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Winter Break
Survival Kit
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Contents
Table of
The Season of Giving: Holiday Volunteering Ideas New Years Resolutions for Families

For Grown Ups

1 3

For Kids
Cutting Circles: Build a Snowman Winter Banner What Do You Wear in the Winter? Play Snowman Tic-Tac-Toe Snowy Day Coloring Page Play Snowman Race Acrostic Winter Poem 6 7 10 11 13 14 16

For Families
Make Your Own Snowy Paint Create a Homemade Snow Globe Footprint Penguin Make a Glittering String Ball 18 20 22 24

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Articles The Season of Giving: Holiday Volunteering Ideas

The Season of Giving:

Holiday Volunteering Ideas
By Anna Weinstein

amilies are counting their blessings this holiday season, perhaps more so than in years past. With the economy in shambles, many parents are particularly cognizant of the need to help their children understand the true meaning of gratitude. And with gratitude, of course, comes the spirit of giving. This is really what the holidays are all about, says Doreen Stephens, Vice President for Programming and Marketing of The LEAGUE, a non-profit service learning program. Its important for children to understand that they are a part of a community and that they can impact or influence their community, Stephens says. They can give back. The LEAGUE works with schools to combine state standards-based lesson plans with community service events. The goal is to teach students the value of giving and to recognize them for their efforts. We feel that its really important to develop the next generation of civic leaders, Stephens says. Especially around the holidaysits even more important that we balance the other things young people may see. Volunteering at soup kitchens or food banks is often the first thing to come to mind. But there are countless ways children and their parents can give back during the holidays. Barbara Dillbeck, Curriculum Director for the LEAGUE, suggests the following volunteering activities for the holidays. Activities that include friends, Dillbeck says, are very motivating for both young children and teens.

Articles The Season of Giving: Holiday Volunteering Ideas

Holiday Cooking Party

Hold a holiday cooking party with friends and family (cookies, soup, bread) to contribute to a food pantry or shelter. Have party guests cook or bake together, or make healthy bags of snacks (pistachio and dried cranberry mix), and have the children wrap with a festive bow and include a handwritten holiday greeting. Set aside time to accompany your child to distribute the gifts to individuals in a local homeless shelter.

Holiday Craft Party

Have your child invite friends to a craft party. The children can make braided or beaded friendship bracelets, blank journals, small containers for pencils, or keepsakes for children in Iraq or Afghanistan. Have the children decorate the crafts in the colors of the U.S. flag and colors of the Iraq or Afghanistan flag, and help the kids include personal messages of friendship. After the party is over, help your child mail the crafts to U.S. service persons in Iraq or Afghanistan to distribute to children they encounter.

Holiday Game Party

Encourage your child to hold a holiday game party (card games, board games) for her friends. Admission can be a food, clothing, or toy item to be donated to a designated charity. Arrange to take your child to the charity so she can see how her efforts will help those in need.

Gift Wish List

Talk to your child about what he cares deeply aboutperhaps the environment, animals, hunger, literacy, or health. Help him research organizations that address that interest and encourage him when writing his gift wish list to include contributions in his name to the charitable organization of his choice.

Gift Wrapping
Suggest that your child raise money for a charity of choice by offering a gift-wrapping service or babysit while you shop service for friends or family. Have your child team up with friends or children in the neighborhood to make this a social event.

Showcasing Childrens Talents

Its always a good idea to encourage children to put their talents to good use. A holiday-related play, music performance, or poetry reading can entertain children and adults who are in difficult situations. Encourage your child to spend time with friends perfecting a performance or reading, and then help facilitate a performance for those in need. Children in hospitals, seniors in nursing homes, individuals in homeless sheltersall of these people would enjoy watching young people perform. Budding artists can create a series of holiday paintings to display at a hospital; beginning readers can read aloud to children in a daycare or preschool; young dancers can put on an abbreviated version of The Nutcracker. The possibilities are [Link] Holidays.

