Family FECS: November 2015

Monday, 30 November 2015

Building Igloo with Snow after a Snow Storm

There was a snow storm last Saturday night 21 November 2015 (6Y7M16D). Everywhere was full of thick pristine white snow where we live. In school on Monday morning, J decided to build an igloo with the snow. Many of the boys from primary 0 decided to join him. At the end of the school day, the kids from higher grades started to build their own igloos too. Here is a picture taken by his class teacher.

Danish Christmas Decoration

21 December 2015 (6Y8M16D): Christmas Decoration done at the group playdate all by himself

Re-post 30 November 2015

11 December 2011

It is one of the joy of Christmas in Denmark to make Christmas decoration from the Danish forest. If one doesn't have the time to gather these items from the Danish forests, they are sold in all Danish supermarkets.

Age: From 4 years old

Materials:
- Candle
- Snow berries, pine tree needles, pine tree cones, oat tree cones, etc. from the Danish forests
- Carpet of moss
- Clay (taken from my homemade playdough)
- Tray (Recycled from the plastic sushi tray)
- Ribbon
- White spray paint for fake snow (optional)
- Golden spray paint for glitter (optional)

Directions:
Place the clay below as base for inserting the candles, the pine tree needles and the carpet of moss.

Additional Information:
It is actually my first time making them. My Chinese friend, YL, the art teacher among us, who is new to Denmark, wanted to experience the Danish way of celebrating Christmas for the kids. I thought it was a very good idea. Wondered why I had never thought of it all these years!!! Yesterday, we went out together to gather the materials along the road and from the forests. Most of the materials can be bought from Netto Supermarket. The pebbles were bought from IKEA previously.

The children didn't show any interest making these decorations, as I think they are too young. I think it would be more suited for children above 4 years old. D (2.5 yeas old) was more interested with playing with Thomas the train. J (2Y9M6D) just woke up from his nap and was a little cranky and very hungry, and he was only interested in eating. A (3 years old) preferred to play with the playdough. Then the children played with LEGO. It ended up with just us three mothers making the decorations, but it was nice to chit-chat, while the children play by themselves.

These decorations are placed in the centre on the coffee table along with all the other Christmas goodies during the festive season.

One has to be careful with the candle though and make sure that it does not catch fire.

Hope we will get to do it with J's cousins next year. I have to remember to suggest it!

11 December 2011

11 December 2011 (2Y9M6D): Impromptu Christmas decoration activity with our neighbours, Yang Li and Meixia

Christmas cookies from farmor

J enjoying his Christmas cookie

30 November 2012 (4Y7M29D): J made this from his kindergarten and took it home :-)

6 December 2013 (4Y8M1D): J made this from his kindergarten and took it home :-)

16 December 2014 (5Y8M11D): J made this from his kindergarten and took it home :-)

Updates: 28 November 2015 (6Y7M23D)
At this age, J is more interested in making decoration. He made the decoration all by himself and wasn't distracted.

28 November 2015: Christmas decoration made completely by Our Little FECS (6Y7M23D)

21 December 2015 (6Y8M16D): Christmas Decoration done at the group playdate

Sunday, 29 November 2015

LEGO Advent Calendars

Re-post 30 November 2015

1 December 2013

This was J's first Advent Calendar. This is a Danish tradition, whereby the child gets to open a small gift every day until Christmas Eve. I was a little in doubt whether we should get J such a calendar, as I think it is a little too over-indulgence to open a small gift everyday. J did not ask for one himself, so we could have easily slipped it this Christmas. However, we subcumbed to it and bought the Lego Advent Calendar. Many of such calendars contains chocolate or sweets for each day, and the LEGO calendar is a healthier choice. So, each day, J will get to build a small LEGO figurine.

I intend to reuse the Calendar box for next year. I will put a Bible verse in each of the pocket that J will get to open each day in December until Christmas.

You can find them from amazon:

http://amzn.to/1TmBe7C

http://amzn.to/1NXjevS

http://amzn.to/1NXj9sa

Playmobil Nativity Scene

This post is very much belated, but better late than never. This is a fun way of helping children to remember the birth of Jesus days leading up to Christmas.

While decorating your home for Christmas, why not decorate the nativity scene? Since we are not so creative in making the props ourselves, we made our nativity scene with Playmobil instead. J had fun building it together with me. We had a cozy time talking about the birth of Jesus, the characters in the playmobil and the animals.

This is a great toy to start a holiday tradition with. It is available from amazon:

http://amzn.to/1NkKYyr

Saturday, 28 November 2015

J Summary (6Y7M23D) - Making Danish Christmas Chocolate Confectionery

This is the season for doing Christmas activities with kids. We were at a friend's place. In just a few hours, the kids made the Christmas decoration as well as the Christmas chocolate confectionery, what an amazingly productive, efficient and yet fun evening!

The Danish confectionery consists of nougat, chocolate and almond paste (marcipan). I used to dislike marcipan, but after being here for almost 15 years, I have come to like it.

Here are some pictures from the Christmas decoration session. You can read more about this Christmas activity here http://www.familyfecs.com/2011/12/heritage-education-fun-with-danish.html: