Difficulty: Explorer (Level 1)
A popular Christmas tale talks about the nine magical, flying reindeer that pull Santa’s sleigh. But did you know that reindeer are common in cold regions worldwide?
Reindeer live in northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. They look exactly like the reindeer shown in photos with Santa. They are horse-like and have large antlers. However, none of these reindeer have shiny red noses. They also cannot fly.
Reindeer are large animals. They can weigh up to 180kg and run up to 80km/h. While they may look scary, these sweet creatures only eat plants.
The first mention of Santa having reindeer appeared in a children’s poem in 1821. The poem was called “Old Santeclaus with Much Delight”. The author and illustrator of the poem are unknown. Since then, humans have believed that Santa uses reindeer during his annual visit to kids across the world.
Reindeer craft
Materials
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a knit glove
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red cotton ball (or you can colour a white cotton ball with a red marker)
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googly eyes
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ribbon
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scissors
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hot glue gun (to be used with the help of a parent)
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cotton balls
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twist ties or string
Instructions
1. With the help of a parent, use a hot glue gun to glue two eyes on one side of the glove. Then, glue the red cotton ball on the same side to be the nose of the reindeer.
2. Push the thumb of the glove inside so that it does not stick out. Then, use the twist ties or string to tie the two left-most fingers together. Do the same for the two right-side fingers. These are the antlers.
3. Stuff the glove with cotton balls.
4. Cut a piece of ribbon about 10cm long. Tie a bow around the base of the glove on the wrist. This will keep the stuffing inside the glove.
5. Enjoy your new reindeer friend! Make sure to give it a name.
Chocolate pretzel reindeer recipe
Materials
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10 mini pretzels
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5 small round chocolates (for example, Hershey’s kisses)
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5 small round red candies (for example, M&M’s)
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10 candy eyes (or you can use 5 miniature marshmallows and black sesame seeds or sprinkles)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Break five of your pretzels in half. If you are using marshmallows, cut them in half so that you have two circles.
3. Place the five unbroken pretzels on the baking sheet. Put the round chocolates on top of them. Stick two marshmallow rounds on each chocolate; these are the reindeer’s eyes. Place the baking sheet in the oven for about two minutes or until the chocolates are soft.
4. Stick the pretzel antlers into the softened chocolate. Then, add the nose and candy eyes. Add a black sesame seed or sprinkle where the eye’s pupil should be on the marshmallows.
5. Cool the reindeer completely before eating them.