Articles New Years Resolutions for Families

New Years Resolutions

for Families
By Lucy Rector Filppu

ts New Years Eve, and the family calendar for the coming year is already starting to fill up like a crowded parking lot. But it doesnt have to be this way. Consider starting the new year off right with a Slow Down the Family resolution. In our fast paced parenting culture, where childrens time is often spent in lessons, organized sports, and other structured activities, it can be challenging to do less and trust that our kids will do just fine. But even the doctors are urging us to slow down. In a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics titled The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Parent-Child Bonds, the authors argue that unstructured play time gives children space to create, reflect, problem solve, and become more resilient human beings. So how, exactly, do we free up time for our kids and ourselves? Here are some tips to get you started: Rethink the family calendar. Take a good look at your current family schedule and all the activities that eat up your time. Rank your priorities and start to consider what you can let go. Invite your kids into this process so that all of you can start to understand how you value your time. One structured activity per child. If possible, try to adopt a One Activity Per Child policy in your family. This means that swimming, music, and foreign language lessons can happen, but not all at once. Such a rule can also help children prioritize and decide which sport or lesson means the most to them.

Articles The Season of Giving: Holiday Volunteering Ideas

Schedule your free time. One of the best ways to ensure free time is to schedule it into your calendar like everything else. For example, if you want your kindergartener to have unstructured playtime two or three afternoons a week, make sure you mark those times in the calendar. Declare family hangout days. If wearing your pajamas until noon on Saturday sounds fun for everyone in your family, make it happen! Establish a traditional weekly hangout day or half day for your family. The main thing is to own your family time and not let anything else encroach upon it. Go outside more often. In his latest book, Last Child in the Woods: Savings Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv urges parents to let their kids roam freely outdoors, where natural spontaneous play and creativity can blossom. Calling for a nature-child reunion, Louv makes a powerful case for back-to-basics like puddle jumping and mud pies. Remember, when you leave more time in your family schedule, you also create more space for spontaneity. So clear out that crowded calendar. You never know what your slowed down kids will discover in the coming year!

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Worksheets Cutting Circles: Build a Snowman

Cutting Circles:
Build a Snowman
First, cut off the bottom part of the page along the dotted line. Then, cut out the circles and glue them on the picture to build a fun snowman! Dont forget to draw a face. Hang your snowman in a special place.

Worksheets Winter Banner!

Winter Banner
Make your banner any length by printing as many pages as you like. The more pages, the longer the banner! Use thicker paper for best results. Print on thicker paper for better results.

After the pieces have been colored, ask a grown-up to help cut and fold the shapes. You will need string, ribbon or yarn, and some tape. To figure out how much yarn you will need, just line up all the pieces with spaces in between, then measure and add a little extra on each end for tying or taping.

Tape each triangle to your piece of yarn securely. Make sure the piece doesnt slide around.

Have a grown-up help tape or pin your banner up in your room, across a big window, or anywhere theres space for it!

Worksheets Winter Banner!

Fold on the dotted lines

Worksheets Winter Banner!

Fold on the dotted lines

Worksheets What Do You Wear in the Winter?

What Do You Wear in the Winter?

In the winter it is cold, and sometimes it snows! Circle the clothes you wear in the winter.

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Worksheets Play Snowman Tic-Tac-Toe

Play Snowman Tic-Tac-Toe

Play TIc-Tac-Toe with Snowman and Snowflakes. Cut out the markers to play Tic-Tac-Toe with a friend! Game pieces work better when printed on thicker paper.

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Worksheets Play Snowman Tic-Tac-Toe

Markers

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Worksheets Snowy Day Coloring Page

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Worksheets Play Snowman Race

Play Snowman Race

Players take turns rolling the die on the next page and drawing the part of the snowman that they roll. The first person to complete his snowman wins! Have a grown-up help cut out the cards on this page and assemble the die from the next page. You will need a pencil, pen, or crayon to draw on the snowmen.

