Christmas Picture & Word Tracing Printables (Love to Learn Linky #22)

Christmas is approaching quickly and I'm here with another set of printables to celebrate the season! These Free Christmas themed Picture & Word Tracing sheets are perfect for practicing handwriting and fine motor skills. Kids can trace the word, then trace the picture and color it in!

This Free Christmas Tracing pack includes 7 sheets, featuring Santa Claus, Rudolph, Christmas tree, snowman, gingerbread man, candy cane and Baby Jesus.

If you have any problems printing the dashed lines, email me at totschooling@gmail.com

Click here to Download your Free Christmas Picture & Word Tracing Printables

If you enjoy this set, try our Free Alphabet Picture Tracing Pack and Free Thanksgiving Word & Picture Tracing Pack.

Visit my co-hosts to see their posts and features!

10 Ways to Light Up Christmas With Kids from Left Brain Craft Brain
10+ Christmas Language and Math Activities for Preschoolers from One Time Through
Free Christmas Printable Pack & Learning Printables from A Little Pinch of Perfect

LOVE TO LEARN LINKY

Now it's time for some more links! I hope you'll join me and a couple of friends for a brand new linky party!

Bloggers, link up your posts every Thursday and watch as we round them up and share them all over the place.

Almost anything goes, we're just hoping your activities teach kids (or us!) something. (science, art, cooking, behavior, crafting, parenting, etc...)

The Love to Learn Linky is Hosted by:

Totschooling: Viviana is a blogging mom to a toddler and a preschooler, sharing ideas and resources for early education. She specializes in unique, hands-on printable activities that are educational, fun and inspire creativity in young minds.

Left Brain Craft Brain: Anne is an ex-engineer, current stay-at-home mama writing about crafty ways to encourage creativity (and brain power!) in our kids. Each of her projects gives kids the chance to learn about a new subject and do something crafty at the same time.

A Little Pinch of Perfect: Katie combines creativity, play, and learning for the perfect mishmash of fun activities that keep kiddos entertained throughout the day. She wholeheartedly believes in the power of play and feels that all activities naturally provide a fun way to learn.

One Time Through: Sue is an Elementary School Teacher currently on leave to be at home with her preschooler son.  She shares ideas for connecting and learning with kids through meaningful, play-based activities that nurture curiosity and creativity.

Love to Learn Linky Etiquette:

• Posts should be about educating our kids in any way - science, art, cooking, crafts, behavior, parenting, etc. Please keep them family friendly and please no Etsy shops or giveaways unless they are relevant to the topic.

• Upload your direct post link to the InLinkz widget. Link up to 3 posts.

• Like the hosts on Facebook: Totschooling, A Little Pinch of Perfect, Left Brain Craft Brain and One Time Through.

• Or follow the hosts on Pinterest: A Little Pinch of Perfect, Left Brain Craft Brain, Totschooling and One Time Through.

• Post our button on your site.

• By linking up, you agree to have your images shared with credit.

Link up and grab a button!

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An InLinkz Link-up

Christmas Q-Tip Painting Printables

My daughter is a big fan of do-a-dot printables, but every now and then I like to change things up a bit and give her more of a challenge. So I created these Christmas themed Q-tip dot painting printables. She enjoyed painting in a unique way, and I like it because it's great for her fine motor skills!

These 5 FREE Q-tip painting printables include Santa Claus, Santa Claus riding his sleigh, a Christmas tree, Rudolph the reindeer, and an elf. 

Just print these sheets, grab some q-tips and paint, and you have a quick & fun activity for your preschooler. 

Click here to Download your Free Christmas Q-Tip Painting Printables!

For more Christmas fun, check out these Christmas themed Playdough Mats!

16 Picture Books that Make Great Gifts

I always like to purchase educational gifts for my kids, and find that books are the perfect investment for a long-lasting, brain-building and fun-filled gift.

I try to find unique and interesting books, especially if giving a gift to another family, because they are less likely to own it already. Here is a list of my favorite books that make great gifts for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and beyond!

This post contains affiliate links.

Preschoolers and Up:

This House Needs a Mouse

I received a copy of this book for review and was very impressed with it! My 3 year old daughter was immediately drawn to the fun illustration on the cover and begged me to read it to her as soon as I opened the package. 

I enjoyed the rich language, which is something I look for in books to introduce my daughter to new vocabulary. I had to do a bit of explaining in my own words to her, which is okay because this is one of those books that she will enjoy for many years to come. 

Aimed at 3 to 8 year olds, this book is fun and educational at the same time. Its cute illustrations and unique protagonist kept my daughter engaged, while its rich language makes it a great teaching tool. We both loved the clever plot and surprise ending. This was a great addition to our library!

This House Needs a Mouse is available now on the book's website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Big Tent Books.

The Day the Crayons Quit

A very funny and entertaining book that appeals to a wide range of ages. This witty story is about a boy's crayons brought to life, going on strike and each one writing him a letter about their complaints. The boy then figures out a clever way to make all the crayons happy. 

This Pigeon Needs a Bath!

