Nutcracker Preschool Unit
The Nutcracker is one of the more classic Christmas stories. It is a wonderful tradition that encompasses imagination, bravery, and dance among other things. Our Nutcracker Unit started with a conversation. A conversation that started as many of our conversations do; about a book.
When my kids were four we opened Tallulah’s Nutcracker as part of our 25 Days of Christmas Books. A lengthy conversation over breakfast about the book and the Nutcracker left us with more questions than I could answer.
So we did two things;
- We watched portions of the Nutcracker on YouTube (it truly is amazing to me what you can find on YouTube)
- and I requested some more versions of the Nutcracker from our library.
From there, a Preschool Nutcracker Unit was born.
Preschool Nutcracker Unit
Our units generally contain three main elements – going places, reading books, and playing. Below are the ways we extended the interest in the Nutcracker.
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Read: Nutcracker Book List
Nutcracker Night by Mireille Messier & Gabrielle Grimard
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I’m always impressed when an author can take a familiar topic and put a unique twist on it. I have a lot of Nutcracker books in my Christmas book collection but none like this one. This tells the story of a little girl who goes to see the Nutcracker with her dad, nothing novel there, but it tells the story mostly through sounds. It captures the Nutcracker experience in a completely different way. The swish of her new dress. The “pickle-dee zing!” of the orchestra warming up. The sounds of the audience responding to the show. It’s a fun way to describe the experience and so child appropriate. The sparse, active text is paired with soft, warm illustrations. Together they bring to life this experience through the eyes of a child brilliantly.
Tallulah’s Nutcracker by Marilyn Singer
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Tallulah gets to be in real professional ballet production of the Nutcracker! She’s excited, even though she is only a mouse. Tallulah practices hard and feels ready for the big night. On opening night, disaster strikes and Tallulah learns that being a real ballerina isn’t being perfect, it’s getting back up when you fall. 3+
The Best Book of Ballet by Angela Wilkes
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This beautiful book has a lot of general information about ballet that my preschooler found fascinating. It also talks about the most famous ballets, including the Nutcracker. 3+
Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers
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This book tells the classic story of the Nutcracker with beautiful paintings. I bought this one to add to our Christmas book collection. 3+
The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet by Deborah Hautzig
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Brief text and bright illustrations this is the perfect version for young children. My children adore the colorful, playful pictures. 3+
Jan Brett’s The Nutcracker by Jan Brett
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This tells the traditional story of the Nutcracker with Jan Brett’s trademark classic style. It’s a beautiful book with rich details.
Bea in the Nutcracker by Rachel Isadora
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Isadora’s Bea series is perfect for toddlers. They are the perfect introduction to ballet and this is no exception. The text is basic, the illustrations are sweet, and you feel inspired to get up and dance. 2+
*Even more Nutcracker Picture Books from Embark on the Journey.
Play: Nutcracker Activity Ideas
The Nutcracker being larger the product of dreams and imagination, it is only fitting that this is where our children spent most of the next few days. Here are some simple activities I used to integrate some learning opportunities into their Nutcracker play.
Imaginative Play :
- Consider adding some props. You could make some mouse ears and swords. If you don’t have ballet clothes, this no-tutu pattern on Just We Moms looks simple enough.
- Reenact the story with dolls and/or puppets. This set from Amazon is darling, but you can also use your own stuffed animals and assign roles.
Math :
- Ordering Nutcrackers by Size. Use a Nutcracker collection or a nesting Nutcracker, like this one, and invite your preschooler to order them biggest to smallest.
- Greater Than/Less Than Nutcracker Activity using this free printable from Every Star is Different
- Nutcracker Number Game from PreKinders
Literacy:
- Map Characters
- Compare and Contrast Nutcracker book versions
- Nutcracker Printable Learning Pack from Embark on the Journey
- Nutcracker Preschool Learning Pack from Homeschool Preschool
Cognitive:
- Nutcracker Puzzle
- Find Russia on the Map : Our twins have been fascinated by maps since our Maps Unit last year. We found Russia on our Little Passports map. We talked about how we’d get there, what landmarks we might see, and what else we know about that part of the world.
Self Help & Fine Motor
- Nutcracker Ornament Invitation to Create from Playground Parkbench
- Try a nutcracker. We practiced on oyster crackers first to get the idea and then tried a walnut.
Gross Motor:
- 5 Basic Ballet Positions (you can download cards with the positions on Every Star is Different)
- Put on the music from the Nutcracker and dance!
- Tip Toeing Like a Mouse. We did this during transition times. For example, “Can you tip toe like a mouse to the back door and find your shoes?”
Go: Nutcracker Ballet
Nutcracker Ballet: This one is easy – go see the ballet! This year we are also going to see the Nutcracker Ballet in Jackson. Check your local ballet company for show availability and times!
*If that isn’t possible, there are several versions to rent or buy on Amazon.
12 Days of Christmas : 60 Bloggers from around the world have gathered to give you the very best of all things Christmas. Check out more by clicking HERE.