Our Candy Cane Preschool Day

• Examine Candy Canes
  1. Show the kids a candy cane.
  2. Have them describe what they see.
     • We noticed the stripes, the colors, the shape, it looks like a letter J upside-down, and like a shepherd’s staff right-side-up.
  3. Let the kids eat a piece of the candy cane and describe the taste.

• Read “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore. Illustrated by Mary Engelbreit.
  1. The illustrations by Mary Engelbreit are so much fun. She adds beautiful colors and wonderful detail. My kids love looking at the pictures.
  2. Have the kids use their eyes to look for candy canes while you read each page. Then have them point out all the candy canes they can see!

• Paint a Candy Cane
  1. Print a blank candy cane here.
  2. Pour a small amount of red paint on a plate.
  3. Give the kids a Q-tip and let them add red stripes to their candy cane.

• Candy Cane Bead Ornaments
  1. Set out a bowl of red pony beads and a bowl of white pony beads.
  2. Use a red or white pipe cleaner. String one bead and twist at the bottom (to keep the other beads from sliding off.)
  3. Talk to the kids about the pattern on candy canes … red, white, red, white.
  4. Ask them to string a pattern of beads on their pipe cleaner to make a candy cane.
  5. Twist the last bead and have the kids bend their ornament into a candy cane shape.
  6. Hang on the tree!

 

• Candy Cane Playdough
  1. I used the recipe here and added peppermint extract, red food coloring and glitter to the warmed water and oil (before adding the dry ingredients).
  2. Make a batch of red and a batch of white playdough.
  3. Give the kids a small ball of each color.
  4. Show them how to make a long, skinny snake with each color, then twist them together to make a candy cane.
  5. Pull out the playdough tools and have playing with peppermint playdough.
  6. NOTE: our hands smelled like candy canes when we were finished!

• Candy Cane Snacks … these were yummy!
1. Slice a banana (or 2 or 3)
2. Wash some fresh raspberries (well, fresh from the store).
3. Alternate a banana and a raspberry in a candy cane shape.
4. Pour a glass of milk and drink with cute candy cane striped straws. Available here. We use them in our hot chocolate too