Won-Deerful Reindeer Gift Art Project

Easy Christmas Gift To Families From Child

We were tidying up some files in our collection and realised we made this printable won-deerful reindeer art project back in 2013 to share on a collaborative blog I had joined. It is time to get this baby back up!

Use it as an art project in itself, or glue it to the front of folded card stock to become a Christmas card.

Your little learners simply paint their hands and print them to make the antlers of the reindeer. What a lovely momento for parents to keep for years to come, recording the size of their little sweetie's hands.

I have included a craft piece template page if you would prefer to have students build their reindeer from paper shapes. We used the ears pieces to create flappy ears on this one:

Reindeer Card Gift Idea for Kids


Download it from our free coloring club library!


Christmas 2D Shape Crafts


If your children enjoy craft projects in December you'll love our 2D shape craft bundle! Available separately too, these 12 projects enable you to integrate creativity, fine motor, geometry, counting and writing numbers. 

Your learners will color and cut shapes, arrange them into position and glue them to make a holiday picture. Encourage them to talk about and describe the shapes too. 

2d shape craft

Reindeer 2D Shape Mats

If you love reindeers you may like our 2D shape activity mats. Students can make each of the main 2D shapes with dough and read the fun poem on each mat as they make it!

These are available in our store HERE
 

EASY CHRISTMAS TREE CRAFT FOR KIDS

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

We made some multiplication (3 times tables) Christmas trees on the weekend, by adding equal groups of star stickers to the branches. The basic template, we printed from a free file in our TpT store.

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

We painted our trees using watercolors. 

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

And added simple foil star stickers.

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

Alternatively you can simply use green paper circles for this craft.

Students can learn to fold a paper circle in half and half again to explore fractions as they prepare their tree.

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

These tree also look fabulous prepared from paper plates, paper doilies and a variety of other craft and fancy papers. Adorn with stickers, paint spots or crayon and top with a foil star!
Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

A few years ago (make that 6 - eek) we made these trees using some paper doilies too!

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

This craft goes perfectly with one of our favorite Christmas stories (Amazon Affiliate Link):

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper

Hop over to TpT if you would like to print the template for this easy Christmas Tree Craft for Kids!

Make This Easy Christmas Tree Craft with Your Kids By Cutting A Green Circle Of Paper


B and D Reversals - Put Your Bs and Ds to Bed

d and b letter reversals


It is very common for our little learners to reverse b and d both when reading and writing. The 'put your b's and d's to bed' concept will provide them with a practical recall strategy for remembering how to write them. 


Tips for teaching b and d reversal reminders

  • As well as remembering the 'bed' picture, show your learners how to hold their thumbs up and out to make their own little bed with their hands. 
  • When you introduce this poster visual, allow students time to trace the b and d with their fingers so kinaesthetically they become aware of the straight line end of each bed. 
  • Put a finger across your closed lips and show them how when we say 'b' we start with a closed mouth (a straight line) and the 'b' sounds, pops out - much the same as when we write it. We start with a straight line and then pop the little round loop out. D is opposite - out mouth starts in a little round open position to say the 'd' sound. 
  • Let students match magnetic letters up to the bed picture.


Our free printable also includes a 'one page craft'. Cutting, positioning and gluing the bed together will give students the opportunity to experience placing the b and d into the correct position, and reinforce the need to have the straight ends at each end of the bed. 




If you love this free offering, you may also like our Pond Update newsletter over on our website. We regularly share exclusive free printables just like this one! 

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b and d

Christmas in Australia

I've had a few questions lately about how we celebrate Christmas in Australia. We thought we would start by sharing some of our favourite Christmas in Australia picture books. 

These are the fun, somewhat silly ones that focus on the stereotypical 'Aussie' icons and humor. Most are suitable for very young students, written in short rhyming prose. They are great for a quick read and an introduction to a deeper exploration into Christmas 'down under'.


Here are some links (Amazon affiliate) to the ones featured here:

Australian Christmas Picture Books

An Aussie Day Before Christmas

Santa's Aussie Holiday by Maria Farrer

Out of this selection the one with a more meaty storyline is Santa's Aussie Holiday. Santa comes to Australia for some relaxation in the sun and does a tour around the island country. 

