I was in a bookstore looking for my husband's annual hockey-book-for-his-stocking.  (I don't know why I do this to myself - he is useless until he has finished his book.  Must be love.)

Somehow, I found myself routed to the sports section via the children's section.  Can't tell you how that happened!  And how I found myself with a beautiful book in my hands.  

Oh well.

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Sandi

Best wishes for a wonderful Christmas.

click on the picture

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Sandi

What do you make with kids for them to take home to give to someone they love for Christmas when the supply cupboard is pretty bare. 

At the Makaphutu orphanage crèche (preschool) there are no cupboards or drawers brimming over with the buttons and fabric scraps, glitter, beads, paper plates, paper bags and coffee filters that I am used to. 

I did find some powdered poster paint and some heavier bond paper. And kids have hands and feet. So we had a Christmas project. 

Christmas angels.

We had about 50 angels to paint; we figured that 50 kids running around with painted hands and feet required a system. 

I recruited the help of some young Norwegians who are spending 6 months volunteering at Makaphutu and a girl who did not have school that day. 

First step:  paint the foot. 

Two of us were on hand painting duty. One for each hand.

Hand painting was a new experience for  most of these kids. 

We had a washtub set up for hand and foot washing. 

Even the Crèche Director got in in the action. 

My last year's class decided that they wanted to make angels too. 

Beautiful angels.  Beautiful children. 

            

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Sandi

It is tradition in my kindergarten class that we make reindeer cookies on the last day of school before Christmas holidays.

It’s a tradition I stick to, even if I am making cookie dough at midnight the night before.

The original recipe that I found uses a peanut butter cookie dough.  That does not work with peanut allergies in the classroom.  So I use an oatmeal cookie recipe - and I actually like how it looks better than the peanut butter cookies.

To make a reindeer cookie you need dough, chocolate chips for eyes (you could use brown m and ms, but chocolate chips are a lot cheaper), red jelly candy noses and pretzels for antlers.  

I make up a model for the kids.

A parent/adult/big kid helper calls the kids one at a time and they create their own reindeer. 

Usually I believe in the magic of kindergarten and we don’t put names on our baking.  With muffins and cookie cutter cookies - somehow the kindergarten magic works and each child gets their own baking.  

With the reindeer, I line the cookie trays with tin foil and we put initials below each child’s cookie.

I think they look p.d.c.  -- pretty darn cute.

And home they go.  Now the kidlets can be teachers and show their families how to make p.d.c. reindeer cookies.

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Sandi

I like to send the kids home for Christmas holidays laden down with decorations for their homes, gifts for those they love, Christmas cookies (that they made) and magic reindeer food.

Last year I just ran out of time to bag it all up and put cute little labels on the front.  

And that taught me a lesson.  

Not in time management.

Not in how to function on less than 5 hours of sleep a night. 

In not doing for kids what they can do for themselves.  In giving them the space to be capable.

I had the mixture all ready in a bowl (that’s the quick part).

I put in the usual cheap as I could find oats; I added stale rice crispies (left over from making rice crispie squares) and some bird seed (left over from going for a walk to feed the birds).  I also threw in some cupcake decorating sprinkles.  I know that they are expensive and that glitter is cheaper and adds more bling -- but the glitter can really harm the birds that eat the food.  Please please please, go for the sprinkles.

During play time I put out the reindeer food. I said that I had a special source - close to the North Pole -  I was VERY lucky to get this reindeer food.  I also put out a cup measure, snack size baggies, and some cute little labels (there are LOTS online) with a stapler.

And the kids did not need me.

They scooped.

They stapled.  They put into cubbies.

And I was reminded (again) how capable children are when we give them the tools and the space. 

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Sandi