It's Coming Up Candy Canes

Craft Time: Using red and white (or red and silver) pipe cleaners, make candy cane tree ornaments. Just wrap the two pipe cleaners around each other, then form into a cane shape. This is an excellent alternative to hanging the real thing on the tree. In our home, the ornaments will be replaced by real candy canes after the kids go to bed Christmas eve. Then, in the morning, they will find that Santa traded out their ornaments for candy and will be so thrilled.

Story Time: Keep reading your children Christmas stories.

Indoor Time: Play Make the Shape. In this game we will keep with our candy cane theme. Using toys, pillows, etc. have your kids lay out objects on the floor in the shape of a candy cane. Create the first one for them so they see the object of the game. If the kids are really young, you may want to pick out the objects for them to place into position.

Art Time: Break out the playdough and make candy cane shapes.

Outdoor Time: Play "I Spy" with your kids. Look around and pick out an object in the yard that is easily seen. Say, "I spy with my little eye something that is..." then give one word that describes the object such as "square," "blue," or "tall." Then have them try to guess what you have picked. Take turns picking the object.

Music Time: Play with any musical toys you might have - whether they are toy instruments or toys that play different kid songs. Sing the songs with your kids and interact with them with their toys. They have so much fun sharing their play time with you and will love showing you how good they are at making music.