Christmas Countdown-UPDATED

There are two things that you need to know:

Number one:  I love love love advent calendars!
Number two:  I teach a co-op preschool.

I teach with another mother in my neighborhood.  We use this curriculum and I love everything about it.  I have done this with both of my daughters.  It's one of the best decisions that I have ever made.  It is so much fun to spend a couple of hours a week teaching these cute little people.  I highly recommend it.  (And no, that is not a paid advertisement--just my heartfelt endorsement of a really great program!)

Anyway.  Yesterday we started a new unit on sharing and service.  It coordinates beautifully with the holiday season.   To get things started, we made an advent calendar--a Christmas Service Countdown, if you will.  I wanted to do something a little different than what was suggested in the manual.  So, I came up with this:

Basically, there is a blank frame to showcase your child or their artwork.  At the bottom of the page, there are 24 little acts of service written on strips.  Each day (starting on December 1st) you rip a strip off the bottom and perform the service.  These are really simple acts that any preschooler could complete.  The idea is to help these little people focus on the true meaning of Christmas.  When the strips are gone--it's Christmas day!

Want to make one for the kids in your life?

Print out the page with the blank frame above, by clicking here.  Have your child draw a Christmas picture to insert in the frame.  I used an X-acto knife to cut around the points of the star that overlap the frame.  Then I had the kids color a picture of the nativity.  (They thought the night sky needed a few more stars.  Love it!)

You could also print out a 5x7 photo and glue it into the frame.

Then you just take a pair of scissors and cut between each service strip.  Be sure to leave the top of each strip intact!

I've got plans to make a version that could accommodate a little older child.  Watch for it soon!


UPDATE:

Here you go!  I replaced the preschool service acts with some that are more appropriate for older children.  To print this version, click here.

(This calendar was designed using products from weeds & wildflowers)