Make & Play Nativity

I love collecting nacimientos (nativities). I have quite a few in my collection. So when I saw this, I was excited because it is a great way for me to pass on my love of them to my kids.

Make & Play Nativity (aff link) by Joey Chou is an interactive book with press-out pieces that assemble to make 20 figures for a 3D nativity. They are pretty simple - most only have three pieces to put together (the manger is the only one with more and it comes with directions for putting together the five sections). And they press out very easily without ripping. So this book is perfect for little hands.

I sat down with my 2-year-old and helped him assemble these pieces.

And the book also comes with additional activities. There is, of course, the nativity story, to read with your child after you have assembled your pieces and set them up. Then you can sing one of four carols - the lyrics are included.

Older children can go on to do one (or all!) of the crafts listed in the book, such as making a Christmas star or advent calendar.

And I was delighted to discover that all the pieces fit back inside the book, so when the season is over, I can put them back in and save it for next year! With a little care, this book should last for several years.

Overall, this little board book is just a gem for children. It is probably best suited for kids 3 to 7 years old, though you can enjoy it with your 2-year-old, as I did, and some older kids might enjoy the activities, too.

You still have time to get this book before Christmas if you use Amazon's Prime 2-day shipping.

Free Download: Christmas "What do You Like?" Survey

Wow! We are down to the last month of the year. I want to take a moment to thank MommyMaestra sponsor, Spanish for You!, for being such a strong supporter of not just this site, but also this community of bilingual families, bilingual homeschoolers, and bilingual educators. Their freebies are awesome, but their program is even better and definitely one of the best available for older children.

This month's freebie is centered around Christmas vocabulary. The two-page file contains key vocabulary related to the holiday. Your young Spanish learners can practice with the survey sheet and the audio file.

Click here to download this file

Remember! Spanish for You!'s program is geared for middle schoolers and is the perfect choice for homeschoolers and afterschoolers alike because their concepts are carefully divided up into manageable bundles that are available for immediate download from their website.

If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

Venezuelan Christmas Spotlight: Hallacas

(Source: Wikimedia) Hallacas con pan de jamon, Venezuelan food

Recently, I was researching for my new country coloring activity focused on Venezuela and I stumbled upon some great videos dedicated to making hallacas. (I'll tell you right now, I love watching cooking shows. So you know what's coming, right?)

Now, I've never had an hallaca, but after reading about them and watching a ton of videos online, I really, really want to try one.

(Source: Wikimedia) Hallaca ingredients :: Tomas Rojas 

Very similar to tamales, hallacas are a cornmeal dish with a filling of chicken, beef, or pork. Typically, they include other ingredients such as raisins, capers, and olives. Unlike the tamal, which is wrapped in a corn husk, hallacas are wrapped in a banana leaf and boiled. This dish is traditionally served around Christmas and New Year.

(Source: Wikimedia) Hallaca after steaming :: Jaimeluisgg

One of the comments I heard most while watching videos is how moist and flavorful they are. And as you can see from the picture above, they certainly look deliciously moist.

But the best thing I found online was the following videos. Watch them with your children  - maybe you might just want to try your hand at making some with your kids this holiday season!

Final TpT Sale of the Season!

Yikes! I forgot to tell you about this one! Don't forget that the final TpT sale of the year is happening. Today is the last day to take advantage of the discount on my ENTIRE store!

Search your wish list for those favorite holiday items. Here are just some of the items you might have been waiting to come around:

NEW this year! I've finally bundled my elementary files for Las Posadas. My five most popular activities for this tradition are available now. Reading passages for older children also available.

This printable booklet of popular villancicos is easy to print and go.

Here's a fun booklet of aguinaldo lyrics. 

My Parranda Reading Passage sheds light on this Puerto Rican tradition.

Introduce your students to el Día de los Reyes with this printable minibook! One-page reading passage for older children also available.

Click here to see my complete store and stock up for next year!

Lupita at Target

Oh. My. Goodness. I saw this doll in Target on Wednesday and I was moved to tears. La Virgen de Guadalupe is such a strong image in my childhood memories. My Buelita always had candles lit that featured her image, as well as a framed photo that hung in her bedroom. I remember that every year, the same Buelita would hang a calendar with Guadalupe in her kitchen. My Nanita also had a charm on her bracelet featuring our Lady. (Please excuse the shaky image - I was holding a squirmy baby at the time.)

But it is my mom who springs to my mind. She constantly referred to Guadalupe and had images of her stashed everywhere - in her purse, at home, various jewelry, etc. In case you don't know, December 12th was Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe Day). And that is the significance for me. I found her on her day and am reminded of my mom who passed away earlier this year.

This post contains affiliate links. 

