Five Little Candy Canes Activity For Circle Time Free Printable

Five Little Candy Canes Activity for Circle Time

What You Will Need for this Candy Canes Activity

Five Candy Canes FREE Printable (Scroll Down Towards Bottom of This Page for Link) If you’ve been following Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds for awhile, you know how I love to use circle time to build skills. Last week I shared my Christmas bells counting printable, where I displayed them on my flannel board while singing bell counting songs. Whenever I can use visuals during circle time, I do. Visuals grab young children’s attention, encouraging them to participate. I talk about this in my most popular video, The Secrets to a Successful Circle Time. When I found the song Five Candy Canes, I knew I had to not only share it with my toddlers and preschoolers, but make visuals to go along with the song. This candy cane printable is a fun (and easy!) way to work on counting during the Christmas theme. Perhaps this is because I personally love music. While I didn’t inherit my sister Lauri’s vocal talent (oh, how I wish!), I love to sing with my students. Before I became a teacher, I was very self-conscious of my voice. Once I was in the classroom, I put that fear aside. I even sing in front of parents, on stage! My younger self would have gasped at that. So if you feel your voice doesn’t qualify for singing in the classroom, stop. When I am planning for the week, I love to search for songs that we can use during circle time. I keep them organized in a Spotify playlist, so I can pull out my phone and find what I need quickly. Oh, wondering what my December playlist is? Here you go: I knew this would be fun for one of our December circle times. And I knew that I had to create a visual, so… I did! Five Candy Canes Song Remember to use the hook side for the tree and the loop side to the backs of each candy cane, or the other way around. You do not want to use the same type of velcro (all loops or all hooks) or they won’t stick together. First, cut out the tree and place velcro on the back. Then, place five velcro squares on the tree where the candy canes will go. Cut out each candy cane and attach velcro to the back so that they will stick to the velcro on the tree. Here’s an example from my 5 Little Pumpkins Jumping on the Bed prop: As you sing the Five Little Candy Canes song, you will count down from five to one, removing a candy cane each time. Stick the tree to the flannel board. Invite the children to help you count each candy cane as you place it on the flannel board. Watch: Our Favorite Circle Time Activities Eventually all the candy canes will be removed from the tree.

Extending the Candy Cane Theme

Art: Paint candy canes with jingle bells. Fine Motor: Press cotton balls onto paper to make cotton wool candy canes. (Crafts on Sea) Playdough: Mix up a batch of peppermint scented playdough. (The Best Ideas for Kids) Sensory: Explore the five senses with candy cane sensory tubes. (Teach Preschool) Math: Work on patterns with this free candy cane printable. (This Reading Mama) Literacy: Decorate candy cane letters with a free printable. (Kindergarten Connection) Science: Grab a bag of candy canes, a bowl of warm water, and you’re ready to make candy cane stripes disappear. (Playdough to Plato)