The latest Mo Willems masterpiece, this is another witty book about a pigeon who refuses to take a bath and comes up with a million excuses not to. A story we can all relate to, with a fun twist at the end. Delightful read!

Press Here

An interactive book where you are prompted to follow a series of instructions on each page. Press the yellow dot, shake the book, tilt the book and see what happens on the next page. A very clever and entertaining concept that will have kids begging to read it again and again. 

Journey

Inspired by Harold and the Purple Crayon, this is a fabulous wordless picture book with gorgeous watercolor illustrations. The story takes you on a magical adventure that will captivate children of all ages. 

Flashlight

Another superb wordless picture book with beautiful illustrations, a flashlight reveals the magic and mysteries of nature in the dark. This would be a great gift paired with a flashlight!

Have you seen my Dragon?

This is a story of a boy who lost his dragon in NYC and goes all over the city in search for it. Very clever book that combines counting numbers 1-20 with look-and-find where you search for hidden items on each page. The illustrations are amazing and super-detailed, full of recognizable city icons.

ABC and 123: A Sesame Street Treasury of Words and Numbers

This is a perfect gift for Sesame Street fans. Each page features a letter of the alphabet or a number (1-100) and shows a scene full of Sesame street characters along with many words and objects that go with each letter. Great for building vocabulary and learning letters and numbers. 

The Big Picture Story Bible

This is an excellent Bible storybook for young children. It seamlessly ties together all the stories of the Bible in a simple, easy to understand way and focuses on the "big picture". Short chapters make it perfect for daily Bible story time.   

Babies & Toddlers:

Goodnight Songs

We all know and love Margaret Wise Brown's classic Goodnight Moon. Well, Goodnight Songs is a collection of her previously unpublished poems, illustrated by 12 award-winning artists, and turned into beautiful, enchanting lullabies. The CD is included with the book. This is a true masterpiece and a must-have in any child's library!

Little Humans

Kids love to look at pictures of other kids, and that's exactly what this 40-page photo book consists of. Created by a famous NYC street photographer, this collection embraces children's diversity and uniqueness. Adorable and captivating photographs that every child will love!

100 First Words (Lift the Flap Book)

This is currently my toddler's favorite book. She learned a lot of new vocabulary from it, and now she just loves to open each flap and say what each picture is. The flaps are sturdy and also great for fine motor skills.

Pop-up Book of Nursery Rhymes

Why read nursery rhymes any other way? This incredible pop-up book will allow kids to engage with classic nursery rhymes in a whole new way. Includes 6 classic rhymes with pop-ups.

My Big Animal Book

This is a great book for learning animal names, building vocabulary, and encouraging language development. Bright, colorful photographs will keep your toddler happy and engaged.

The Wheels on the Bus

A delightful twist on the classic song, this book features a bus-load of jungle animals who all make their own sounds as the wheels go round and round. This one is sure to be a hit!

Alphablock

This book takes on a different approach to learning the alphabet. The book has thick pages that are cut to form each letter of the alphabet, and kids can interact physically with the letters, and even play peek-a-boo games, revealing an item that begins with that letter sound. One of the most fun alphabet books I've seen.



Looking for more gifts? Check out our Educational Gift Guide for Preschoolers!

The Gingerbread Man Pretend Play Printable Activity

This post contains affiliate links.

As part of the Christmas Read & Play Blog Hop, I created a fun activity to go along with the classic story, The Gingerbread Man! This is a pretend play activity where kids can "bake" gingerbread cookies (free printables included) and then bring them alive by decorating them with playdough!

We started off by reading the classic children's book The Gingerbread Man, and talking about how the gingerbread man came alive after being baked in the oven.

Then, I printed off and laminated these FREE Gingerbread Cookies printables. 

The girls played with their awesome and inexpensive Little Tikes Cupcake Kitchen, pretending to bake the cookies in their oven.

Then I gave my 3 year old daughter some playdough and helped her decorate the cookies. Now the cookies are ready to "eat"!

We also stood up the cookies inside playdough to really make them come alive!

I hope you enjoy reading The Gingerbread Man and playing with these pretend cookies. For more fun activities based on Christmas books, check out the Christmas Read & Play Blog Hop.

Snowman Letter Matching Puzzles (Love to Learn Linky #20)

Today was the first day of snow for us this season, so it seems fitting that I write this post about a snowman learning activity! This is a free printable puzzle for preschoolers to practice letter sounds and letter cases! Match these 3 pieces to create a snowman: an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter and an object that begins with that letter sound.

The snowman's hat contains an object that begins with each letter of the alphabet. Match the upper and lowercase letter that makes the beginning sound to complete the snowman! This is great activity for practicing letter sounds and letter recognition.

Click here to download your Free Snowman Letter Matching Puzzles  

And now for some more Snowman activities shared at the Love to Learn Linky!

10 Snowman Playdough Activities by Our Little House in the Country
Bubble Wrap Snowman by Crafts on Sea
Easy Snowman Craft for Kids by Spark & Pook
Snowman Light Table Play by Where Imagination Grows
Snow-Dough Snowmen by Multicraftingmummy
Snowman Stained Glass Windows by Our Little House in the Country

Visit my co-hosts to see their posts and features!

