Christmas activities for playgroups and playdates

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Looking for fun Christmas activities for kids to do at home or in children's programs?  This article kicks off a new Examiner Series on Playgroups and Playdates.  You'll find great suggestions for music, crafts and games for at-home playdates or for center-based groups (as in Mommy and Me, Daddy and Me, Grandparent and Me, and Nanny and Me).  Whether your child is already in a group program or not, getting together with friends strengthens friendships while also encouraging shared curiosity and discovery.

Get out your December calendar and pick a date to celebrate the holidays with your child's friends from school or from the neighborhood.  Here are some tried-and-true ideas to get things rockin'.

Music is a must and you can choose to sing your favorites or download some new holiday tunes. 

• The Reindeer Hokey Pokey never goes out of style.   Make reindeer antlers from Oriental Trader or use these directions with your child's handprint from Kaboose.com.  Then, put your antlers in...your hooves...your tail...your red nose...your whole self...and do the Reindeer Pokey - that's what it's all about!
• Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer is twice the fun using the same antlers and giving the kids red circle stickers for their noses (one inch stickers work best).
• S-A-N-T-A, to the tune of B-I-N-G-O, gets your creativity going.  Let the kids make up the verses:  "I know a man with a big, red beard and SANTA is his name, S-A-N-T-A, and SANTA is his name-O"; "He brings us toys every Christmas Eve...", "I hear his sleigh on my roof at night".  If you want a scripted version, check out EverythingPreschool.com.
• 12 Days of Christmas can be sung with the the kids jumping from number to number as they sing (can you say "group mania"?).  Buy 12 sheets of posterboard and write the numbers 1-12 on each, add pictures from each verse if you like.  Laminate to use again and again.  Here are the lyrics in case you forgot.
• The Reindeer Dance and  Mr. Froggy Went a Carolling are songs from MARry Christmas Hoppy Holidaze by Mar Harmon.
• Christmas in Many Lands is a Learning Station favorite with verses in English, French, Spanish and Russian.

Holiday activities for playgroups and playdates can be anything from making decorations and gifts and holiday games to using holiday props to enhance familiar activities.

• Write letters to Santa and organize a trip to the post office to mail them.  Then, back home for hot chocolate and marshmallows.
• Make Wrapping Paper Collages.  Have the children tear or cut pieces of wrapping paper and glue to the front of custom-made Christmas cards for relatives.  Or, use the scraps to decorate a picture frame for your child's holiday photo to the grandparents.
• Decorate brown paper-bag stockings to hang on the fireplace or on the art-wall.  Cut a stocking-shape from using both sides of the bag.  Staple together for younger children or hole-punch the edges for preschoolers to lace the sides together with thick yarn (that should keep them busy for 10 minutes - remember to tape the end of the yarn for easy-lacing).  Decorate with Do-A-Dot markers, holiday stickers, or glitter.
• Make red and green playdough, add glitter for older preschoolers.   The best playdough is always homemade play dough and here's the #1 recipe of all time (and it lasts for a month in the frig):  Mix the following ingredients in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heart, stirring constantly under dough leaves sides of the pan.  Remove from the pan to cool.  Knead until smooth.  Store in a tight container or wrap with holiday cellophane in personalized buckets for gift-giving.  Don't forget the holiday cookie cutters and cookie presses like these from Crate and Barrel.
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar (available in the spice section of your grocery store)
  • 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 teaspoon food coloring
  • 2 cups water
• Play gift bag scavenger hunt.  Give each child a gift bag to search the house for hidden Christmas items: a piece of Santa's beard, some reindeer poop (my mother-in-law always used styrofoam packing pieces - feel free to color for added authenticity), candy canes, a piece of red ribbon, etc.
• Pass the coal.  Have the children sit in a circle as you read Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Pass a coal briquet from child-to-child everytime you read the word "the" and see who gets the coal for Christmas.  Or, pass grab-bag gifts around so every child receives the gift they are holding when the story ends.
• Make holiday photo frames with this kit from Oriental Trader. 
• Decorate a sticker nativity scene with this kit also from Oriental Trader.

As you see, there's no end to the ideas or to the fun.  Holidays are about making memories with friends and family.  Take time away from obligatory to-do lists and start new traditions for your child to enjoy with his or her friends. 

'Tis the season to laugh, play and sing!