Name:

Name:

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Worksheets Play Snowman Race

Eyes

Nose

Arms
Fold on the dotted lines

Buttons

Hat

Mouth

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Worksheets Acrostic Winter Poem

Acrostic Winter Poem

Write words that makes you think of Winter. Start each word with the letters in the word WINTER.

W I N T E R

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Activities Make Your Own Snow Paint

Make Your Own Snow Paint

By Christen Robinson

Wishing

for snow? If the weather refuses to cooperate, take charge and make your own! Your child will create a thick and fluffy snow paint, allowing him to design three-dimensional snowscapes. While he paints, you can start a conversation about weather, comparing and contrasting the various elements. Hell be developing his grasp for fine motor skills as he holds and uses the paint brush.

What You Need:

White glue Shaving cream Paper Paintbrush

What You Do:

1. Help your child measure equal parts white glue and shaving cream. Have him mix the two ingredients together and the snow paint is ready! It should be very thick and fluffy. 2. Give him paper and a paintbrush. He is now ready to create his snow scene. Encourage him to use generous amounts of paint to create the three-dimensional effect. 3. As he paints, talk about snow. When does it snow? What does snow feel like? Is it hard or soft, hot or cold? Talk about different weather such as sunshine, rain, or hail. How are they alike and different? What is his favorite weather?

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Activities Make Your Own Snow Paint

What You Need:

White glue Shaving cream Paper Paintbrush

What You Do:

1. Help your child measure equal parts white glue and shaving cream. Have him mix the two ingredients together and the snow paint is ready! It should be very thick and fluffy. 2. Give him paper and a paintbrush. He is now ready to create his snow scene. Encourage him to use generous amounts of paint to create the three-dimensional effect. 3. As he paints, talk about snow. When does it snow? What does snow feel like? Is it hard or soft, hot or cold? Talk about different weather such as sunshine, rain, or hail. How are they alike and different? What is his favorite weather? 4. When hes done, have him tell you about his painting. Is he painting snowflakes, snowmen, or snowballs? Ask questions but allow him to be as creative as he chooses. A snow hamburger? Why not! This conversation is great receptive and expressive language practice. [Link] the paint dries, it will harden and the shapes will remain. Your child will love touching his threedimensional snow painting. This paint is perfect for creating snow, but it is easily adapted for a variety of projects. Add a little bit of red paint and glitter to create fluffy hearts for Valentines Day. Or help your child draw simple outlines of animals. He can create different colored paint to fill in the animalshow about a brown bear, yellow duck, or an orange kitten?

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Activities Create a Homemade Snow Globe

Create a Homemade Snow Globe

By Dina Brooks

While many homemade snow globes use recycled

baby food jars, there are many other ways to create these decorative holiday table-toppers. Inexpensive plastic cups are good for everyday crafting, and stem-less wine glasses create refined and classy keepsakes to give away as gifts. Your child will have the chance to express herself creatively and conjure up the many ways a snowy landscape can take shape. These snow globes, unlike the ones filled with water and glitter, remain dry inside because they have paper and non-airtight plastic bases, but are just as beautiful to behold.

What You Need:

Plastic cup Thin piece of Styrofoam, approximately 1/2 thick Small figurines such as trees and animals (see below for items needed to make a mini-snowman) Iridescent flakes

What You Do:

1. Using the cup as you would a cookie cutter, gently but firmly press the mouth of the cup into the Styrofoam, twisting it slightly to push it through to the bottom of the foam. 2. Stick the base of your figurines into the Styrofoam to secure them. Use a dollop of glue on the bottom if they dont stay secure on their own. 3. If you dont have figurines, you can make a miniature snowman. (See the following page for instructions.)

