Happy Christmas everybody, we are still a bit early, but this is the last Toddlers’ Online page until 8th January. We are already making the crafts to go into the bags so please let us know that you want one, we don’t carry names forward so you do need to email.

Thank you so much for the photographs, it so heartwarming to see the bags being used.

Instructions to make Nativity Puppets
Joseph:
One green body, one brown hair and beard, one cream face and one yellow headband.
Stick brown hair/beard onto green body.
Stick face on top of the hair/beard.
Stick the yellow headband across the top of the head/face.
Draw on eyes (and other features you would like).

Mary:
One blue body, one cream face and one white headband.
Stick face near the top of the blue body.
Stick white headband across the top of the head/face.
Draw on eyes etc.
Jesus:
one white body and one cream face.
Stick face near the top of the body.
Draw on eyes etc.

Shall we start today by curling up small?
Now hold your toes and roll around, that’s a funny thing to do!

Hair and shoulders, knees and toes
knees and toes
Hair and shoulders, knees and toes
knees and toes
and thighs and calves and heels and toes
Hair and shoulders, knees and toes

You could sing the Hokey Cokey in different houses over zoom or facetime and all dance ‘together and apart’ (it is probably better to mute one screen as the timing won’t be right)

You put your left arm in
Your left arm out
In, out, in, out
You shake it all about
You do the hokey cokey
And you turn around
That’s what it’s all about
Woah, the hokey cokey
Woah, the hokey cokey
Woah, the hokey cokey
Knees bent
Arms stretched
Ra-ra-ra

You put your right arm in
Your right arm out

You put your whole self in
Your whole self out

This is a very traditional carol written in 1882, so children have sung it through two world wars, the Spanish Flu and in this pandemic. As Christians we find it helpful to remember that while the world changes God does not.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my bedside till morning is nigh.

Be near me, lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me for ever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

Happy birthday to all of you with birthdays around Christmas.
In December we have

Emmeline (3)

Henry (4)

Luca (4)
In January we have no birthdays recorded during the first week.
Please let us know your child’s birthday if you have recently joined us and we will make sure that we mention them.

Have you been to look at our nativity panels on the church steps on the High Street, the last people will join with the scene on Christmas Eve.
If you want to dress up and take your place around the crib and have your photo taken we would love to see them. The panels will be there until at least the 28th so grab your teatowel, your halo and your crown and have a walk over to church.
The boring but important thing we need to say is that of course you must keep a distance from people who aren’t in your household and avoid touching the panels, always hands, space, face.