Christmas Carols

Early examples of Christmas carols derive from pagan music that has been modified and updated to hold the Christian message.  A lot of Christmas carols are centuries old and do not grow stale for religious communities.  Carols bring spice to Christmas celebrations and form an important part of the atmosphere.  The Holiday season is around the corner and a lot of Christmas Carols are already playing in many places.

Christmas carols are the songs people like to hear around Christmas Eve.  Christmas songs saturate the atmosphere in the spirit of fun and enjoyment!  Normally, carols are positive songs of praise and joy, and carolling is supposed to encourage joy, good will, and friendship.  Although you will find many Christmas songs which are tinged with a spiritual flavour, there are many carols that reflect Christmas without a religious meaning.

Singing carols is an excellent method to commemorate the birth of Christ.  When it comes to word carols, "carol" is a derivative of the French term caroller, which means dancing around inside a circle.  So when you find a group of carollers on your doorstep or look at a Christmas show on television, seriously consider the words

CHRISTMAS BAKING

Christmas baking is a time for the family to come together. For many families baking is a tradition at Christmas time.  Every year the same recipes are taken out and the ingredients bought and prepared.  Cookies, plum pudding and Christmas cake are the usual with some family members preferring chocolate cake.    

Sifting flour, mixing fruit and rolling cookie dough are a wonderful way to bond with your children.  Baking teaches kids about measurements and the effect of cooking the raw ingredients.    Children love to be part of the action and given a responsibility.  It is a very special time you can have with your children, so make sure you plan it out well and be prepared for all the mess afterwards. 

The end result, no matter what it looks like, gives children a sense of accomplishment and pride.

PUZZLES AND JIGSAWS

Jigsaw puzzles are for people of all ages. They are available in many different sizes with varying amounts of pieces normally starting from 4 to 1000.  The old wooden jigsaw puzzles are considered the best and they are handcrafted using mechanical scroll saws.

   

Parents and teachers often use puzzles and jigsaws to make learning fun and for mental stimulation and agility.   Jigsaws are sometimes printed on both sides, to make solving them more challenging.  Young children enjoy jigsaw puzzles with scenes from favourite nursery rhymes or stories.  Puzzles with the alphabet and numbers are very good.  They have an exceptional educational value.

Now jigsaw puzzles are available in spherical shape, which are 2 dimensional.  These are available in shapes like the Moon and Earth.   Technology now provides computer versions of jigsaw puzzle.

Jigsaw puzzles are excellent for brain training and co-ordination improvement. In particular, they work on the ability to reason, analyze, sequence, deduce, logical thought processes and problem solving.

Jigsaw puzzles are unique in that they give us the opportunity to achieve a state of creative meditation, while giving us the satisfaction of accomplishment.

Kids from 8 to 80 love jigsaws. 

SCIENCE TOYS

Science toys are all about discovery. Science is a thrilling adventure discovering wonderful facts about the environment and its inhabitants. These toys are about learning, probing, exploring, and solving problems. Science toys open up a whole world of imagination and wonderment.

Science toys perform scientific demonstrations that keep children and adults interested and entertained.  Educational toys can encourage an interest in nature, art and physics and stimulate the child's thinking and promote learning.

Science teaches them not only how things work but how things can be made.   It also shows how nature works and why. Children have enquiring minds and love learning how things work. Children’s young minds are like sponges, soaking up information.

Kids learn though doing and playing.   Science toys allow a child to become comfortable with scientific principles and help dispel any preconceived notions about the "difficulty" of the subject.