Hello December!

December is jam-packed with holidays and celebrations - it's not hard to find something to do every single day of the month!

Weekly Celebrations
Los Pasados - December 16-23
Saturnalia - December 17-23

Club-centric Events
December 19: Half Day - Winter Break Begins
December 20: Grinch Day
December 23: Polar Express and Pajama Day
December 27: Holidays Around the World Day
December 30: Wizarding World of Harry Potter
January 02: World Wide Winter Holidays
January 03: World Wide Winter Holidays
January 06: World Wide Winter Holidays

Daily Celebrations
December 01: National Christmas Lights Day
December 02: Special Education Day
December 03: Giving Tuesday
December 04: National Cookie Day
December 05: Walt Disney's Birthday
December 06: Sinterklass Day
December 07: International Aviation Day
December 08: National Christmas Tree Day
December 09: National Christmas Card Day
December 10: Human Rights Day
December 11: International Mountain Day
December 12: National Poinsettia Day
December 12: National Gingerbread Day
December 13: Friday the 13th
December 13: National Hot Cocoa Day
December 14: Gingerbread Decorating Day
December 15: National Cupcake Day
December 16: Chocolate Covered Anything
December 17: Wright Brothers Day
December 18: Answer the Phone like Buddy the Elf Day
December 19: National Hard Candy Day
December 20: National Ugly Sweater Day
December 20: Go Caroling Day
December 21: Winter Solstice
December 21: Yule
December 22: Hanukkah
December 22: National Cookie Exchange Day
December 23: Festivus
December 23: Christmas Eve Eve
December 24: Christmas Eve
December 25: Christmas
December 26: Kwanzza
December 26: Boxing Day
December 26: Candy Cane Day
December 27: National Fruitcake Day
December 27: Visit the Zoo Day
December 28: National Chocolate Candy Day
December 29: Pepper Pot Day
December 30: Bacon Day
December 31: New Year's Eve

12 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 12

Days of Thanksgiving

I've always loved these ideas that extend through multiple days to celebrate the holiday seasons (did you catch my 13 Days of Halloween posts?). This year I found ideas for the 12 Days of Thanksgiving and I couldn't resist sharing them with you. The ideas in this post came from a very vintage magazine called Copycat Press from 1990 (which just doesn't feel like it should be labeled very vintage, but I suppose that's because I am very vintage myself!) 

The ideas are centered around using the poetry from It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky. I didn't have this book in our Club library, but I did find a few versions of read alouds online. Here's the one that includes the entire book (which is helpful since you'll use different poems each day).

Twelfth Day of Thanksgiving
No matter how much we look forward to smelling the turkey roasting in the oven and eating turkey at holiday time, just a few days of eating turkey leftovers leaves your taste buds hoping for a change in the menu. See how inventive your members can be. Read aloud the poem "Leftovers." Then challenge the kids to create an unusual turkey leftover dish. Hold a Turkey Leftover Contest. See who can come up with the most unusual turkey concoction. Perhaps you could have the group vote on the recipe they would most like to try and let the winner try their hand at preparing their concoction with the kitchen staff to share with other members.

12 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 11

Days of Thanksgiving

I've always loved these ideas that extend through multiple days to celebrate the holiday seasons (did you catch my 13 Days of Halloween posts?). This year I found ideas for the 12 Days of Thanksgiving and I couldn't resist sharing them with you. The ideas in this post came from a very vintage magazine called Copycat Press from 1990 (which just doesn't feel like it should be labeled very vintage, but I suppose that's because I am very vintage myself!) 

The ideas are centered around using the poetry from It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky. I didn't have this book in our Club library, but I did find a few versions of read alouds online. Here's the one that includes the entire book (which is helpful since you'll use different poems each day).

Eleventh Day of Thanksgiving
Turn your Club members into turkeys! All the inspiration they'll need is found in the poem "Gobble, Gobble." Ask students to show how a proud turkey would sound. Have members imagine that they are turkeys who are trying to teach themselves how to fly. Group members together to act out turkey parents trying to get their chicks to eat when they aren't hungry or have them pretend they're turkeys taking part in the "Most Beautiful Turkey Contest." Get your camera ready for this action!

