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Easy Toddler Christmas Idea #8

Printable Felt Nativity Scene!

Found Here

Print and laminate - add felt and you now have an awesome felt nativity set!

Easy Toddler Christmas Idea #7

Have you ever heard this story?  The Christmas Orange? My husband and I for Family Home Evening every Monday of the month of December try to find a different kind of story to share with our kids.  Christmas is more than just Santa right?

Here is the story we shared this week. It is my most favorite and I try to use it every December if I can.  Here it is:

Jake was nine years old with tousled brown hair with blue eyes as bright as a heavenly angel. For as long as Jake could remember he had lived within the walls of a poor orphanage. He was just one of ten children supported by what meager contributions the orphan home could obtain in a continuous struggle seeking donations from townsfolk.

There was very little to eat, but at Christmas time there always seemed to be a little more than usual to eat, the orphanage seemed a little warmer, and it was time for a little holiday enjoyment. But more than this, there was the Christmas orange!

Christmas was the only time of year that such a rare treat was provided and it was treasured by each child like no other food admiring it, feeling it, prizing it and slowly enjoying each juicy section. Truly, it was the light of each orphan's Christmas and their best gift of the season. How joyful would be the moment when Jake received his orange!

Unknown to him, Jake had somehow managed to track a small amount of mud on his shoes through the front door of the orphanage, muddying the new carpet. He hadn't even noticed. Now it was too late and there was nothing he could do to avoid punishment. The punishment was swift and unrelenting. Jake would not be allowed his Christmas orange! It was the only gift he would receive from the harsh world he lived in, yet after a year of waiting for his Christmas orange, is was to be denied him.

Tearfully, Jake pleaded that he be forgiven and promised never to track mud into the orphanage again, but to no avail. He felt hopeless and totally rejected. Jake cried into his pillow all that night and spent Christmas Day feeling empty and alone. He felt that the other children didn't want to be with a boy who had been punished with such a cruel punishment. Perhaps they feared he would ruin their only day of happiness. Maybe, he reasoned, the gulf between him and his friends existed because they feared he would ask for a little of their oranges. Jake spent the day upstairs, alone, in the unheated dormitory. Huddled under his only blanket, he read about a family marooned on an island. Jake wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life on an isolated island, if he could only have a real family that cared about him.

Bedtime came, and worst of all, Jake couldn't sleep. How could he say his prayers? How could there be a God in Heaven that would allow a little soul such as his, to suffer so much all by himself? Silently, he sobbed for the future of mankind that God might end the suffering in the world, both for himself and all others like him.

As he climbed back into bed from the cold, hard floor, a soft hand touched Jake's shoulder, startling him momentarily and an object was silently placed in his hands. The giver disappeared into the darkness, leaving Jake with what, he did not immediately know!

Looking closely at it in the dim light, he saw that it looked like an orange! Not a regular orange, smooth and shiny, but a special orange, very special. Inside a patched together peal were the segments of nine other oranges, making one whole orange for Jake! The nine other children in the orphanage had each donated one segment of their own precious oranges to make a whole orange as a gift for Jake.

Sharing what we truly value is the true spirit of Christmas. Our Heavenly Father gave us His beloved Son. May we, like the children in the orphanage, find ways to share His love with others less blessed.

Isn't that an awesome story?  L was a little teary eyed about it. S of course was all ears...

 It was fun and for snack we of course had...Oranges! :)  Or Clementongues. aka Clementines.

 Just thought I would share something that we usually do at Christmas time.

Easy Toddler Christmas Idea #6

Get that aggression out and make these super easy, cute and fun Tissue Paper Pointsettias.

You need a green crayon, yellow paper, red tissue paper and glue.

Start by glueing the center yellow on and then add 5 glue lines for the petals.

Let the kids tear up the red into little or big pieces and glue on each line.

 Then color the white spaces where there is no petals with the green crayon.

 More tearing.

 Here they are finished.  The kids didn't want to color the green parts so I did it while they were drying.

 The cool part is that as the glue dries the petals start to shrivel up a bit and they look more and more real.

I didn't take a picture of the dried ones but trust me they look so great with the mix of Christmas cards we have taped to the back of the front door. :)

Quick Christmas ideas for Toddlers...check! 

Easy Toddler Christmas Idea #5

Christmas Snack Idea for Toddlers!

Kiwi Christmas Trees

 K helped me assemble these cute things.

I was going to do Chocolate Bars as the stems but he thought fruit snacks would be better.

He helped with all 8 plates and helped pass them out.

 We also had crackers and water.

Every one ate 3 helpings and K went with me to the kitchen everytime to prepare more trees.

This is fun easy and delish!

Kiwi, Fruit Snacks and there it is!

Christmas Snacks for Toddlers.

Easy Toddler Christmas Idea #4

Christmas Lights Christmas Activity for Toddlers!

Cut some new sponges into shapes like lights.

 Let the kids stamp them in any order. To not make a mes I placed them on the paper, they smashed them and then lifted them into the paint.

 Alternate colors or pattern if you want.

 Then add black for the tops and connect with a marker. I did this part.

SUPER CUTE.

Here is the poem that went at the bottom:

What a tangled web we weave
When first we try to light the eave
A jumbled mess of bulbs and wire
Almost enough to uninspire!
But soon enough the job is done
We've even found the burned out one!
We've trimmed the tree and lit the hedge
And even strung the rooftop edge
And the dancing lights, both bright and clear
Mean Christmastime is finally here!