So I could only imagine how popular this doll would be with MommyMaestra readers. Target is carrying the Lupita doll and book set both in their stores (this one I saw with the Elf on the Shelf (¡Qué horror!) display) and online. If you order online, you can have her shipped directly to your house or free to the store. Plus, it was on sale!

The 35-page bilingual, hardcover book has beautiful illustrations. It accompanies the plush Lupita doll who is a partner in kind in encouraging children to do good deeds throughout the Christmas holiday season leading to the Three Kings Day.💖

If you desperately want one, I would recommend going online to see if it is available in a Target store near you, or just order it and have it shipped to your home or local store. All the affiliate links in this post will take you directly to the product pages on Target.

But wait! The awesomeness doesn't end there! While searching for her, I found that there is also a Lupita Advent Calendar! Who cares if December has already started? Anyway, it runs from December 1st through JANUARY 6TH!! (Día de los Reyes, my friends.) It includes a full Nativity set for your child to put together. I LOVE nacimientos.

And, yes, there's more.

They are also selling an estrellita tree topper, a rosca de reyes baking mix, and a Lupita ornament. I couldn't find the ornament online, so I guess I'm going to pay a visit to all the Targets in my area and see if any are left. :)

Anyway, I thought I would share because it was such a delightful surprise to me and so I figure it might be to you, too, if you don't already know about it. 

Happy holidays, Amigos!

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Juan Diego & Our Lady of Guadalupe Reading Passage
  
  
• Día de los Reyes Lesson Plans, Books, Activities

Free Downloads: Bilingual Gift Tags & Christmas Poem

The week has been so busy preparing for Christmas and the arrival of family and friends! I'm sure you can relate.

So before I sign off for the year to spend the rest of the time with my family (and I hope you do, too!), I want to remind you of two freebies for MommyMaestra readers. Gifts from me to you.

First, get the kids involved in gifting with my bilingual Christmas gift tags. The set comes with a sheet of gift tags with 12 different designs in English and another in Spanish.

Click here to download your free gift tags

Second, many years ago, my mother published an adaptation of the famous poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas in one of her columns (she has been a journalist my whole life). The adaptation has a Latin twist. It was so good, that I wanted to share it with you. So I received permission to create this FREE DOWNLOAD of 'Twas the Noche Before Christmas. This version was written by Samuel Saenz, who is now retired and living in Texas.

I've created three different little "posters" so you can choose the one you like best, print it and share it with your children, all your friends, or just hang it in your house for some holiday decoration.

Click here to download your free poem

¡Feliz Navidad a todos!

Printable Booklet of Villancicos and Aguinaldos

Only a few more days until Christmas! And we are looking forward to caroling around our town sometime this week with our friends. :)

And that reminds me, if you are planning on singing together as a family on Christmas eve, or maybe you'll be caroling in your neighborhood, then don't forget about my printable libros full of villancicos and aguinaldos!

Both booklets are available IN SPANISH ONLY, and only contain the lyrics. The musical score is not included.

The villancico booklet includes the following songs:

• Noche de paz
• Arbolito, arbolito
• Mi burrito sabanero
• Los peces en el río
• Fum, fum, fum
• Dime Niño
• Adoremos
• Pastores venid 
• Campana sobre campana
• El tamborilero
• Ya vienen los Reyes Magos

The aguinaldo booklet includes the following songs:

• Estrella de Belén 
• Arbolito, arbolito
• Alegres venimos
• Pobre lechón
• Traigo un ramillete
• Las Navidades
• Alegría
• Venid Pastores
• Linda parranda
• Flores de aguinaldo
• Aguinaldo de la Trulla

Want to see what they are like? Here's a sample for you to download.

Both are available here!

Enjoy!

Free Download: A Bilingual Christmas Booklet

December has arrived and Navidad is only a few weeks away! This month's freebie from our sponsor, Spanish for You! is a bilingual booklet that you can use to boost your child's Spanish vocabulary associated with Christmas.

Today's printable is a 4-page activity that comes with an audio file for learning proper pronunciation. Your little Spanish learners will learn key words for the season while assembling and reading their booklet, and there is also a bilingual Christmas dialogue you can print up and use to practice speaking aloud.

Download the printable file here

Download the audio file here

Spanish & Bilingual Books About Christmas 

(affiliate links)

Spanish for You!'s program is geared for middle schoolers and is the perfect choice for homeschoolers and afterschoolers alike because their concepts are carefully divided up into manageable bundles that are available for immediate download from their website.

If this is your first time here, you can find other free samples from Spanish for You! here. There are some fantastic downloads of games and activities for you and your family to enjoy. If you enjoy this activity, be sure to visit the Spanish for You! website where you'll find tons of additional resources for you to help your young Spanish learner!

