Christmas Around the World
MegaSkill: Responsibility
Shape: Triangle
Color: Red
Letters: N, M
Books We're Reading This Month:Shape: Triangle
Color: Red
Letters: N, M
- Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford
- Merry Christmas: Children at Christmastime Around the World by Robina Beckles Wilson
- Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell
- The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale Retold by Aaron Shepard
- Here Comes Santa Claus illustrated by Bruce Whatley
- Rocking Horse Christmas by Mary Pope Osborne
- I Spy: A Christmas Tree by Jean Marzollo
- Snowman at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
- The Night Before Christmas by Clement C Moore
This month I'll be introducing games that develop reading and writing skills. We'll be using activities from two books:
- Games for Writing: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Write
- Games for Reading: Playful Ways to Help Your Child Read
Recipe of the Month
Speculaas Koekjes (Dutch Spice Cookies)
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt, scant
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt, scant
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
Cream butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and mix, adding enough flour to form a stiff dough. Press well chilled dough into cookie boards or chill for 1 hour, roll out and cut into shapes.* Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 12 minutes, or until light brown. Decorate as desired when cool. Store in sealed container to retain crispness.
* This recipe works well with cookie stamps. Or shape into a cylinder of desired size and chill thoroughly in a covered container. Slice and bake as above. Makes approximately 6 dozen.
* This recipe works well with cookie stamps. Or shape into a cylinder of desired size and chill thoroughly in a covered container. Slice and bake as above. Makes approximately 6 dozen.
For preschool I halved the recipe, but used 1 whole egg. The dough was a little soft, but after an hour in the fridge it was a good consistency to make cut out cookies. The halved recipe made 2 dozen medium-sized rocking horses and 2 dozen small cookies.
MegaSkills at Home: Responsibility
Make a list of the chores to be done. Young children can learn to sort clean laundry into piles for different family members, pick out clothes for the next day, dust and vacuum, clear the table after meals, and put items in the sink or dishwasher.
Ask your child: What jobs are you doing now? Which ones would you like to do?
Create a chore chart or list with words or pictures. Check off the chores as they are finished. Children may want to switch jobs once a week. making a contribution to help the house run smoothly is a worthy goal.