Five Minute Crafts: Pumpkin Pie Painting from Left Brain Craft Brain
10 Fun Christmas Learning Ideas for Preschoolers from One Time Through
Snow Inspired Fun for Kids: Crafts, Activities and More from A Little Pinch of Perfect

LOVE TO LEARN LINKY

Now it's time for some more links! I hope you'll join me and a couple of friends for a brand new linky party!

Bloggers, link up your posts every Thursday and watch as we round them up and share them all over the place.

Almost anything goes, we're just hoping your activities teach kids (or us!) something. (science, art, cooking, behavior, crafting, parenting, etc...)

The Love to Learn Linky is Hosted by:

Totschooling: Viviana is a blogging mom to a toddler and a preschooler, sharing ideas and resources for early education. She specializes in unique, hands-on printable activities that are educational, fun and inspire creativity in young minds.

Left Brain Craft Brain: Anne is an ex-engineer, current stay-at-home mama writing about crafty ways to encourage creativity (and brain power!) in our kids. Each of her projects gives kids the chance to learn about a new subject and do something crafty at the same time.

A Little Pinch of Perfect: Katie combines creativity, play, and learning for the perfect mishmash of fun activities that keep kiddos entertained throughout the day. She wholeheartedly believes in the power of play and feels that all activities naturally provide a fun way to learn.

One Time Through: Sue is an Elementary School Teacher currently on leave to be at home with her preschooler son.  She shares ideas for connecting and learning with kids through meaningful, play-based activities that nurture curiosity and creativity.

Love to Learn Linky Etiquette:

• Posts should be about educating our kids in any way - science, art, cooking, crafts, behavior, parenting, etc. Please keep them family friendly and please no Etsy shops or giveaways unless they are relevant to the topic.

• Upload your direct post link to the InLinkz widget. Link up to 3 posts.

• Like the hosts on Facebook: Totschooling, A Little Pinch of Perfect, Left Brain Craft Brain and One Time Through.

• Or follow the hosts on Pinterest: A Little Pinch of Perfect, Left Brain Craft Brain, Totschooling and One Time Through.

• Post our button on your site.

• By linking up, you agree to have your images shared with credit.

Link up and grab a button!

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An InLinkz Link-up

20 Easy Christmas Crafts for Toddlers + $2,000 CASH Giveaway

Are you looking for Christmas craft ideas for your toddler? You've come to the right place! I am featuring a collection of 20 Easy Christmas toddler crafts. These crafts are all very creative and look great hanging up in your home or in the classroom. They use a variety of craft materials including contact paper, foam sheets and clear plastic ornaments, as well as a variety of art techniques such as handprints and tape resist. 

After browsing through these great ideas, stick around for a little while and enter the $2000 Mega Cash Giveaway at the bottom of this post! 

Painting & Mixed Media

Paper Plate Christmas Wreath by Sow Sprout Play
Easy Bubble Wrap Christmas Tree Ornament by Lalymom
Pom Pom Painting Christmas Tree by Fantastic Fun and Learning
Paper Plate Christmas Tree by House of Burke
Button Christmas Trees by Happy Hooligans
Paper Plate Ornament Craft by Crafty Morning

Tape Resist

Tape Resist Glitter Forest by Left Brain Craft Brain
Tape Resist Snowflake by Play Create Explore

Contact Paper

Sticky Christmas Tree by Adventures of Adam
Stained Glass Christmas Tree by Crafts on Sea
Sticky Christmas Trees  by Two Daloo
Stained Glass Wreath by In the Playroom

Handprint

Handprint Christmas Tree by Fun Handprint Art
Handprint Wreath by Sweet and Lovely Crafts

Glitter & Sparkle

Tin Foil Trees Ornament by Happy Hooligans
Sparkly Christmas Tree by At Home with Ali
CD Ornaments by Happy Hooligans

Foam Sheets

Build a Frosty Snowman Kit by Growing a Jeweled Rose
Window Christmas Trees by Hands on: as we grow

Clear Plastic Ornaments

Shaken Paint Christmas Ornament by Simple Fun for Kids
Christmas I Spy Ornaments by Play at Home Mom LLC

And now for the Mega Cash Giveaway!

Win one of FOUR $500 cash prizes directly in your paypal account! This giveaway is open internationally. You must be 18+ years old to enter. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Winners will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please see detailed terms and conditions below the giveaway for more info.

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Free Christmas Playdough Mats

Playdough mats are always a hit at our house, so I love creating a set for every season and Holiday. Here is a set of free printable Christmas playdough mats, which includes 10 fun activities: Making Santa's beard, making Rudolph's antlers, decorating a Christmas tree, a wreath, making a snowman, a gingerbread man, candy canes, decorating ornaments, presents and more!

I always recommend that you laminate playdough mats, so you they can be used again and again! Here is the laminator that I use (affiliate link):

Click here to download your FREE Christmas Playdough Mats!

If you enjoy these mats, try our Fall Playdough Mats, Summer Playdough Mats, and American Flag Playdough Mat too!