Stop the presses! This Christmas invitation to play went on for days!
I don’t often toot my own horn, but I will flat out say that this Christmas invitation to play is the bomb.
The boys played with the wooden train tracks for days. The only reason we cleaned it up was that I needed to walk without tripping over a track. Sounds reasonable in my books, but they begged for more!
It is the perfect stuck at home all day, kids walking in circles, Christmas invitation to play that you must try. – Like, immediately.
RELATED: Want to get in the holiday spirit? Here are 40+ Christmas Activities to get you going!
Last week I took the boys to a real Christmas tree farm.
The week before that, we read the book, Pick a Pine Tree found here in our Christmas book list.
Both experiences were exactly what we needed to get into the holiday spirit. I combined the two and finished off with this Christmas invitation to play by creating a wooden train track loop around the tree farm.
What is an invitation to play?
An invitation to play in an environment that is created around the child’s interests. It prompts thinking and encourages children to take the lead with their learning.
To set up, I created a super simple replica of a tree farm they were familiar with from our holiday book reading and real-life experiences.
You will see as the pictures progress, that my children continued to join in the fun!
I set up this Christmas invitation to play using toys they enjoy
My children also love to use thier wooden train tracks. Remember when they created the miniature golf course with the train tracks? This is a similar invitation to play.
We’ve had wooden train tracks for years, and they float in and out of their everyday play.
Sometimes finding an old favorite and pairing it with a new idea prompts new play. We found this to also be true with our holiday light decorating invitation to play!
Here’s what I did to prep the environment for play
This brown paper roll is a hidden secret that is found at Home Depot. You can find it in the painting department, and it is called Builder’s Paper.
I rolled out and cut a large piece of paper. – We also use it here for our gingerbread sticker matching activity.
Next, I taped it to the floor. You can use delicate painter’s tape if you are concerned about the finish on your floors.
Finally, I quickly cut out some triangles from the green paper we had around the house. I added them to the paper for the trees on the tree farm.
I grabbed our wooden track bins and placed them in front of the Christmas invitation to play. The rest of the play is up to the children!
RELATED: Need a fantastic DIY Christmas gift? You will love these fingerprint holiday lights!
Supplies
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Wooden train tracks can take a few years to build up inventory. Here, we have seven years’ worth of Christmas and birthday gifts.
PRO TIP: It is an excellent idea to begin looking for used tracks that families in your neighborhood may have grown out of. Our first collection of tracks was a large hand me down set from a family member.
- Wooden tracks starter set
- Track expansion set
- Builder’s paper – on Amazon
- Construction paper
- Scissors to cut the trees – I like these child-friendly scissors
RELATED: Supplies like these are open-ended and forever. Our holiday toy lists include all our favorites!
The boys played with this Christmas tree farm for DAYS!
You may be walking around wooden tracks, but your children will be creating, imagining, and designing during these colder days inside at home.
Invite this Christmas invitation to play into your home today!
