1. Name your favorite reindeer? How many words can you create using only those letters? Write them down or can you do this as a "brain only challenge"? (Try it while waiting in line, driving in the car, at breakfast!)
Ask children to shout out holiday words. Randomly write these on the board. Now use for any or all of the following activities. (A sneaky way to practice copying from the board too!)
2. Create a story or several sentences using 5 or more of the words.
3. Carefully, write these words in the squares on graph paper. Don't forget to make some vertical and diagonal. Cross each other too! Fill random letters into the extra spaces. Now you made a word search puzzle that you can share or exchange with friends.
4. Make a circle on a large sheet of paper. Now ask the child to draw a small picture of each word, anywhere in the circle. Exchange papers. Ask children to quickly visually scan and find the picture that you randomly name. How quickly can they find them? (This is a great activity to "wake up" the eyes before reading!)
5. Let's Make a Puzzle! Carefully color in or draw a holiday picture. Include a solid color edge as a frame or tape/glue one on later. When complete, use a ruler to draw cutting lines across the picture. Cut very carefully to create a personalized puzzle. Remember more pieces, diagonals and irregular shapes will make assembling the puzzle more challenging - so less can be more successful! Have each child select 1 letter or shape to put on the back of each of their pieces -Just in case they get mixed with others. (Hint- have zip bags for each child's puzzle pieces when done)
