Guest Posted December 4, 2005 Posted December 4, 2005 Hi everyone! Would like to surprise the children next week and set up the role play area as a Father Christmas grotto. Has anyone tried and tested this idea before? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks Zouzou
Guest Posted December 4, 2005 Posted December 4, 2005 Matalan has a Santa outfit at a very reasonable price. The best grotto I ever saw was made from square trellis tied together and with tinsel woven in and out, perhaps you could borrow some from your local garden centre.
Guest Posted December 5, 2005 Posted December 5, 2005 We had a box of shredded paper in our grotto. The children loved throwing it up in the air pretending it was snowing. A bit messy, but they managed to contain it in the specific area and had lots of fun, they even swept it up afterwards like all good elves would do for Santa. I am very fortunate in that a local lady has given me some Santa and Mrs Santa dolls which she has made, I have 8 altogether. I also have a child sized Mr frosty the Snowman who is there to listen to all the childrens christmas wishes. We are setting our grotto up this week and I can't wait to see the childrens faces when I set out the dolls. We also decorate with trees, real fairy lights, a fibre optic tree and a workbench for wrapping boxes. Have fun Peggy p.s. one year the children decided to decorate the climbing frame with lots and lots of tinsel, they sat inside pretending to be father christmas.
Guest Posted December 6, 2005 Posted December 6, 2005 my grotto is hard to explain but if i can figure out how to send a piccie i'll try and do that soon! love twinkle* xxxx
Marion Posted December 6, 2005 Posted December 6, 2005 We have a child sized santa suit and Mrs Santa red dress Someone found Santa hats with beards attached which the children love. There is lots of paper for writing lists (naughty and nice) a letter box for all the letters from children asking for gifts.............the independent writing area has materials for writing letters to Santa paper envelopes etc. Today the children created their own senario without adult input (well i supplied extra materials when I saw what they were doing and found the end on the roll of selotape a few times ) I watched as group of children left the role play only to return with a collection of blocks from the Block Play Area these were wrapped using paper handkerchiefs and sellotape and a few ribbons and wool from the DT area ( confess to rescuing the box of paper handkerchiefs half the unit has colds and providing wrapping paper rolls and coloured tissue) The presents were then placed under the tree by a child dressed as Santa while the others in the group pretended to be asleep before waking and opening presents with great excitement! Later this progressed to the children wrapping themselves in wraping paper (with a little help) and singing Christmas songs on the stage in the performance area. Think the moral is ...........No matter what we provide the children will think of something new and far more interesting!
Guest Posted December 8, 2005 Posted December 8, 2005 Our TAs have made our grotto in a corner of the room. They used muslin type fabric to 'tent' the roof, decorated with fairy lights and a special chair for Santa. There are elf costumes and a special wrapping area at the other side of the room. The parcels are transported by reindeer (costumes from Asda) in a 'sleigh'- a pram decorated with sleigh shaped card. We acted out the parts to show the children how to play and they love it, take turns with no prompting and queue up to see Santa- brings tears to your eyes.
Guest Posted December 8, 2005 Posted December 8, 2005 In my pre-school we have a christmas grotto, hooked up to the roof is a green camoflage net with tinsel, baubles, lights all twisted through. All to high up for little hands to reach. The home corner door and window makes a corner and is decorated with christmas paper and red and green cellophane over the windows. Inside a box of dressing up clothes, for fairies, elves and santa's. A sack and basket of toys. This has provided fantastic role play as most of the children have been to see a Santa in his grotto. Hoping everyone is enjoying their christmas with the children, merry glitter to you all.
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