Glenys Deutscher ©

Father Christmas Reading and Art

Notes for Tutors:

This is an easy, one lesson, reading and craft activity.

Reading, understanding and following written instructions is an important comprehension skill for

children to master. This activity develops comprehension, problem solving and fine motor skills and it is

integrated into the Arts Learning Area. Putting in the effort to produce a carefully cut out and completed

Father Christmas develops pride in one’s work. Children realise that good results are often the product

of effort.

Early readers will need assistance with this activity. Accomplished readers will be able to read and work

the worksheet with no/little assistance. Whatever the level of reading development of the children in

your class, give only as much assistance as each child needs to succeed.

Each child will need:

1 Father Christmas Sheet

1 Father Christmas Worksheet

5 cotton balls

one red crayon

coloured pencils

scissors

craft glue

This activity can easily be integrated with:

o Literature: Before working the activity read a story with Father Christmas as the main character.

o Music: Work this activity before or after learning a song which mentions Father Christmas.

o Oral Expression: Work this activity before or after learning a poem which mentions Father

Christmas.

o Writing:

1. Work this activity and then encourage children to write a narrative about Father Christmas.

2. Write a letter to Father Christmas.

o Drama: Work this activity – divide the class into small groups - each group develops a short play

or skit with Father Christmas as the central character. (best results follow a class discussion

which gives children ideas to develop)

o Research: the origin of Father Christmas. What other names is he known by?

o Punctuation: Discuss the use of the apostrophe for Father Christmas’s face (etc)

Note:

Discuss eye colour with the children before they work No 4 on the worksheet.

Curling Father Christmas’s beard is a challenge for younger children. It provides practise

using/developing fine motor skills.

Children cut along the lines in Father Christmas’s beard.

Place Father Christmas on the desk/table facing upwards.

Place a pencil across the bottom of one of the strips.

Roll the strip onto the pencil. Keep rolling to curl the strip.

Take the pencil out of the curl.

Repeat on each strip.

(It looks good not to roll all the strips to the same length.)

Glenys Deutscher ©

Father Christmas Worksheet My name is 1. Collect the following materials:

1 Father Christmas Sheet coloured pencils 5 cotton balls scissors 1 red crayon craft glue

2. Colour Father Christmas’s hat using the red crayon. Press firmly with the crayon as you colour in so you end up with a bright red hat with no white patches showing.

Tick the box when you have coloured in Father Christmas’s hat.

3. Choose a red pencil and colour Father Christmas’s nose and lip. Press firmly so Father Christmas has a bright red nose and lip.

Tick the box when you have coloured in Father Christmas’s nose and lip.

4. Choose the colour you are going to use to colour Father Christmas’s eyes. Colour his eyes with the pencil you have chosen. Colour his eye lids with a suitable colour.

Tick the box when you have coloured in Father Christmas’s eyes.

5. Choose the colour you are going to use to colour the rest of Father Christmas’s face. Colour Father Christmas’s face lightly. This will give him good skin colour. Make sure you don’t leave any white patches.

Tick the box when you have coloured in Father Christmas’s face.

6. Carefully cut around the edge of Father Christmas’s head.

Tick the box when you have finished cutting out.

7. Pull one cotton ball apart until it fits into the pom pom on Father Christmas’s hat. Glue it in to place. Pull another cotton ball apart and fit it into Father Christmas’s moustache. (You may not need a whole cotton ball) Glue it in to place. Pull out and spread the rest of the cotton balls onto the front of Father Christmas’s hat. (You may not need them all) Glue in to place.

When you have glued the cotton balls into place, tick the box.

8. Carefully cut the lines on Father Christmas’s beard. Give Father Christmas a curly beard. Your teacher will show you how to do this.

Tick the box when you have given Father Christmas a curly beard.

Well done -- Father Christmas is complete.

Glenys Deutscher ©