Endearing illustrations accompany Santa's escapades as he escapes the chilly Arctic to encounter a dingo, shark, Uluru, ancient art in the Kakadu, quokkas and fairy penguins.  

Australian Christmas Printable Activity

I'd love to share a little post-read activity with you today. Your little ones can learn about the geography of Australia and label some of the places Santa visits. They will cut and paste the names of places in the story onto the map.


We also have an Aussie Santa craft in our TpT store too!


See you again very soon, thanks so much for stopping by!

Bear Coloring Pages

Here are a few of the bear themed coloring pages we have in the Pond Coloring Club ready for your children to color, paint or decorate! 

Bear, mouse and owl in the forest:

Winter and spring bear meet for tea:

Polar bear tracing page:



After coloring perhaps you could play with your children or students a language game for reinforcing positional language. 

Where Bear - a language game for using positional language

  • Use one of the bear pictures and cut it out. 
  • Tell students: This is bear and we will find where he is hiding in the grid.
  • Ask students to sit in a circle with an array of colored paper sheets on the floor (make a grid of at least 5x5 but ensure students can reach to touch all pieces of paper from the edge)
  • Ask students to close their wyes while you hide bear under one of the pieces of paper.
  • Ask one student to enter the circle to find bear. Let them choose a starting location on one of the pieces of paper, which they lightly put their hand on.
  • Give positional language directions for students to find bear - e.g. move up 3, move across to the left 2, move down 1
  • The chosen student moves their hand around the gris, following your directions until bear is found. 

Christmas Big Shape Tracing

If your students enjoy the polar bear tracing page, you may like more pages from our Christmas themed Big Shape Tracing packet. Perfect for prewriting! 




Also, let me send you some more free printables for your little learners - sign up to the newsletter so we can stay in contact!


Find the bear pages in the Pond Coloring Club.


Polar Bear Winter Wallpaper

Polar Bear Wallpaper

Hi! Hello! Luvya! Mwah! I'm sending you all. the. love. from my screen to yours this week with my new screen wallpaper - Polar Bears! Having a new fresh background on my screen every week makes me excited to get my work done. Or at least get started. 

We'd  love to share it with you too. Pop it on your home and classroom electronic boards, iPads, computers and phones.


Simply download the images from google drive from the links below. Store them on your camera roll and choose them for your screen saver and/or wallpaper!

Find the Computer Screensaver HERE
and the Phone Screensaver HERE

{These are for your personal use only and cannot be redistributed or shared}

I'd love to share more wallpapers with you - find out how to get them directly to your inbox on this post!

Paper Plate Angel Craft


We have been getting our house ready for Christmas with lots of pretty lights. We're not quite ready to put up the tree but no doubt by December 1st our children will be busting to decide 'who gets to put the angel up'. It is a task that is receptively shared each year - to put the final piece in its treetop position - and if I recall correctly we may have snapped a photo of the moment last year to avoid any blurred memories and 'it's myyyyyyyy turn' squabbles this year.

Stay tuned.

We did however, this weekend, partake in some Christmas craft and made a pretty paper plate angel. We also un-boxed all our Christmas themed story books and returned them to the home library shelf. I find packing these away each year, reserving them for Nov-Dec only, makes them extra special.

We re-read The Christmas Angel  (Amazon Affiliate Link) - one of my daughter's first Christmas picture books and one that is lovely for school if you are in the position to teach the Christian holiday. 

