This month we’re focusing on the theme of Christmas. Here you’ll find loads of fun activities from art and craft ideas to tasty seasonal recipes, guaranteed to get you and your children in the festive spirit! Read more.
Merry Christmas!
Have a very happy Christmas with these exclusive online activities for you to share at this special time of year
By Jenni Tavener —early years teacher and writer.
Santa’s Toy Shop
Read Inside Santa’s Toy Shop about how a group of elves help Santa get ready for Christmas, and enjoy these fun activities
By Jenni Tavener — early years teacher and writer.
Outdoor fun in December
The children’s heads will be full of Christmas expectations now, so why not take advantage of this exciting time outdoors?
By Rose Joyce — accredited trainer and facilitator at Learning through Landscapes.
National Year of Reading: Write the future
The National Year of Reading ends with a celebration of all forms of writing. What one person writes, others read and technology is bringing reading and writing closer together. With the added bonus of a Christmas theme, this book ticks all the right boxes
By Jenny Morris—a writer and teacher who has run her own nursery school.
Also this month
More great articles published this month.
This month's resources
Christmas objects poster
A bright and colourful poster showing various objects associated with Christmas.
Christmas objects sounds poster
Click on the Christmas-related objects to hear what sound they make.
Christmas tree counting poster
A lovely brightly-illustrated poster of a decorated Christmas tree, designed to help children learn how to count up to 10.
Decorate your Christmas tree game
Drag and drop the decorations on to the tree to create your own Christmas tree. When you are done, turn the lights on and watch your creation glow!
Interactive 'c' letter page
Use this on your interactive whiteboard to help the children practise drawing the letter ‘c’.
Who do you know that starts with... song
A fun song to help the children learn how to say words beginning with the letter ‘c’
Christmas decorations 2 templates
Cut out the Christmas shapes. Decorate them to create attractive Christmas decorations to hang in your setting
Christmas decorations templates
Cut out the Christmas shapes. Decorate them to create attractive Christmas decorations to hang in your setting
Christmas objects poster notes
This jolly poster showing a range of Christmas objects will add to the children’s growing excitement as they anticipate the magic of Christmas
Christmas tags activity
Colour in and cut out the gift tags. Use them for real presents or for Christmas role play
Other resources this month
Latest news
What did you do today? 19 Nov 2008
Children can now tell parents about their day at school with a new, free website
Phones for playgrounds 14 Nov 2008
Fones4Schools is offering rewards in the form of cash or prizes to schools for collecting mobile phones
New qualifications list 11 Nov 2008
The Children’s Workforce Develpment Council (CWDC) has published a new qualifications list, which all early years practitioners must adhere to from September 2009
4000+ children aged 5 and under suspended from school 10 Nov 2008
There were 4,150 exclusions of children aged 5 and under in 2006-07 according to figures released by the Government
Departures from admissions code due to ‘misunderstandings’ 5 Nov 2008
The Annual Report of the Office of the Schools Adjudicator has found that there were ‘widespread and serious departures’ from the School Admissions Code last year
This month's calendar
| Calendar for Dec 2008 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Rebuilt St Pauls Cathedral opened (1697) | International Day of Persons with Disabilities | Marie Celeste found |
Give-Aways
Here’s your chance to win some fantastic books and resources for the festive season. Just click on the products you would like to win!















