Toddler Tuesday: Stocking Stuffers

Christmas is coming! Our 19-22-month-olds had so much fun stuffing their stockings, and they learned some great things in the process!

What We Used:

• Mini stockings – I got a pack of 10 at Walgreens for a few dollars, so there was enough for each child to have one.
• Bells – large red, green, and gold ones (make sure they’re big enough not to be choked on, because we did have some mouthing attempts)

Preschool Advent Song Book

When I was a child, I went to “Junior Church.” We didn’t run around the gym or have a snack every 30 minutes – no, we had our very own church service. We all sat in chairs and listened to the “program leader” announce each hymn (and we would sing every stanza!) before hearing our teacher give the lesson and ending with the song, “Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.” We had several Christmas traditions in Junior Church too – we always lit an Advent candle each week, there would always be a birthday cake for Jesus, and… we would always sing this version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” that would tell the nativity story.

a 4th grade mini-me with Mr. Yates (December birthday buddies!)
and the birthday cake for Jesus in Junior Church, Christmas 1996

I wanted to pass on this song to my 4-year-old class a few years ago, so in preparation for Christmas we made a simple page every day leading up to our Christmas break. Then I bound them in books for each child to take home and teach the song to their families!

Friday Pie-Day: Cran-Apple Pie {Wassail Pie}

This was one of the most fragrant pies we have ever made. If you want to get in the mood for autumn, make this. Actually, it would be wonderful for Christmas too, because we decided it tasted like wassail. And wassail in a pie form? Seriously, how much better can it get?!

Bible Verse Handprint Calendar

In my 3 and a half years of teaching, I’ve always had trouble coming up with ideas for a Christmas gift for my students to give their parents. Of course we’re making all sorts of homemade ornaments and fun art projects, but December has always been such a hectic month. I’ve always felt like there’s never enough time to rest and enjoy the simplicity of the Christmas story. Kids don’t need a big production and 500 projects to learn about how Jesus loved us and came to earth as a baby.