12 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 10

Days of Thanksgiving

I've always loved these ideas that extend through multiple days to celebrate the holiday seasons (did you catch my 13 Days of Halloween posts?). This year I found ideas for the 12 Days of Thanksgiving and I couldn't resist sharing them with you. The ideas in this post came from a very vintage magazine called Copycat Press from 1990 (which just doesn't feel like it should be labeled very vintage, but I suppose that's because I am very vintage myself!) 

The ideas are centered around using the poetry from It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky. I didn't have this book in our Club library, but I did find a few versions of read alouds online. Here's the one that includes the entire book (which is helpful since you'll use different poems each day).

Tenth Day of Thanksgiving
Remember the anticipation you felt as you made a wish and pulled as hard as you could on the turkey wishbone? There's a little bit of a dreamer in all of us. Focus on this when you read "The Wishbone." Reproduce the wishbone pattern below [from the original publication from Copycat Press]. Ask members to make a wish and explain why they would like this wish and explanation inside the wishbone reproducible. Challenge the group to think of non-material wishes... for their family, for the environment, or for the world! Cut out the wishbones and glue them to a piece of construction paper. Display them on a bulletin board with the title "MAY ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE!"

Click on the image above to be taken to a larger image of the reproducible. You're welcome to use this in your Clubs, classrooms, or any kind of after school program. If you share it with others, please share my blog as well. Thank you!

Additional Idea: After you have read "The Wishbone" ask children to share their experiences with wishing on wishbones. Afterward, invite them to make these wishbone booklets to share with their families. First have members color and cut out several copies of the wishbone booklet (image above). Ask them to write or draw about a Thanksgiving wish on the back of each page. To make a front cover, have members cut out only the wishbone from the booklet page and glue it onto a 9-inch paper plate and title the cover "My Thanksgiving Wishes." Finally have them stack and staple their pages between the front cover and another paper plate.

12 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 9

Days of Thanksgiving

I've always loved these ideas that extend through multiple days to celebrate the holiday seasons (did you catch my 13 Days of Halloween posts?). This year I found ideas for the 12 Days of Thanksgiving and I couldn't resist sharing them with you. The ideas in this post came from a very vintage magazine called Copycat Press from 1990 (which just doesn't feel like it should be labeled very vintage, but I suppose that's because I am very vintage myself!) 

The ideas are centered around using the poetry from It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky. I didn't have this book in our Club library, but I did find a few versions of read alouds online. Here's the one that includes the entire book (which is helpful since you'll use different poems each day).

Ninth Day of Thanksgiving
Anyone who is a true blue football fan (or who knows one) will appreciate the poem "Daddy's Football Game." Read it to the group and discuss words or phrases that are associated with the game of football. Then ask members to create an acrostic poem for the word football. Provide a helping hand by choosing one of the words from the sample below to get them started. Children may also use the names of sports teams such as Falcons, Oilers, Bears, or Lions.

After members have completed their football poems, try a game of flag football to give a chance to run and provide some physical activity. If you would like a printable base for their poems, I have created the one below for use in our Club. Enjoy!

Click on the image above to be taken to a larger image of the poem base. I created this printable with graphics purchased from EduClips (<-- and there's the link in case you want to purchase some of her awesome work). You're welcome to use this in your Clubs, classrooms, or any kind of after school program. If you share it with others, please share my blog as well. Thank you!

12 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 8

Days of Thanksgiving

I've always loved these ideas that extend through multiple days to celebrate the holiday seasons (did you catch my 13 Days of Halloween posts?). This year I found ideas for the 12 Days of Thanksgiving and I couldn't resist sharing them with you. The ideas in this post came from a very vintage magazine called Copycat Press from 1990 (which just doesn't feel like it should be labeled very vintage, but I suppose that's because I am very vintage myself!) 

