Follow The Star, The Christmas Story Activity Book: Coloring, Mazes, Crafts, and more (Ages 4-7)
Cookies Series
What’s inside...
From the beloved New York Times bestselling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, 'Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons' captures the spirit of Christmas through the theme of cookies. This book not only presents vocabulary words but also imparts valuable holiday lessons, such as the importance of tradition and celebration. Accompanied by Jane Dyer's cozy illustrations, the book is perfect for emergent readers and offers timeless wisdom that appeals to all ages. It makes for a thoughtful Christmas gift, especially when paired with home-baked cookies.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
4-8
Length
40 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What was your favorite part of the Christmas story and why?
How did following the star make the wise men feel?
If you were there, what gift would you bring to baby Jesus?
How can we help others feel joyful like in the Christmas story?
What colors would you use to decorate your version of the star?
Tip: Role play these questions
While discussing the book, maintain eye contact and show genuine interest in their responses to encourage deeper thinking.
Use follow-up questions based on their responses to explore their thoughts and help them connect personally with the story’s themes.
Relate parts of the story to your family's own holiday traditions to make the conversation more relatable and meaningful.
Praise their creativity as they engage in coloring and crafts, linking their artistic expressions to the characters or events in the book.
Encourage them to imagine beyond the book by asking what they might do differently if they were a character in the story.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy and Compassion
Explanation: Through engaging with the story of the nativity, children learn about the challenges faced by Mary and Joseph and the kindness shown to them by others.
Real-World Application: Children can apply these lessons by showing kindness and understanding to their peers and family members, especially those who may be different from them or in need of help.
Example Lesson: Creativity and Self-expression
Explanation: The activity components like coloring, crafts, and mazes encourage children to express themselves creatively while engaging with the story.
Real-World Application: Children can use the skills learned to explore and express their emotions and ideas in other creative projects at home or in school.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving
Explanation: The mazes and crafts in the book help children to develop their problem-solving skills as they figure out how to navigate challenges and complete projects.
Real-World Application: These problem-solving abilities can be used in everyday situations, such as resolving conflicts with friends or tackling challenging tasks at school.
Example Lesson: Understanding Traditions
Explanation: Children learn about the Christmas story and the traditions surrounding this holiday, giving them insights into cultural practices and the reasons behind them.
Real-World Application: This knowledge helps children to appreciate and respect their own and others' traditions and celebrations, promoting cultural awareness from a young age.
Example Lesson: Persistence
Explanation: By working through the activities and crafts, children learn the value of persistence as they strive to complete each task.
Real-World Application: This lesson in persistence is applicable in schoolwork, sports, and other hobbies where continuous effort is required to achieve success and improvement.