fimo (I am sure you can use other modeling clays).  A small ball for the head.  Bigger ball for the body.  Add a black hat, eyes and mouth.  To make them look more colourful we added scarves.

Make these as big or small as you want.  Make sure you have all the colours you need and let the kids choose from a variety of colours for the scarves.

Don't forget to make a hole in the snowman using one of the metal holders before you bake the fimo!!  Otherwise you can't add the stand!  The stand also needs a little glue to stay attached!

Add a photo to the presents!  We took pictures of the children with a santa hat on.  You can also use reindeer antlers etc.

Christmas Songs #2 : Barefoot Santa Claus

Christmas is coming and it will get here faster than you think!  I feel silly posting about Christmas songs in November but anyone who works in education will know that it is never too early to start singing and practicing.  After all there are Christmas parties/concerts/events that need to be prepared  well before Christmas even gets going.

This year I went back to the Internet to look for some new songs/inspiration and came across this
great site (with guitar chords),  There were so many Christmas songs that I hadn't even heard of and quickly realised why.  The site is dedicated to Country Music.  

Anyway, I started to check out some of the songs and Barefoot Santa Claus caught my eye.  It was a long song but fun so I adapted it to fit my needs.  It is a nice up beat and catchy song although I will admit I haven't listened to the original version but just play it the way I want ;)  

Barefoot Santa Claus is also a great song for a Morning Circle Game or Performance.  Let the kids dress up as Santa and dance around.  You just need something red, a black belt and a Christmas hat.  I am sure they will love jumping around with barefeet!  Or you can perform this at your Christmas event.  Get a couple of kids to dress up as reindeer and stars to make this one all cute to watch!

I already sang this one with my kids and they love it.  I hope to do the dressing up part with them too.  The lyrics can be found here.  I don't have an audio file for this one but if anyone wants to hear my take on the song/my version then please feel free to post in the comments and let me know.

Tweet

St Nikolaus Songs #2 - Nicholas is Coming Soon!

Nikolaus is really Father Christmas...or Santa if you wish.  However here in Austria he arrives on the 6th of December and on Christmas Eve the Christkind (Christmas Child) brings the presents.
If you have been teaching English to young children in a German speaking country then you have to know the typical Nikolaus songs.  The old favourite is 'Lass Uns Froh und Munter Sein' and it can get quite annoying over the years ;)

I have seen many a translation for this traditional song but never found one that was actually nice enough to sing with the children in English.  Most of the translations were direct word for word copies of the song that made no sense or they were poor attempts to make the song make sense but imho failed.  So last year I set myself the challenge of making a better English version and I think the end product is something I can be proud.

My version is called Nicholas is Coming Soon and is sung to the melody of 'Lass Uns Froh and Munter Sein'.  It misses out a couple of the many verses of the German version but incorporates the general gist of the song.   

Nicholas is Coming Soon is easy to sing and you will find a lot of different guitar chords out there if you need them.  Just pick the ones you like the best.  If you haven't heard the song before then a simple google search of the German version will definitely find a video you can listen to ;)

The lyrics can be found here.  I hope you find a place in your St Nicholas Fest for this one!

Tweet

St Nikolaus Songs #1 - Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

Sorry for the radio silence!  I got hit with a cold/cough and with Lantern Fest and everything there wasn't much energy and time left to come and post anything here!

Anyway, the next fest is nearly upon us and here in Austria it is Nikolaus.  Celebrated on the 6th of December it is when the children get their 'stocking' or in this case 'boot' filled with goodies.  I see it as a Christmas warm up ;)

Seeing as Nikolaus isn't an English celebration it is really hard to contribute anything in English.  Over the years I have come to accept this and just offered up some Christmas or Winter songs. 

However I came across the song Jolly Old Saint Nicholas last year.  I am sure it must be a well known song but I had never heard of it before (not that I can remember anyway).  So I decided this song could be useful in Kindergarten but didn't like all of the text.  So I used some of the original lyrics and revised it a bit to suit my needs.

My version of Jolly Old St Nicholas can be sung to the same melody as the original so I haven't added a sound file because I hope it will be easy enough to sing.  I am also sure a google search will help you find the guitar chords or various renditions of the song if you don't know it already.

The lyrics can be found here.  I hope you enjoy singing this one!

Tweet

St Martin's / Lantern Fest Songs #4 & Christmas Songs #1 : The Star Children

This next song is suitable for both Lantern Fest and for Christmas.  All about stars this is one of my favourites and is adapted/translated from a German song.

You can make up some actions for The Star Children or just let the kids dance around as stars during the chorus....use your imagination!  This song could be the highlight of a Christmas concert or just a nice song to sing with your star shaped lanterns.

The lyrics complete with the guitar chords can be found here.   The chords are not too difficult but you can listen to a recording of The Star Children below to hear how the melody goes.  A reminder : This is just me being recorded by a phone/computer so it is not the best quality but hopefully enough to get an idea how it should sound.

Tweet