Tanner Life

Merry Christmas from preschool! Don't you love the season?! The first picture is just one of our zillion crafts from December. We made two different quilt pieces and put it together in the hall. The other piece is a gingerbread man they painted. Terry, you'll appreciate the quilt aspect! Not your typical quilt, but it sure was cute.

We have made ornaments out the wazoo. We made popsicle snow flakes, popsicle picture frames with wooden reindeer & pictures of the kids with red noses and headbands on reindeer day, clothes pin reindeer made with a volunteer Mom and bead candy canes! Our tree has been jam packed with all sorts of gifts! Fun, fun, fun!!

We talked about the birth of baby Jesus and made a "Christmas Story" book. It went something like this "Three wise men, followed the star, to the town of Bethlehem, to see the Savior" With appropriate crafts on each page. We got a big laugh because we had three wise SNOWmen. I couldn't find another "man" to use and we dipped a snowman cookie cutter in paint to represent our wise SNOWmen. Fun!



Some of you may remember our Gingerbread Day from last year. Parents come in on a Monday when all of our classrooms on my hall are not full and we used those rooms. We invited our neighbor class to join us this year. (B/C my "old" assistant, AKA: greatest friend ever is now the official teacher in that room) We broke up into very small groups and the kids rotated to fun activities ran by parents. We played gingerbread man bingo, tossed gingerbread bean bags on letters & numbers, made these foam gingerbread ornaments that say "Jesus warms my heart", made a book about how to prevent a gingerbread man from escaping, made gingerbread men magnets, played gingerbread men file folder games and painted wooden gingerbread men that had ribbons for hanging. Our director even got in on the action and ran our painting activity, it was a ton of fun!!

We acted out a new favorite poem. "Five little snowmen, all in a row. Each with a hat and a big red bow. The sun came out and stayed all day, then one little snowman melted away." The kids wore hats & bows when they were snowmen and we had one hold up a sun. The melted as we said the poem, it was a hoot!!!

We did all sorts of other fun things in December. I am very proud of our brand new idea for a parent gift. I was "picture framed out" this year, it's usually what I do. A teacher friend at school came up with a version of this idea and she was kind enough to let me "borrow" it. ((Shout out to Carolyn, thanks)) I LOVE the outcome and will keep this idea forever I think! ((Funny b/c she said the idea came from my niece. So..Trisha, thanks to you too!))




Which all brings me to one of the reasons I blogged tonight. I shared this story with some of you earlier today. I was sitting down today with the children as they wrapped their parent gift. I let them chose red or green bulletin board paper to wrap it with. They helped me cut the paper and they did all the taping. It isn't often that I get to sit down for awhile just to chat with each kiddo individually, we're always so busy with jobs and such. Sitting there wrapping, I took time to just chat. No rush today, no real agenda. We added ribbon, they wrote their name and mom/dad on a star die cut name tag. All the while we chatted, I love those moments!!

Christmas music was playing on the radio and they were all in centers busy working/playing. Some were using clip boards and writing words in our room, one was at the writing table writing a "naughty/nice" list for Santa from our friend's names. Two friends were listening to "The Gingerbread Man" on tape with microphones. (I can't get them to use the word HEAD phones) Some of my guys were building a city in blocks, a few girls were "baking Christmas cookies" with play doh and two girls were going crazy with Christmas wrapping paper, Christmas stamps and cards in the art center. It was a busy place, a little loud YES, but busy. There was laughter and conversations galore.

I had to pause (over and over honestly) during the morning to stop and say thank you to God for each and every one! I smiled (and almost cried) as I reminded myself of just HOW MUCH I LOVE MY JOB!! I can't imagine anything more important than loving, educating, nurturing and sharing God's love with these little people. They are amazing and I am lucky their parents share them with me each day!!

Tomorrow is our Christmas program, all 120 four year olds on stage together. It is something to behold. I'm sure the angels in Heaven are all singing along as we sing Silent Night, J E S U S (think "bingo"), We're Following a Star and a few others. One is called "Happy Birthday Jesus" and is not your typical version, it's absolutely heart stopping and makes me practically weepy when those little voices belt it out!!!

We are all animals as we arrive on stage, my class is first and we are mice. We will wear gray shirts, wear mice ear headbands and have pink noses & whiskers. We arrive to say "Who is coming to our house? Someone, someone said the mouse". It goes on as all the animals know someone special is coming to their house, but they just aren't sure who. Then everyone realizes we are welcoming baby Jesus! It's very sweet!!

We'll return to our class for a small party where we'll make jingle bell and bead bracelets, oreo snowmen snacks and open presents! We do a "book gift exchange" and I gift them a box of wrapped books too! We're also playing pin the nose on Rudolph. You just can't beat a fun Christmas party!

Don't you wish YOU were still in preschool?

I love my job, I am blessed. Remember the reason for the season and enjoy these quotes from my munchkins!

What makes reindeer fly?
The little necklaces around their neck.
Christmas dust
Reindeer food
I think Santa gives them sprinkles or sparkles
Magic, Santa magic

How does Santa get into your house?
He just says .. Hey fly up there! and I can go down the chimney and put presents under the tree.
He has to open the door, he rings the doorbell
Through the chimney
In the chimney, if the fire was on he would burn his bottom

What does Christmas mean?
Getting everything out like Christmas trees
Celebrating Jesus' birthday
I went to Nanny's and she passed out presents
That Santa brings presents & food
Because it's just so exciting