Education is a Life: Beginning our Picture Book Advent Calendar 2015

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Beginning our Picture Book Advent Calendar 2015

The Christmas picture books have been coming in quickly at the library. I wrapped a stack of them on Saturday.

We've been unwrapping them one by one at tea time this week. (Tea time doesn't always look like this...often it's just snack and a poetry book or two.)

The boys have been taking turns choosing the wrapped book from the stack and unwrapping it. JJ(5) had the first turn on Monday.

The book turned out to be Shooting at the Stars: the Christmas Truce of 1914. This was a new book for us, and while I probably wouldn't have chosen it for our very first Christmas picture book (we're choosing at random), it was a good bridge from Remembrance Day a few weeks ago to Christmas a few weeks in the future.

We wrapped up our tea time with some poetry by Christina Rossetti (who has wonderful Christmas poetry, by the way!), and then finally got to the part my boys had all been waiting for...

...the Jacquie Lawson Victorian Advent calendar a friend gave us for the computer. Each day has a special little activity, and the boys love it. (Thank you, Christina!)

We normally have no screen time before 4:00 PM, so having a bit in the morning is a special treat for them.

That's how our lesson time has begun each day so far this week and hopefully continuing on until Christmas. Homeschooling is fun! :)

Comments (15)

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Denise · 486 weeks ago

Very nice! A copy of the Shooting Stars is apparently on its' way to me at the Montague library, it's one I ordered for Christmas reading too. :)

1 reply · active 486 weeks ago

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Nelleke_PEI 73p · 486 weeks ago

Neat. There's a similar book in the library system as well called Christmas in the Trenches. I'm not sure which one I like best. I think I like the art in CitT better, but find the story more effectively presented in SatS.

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margaretellenbond 26p · 486 weeks ago

What kind of activities does the Advent computer program include?

2 replies · active 486 weeks ago

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Nelleke_PEI 73p · 486 weeks ago

Decorating virtual Christmas trees, designing snowflakes, designing stained-glass windows and things like that.

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M.E. Bond · 486 weeks ago

Sounds fun for kids. I love the idea of the picture book advent calendar (especially using library books!).

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Angela · 486 weeks ago

So fun! I was planning to post about our Christmas activities, too. It will be very similar to yours :)

1 reply · active 486 weeks ago

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Nelleke_PEI 73p · 486 weeks ago

Looking forward to it!

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Helena · 486 weeks ago

Wow, you actually wrap the books! I've just dumped them all in a basket :p Wrapped looks so much better!

1 reply · active 486 weeks ago

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Nelleke_PEI 73p · 486 weeks ago

It raises the excitement level a bit, too! :)

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alexdk72 13p · 486 weeks ago

That's awesome! We love opening our daily holiday picture book :)
I will need to check the Shooting Stars from the library, sounds very good.

1 reply · active 486 weeks ago

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Nelleke_PEI 73p · 486 weeks ago

Yes, I think you will like it!

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learningmamacom 27p · 486 weeks ago

Oh! My girls would love to live at your house - a tea party every morning!
I love the book a day idea for advent, I think we might do that next year :)

1 reply · active 486 weeks ago

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Nelleke_PEI 73p · 486 weeks ago

And I'd love to have some girls at my tea party... I'm the only one! The boys love it, though. :)