They look great on the wall. Try it, its super easy and fun for toddlers!
Simple Christmas Projects for Toddlers

Easy Toddler Christmas Idea #3

Toddler Made Gingerbread Houses!

Okay so I have been saving these for awhile.

 So we opened them up and cut the tops off

 then tape the middles together. and trim the triangle edges off

 Now tape again

 then cover it with a paper bag or book covers

 this is what it should look like when it is traced properly

 now cover the box with glue and doublestick tape

 Now the toddlers can have at it.  We used white tempra paint and q-tips.

 Everyone had a fun time

 N did his pretty quick so I let L (my kid) do one too.

I forgot to take a picture of the finished product but - I added a white door and windows and they looked so cute!

This Toddler Christmas activity required a little prep ahead of time (see above) but they were ready to go and dried fairly quickly.  The best part is that they will store with the Christmas decorations easily because they are flat! Nothing 3D to pull off or tear.

Easy Toddler Christmas Idea #2

Snacktime!!!! What to do?

Wreaths of course! 

Core and apple then slice to make circles.

Cover with Peanut Butter.

Add Captain Crunch for berries and lights.

 I also gave them String Cheese to balance it all out. Haha. We'll call it a candle.

 Everyone loved decorating their wreaths.

 Then it was time to enjoy it.

Try it!

Leaf Art

Easy and Fun Leaf Activity for Toddlers.

Go outside and collect some leaves.

Here in Colorado it has been beautiful and Sunny (11-9-10)

 Once you have collected the leaves, but them in a ziploc bag.

 Smash them and while the kids get their aggression out draw a leaf on each paper.

 The leaves I chose were ones similar to the ones that they had collected.

 Then trace the leaf with glue.

 Take the leaf bits and put them on the glue.

Ta-Da! Something different than your average collection of leaves. :)

Fall Manipulatives

Learning Resources had these Fall Pattern and Sequencing Cards

So I bought them for $5 at the school's book fair.

It comes with 18 counters and 14 sequencing cards. They are double sided and get harder each card.

 It is neat too because it has other activities you can do and fun facts about owls, bats and squirrels.

This is just a fun activity you can do with your kids that is neat and clean and fits in a gallon size bag! Haha

HERE is their website.  I am not endorsing them or anything but it is another cool place to find educational toys.  Like I said earlier I found this game at the elementary's book fair.

Toddler Thanksgiving and Fall Idea

With LEFT OVER CANDY!!!!

For family night in our house we are taking each night until Thanksgiving to talk about something we are grateful for.  The problem with having a 4, 3 and almost 2 year old and my having a slight pregnancy brain is coming up with 25 things to be thankful for. So I made a list and then cut them out and wrapped each category around left over Halloween candy.

If you would like the list, please email me at valeriewitte@yahoo.com

Then you put them in the jar.

Then after dinner, the kids get to pick a candy.

and then on the leaf write what they are grateful for...

Then tape it to the tree I made out of paper bags.

Since my almost 3 year old can't exactly "write" she drew a picture.

Then taped it to the window.

Once all 25 are filled out its going to look great! :)

Candy for Toddlers

Valerie - What do you do with Halloween Candy in your house of Toddlers? - Jennie S.
Jennie S.

Well, having many toddlers in my house I sort through the candy as it comes in and pick out the things that they can't have like gum or blowpops and put them back into the outgoing bowl. Then I let them have 5 that night and 5 the next day and we then sort out the chocolates like snickers and stuff - freeze them - and make different things with them.

My family is famous for snickers pie, milky way shakes and crunch cookies. We give them out at Thanksgiving Treats to the neighbors. If you were at my wedding you would have had my Snickers Pie as me and my sister made 11 the night before the big day!

The other stuff like smarties and things that are non chocolate we use as cleaning bribes throughout the year.  I never have to buy candy and it lasts through Easter. Hahaha, just in time for more candy!

Winners of the Lakeshore Giveaway

I am bummed we didn't hit 100 comments but 90 is great!

Using Random.org Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

#81

Who is #81?

Romi Carr said...

I would like to see more units and themes. It helps me get motivated to actually do something with my kids rather than random activities. dont get me wrong, I like everything but its easier for my brain to get organized if it is already done for me. lol

Thanks everyone for entering...

Romi Carr please email itty_bitty_wittes@yahoo.com so we can send you your packages. 

Lakeshore GIVEAWAY!!!

I am lucky that I have friends in high places because Lakeshore Learning is sponsoring this giveaway. Wahoo! If you haven't noticed I have been slightly excited about COLORS. That is what this giveaway is all about!

Here is what is on the menu if you enter this month's giveaway...

The Color Theme Box - $49.95 value

The Knowing your Colors Sorting Box - $19.95 value (we used these remember?)

AND a $50 gift certificate to Lakeshore to pick one more item of your choice!

The best part of this giveaway?  If you would prefer to switch out The first item for this...

Color Discovery Box - $49.95 value 

You can!  You will still get the Sorting Socks Color Box and the Gift Card!  Totally sweet! So all you need to do to enter is...

1 - Leave a comment telling me how you heard about this site...and where you are from.

2 - If you are a follower leave a comment and tell me. (its an extra entry!!)

3 - For another entry search through the blog and comment on an activity that you did or would like to do and how it went, or what you did differently. 

Contest starts at 8am Pacific Time and ends FRIDAY 8pm Pacific Time. Winner will be announced Sunday at 12 NOON.