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Activities Create a Homemade Snow Globe

What You Need:

2 miniature Styrofoam balls Round toothpick Small piece of black construction paper or felt Scissors Glue Short piece of ribbon or yarn Orange plastic bag tie Black felt-tip pen

What You Do:

1. Connect two small Styrofoam balls with a toothpick inserted down the center, leaving the edges of the toothpick exposed on both sides. 2. Add eyes and a dotted mouth with a black felt-tip marker. 3. Add a nose by trimming the edges of an orange plastic tie so that they come to a point. Cut it to long. Secure it onto the top Styrofoam ball by inserting the other end into it. 4. Add a scarf by tying a piece of ribbon or yarn around the snowmans neck. 5. Make the top hat by using a rectangular piece of black construction paper or felt. Curl it around so that it forms a cylinder, and glue or staple the overlapping edge together. Cut a circle larger than the circumference of the cylinder to create the brim of the hat and pierce it through the top of the toothpick. Glue the top portion of the hat to the base, covering the exposed tip of the toothpick. 6. Secure the snowman to the base of the snow globe by inserting the bottom of the toothpick into it. 7. Next, pour about a tablespoon of glitter into the bottom of the plastic cup. Carefully invert the Styrofoam base and slip it into the lip of the cup so that it fits snugly in place. 8. Turn the cup right side up. Now you have a unique display to brighten up any nook or ledge this holiday season.

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Activities Footprint Penguin

Footprint Penguin
By Margo Upson

Penguins are one of the most popular birds, and

is it any wonder why? Theyre cute, fuzzy and swimming champs. Although most penguins live in the coldest areas of the Southern Hemisphere, your child can make her own at home with a little paint and her own foot. Make a whole colony!

What You Need:

Black and white paint Paintbrush Cardstock or construction paper Googly eyes or a black pen Orange paper Glue Scissors

What You Do:

1. Using a paint brush, have your child paint the middle area of the bottom of her foot with white paint for the inner part of the penguins belly. [Link] your child paint her toes and around the edges of her feet with black paint to make the outer part of the penguins body.

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Activities Footprint Penguin

3. Have your child press her foot onto the construction paper or cardstock, with her toes pointing towards the bottom of the paper. 4. Use the leftover paint to fill in any blank spots on the penguin where your childs foot didnt press properly. 5. Have your child paint her thumbs with the black paint, and then press them on either side of the penguin, creating arms. Allow the penguin to dry. 6. Once the paint has dried, glue the googly eyes to the penguin, or use a black marker to draw in his eyes. 7. Cut out a small triangle of orange construction paper, and glue it in place for the penguins beak. Allow the footprint penguin to dry before hanging. Did you know? Not only are penguins talented swimmers, theyre also fast! Penguins can swim short stretches at speeds exceeding 15 miles per hour.

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Activities

Make a Glittering String Ball

Make a Glittering String Ball

By Sarah Lipoff

Turn a winter afternoon indoors into a fun and

sparkling good time by making a glitter string ball! Your child will jump at the chance to get messy (under adult supervision, of course) and create some unique home decor that really shines!

What You Need:

9-inch balloons String Scissors Ruler Glue Paintbrush Glitter

What You Do:

1. Invite your child to blow up a 9-inch balloon until it is a least 4 inches in circumferences. She can measure the circumference by cutting a length of string that fits around the center of the balloon and then measure its length along a ruler. 2. Have her mix together cup glue with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.

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Activities

Make a Glittering String Ball

3. Using scissors and any color string shed like, have your child cut several long lengths of string, about 4 to 5 feet. 4. Its time to get messy! Have her dip the string in the glue mixture, making sure each piece is coated thoroughly. 5. With the balloon on a sheet of wax paper, have her wrap the balloon in the coated pieces of string. Encourage her to keep pressing the sticky string all around her balloon until it is almost completely covered. 6. Let the balloon dry overnight, then pop the balloon the next day. Have her peel away the balloon from the inside of the string, or carefully use scissors to cut the balloon into small pieces, and then remove. 7. Invite your child to gently cover the outside of her string ball with more of the glue mixture, using a paintbrush to apply it. 8. Sprinkle some glitter on a sheet of paper and have your child roll the string ball over it until the entire ball sparkles! 9. Hang the finished glitter ball in a window and enjoy the colorful dots of light it shines!

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