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Learning Activities Introduction
Author Kyo Maclear and illustrator Chris Turnham, introduce us to Charles, a young boy who wants to find a wish tree. His brother and sister don't believe there is such a thing, but his trusty companion Boggan is ready to join Charles on a journey to find out. Along the way, they discover that wishes can come true in the most unexpected ways.
The poetic text and heartwarming illustrations evoke the true essence of the holiday season and will inspire wishers everywhere. A fabulous adventure story with cute characters along the way! So many opportunities to teach preschool and kindergarten skills within the story. That's why we decided to highlight this story for December, develop learning activities to support the literature, and believe it's a fabulous preschool resource you'll love, too!
Story Introduction
We love introducing new stories to preschool and kindergarten children! Who wouldn't enjoy a new adventure, filled with new characters and events? It's fun to introduce a story in a way that relates to the theme of the story itself. The Wish Tree takes place in wintertime, when snow covers nature, and the characters are bundled up in winter clothing. Try introducing the story while wearing a hat and scarf, or have the children all wear mittens before you "take them on this new adventure." This ensures that the children and the literature connect beyond the words and illustrations each, beautiful page. You will be connecting feelings and their whole body to the story! The best learning activities connect children directly to the literature introduced.
Academics
Snowy Shapes
Measuring Footprints
Sorting Snowballs
Using shape cut-outs, see what wintertime forms children can form. Perhaps a snowy mountain or a snowman? Maybe an ice house, or a snowplow!
[FREE printable below]
Sorting Snowballs
Measuring Footprints
Sorting Snowballs
Using different colored plates (or circle cut outs), have children race to sort "snow balls" (crafting pom poms). Kids can work in teams, or individually against a sand timer!
Measuring Footprints
Measuring Footprints
Measuring Footprints
Preschool and kindergarten kids love ruers! Measuring using a ruler introduces numbers, size order, and comparison work. Have children measure their snowy footprints, the depth of the snow, the height of a snowball, length of scarves, or even the distance they can throw a snowball!
Same & Different
Measuring Footprints
We enjoy introducing children to other literature with similar themes and characters. Exploring them all allows preschool and kindergarten children to see similarities and differences between the illustrations, the story, and even the font.
Wintertime Writing
Preschool resource? Snow and frost are natural dry erase boards! Enjoy using sticks, gloved hands, and feet to create letters. If stuck indoors, try cold shaving cream on a table, or using the "snow recipe" posted below with your preschool and kindergarten children.
Sequential Order
Sequencial order is simply a part of life, not just a pre-math skill. Follow this LINK for some activity cards, or make your own using your children dressing for winter, eating, or completing the steps to their day.
Speech & Language
Story Basket Play
Story Basket Play
Story Basket Play
As we introduce each new story to our preschool and kindergarten students, we like to create a "story basket." This basket contains story-based manipulatives. We use the story basket as our preschool resource to help re-tell the events from the story. The basket is available for children to explore on their own.
What's In My Box?
Story Basket Play
Story Basket Play
Place various items from our preschool resource vocabulary list inside a wrapped shoebox. Describe features of the item and have children guess what it could be. "Open" the wrapped gift to see who's guess was correct!
Groups of Four
Story Basket Play
Holiday Telephone
Have children describe 4 aspects of the story, the characters, and topics related to the holiday season. Use our preschool and kindergarten checklist to see how responses are related to each other! [FREE printable PDF below]
Holiday Telephone
Holiday Telephone
Players sit in a circle and "pass" the whispered sentence to their neighbor's ear. (i.e., “I like sledding”). Once the message completes the circle, it is announced by the final player! Is it different from the original message?
Holiday Picnic
Similar to the game, "I'm Going on a Picnic," children name one item they want for the holidays, but first name the item(s) already said by their peer(s). See how many items the group can reach!
[FREE printable PDF below]
Don't Break the Ice!
A traditional wintertime game, which can be adapted for multi-player use in groups. Having children complete directives earns turns to hammer an ice block out of the frame. A fun tool to help reinforce skills development!
Games & Activites
Gift Box Toss
Gift Box Toss
Gift Box Toss
Using different-sized boxes that are wrapped and open, have your preschool and kindergarten children toss large pom poms (or small balls) into the boxes. Try matching ball colors to the boxes!
Puzzle Play!
Gift Box Toss
Gift Box Toss
Cold weather outdoors? The perfect weather for puzzle play! Even if children are familiar with puzzles, introduce simple puzzles by first completing one as a model. Talk aloud as you "flip over each piece like a pancake," look for matches, find "edges and corners," etc.
Wish Tree BINGO
Roll the Present
Roll the Present
Download our FREE Wintertime BINGO game that supports the story, The Wish Tree.
[See FREE printable below]
Roll the Present
Roll the Present
Roll the Present
Wrap a cube-shaped box. Attach a picture that depicts a physical or academic direction on each side. Have children roll the present to see what action they or the group must complete!
[See FREE learning activities printable below]
Sensory, Fine & Gross Motor Skills Development
Rolling Snowballs
Cutting Snowflakes
Using white play doh, have children work on manipulating the doh to form spheres. Children can see if they can roll three different-sized balls, or even ones that are exactly the same size!
Cutting Snowflakes
Cutting Snowflakes
Making snowflakes involves many different skills, including folding paper, snipping the paper, & stabilizing/turning the paper. Like real snowflakes, each one will be unique. There's nothing like unfolding a snowflake to a preschool and kindergarten child!
Snowy Sensory Bin
Fill a large bin with cotton balls, and include tongs, scoops, spoons and other utensils for manipulating the "snow." If you are really brave, bring some snow from outdoors and introduce it to your preschool and kindergarten kiddos in the sensory table or small plastic bin.
(You'll soon have water table learning activities!)
Fun with Food
Wish Tree Animal Walk
White food such as marshmallows, crackers, cream cheese, and rice make for fun, hands-on sensory play learning activities . Check out some fun recipes HERE on Pinterest.
Snowball Toss
Wish Tree Animal Walk
Wish Tree Animal Walk
We love stacking three boxes, or using one large piece of cardboard with holes cut out to form a snowman. Decorate your snowman using a scarf and drawings, and have preschool and kindergarten kids toss snowballs (bean bags) to score points!
Wish Tree Animal Walk
Wish Tree Animal Walk
Wish Tree Animal Walk
The Wish Tree presents many different animals. These provide a super guide for completing large muscle preschool and kindergarten development. Bear walks, squirrel balancing, creeping foxes, and more!
The Arts
Winter Songs Link
Making Snow Recipe !
Making Snow Recipe !
Making Snow Recipe !
Making Snow Recipe !
Making Snow Recipe !
Snow Play Comes Naturally!
Have kids come to school with all their snow gear, ready for a snowy day celebration. Building a snowman, making snow angels, playing in a sled, trying to build a snow house, making snowballs to toss at a tree, playing follow the leader's footprints, or shoveling snow.
Acting Out the Story
Similar to our movement learning activities in the movement section, have your preschool and kindergarten children act out the story. Try photographing their acting, or shoot video of them in action. To take it one step further, try making a "movie" starring the children, or using the photographs to build a new class book with the children dictating the events.
Video Resources
Food 'n Cooking Activity Ideas
Snowman Head
Using a rice cracker, have children spread cream cheese on their "snowman head," then add raisins for eyes and a mouth, as well as a mini-carrot for a nose!
Gingerbread Decorating
Using pre-baked gingerbread people cookies, have children decorate cookies with your "approved" decorations: icing, raisins, craisins, etc. Baking gingerbread cookies in school adds to your learning activities easily with a toaster oven and playdoh tools.