Santa Express Workshop

All Aboard! Are you ready to hop on The Santa Express?  My Workshop is ready to go with activities, games, and art projects.  I love workshop because all the kiddos work at their own pace and always moving forward from job to the next job.  The only exception is,  before the kiddos can move to the next job  I have to see the current job they finished.  In other words my eyes see all the kiddos work.

Santa Express Workshop

I do workshop every day and have been doing so for my 36 years of teaching. Each week I have a different theme to my workshop.  This week is Santa Express Workshop!  I’m going to share with you how fast and easy it is to set up Santa Express Workshop.   I use Workshop in place of math centers and literacy centers as I find it more effective and efficient.  Need to get your workshop set up?  Check out how I set up my workshop, why I use workshop, rules for workshop, and get your free workshop set-up! 

Santa Express Workshop Job 1

Job 1-Don’t Miss the Train

Don’t Miss the Train is a partner game.  I like to start job 1 in Workshop with either a partner game or a small group game.  Partner games or small group games teach children to work together, follow rules of the game, share,  and play fairly.

The winner is the first player to be able to cross out the numbers 2 – 12 in the top row by adding the sum of the two dice without crossing out all sevens. If a player covers all sevens before crossing out 2 – 12, the game is over and the kiddo missed the Santa Express.  The kiddos love this game.  You can here squeals in the classroom when they roll a seven!  We even talk about there are many numbers combined that equal seven so watch out or you’ll miss the train!

You can find Job 1 – Don’t Miss the Train in The Santa Express

Santa Express Workshop Job 2

Job 2 – Reindeer Alphabet Order  This is a cut and paste job.  The kiddos cut out the alphabet reindeer in each numbered row.  The alphabet letters are mixed up, but follow a sequence.  The kiddos put the four reindeer in alphabetical order and glue them in the matching numbered row.

I don’t have the kiddos do all four rows but  I may choose to have them do only 2 rows. They can finish the other  two rows the next Workshop time.  Job 2 is the separating job in Workshop.  It helps “crowding” in all the remaining jobs in Workshop. 

You can find Job 2 – Reindeer Alphabet Order in The Santa Express

Santa Express Workshop Job 3

Job 3- Donuts and Dominoes – There are eight game boards and a set of dominoes are used in this job.( I sometimes copy more boards for a whole class.) The kiddos pick up a domino and add up the sum of the dots on the domino and match the sum to the number on the Donuts on the game board.

All the cards are a little different so the  kiddos have to just worry about their own game board.  I usually do this activity in a larger playing area.    I really like this game because the kiddos have many different combinations of dots that can make up the answer for a donut.(fact families)

You can find Job 2 – Donuts and Dominoes  in The Santa Express

Santa Express Workshop Job 4

Job 4 – Beginning Sound Game(First Letter Missing)  There are 30 beginning sound – picture cards and a recording sheet.

I spread the Beginning Sound Cards face up on the playing area. (Floor) The kiddos name the picture and listen to the beginning sound.  The  kiddos write the letter and the rest of the word on the recording sheet.  If the kids are playing on the floor, you will need to provide a  hard surface for them to write on the recording sheet.  The difference  from other games with beginning sounds they have to  listen to the beginning sound and write the completed word on the recording sheet.

If your kiddos already have a good understanding of Beginning Sounds, you may want to use my  Ending Sound Game in the Santa Express resource called Hot Cocoa. Hot Cocoa has a letter game board and picture cards to match the  ending sounds to the letter.    In fact,  you could have both games in job 4, but direct  kiddos to  game you’d like them to play.

You can find Job 4 – Beginning Sound Game and Ending Sound Game  in The Santa Express

Santa Express Workshop Job 5

Job 5  Santa’s Quickest Elf -The kiddos love this game!  the kiddo rolls a die and adds one more to the number rolled.  The kiddo is rolling to find out which elf is Santa’s “quickest elf”.  Is it the “Gift Wrapper”, “Candy Cane Maker”, etc.  When the whole class is finished we find out elf had the most wins.

You can find Job 5 – Beginning Sound Game  in The Santa Express

Workshop Job 6

Job 6 Pajama Kids

The pajama kids is a darling project.  I love using scrap book papers for this project.  It reminds me of my grandchildren in their cute”jamas”.  if you do not have scrap book paper, it is just as cute with construction paper and the kids can add their own design.  This is not a workshop job that is finished in one day, it will go into another workshop day.

You can find Job 6 Instructions for Pajama Kids  in The Santa Express

Get This Workshop Set Up

You can get everything you need and more to run Santa Express workshop in the The Santa Express in my store.  Check out the packet for even more of the great things included in this that can also be added to your Santa Express Workshop!