The Santa Claus Parade

AREA SETUP

(Open thematic poster-The Santa Claus Parade) Print, laminate, and display all kinds of posters.

Educa-theme-The Santa Claus Parade
(Open educa-theme-The Santa Claus Parade) Print and laminate the items that represent the theme. Use them to present your theme to your group (and parents) while decorating a corner of your daycare.

Decorations
Hang gift-wrapped boxes from the ceiling. Place cotton batting around windows to represent snow. Use Christmas lights to decorate a Christmas tree in one corner of your daycare and add decorations children make throughout the theme. Hang a clothesline within your daycare and use it to display Christmas-themed coloring pages with green clothespins.

Santa's dressing room
(Open Santa's dressing room) Print and display. Set up a corner children can use to pretend they are Santa Claus. Ideally, this corner should contain a mirror, cushions, Christmas-themed storybooks, a flashlight, Christmas-themed illustrations and posters, old Christmas pyjamas, slippers, an elf hat, mittens, a scarf, makeup, etc.

Santa Claus' mailbox
Decorate a box to create a very special mailbox. Children can discover a letter from Santa in their mailbox. In this letter, Santa can request their help for the preparation of the many floats required for the Santa Claus Parade. Every morning, deposit a new letter in the mailbox. Each letter will provide information and tasks for your group. (Open letters-The Santa Claus Parade) Print, cut out, and fold each letter to form an envelope. Use adhesive tape to stick a seal on each envelope.

Santa Claus Parade wall
Let children help you decorate a special wall for the duration of the theme. (Open educa-decorate-The Santa Claus Parade)

Gigantic Santa Claus Parade
Cut large pieces of white paper and use them to completely cover one of your daycare walls. Provide big-box store flyers and catalogues and encourage children to cut out anything and everything that can be associated with the Santa Claus Parade. They can glue the items they find on the wall to represent a gigantic Santa Claus Parade and create a magical mural.

Santa Claus' float for the parade
Collect several large cardboard boxes. Use them to create Santa Claus' float for the parade. Children can paint them or decorate them with crayons, Christmas wrapping paper, bows, felt, pinecones, newspaper, fabric, etc.

THE DAY OF THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE

With your group, organize a Santa Claus Parade. Of course, there will be music, decorations, balloons, garlands, costumes, floats, masks, a marching band, etc. You can take your parade to the hallways or through the streets of your neighborhood. Children will love wearing their masks and using musical instruments for extra fun. They are sure to brighten the day of everyone they cross paths with. If there is a retirement home nearby, pay them a visit! Paint each child's face as they arrive or draw a simple shape on their cheek. Add glitter for a festive touch.

Invite children to wear red, green, and white clothing items. Purchase a red or green glow stick for each child. The dollar store even carries Christmas-shaped glow sticks.

Santa Claus Village
Create a snowy Santa Claus Village. Your guests will enjoy visiting your village on the day of the parade. Don't forget to take pictures of the children in your group wearing their masks or with Santa Claus. Print the following frames. (Open individual frame-The Santa Claus Parade) (Open group frame-The Santa Claus Parade) For each child, insert a picture in a frame. They will be happy to have a souvenir of this very special day.

SIMPLIFIED INDOOR PARADE

Form a choir with your group and visit other daycare groups to sing Christmas songs for them. You can add musical instruments and paint each child's face to represent Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Organize a photo shoot. Set tiny gift bags filled with Christmas-themed surprises throughout your daycare or hang them from the ceiling. Invite each child to pick a bag he/she can keep.

INVITATIONS

Perpetual calendar-The Santa Claus Parade
(Open perpetual calendar-The Santa Claus Parade) Print and laminate. Display the calendar on your door or near your daycare entrance.

Invitations-The Santa Claus Parade
(Open invitations-The Santa Claus Parade) Print the black and white version and have children color the invitations. If you prefer, a color version is also available.

MASKS FOR THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE

Masks represent one of the most important elements of a parade. Children love to wear them, but they enjoy making them even more. This theme contains several different printable models you may use. You can also choose to create your own using paper plates. Have fun making unique masks. Provide models for parents and encourage them to decorate them. They will have masks to wear if they can join you for the parade.

Santa Claus mask
(Open mask-Santa Claus) Print and glue a stick behind the mask or attach an elastic behind it so children can easily use and wear it.

Christmas tree mask
(Open mask-Christmas tree) Print and glue a stick behind the mask or attach an elastic behind it so children can easily use and wear it.

Candy cane mask
(Open mask-Candy cane) Print and glue a stick behind the mask or attach an elastic behind it so children can easily use and wear it.

Reindeer mask
(Open mask-Reindeer) Print and glue a stick behind the mask or attach an elastic behind it so children can easily use and wear it.

Elf mask
(Open mask-Elf) Print and glue a stick behind the mask or attach an elastic behind it so children can easily use and wear it.

Mrs. Claus mask
(Open mask-Mrs. Claus) Print and glue a stick behind the mask or attach an elastic behind it so children can easily use and wear it.

Christmas fairy mask
(Open mask-Christmas fairy) Print and glue a stick behind the mask or attach an elastic behind it so children can easily use and wear it.

COSTUMES

If you want to take the whole Santa Claus Parade one step further, have fun creating costumes with the children in your group and add various accessories. Choose among the following costumes.

