Advent - 2 Activities for December by Savvy Mom Ruth Paget

Advent 2018 Family Activities: Dec. 2 – 24 by Savvy Mom Ruth Paget

The following activities are a continuation of the 7 that I listed in a prior blog on Advent:

8-Read Rumplestiltskin Picture Book for Story Time

This fairy tale was collected by the German linguist brothers Grimm in the 19^th century.

9-Read Rapunzel Picture Book for Story Time

This fairy tale was collected by the German linguist brothers Grimm in the 19^th centry.

10-Make Paper Bag Puppets to Teach Etiquette

Glue faces of famous German speakers on small paper lunch bags.

Give 5 biographical facts about each German figure.

Use puppets to:

11-Teach children how to do introductions in German for Austria, Germany, and German-speaking Switzerland (They are all a little different)

Show how to do the introduction first in English and then in German.

Practice the German introductions.

12-Teach Children How to Ask Questions based on the biographical data that matches the puppet faces:

Show how to do the questions and answers first in English and then in German.

Suggested questions from biographical data follow:

Where are you from?

What is your alma mater?

What subjects were your favorites in school?

What places have lived in?

What places did you like the best and why?

What foods do you like best?

13-Do a Chocolate Fondue Party

Dip tangerine sections, banana slices, strawberries, apple slices or marshmallows in fondue made with Hershey semisweet tablets and heavy cream.  Serve cider as a beverage.

14-Play Twister in German to learn colors and learn to move around in a limited space

15-Play Operation Game in German to learn the names of body parts well

16-Play Bingo game in German to learn numbers in a fun way

17-Play Euchre (Napoleon) card game in German.  The object is to avoid being Napoleon at Waterloo.

18-Play Old Maid card game in German

19-Play the Rummy card game in German

20-Play Calendar Game Showing different famous sites in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Famous buildings, famous natural sites, famous natural dishes to eat, and famous people are what you should show.

21- Listen to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at the Exhibition.

This symphony is a musical response to Mussorgsky’s walk to and through an art exhibit.

I am pretty sure Germans like this symphony, because their winters are similar – very schlecht – rotten. They do many of the same activities.  They go to art exhibits, the symphony, films, and clubs for dancing.  They also read and write a lot in winter.

The following art activities could be done to do something similar to Pictures at the Exhibition.

Write poems or music in response to a painting or photo that a child or teen selects.

22-Watch the Fantasia video.

This video is supposed to be an example of art, music, and informed dialog working together. 

I think it is great for children of all ages.

23-Read the Gingerbread Man Picture book to children and make gingerbread cookies from scratch

Happy Holidays!!!!

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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