App Review: Mundo Lanugo en Navidad

UPDATE: Mundo Lanugo is no longer available. However, another app that you may enjoy Is the Canticos Bilingual Preschool App.

Last year, I did an app review of Mundo Lanugo's first app celebrating Hispanic heritage. And now I get to do that again. Their newest app is a celebration of Christmas...Latino style!

Name: Mundo Lanugo en Navidad
Subject(s): Spanish culture & language
Brief Description: An interactive, Spanish app that teaches children about Hispanic culture and language through holiday-themed animated videos and interactive games.
Price: $1.99
Language: Spanish
Ages: 2 - 5 years
Device: iOS & Android

Your child will LOVE listening and dancing to the villancicos on this app! Or they may prefer to create their own music by dragging Lanugo characters holding different musical instruments onto the stage. 

The app also allows your creative child to dress up like their favorite Christmastime characters, such as one of the Reyes Magos, an elf, or even Mary, the mother of Jesus. Or they can build a guitar with Muki!

If you have children who love to spend time in the kitchen, they'll enjoy whipping up some holiday dishes with Chuy, or decorating their own virtual gingerbread house. :)

And finally, your child can enjoy two matching games. In one, they must match the items in their menu bar with the correct picture, and in the other, they must sort/match shapes.

Here's an idea of what the app is actually like. Wouldn't it make a fun, educational gift for the holidays? Give it to them early so they can get into the spirit, or play it on trips you might be taking this holiday season. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Los Pollitos Bilingual App
  
  
• Canticos Videos
  
  
• Canticos Bilingual Preschool App
  
  
• Skeletitos: Make Every Moment Count
  
  
• Preschool at Home: A Guide for Caregivers

"'Twas the Noche Before Christmas" Free Printable

Dear friends,

I'll be focusing on family for the rest of the year, so my postings here will be sparse (unless I find some real goodies!). But before that happens, I want to make sure and leave you with one more gift: "'Twas the Noche Before Christmas" printable poem.

This post contains affiliate links.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas Bilingual Version

Many years ago, the famous poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas came out. It didn't take long before some creative genius rewrote it with a Latin twist. Since then it has been rewritten countless times.

My mother published one of these adaptations YEARS ago in one of her columns (she has been a journalist my whole life). It was so good, that I wanted to share it with you. So I received permission to create this FREE DOWNLOAD of  'Twas the Noche Before Christmas. This version was written by Samuel Saenz, who is now retired and living in Texas.

I've created three different little "posters" so you can choose the one you like best, print it and share it with your children, all your friends, or just hang it in your house for some holiday decoration.

Download this File for Free Here

'Twas The Night Before Christmas in Spanish

If you were looking for the actual Spanish version of the Christmas classic, 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, here are a few resources.

First of all, in Spanish, this poem is titled, Era La Vispera de Navidad. You might like this beautiful children's book to share with the students or children in your life:

Era La Vispera de Navidad
by Clement C. Moore

If you want a preview of it, you can find a good read-aloud version on YouTube by KidTimeStoryTime:

Here's another book version:

Cuento De Nochebuena: The Night Before Christmas Spanish

Or you may prefer this version by writer María García Esperón.

Happy Holidays to you all,

xoxox

Monica

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

• Bilingual Children's Books for the Holidays
  
  
• Día de los Reyes Lesson Plans, Books, Activities
  
  
• Las Posadas Lesson Plans, Crafts, Activities, and Music
  
  
• Free Download: Bilingual Christmas Gift Tags

Last Bilingual Christmas Printable for the Year

For my final post of the year, I wanted to share a free and simple activity to develop your child's vocabulary and spelling skills. This bilingual Christmas acrostic is easy for older children to fill out alone, or younger kids can work it out with an adult.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY HERE

I'm going to take the rest of this year off to spend with my family and recharge for the coming year.

I want to wish ALL OF YOU a very happy holiday and safe new year!

Feliz Navidad...

~Monica

Free Christmas Board Game in Spanish

¡Feliz navidad! 

This month's free printable from our sponsor, Spanish for You, is a Christmas vocabulary and board game plus audio file. For Spanish-learning children and families, this printable is a fun activity for everyone.

The game cards and game board are available as a pdf file download. It consists of six pages with pictures and words to introduce new vocabulary associated with this holiday. The set comes with a game board and instructions for playing. There is also an activity sheet plus links to additional activities online, so your kids can practice using the words they've just learned.

As with all of Spanish for You's printables, you'll also find an audio file that you can use in conjunction with the pdf file.

Download the printable file here

Download the audio file here

Happy holidays from all of us!