Princess
Have the child wear her favorite dress. Purchase a dollar store tiara along with plastic rings and necklaces. Paint tiny stars on her cheeks.

Santa Claus Parade crown
(Open crown-The Santa Claus Parade) Print the model and trace it on heavy cardboard. Cut out the crown and wrap it with aluminum paper. Use shiny items to decorate the crown. Measure the child's head and adjust the crown, stapling the ends together so it fits around his/her head.

My Christmas hat
Ask each child to pick a different construction paper color. Use the sheet of construction paper to form a cone and staple the ends together. If you are planning an outdoor parade, be sure to leave extra room so children's Christmas hats will fit over their regular winter hats. Let children decorate their Christmas hat with ribbons, confetti, pieces of wrapping paper, bows, etc. Each child's hat will be unique!

Doll
Encourage the child to wear a pretty dress and shoes. Use blush to add color to her cheeks and red lipstick to paint her lips. Use mascara and eyeshadow on her eyes. Curl her hair and encourage her to walk around repeating "Mama" over and over again like a doll.

Christmas fairy
The child can wear her prettiest dress. Purchase a dollar store wand. Roll a large piece of cardboard to form a cone. Insert a piece of tulle in the pointy end of the hat and let it drape down the child's back. Apply glitter on her face.

The clown
Collect the most colourful and silly clothing items you can find. Use a large piece of cardboard (bright color) to form a cone. Invite the child to help you glue pompoms all over it. Paint the child's face using white makeup and draw a large red smile. Paint the child's nose red too. Follow your imagination! No two clowns are ever the same.

The gift
To create a gift costume, simply use a box that is somewhat bigger than the child. Cut a hole out of the bottom of the box so the child can stick his/her head out of the box. Cut a hole on either side of the box. The child can insert his/her arms in these holes. Decorate the box with scraps of colourful wrapping paper, ribbon, and greeting cards.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR THE PARADE

For an extra special parade, make musical instruments with your group. Simply use items that you have on hand.

Musical Christmas bottles
Fill plastic bottles with a variety of objects that will produce interesting sounds. Decorate the bottles with fun colors. Children will enjoy manipulating the bottles. You can use empty drinkable yogurt or salad dressing bottles. They are the perfect size for little hands.

Christmas whistling
Show children how they must place their mouth to whistle. Practice throughout the theme.

My Christmas flute
Give each child a dollar store flute and encourage them to decorate it with Christmas craft items.

My Christmas guitar
Give each child an empty shoebox. Cut a hole with a diameter of 8 cm in the lid of each child's box. Have children slide six rubber bands (different sizes) over the hole. Children will enjoy pinching the rubber bands to produce a variety of sounds. Encourage them to decorate their guitar with Christmas craft items.

Mrs. Claus' maracas
Give each child an empty paper towel roll. Close off one end of each child's cardboard tube using a piece of cardboard. Fill each tube approximately half way with rice. Use another piece of cardboard to close off the other end of each child's tube. Invite children to decorate the maraca with Christmas craft items. If you prefer, you can use empty containers or boxes instead of paper towel rolls.

Drums
Use empty coffee cans, ice cream tubs, or metal containers to make drums for your parade. Simply let children decorate them with different types of paper, paint, markers, etc. Punch a hole on either side of each container and thread a piece of string through them. Children will love wearing their drum around their neck for the parade.

My tambourine
Give each child two sturdy paper plates. Fill one of the plates with tiny pebbles collected outside or aquarium gravel. Staple the second plate on top of the first one. Let children decorate their tambourine as they wish.

SANTA CLAUS PARADE PUPPETS

My elf
(Open puppets-Elf) Print and cut out the puppet. Glue a Popsicle stick behind it.

My Santa Claus
(Open puppets-Santa Claus) Print and cut out the puppet. Glue a Popsicle stick behind it.

My reindeer
(Open puppets-Reindeer) Print and cut out the puppet. Glue a Popsicle stick behind it.

Santa's sled
(Open craft-Sled) Print and cut out. Transform an empty tissue box to represent Santa Claus' sled by cutting out the pieces and gluing them on the box. Decorate the sled as you wish.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Use the cards to spark a conversation with your group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Santa Claus Parade) (Open giant word flashcards-Santa Claus Parade) Print. Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, float, marching band, elves, Christmas fairy, music, costume, lights, children, sled, balloon

Let's chat
Print and laminate the word flashcards. Children take turns picking a word flashcard and presenting the item (example: marching band) to the group. Encourage children to talk about each item by asking them questions.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with your group. Use them to decorate your daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-The Santa Claus Parade) Print, laminate, and store the pictures in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bin.

SONGS & RHYMES

Elf choir
Teach your group several different Christmas songs and organize a short show that can be presented to parents first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. Children will be so proud! If there are children in your group who do not like to sing, encourage them to use the musical instruments made during this theme to accompany their friends.

Christmas song book
(Open Christmas song book) Print. Use a hole-punch and ribbon to create a special Christmas song book.

Christmas orchestra
Invite each child to pick a musical instrument. Give them the opportunity to play their instrument one at a time and then together. Record the sounds their instruments produce. Listen to the recordings as a group and have fun identifying the different instruments you hear.

Have fun

The Educatall team