We had two sensory activities this month: I brought our
light table back out so that the kids could play with it and have a symbol
of light during this season. Here's a picture of the kids playing with it:
I also made a felt tree with felt Chrismons to decorate it. Some of the Chrismons went on the tree and some went into their mouth. Either way, it was fun to share it with them!
What are Chrismons? They are religious ornaments – usually made of white Styrofoam with gold glitter details that hang on the "church tree" in the sanctuary. Each ornament is a symbol (dove, baptismal shell, crown, etc.). We have a felt version that I made for the kids to play with during Sunday School. I made it by using a template from here. It is a great link for templates as well as the information for each symbol. I made our class tree by getting a big piece of cardboard, covering it with wrapping paper, attaching a simple tree cut out of felt with hot glue. I made the Chrismons by tracing the patterns and adding detail with glitter glue.
I also made a felt tree with felt Chrismons to decorate it. Some of the Chrismons went on the tree and some went into their mouth. Either way, it was fun to share it with them!
What are Chrismons? They are religious ornaments – usually made of white Styrofoam with gold glitter details that hang on the "church tree" in the sanctuary. Each ornament is a symbol (dove, baptismal shell, crown, etc.). We have a felt version that I made for the kids to play with during Sunday School. I made it by using a template from here. It is a great link for templates as well as the information for each symbol. I made our class tree by getting a big piece of cardboard, covering it with wrapping paper, attaching a simple tree cut out of felt with hot glue. I made the Chrismons by tracing the patterns and adding detail with glitter glue.
First Sunday of
Advent: Waiting and Watching
The first Sunday of Advent, we talked about ways that we
waited for Christmas – Advent Calendars, Advent chains, etc. In class, one
thing that we made was an Advent Spiral to count down the days before Christmas
Eve.
If you are interested in making one
at home, here is the recipe for salt dough: 1 cup salt, 1 cup flour, ½ cup
lukewarm water. Mix and work with your
hands until desired consistency (helpful to remove any rings you may have, but
now I can’t get mine back on!!). The
dough firms up a little more when in an airtight container in the fridge. Also, here
is a great link on what an advent spiral is and the history. It is really fascinating! You can either light one birthday candle and
move it along the holes to the 24th, or you can light a new candle
each night until you have 24 candles lighting up the room (though personally
that’s too much fire with my girls, 2 cats and piles of chaos everywhere – I’m
going to stick with one candle ; )
Our parent topic this Sunday was based on one of the tenets
of the Advent Conspiracy. If you haven’t already read about this, our
church follows along with this during Advent.
It’s a great way to keep everything in perspective during this busy
season by worshipping fully, buying less, giving more time and loving all. The topic was ‘what is an example of
something that you can or had to give up to make room in your life to worship
more fully at this time?’ Responses ranged from buying less presents to keeping
plans and traveling more simple this year.
In class, we read Who is Comingto Our House by Joseph Slate. This
book has great examples, through the animals’ actions of waiting in their own
humble ways for the coming of the Christ child.
Plus, it’s a really fun book to read in voices!
There are so many fun and creative ways to wait and watch with your little ones!
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