Fun Christmas Stories for Young Children
New Picture Books about the Christmas Season for Kids
Oct 17, 2008
Children don’t need much encouragement to join in Christmas festivities. With the many outings and celebrations occurring during the holiday season, it is also helpful to have some quieter activities available to entertain children. Christmas picture books are one option for a more settled activity.
Christmas Picture Books for Young Children
Maisy’s Christmas Day (Walker Books, 2008) by Lucy Cousins
Long-time favourite Maisy the Mouse has a new board book released for Christmas 2008. With the familiar bright, simple drawings and a fun story about Maisy celebrating Christmas with her friends, this book is suitable for toddlers and preschoolers.
Princess and Fairy: A Very Sparkly Christmas (Scholastic Australia, 2008) by Anna Pignataro
In this adventure, the adorable bunnies from the popular Princess and Fairy (Scholastic Australia, 2007) story must decorate the Grand Evergreen Moor tree. They search throughout Fairyland to find all the decorations on their list. Children search with Princess and Fairy for the items hidden in the illustrations. This fun book has rhyming text and a gentle message.
A Present for Father Christmas (Walker Books, 2008) by David Wood
Instead of asking for something in his Christmas letter, Sam offers to get Father Christmas a present instead. Touched by Sam’s generosity, Father Christmas looks forward to visiting Sam’s house. Sam has saved his money but is upset when he can’t decide what Santa might like. Father Christmas rewards Sam’s thoughtfulness and rewards him by allowing Sam to join him on his sleigh delivering Christmas gifts.
With pop-up pictures on every second page and a 3-D view into Santa’s workshop at the end of the story, this book is too fragile for young children to read alone but has a lovely message about thinking about others at Christmas that they will enjoy.
Letters to Santa (Scholastic Australia, 2008) by Andrew Daddo
Animals from around the world are writing to Santa to let him know what they would like for Christmas. The text is included on actual letters enclosed in envelopes on each page.
The fun letters will amuse children as they discover what Golly the Lion in South Africa, a flock of sheep in New Zealand, a crocodile in Brazil and a panda in China and six other animals want to find in their Christmas stocking. With a humorous tone and bright illustrations this is a fun Christmas story, although the fiddly envelopes might be difficult for young children to manage alone without damaging the book.
Christmas Activity Books
Some publishers release Christmas activity books to accompany their most popular Christmas stories. Parents can read the picture books then children can complete a variety of puzzles, colouring-in and drawing pages and sticker activities. Some books also include simple Christmas recipes.
In 2008, Scholastic Australia has released several Christmas activity books to accompany their Australian Christmas story collection. These include An Aussie Night Before Christmas Activity Book, An Aussie Night Before Christmas Sticker Book, Aussie Jingle Bells Activity and Sticker Book and Santa’s Aussie Holiday Activity Book.
Sticker and activity books are great stocking fillers given with a small set of pencils or coloured markers. Packing one or two when going on a family drive to visit relatives for the holidays can also help to entertain children bored with travel or visiting homes that are not necessarily child friendly.
Celebrating the Magic of the Christmas Season
While there are many significant and special messages conveyed at the Christmas season, it is also simply a magical time for children. Sharing fun Christmas stories and activity books offers children another way to enjoy this special time of year.
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