Tag Archives: Holidays

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Everyone at TLE wishes you a very joyous holiday season! We hope your holiday season is full of peace, joy, and happiness.

All the best for the New Year! Here’s to 2023!


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Try this fun Family Literacy idea to countdown the days to Christmas!

With a Christmas book countdown to Christmas calendar, instead of a piece of candy or chocolate, your child opens a Christmas picture book every day. What a great way to count the days to the holidays!!

What you need:

So how many books will you need? If you want to start your calendar December 1st you will need to decide if you countdown to Christmas Eve or Christmas day. That’s 24 or 25 books total. You can borrow storybooks from the library, gather favourite stories from around the house or from friends and family, and maybe add a few new titles.

Wrap Your Books

Wrap enough Christmas and winter-themed books for every day of your calendar and add a numbered tag to each one. Next, unwrap books daily as a family event and have fun reading! The “togetherness” is part of the joy of this engaging holiday activity. *Tip: Rewrap after the holidays for your next countdown to Christmas!

Use Your Imagination

Here’s a chance to be creative and start your family tradition!

  • Stack your books from largest to smallest to create the shape of a Christmas tree.
  • Stack your books to resemble a snowman
  • Put all of the books in a basket or pail
  • Display the books on the mantle place
  • Hide your books each day for a fun twist

Other Holiday Book Traditions You Can Start

  • Start a “12 Days of Christmas” tradition with a different theme for each day. Have books to read, crafts to create, and movies or special foods to enjoy.
  • Keep a basket of Christmas and winter-themed books under the tree to read aloud during the holiday season.
  • Use a mixture of books and movies to create your countdown calendar!
  • Go outdoors to read your books about snow.
  • Wrap a new book for each child to put on their beds after they fall asleep on Christmas Eve. 
  • Keep a collection of Christmas books that stay in a special basket during Advent.

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Welcome to The Learning Exchange (TLE) Winter and Holiday Activities page. Here you will find fun and exciting ideas and activities for all ages and members of the family to do! Visit this page for new activities & resources and look for new additions over the holidays.

LET IT SNOW!

These snowman activities and recipes are engaging, fun, and full of literacy skills, math skills, and STEM skills! Children learn to count, follow directions, read, problem solve and experiment or to just have fun being creative!

Snowman Finger PuppetsEasy Snowman Bath Bomb Recipe + Gift IdeaClothespin Snowman Craft for Kids to Make
Snow Science | Expanding SnowmanHow to Make a Sock SnowmanFoaming Dough Recipe: Magic Foaming Snowman
Snowman Sensory Bottle Winter Activity for KidsCurriculum Castle: How to Build a Snowman Writing ActivitySnowman Playdough Mat
How To Draw Cute Snow-people HuggingHow to Draw a SnowmanHow to Draw a Snowman Snowglobe
String Cheese SnowmenMelting Snowman Cookies RecipePersonal Snowman Pizzas

ONLINE STORIES

Books introduce children to the exciting world of stories and help them learn to express their own thoughts and emotions. Find favourites on these free online story sites. 

Free Children’s StoriesStoryberriesStorybooks and games
Stories to Grow ByStoryline OnlineFree Kid Books
TLE Reading Events in 2023:
Barbara Reid
I Love You More event

MUSIC, SONG & DANCE

Music stimulates all the senses, helping children learn to recognize patterns and sequence. Early music exposure helps children learn by promoting language, creativity, coordination, social interaction, self-esteem and memory.

Winter Hokey Pokey | Winter Songs for Kids | The KiboomersWinter Snowman DanceWintertime is Here Song | The Kiboomers 

HOLIDAY & WINTER ACTIVITIES

Spending time with family helps create a better life for your kids. Have fun together with these activities.

Virtual BingoMontreal Families Calendar
of Activities
Elmo Holiday Cookie Art
Sesame Street
Learning in the Great OutdoorsCBC Kids – 5 Birds that Love Canadian WintersHow To Draw A Snowflake
20 Outdoor Family ActivitiesIdeas for Holiday Literacy FunChange Up Winter Play With A Snow Maze
Holiday Slime RecipeWinter Scavenger HuntOutdoor Holiday Activities for Kids
HSBC Family Literacy First Free Activities & ResourcesHoliday Dress Up Time!
Sesame Street
How to Draw a Winter Village

DECEMBER HOLIDAYS IN CANADA + AROUND THE WORLD | ACTIVITIES

Few months present as many multicultural celebrations as December. From Christmas to Kwanzaa, the last month of the year is a “world of holidays.” Click on the links below for lots of fun family-friendly activities related to some of December’s holidays around the world.

Holidays and Observances Around the WorldCanada CalendarBoxing Day in Canada
CHRISTMASHANUKKAHKWANZAA
NEW YEAR’SJan. 2 in Quebec

Please contact TLEliteracy@yahoo.ca for any comments, suggestions or if there is a December or holiday celebration you would like to see included in this section!

TLE FAMILY LITERACY SERIES

Use TLE’s Family Literacy Series videos to help instil a love of reading in your child or family member.

How to Raise-a-ReaderHow Reading Helps Kids GrowWays to Help Kids Love Reading
Learning Through Creative PlayFamily Literacy Inside and Outside the Home
This project is made possible thanks to the financial participation of the regroupement lavallois pour la réussite éducative RLPRE as part of an agreement with the Ministry of Education:


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If you celebrate Kwanzaa or just want to learn about the traditions, use these resource links to have fun!

Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration that honors African heritage in African-American culture. Kwanzaa is a holiday that was first started by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966, who was looking for a way to bring together African Americans as a community. He took traditions from the African harvest or ‘first fruit’ celebrations and highlighted seven symbols that represent values and concepts reflective of African culture. Kwanzaa is observed from December 26th to January 1st, and culminates in gift giving and a big feast.