Comprehension Questions while/after Reading

After and during the reading of this story, ask your little learners some questions to encourage a deeper comprehension of the text.
  • p.3 - The angels were excited - recall a time when you felt excited. 
  • p.5 - The little angel wanted to make the baby a present. What might he give? Make a prediction. 
  • p.7 - The little angel was warned not to go too close to the edge of the clouds. Why?
  • p.7 - What does the word 'journey' mean?
  • p.14 - The angel fell into the branch of an old tree. What caused this? 
  • p.16 - Who do you think these 3 men are? Why?
  • p.20 - Identify the simile on this page. What would be another simile to describe being tumbled about.
  • p.25 - What is a 'staff'? What is a 'manger'?
If you would like to make an angel like ours, here's how we did it:

How to Make a Paper Plate Angel

You will need:
  • small paper plate
  • yellow paint or crayon
  • 2 small paper doilies, each folded in half
  • small circle of card stock for the face
  • wool / yarn for the hair
  • a few sequins
  • craft glue / PVA glue
  • stapler (optional)

To make:
  1. Color or paint the paper plate yellow
  2. Fold the paper plate sides in at a slight angle - so they just overlap and form the angel's gown. Secure with a dab of glue (or staple)
  3. Glue the folded wings behind the gown.
  4. Glue the face onto the top of the dress.
  5. Create the hair by looping a medium length of yarn around 3 fingers and then tying in the middle with a short piece. 
  6. Glue the hair to the top of the face.
  7. Decorate with a sweet face and sequins on the gown.



Thanks so much for stopping by, we do hope to bring you some fun new crafts and activities in the coming weeks!

Story Map - Gingerbread Man


We have read a few different versions of The Gingerbread Man (Amazon Affiliate Link) this week. This version with lively illustrations by Karen Schmidt, has been our favorite, 

The appeal of The Gingerbread Man Story

Little learners always treasure this story. I think its endearing appeal lies in the combination of thoughts of the sweet treat itself, the adorable visual appeal of a gingerbread man shape, his cheeky character and the engaging catchy repetition of "Run, run, as fast as you can..." within the text.

The story tells of the gingerbread man escaping the oven and cottage, and encountering a few problems along his way. The repetition within the text allows for joyful and enthusiastic joint collaborative reading (get ready for the chanting)!

After reading The Gingerbread Man

This story is just perfect for 'retelling'. It has a familiar and memorable structure and students are always eager to recall what has happened in the story. 

I've always found it perfect for 'mapping out' with readers as an introduction to a more formal look at text structure. Discuss, note down on chart paper and illustrate the elements of the story as well as the stages that give its structure - beginning/middle/end (or for older students, introduction, complication, resolution, conclusion). 

Story Map and Worksheet for The Gingerbread Man

I've made a story map poster visual that you could use after any read-aloud to ignite a discussion about the structure of the story you have read.

It includes a look at who, when, where and what with the story elements and structure. 


Have your students draw or jot down some ideas about the beginning, middle and end of The Gingerbread Man using this printable worksheet. It would look wonderful colored and on display on a bulletin board as well.


Find these free printables in Google Drive - The Gingerbread Man Story Map and Worksheet





Winter Addition Game

If you are looking for a fun, engaging and no prep addition game for your little learners this winter, hop over to TpT and find one of our favorites - Snowman Makes Ten!

Winter Addition Game Snowman

Simply print the game boards you need, add dice and cotton wool and you are all set! Instead of cotton wool you could alternatively use counters. 

Winter Addition Game Snowman


Winter Addition Game Snowman

If you have this game already, you may like to re-download for the bonus additions. We've added:
  • a 'Snowman Makes Six' version for younger students
  • a numbered version for both 10 and 6
  • 2 new game board cuties for each version
And best yet - it is still FREE!
Winter Addition Game Snowman
The aim is to get exactly ten snowballs and record (on the provided worksheet) the combination of numbers that made ten! This game will provide students with the opportunity to explore numbers that will combine to form ten.

I do hope your little learners love playing Snowman Makes Ten as much as my little ones always have. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter so I can treat you to secret freebies throughout the year.

Gingerbread Screen Wallpaper


I just love having something sweet, fresh and new on my screen every week. It truly makes me excited to get my work done, to settle down at my desk and get all. the. things. done. 

This week, I've made a super sweet gingerbread man screen wallpaper design. I would absolutely  love to share it with you too. Pop it on your home and classroom electronic boards, iPads, computers and phones.


{These are for your personal use only and cannot be redistributed or shared}


We also added some gingerbread themed activities for 'addition to ten' to our store over the weekend. Take a peek - Gingerbread Man Addition Pack