November 4: Christmas Paper Chain

Last year, about this time of year, Koen began asking how many days until Christmas.  After a few days of him asking, and a few days of me not satisfying him with my answer of, "We need to celebrate Thanksgiving first," I decided he needed a visual reference.  So I pulled out my scrapbooking stuff and we put together a paper chain.  It worked beautifully!!!  Anytime he asked about Christmas I could tell him to go check his paper chain to see how many days were left.  So last week when he asked, "How many days until Christmas?" I reminded him of the paper chain we made last year, and we decided to make another one for this year.

This year Ty was able to help, too!  The whole project, as simple as it is, really is a wonderful teaching tool ...

• for patterns (we use orange and yellow until Thanksgiving when we switch to green and red)
• for numbers (Koen and Ty helped count the days needed and Koen even practiced writing his numbers as he wrote most of them!)
• for months and seasons (at least fall and winter)
• for cutting (even though we used my scrapbook straight-edge when a scissors might have been better practice -- Koen just remembered what we had used last year.  They still had to hold the paper with one hand and slide the blade with the other which can be a bit tricky!)
• for writing (Tysen eve wanted to write on some of the strips...the first he's shown interest in that regard)
• for taking turns (cutting, writing, stapling, straightening the chain as it got longer, etc.)

The competed chain now hangs in their bedroom draped over the closet doors, and each night they remove one more ring, then watch and wait until Christmas.