Materials:

cookie sheet or tray

salt

wrapped candy cane or you can use your finger

Directions:

Pour the salt on a cookie sheet

Put letters ( magnetic letters or letters that you have written on paper) in a basket

Have your child draw a letter from the basket, discuss the name of the letter, write the letter in the salt.

Help your child write a letter to Santa. You can share the pen which means that you write what your child says, but encourage them to write a few of the letters. Talk about the sounds that they hear at the beginning of words and the importance of leaving a space between each word in the sentence. After you have completed the letter, encourage your child to draw a picture for Santa.

* Have your child draw and color a Christmas tree on a sheet of paper.

*Gather objects from around your home that could be used as ornaments. (Ex. beans, candies, cereal)

*Make cards with the numbers 0-10 written on them (1 number on each card) and place the cards in a basket.

* Have your child draw a number from the basket and place that many ornaments on their tree.

* Remove the ornaments and draw another number and continue until you have drawn each number.

** This game can also be played using dice.

Tell your child a sentence. Have your child repeat the sentence to you and clap one time for each word that they say. You may choose other actions such as stomping, tapping your legs, or jumping. After completing the action, have your child hold up 1 finger for each word that they say. You can then talk about how many words were in each sentence.

Use the following sentences to practice counting the number of words in a sentence with your child:

1. I like Christmas.

2. Christmas trees have lights.

3. Santa has a white beard.

4. Rudolph has a red nose.

Come up with sentences of your own and have your child practice counting the words in those sentences.