Christmas

Do you remember in All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten where Robert Fulgham says “Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you?” Santa must have read that too because all over the world kids will be leaving milk and cookies. Here’s a quick craft for both Santa and kindergarten readiness fun and learning.

This week I saw a wonderful idea from Stephanie Haass at Two-daloo for a cookie plate for Santa. Both Big Sister and Little Sister drew on a paper plate, contributing as they were able. Big Sister carefully drew a picture of Santa so he would know it was his plate. Little Sister colored lines back and forth over the whole space.

Where does the kindergarten readiness come in? It’s helpful for kids to have some experience using tools like crayons.  Coloring a plate for Santa gives kids an opportunity to use crayons or markers. Also, the scribbling of younger kids and the picture drawing of older ones are stages in learning to write. It was so interesting to see the scribble and the picture at the same time, reflecting the different stages of a two-year old and a five-year old.

There’s also some learning with the cookies. How many cookies to leave for Santa can be considered a math problem. Kids get a chance to exercise problem-solving thinking skills. Is one enough? How many cookies would be too many?There might be some discussion about what kind of cookie to leave for Santa. Thinking about what other people might like is a form of empathy. Being able to see an issue from someone else’s point of view takes lots of practice.

Math, social skills, problem-solving, early writing, and more learning are not obvious in this simple activity. Plus there’s the fun of getting ready for Santa. Finally, finally it’s almost Christmas. Do your kids leave cookies for Santa?

Recently on FB, several friends posted about the highlight of their day: cooking Christmas favorites with kids. Did you know this is an awesome–and tasty–way to combine fun, learning, and family time? One family was making tamales and another rolling out pyrogies. A friend’s family was making homemade chocolates and at another house Grandma and kidlets were baking “meese”, Christmas mouse cookies. It was so inspiring that we had kumle (potato dumplings) for supper.

In every post and photo, there were kids of all ages and adults, honoring their family traditions with holiday favorites. While it might be easier to do some of this without the ‘help’ of kids, it’s worth the extra effort to include them. Kids need to feel that can contribute and be part of the family. All too soon, their world will expand to include school. They will have a much better beginning at school, if they come with confidence and the experience of being an important member of a group. This foundation will make a difference from preschool, to kindergarten readiness all the way to college, career, and the next generation of family. Did you learn to make family favorites as an adult, or was it back when you were a child? The proof really is in the pudding, or the tamales, pyrogies, cookies, or chocolates.

Besides the social and belonging aspect, there’s basic science, counting and measuring for math, following directions, doing steps in order, communicating with others, using specific vocabulary, listening, practicing patience when waiting to lick the spoon or beaters. There’s likely learning about the need for a sense of humor to handle spills and accidents and other calamities in the kitchen. Here’s some kitchen humor: good moms let kids lick the beaters while great moms turn off the mixer first.

The special memories may not be getting made in a bowl. It might be a pan, or counter top or table. Whatever or wherever, these memories will weave the years together for all of us. What are your family’s holiday dishes?