THE SEVEN VALUES OF KWANZAA

Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, community and culture. 

  1. Unity (Umoja), 
  2. Collective Work & Responsibility (Ujima), 
  3. Self-determination (Kujichagulia), 
  4. Purpose (Nia), 
  5. Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa), 
  6. Faith (Imani), and 
  7. Creativity (Kuumba).

The seven symbols of those values are Fruits, Nuts, & Vegetables for the crops (Mazao), the Place Mat (Mkeka), an Ear of Corn (Vibunzi). The Seven Candles (Mishumaa Saba), The Unity Cup (Kikombe Cha Umoja), Gifts (Zawadi), and The Candleholder (Kinara).

KWANZAA ACTIVITY IDEAS

30+ of the Best Kwanzaa Crafts and Activities for KidsSesame Street: Kwanzaa Dancing With ElmoKwanzaa Is Here Song for Kids
The Kiboomers
How to Draw a KinaraThe 10 Best Kwanzaa Books for KidsKwanzaa Facts Quiz

ONLINE STORIES

Enjoy these online stories about Kwanzaa with the family.

Little Rabbit’s KwanzaaKwanzaa: What It Is and
How we Celebrate It!
Together for Kwanzaa
My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz Kevin’s KwanzaaKwanzaa Stories
This project is made possible thanks to the financial participation of the regroupement lavallois pour la réussite éducative RLPRE as part of an agreement with the Ministry of Education:

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If you celebrate Hanukkah or just want to learn about the traditions, use these resource links to have fun!

Hanukkah is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

These Hanukkah activities are wonderful for kids and families of all ages to learn about the holiday and celebrate in a respectful, fun way.

8 Family Activities for 8 NightsHow to Draw a MenorahMake a Dreidel out of a CD!
15 Mins Hanukkah Songs for Children The KiboomersSesame Street: Hanukkah With Veronica MonicaSesame Street – Telly plays Drediel
Hanukkah Menorah Shape CollageHanukkah ActivitiesFun with Food: Hanukkah Snacks Edition (vegan + gluten-free)
13 Fascinating Hanukkah Facts That Everyone Should KnowSesame Street: Happy Hanukkah from Elmo and his friends!Hanukkah Food Traditions
10 Question Hanukkah Quiz!

ONLINE STORIES

Lots of great Hanukkah stories to read and listen to as a family.

Clifford Celebrates Hanukkah
Read Aloud
Hanukkah in AlaskaShmelf The Hanukkah Elf by Greg Wolfe Read Aloud
Hanukkah Bear by Eric A. Kimmel
Read Aloud
This project is made possible thanks to the financial participation of the regroupement lavallois pour la réussite éducative RLPRE as part of an agreement with the Ministry of Education:

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If you celebrate Christmas or just want to learn about Christmas traditions, use these resource links to have fun!

CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES

Christmas is a special time of the year that helps bring family, friends, and loved ones together.

NORAD Tracks Santae-mailSanta.comReindeer Cam
Christmas Cultures Around the WorldEasy Toddler Christmas Craft Activities30+ Fun Christmas Activities To Help You Enjoy The Holidays
34 Fun Christmas Recipes To Make With KidsCountdown to Christmas IdeasHow to Draw a Christmas Landscape

CHRISTMAS SONGS

Create unforgettable moments with your friends and family this holiday season while enjoying these Christmas songs.

That Time of Year
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
Sesame Street-12 Days of Christmas Cookies30 Christmas Songs to Enjoy with Friends and Family
Deck the Halls
CoComelon
Rudolph The
Red Nosed Reindeer
The Kiboomers
Santa Claus is Coming to Town + More Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs Playlist

ONLINE STORIES

Start a family tradition of reading a favourite story together.

It’s Christmas David!Fireside Christmas Story
with Cookie Monster
The Crayons’ Christmas
Holiday Stories with
Little Miss B
Santa’s Lost ReindeerHow the Grinch Stole Christmas
Christmas Stories from StoryberriesTop 10 Famous Christmas Stories for Kids10 Great Christmas Stories Free Online for Kids
This project is made possible thanks to the financial participation of the regroupement lavallois pour la réussite éducative RLPRE as part of an agreement with the Ministry of Education:

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If you celebrate Diwali or just want to learn about the traditions, use these resource links to have fun!

Diwali, also known as Divali or Deepawali, is a major festival celebrated over five days in many parts of India by people of different faiths including many Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Muslims and some Buddhists. It is sometimes referred to as “the festival of lights.”

Colorful Diwali Paper Diya CraftEasy “DOODH PEDA:” Indian No-Bake Sweets for Diwali Happy Diwali | Diwali Video Story For Kids
This project is made possible thanks to the financial participation of the regroupement lavallois pour la réussite éducative RLPRE as part of an agreement with the Ministry of Education:


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Learn about and celebrate New Year’s Eve as a family with these great activity ideas.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

10 Fun Ways to Celebrate New Year’s With the FamilyNew Year Song for Kids
The Kiboomers
Happy New Year | I Love To Learn | New Year’s Song for Kids
How To Draw Baby New Year12 New Year’s Picks For Your Book List for Little Kids
This project is made possible thanks to the financial participation of the regroupement lavallois pour la réussite éducative RLPRE as part of an agreement with the Ministry of Education:

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Canadian Thanksgiving takes place on the second Monday of October. The public holiday calls for a long weekend in every province. Here are some ideas for the long weekend in Montreal.


Vocabulary

Below are some common vocabulary words related to the holiday:

Click on the word for the definition.

Click on the speaker to hear the pronunciation.

Click the “learn to pronounce” (when available) to see a demonstration of how to say the word.

Follow-up Activities


News