The ideas are centered around using the poetry from It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky. I didn't have this book in our Club library, but I did find a few versions of read alouds online. Here's the one that includes the entire book (which is helpful since you'll use different poems each day).

Eighth Day of Thanksgiving
Ask members to collect old magazines to be used for a cut and paste project [another great resource for this project is colorful grocery ads]. Divide the members into groups and practice reading aloud the poem "I Ate Too Much." Have each group present their reading of the poem to the group. Discuss the many favorite foods that are served for Thanksgiving dinner. Talk about balanced meals and the body's need for a balanced diet. Then, pass out two paper plates, the magazines [or grocery ads], scissors, and glue to each child. Ask members to cut out pictures of food from the magazines and ads.

If you're looking to incorporate this activity in with a regular program, it would pair nicely with Healthy Habits.

Click on the image above to be taken to a larger image of the poem. I created this printable with graphics purchased from EduClips (<-- and there's the link in case you want to purchase some of her awesome work). You're welcome to use this in your Clubs, classrooms, or any kind of after school program. If you share it with others, please share my blog as well. Thank you!

12 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 7

Days of Thanksgiving

I've always loved these ideas that extend through multiple days to celebrate the holiday seasons (did you catch my 13 Days of Halloween posts?). This year I found ideas for the 12 Days of Thanksgiving and I couldn't resist sharing them with you. The ideas in this post came from a very vintage magazine called Copycat Press from 1990 (which just doesn't feel like it should be labeled very vintage, but I suppose that's because I am very vintage myself!) 

The ideas are centered around using the poetry from It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky. I didn't have this book in our Club library, but I did find a few versions of read alouds online. Here's the one that includes the entire book (which is helpful since you'll use different poems each day).

Seventh Day of Thanksgiving
Read the poem "When Daddy Carves the Turkey." Ask members to write their own directions for the best way to carve a turkey... step by step. Then have each one explain his or her carving technique to the group. After kids have gotten their techniques perfected, invite them to record their best turkey carving technique and share it with families.

To help kids have a format to complete this activity I have created the How to Carve a Turkey Printable. You're welcome to use it with this poem or any other activity.

Click on the image above to be taken to a larger image of the poem. I created this printable with graphics purchased from EduClips (<-- and there's the link in case you want to purchase some of her awesome work). You're welcome to use this in your Clubs, classrooms, or any kind of after school program. If you share it with others, please share my blog as well. Thank you!

12 Days of Thanksgiving - Day 6

Days of Thanksgiving

I've always loved these ideas that extend through multiple days to celebrate the holiday seasons (did you catch my 13 Days of Halloween posts?). This year I found ideas for the 12 Days of Thanksgiving and I couldn't resist sharing them with you. The ideas in this post came from a very vintage magazine called Copycat Press from 1990 (which just doesn't feel like it should be labeled very vintage, but I suppose that's because I am very vintage myself!) 

The ideas are centered around using the poetry from It's Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky. I didn't have this book in our Club library, but I did find a few versions of read alouds online. Here's the one that includes the entire book (which is helpful since you'll use different poems each day).

Sixth Day of Thanksgiving
Read aloud the poem "The Thanksgiving Day Parade." Talk about the things everyone loves about parades. Just for fun, plan your own parade and give it a clever name. Put imagination to work creating "floats" for it. Then purchase balloons in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and challenge members to create balloon characters. Provide paint, markers, construction paper, fabric scraps, yarn, ribbon, glue, and tape. You can make sticks for holding the balloons by tightly rolling newspaper on the diagonal and taping the ends. Name the balloon characters. Then create and distribute a flyer and posters to advertise your parade. Finally, get ready for some fun because everyone loves a parade.

Additional Activity: Rad the book Balloons Over Broadway with your group. This was one of the feature books from Summer Brain Gain 2017 (Early Elementary, Module 5). If you don't have the Summer Brain Gain materials (I couldn't find the 2017 modules online), there are some great resources available over at Reading is Fundamental and some great STEM ideas over at Get Caught Engineering.