Living Montessori Now

Montessori Inspiration for Parents and Teachers

Free Reindeer Printables and Montessori-Inspired Reindeer Activities

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We’re starting a special theme right now that can be holiday related or not. It’s a new reindeer unit that can be used with or without a Santa Claus theme! Because each family has their own beliefs about Santa Claus, this can be centered on real reindeer (or it can be focused on Santa’s reindeer as well … even if you teach that Santa Claus is just a fun story).

Here, you’ll find links to free reindeer printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired reindeer pack for our free newsletter subscribers’ resource library! This unit has resources for preschool through early elementary.

Free Reindeer Printables and Montessori-Inspired Reindeer Activities

I grew up in a family that didn’t believe in Santa Claus. And I loved it! We got to open our presents on Christmas Eve, which was so much fun. I always knew the gifts were from my parents. My husband and I raised our children that way, too. We taught them that Santa Claus was just a fun story, but it was a fun story that we all loved. We thoroughly enjoyed Christmas books and movies (and cheered for the Christmas miracles)! So we had lots of fun with stories about Santa’s reindeer as well.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Reindeer-Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Reindeer-Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Reindeer-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired reindeer themed numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) Note: The Montessori-inspired reindeer pack isn’t designed as a complete reindeer unit but as supplemental materials. I design the packs using realistic images that I’ve often looked for when preparing a unit study (such as font cards and phonogram cards featuring the letter and phonogram related to the theme and math cards with realistic images that fit the theme and can be adapted for math activities at a variety of levels.)

You could mix your reindeer-themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special reindeer-themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves at the beginning of our unit have a mixture of skill levels. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.

Montessori Shelves with Reindeer-Themed Activities and Gerda and the Reindeer Art Print

Montessori Shelves with Reindeer-Themed Activities and Gerda and the Reindeer Art Print

Notice the framed art print Gerda and the Reindeer. It’s from “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Edmund Dulac in Stories from Hans Andersen (1938). The art print is a free download from Wikiart. 

For our monthly featured art print, I purchased a Li’l DAVINCI art frame that opens in the front for easily changing a free art masterpiece printable or vintage illustration to fit with the month’s theme. The frame can be switched from horizontal to vertical without changing the hanger, which is perfect!

If you’re wondering about the rugs and rug box I use, both the rugs and wooden rug holder are from Montessori Services. I love the Montessori Services rugs and rug holder! I used to use an umbrella stand something like these. I loved that for 1-3 rugs, but I needed something different when I had more grandchildren and some projects that needed more than one rug.

Favorite Shelves, Trays, Baskets, and More for Montessori Homeschoolers

I often get asked about the trays, baskets, etc., that I use, so I published a post with many of the items. You can find lots of helpful resources here. They’re not all essential, so don’t feel you need to have everything. Just choose what’s best for your budget and your unique family’s needs. You’ll find more ideas in the Living Montessori Now Amazon shop

Books for a Reindeer Unit 

Even though I have books on shelves, I’m now keeping many of my themed books in a forward-facing display after placing a plant where the themed book basket was before. My seasonal books are now in that book basket. 

For toddlers and preschoolers, about ¾ of the books I use are typically Montessori friendly (focusing on reality without smiling or talking animals or smiling or talking vehicles). Of course, more than ¼ of the books in this unit aren’t Montessori-style books.

Books for a Reindeer Unit

Books for a Reindeer Unit

Books on Top Shelf of Themed Shelves: 

Top Shelf of Forward -Facing Display:

2nd Shelf:

3rd Shelf:

4th Shelf:

Bottom Shelf

This book is totally unrealistic … and lots of fun. It has a wonderful message and song that runs through the book:
“Give it your all, give it your all.
At Christmas we give,
so give it your all.”

You can see many reindeer books here: Reindeer Books for Kids (including books as they’re published)

Reindeer Book and Parts of a Reindeer Activity

Reindeer Book and Parts of a Reindeer Activity

Reindeer Book and Parts of a Reindeer Activity

Reindeer (A Day in the Life: Polar Animals) is a book for early readers that has photographs and easy-to-understand information.

Free Printable: Parts of a Reindeer – Montessori 3-Part Cards by Bella Learning Materials at TPT

I have a Schleich reindeer that I made into a labeling activity using sticky putty or double-sided tape. I simple printed out an extra set of the labels from the 3-part cards for the child to attach to the reindeer.

Free Printable: Label Parts of a Reindeer, Winter Activity – External Anatomy of Reindeer by All  Things Agriscience at TPT (This is a great option for elementary-age kids. It includes the terms poll, rump, hock, and muzzle.)

Reindeer! Book and Reindeer Life Cycle Booklets

Reindeer! Book and Reindeer Life Cycle Booklets

Reindeer! Book and Reindeer Life Cycle Booklets

Reindeer! is another simple book with photographs and easy-to-understand information.

Free Printable: Reindeer Pack from 123 Homeschool 4 Me (has a few life cycle booklets children can make along with other activities)

Continents Globe, Reindeer Fact Card, and Reindeer Matching Cards

Continents Globe, Reindeer Fact Card, and Reindeer Matching Cards

Continents Globe, Reindeer Fact Card, and Reindeer Matching Cards

Free Printable: R is for Reindeer Pack from Miniature Masterminds (This has the reindeer fact card and matching game in addition to other activities.)

Sand Writing Tray for a Reindeer Theme

Sand Writing Tray for a Reindeer Theme

Sand Writing Tray for a Reindeer Theme

Free Printable /r/ for reindeer font card (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my free newsletter to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber). They come in print, D’Nealian, and cursive. 

You’ll see a variety of simple letter writing trays in my previous unit study posts. I often used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. Amazon also has an inexpensive but nice sand tray with a wooden pen and fun scrape sand block. You’ll find lots of other options for Montessori sand trays on Etsy.)  You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though. 

I found some colored sand in 12 colors on Amazon that I started to use instead of salt or colored salt. I love it because it’s so soft and feels great! I just added some white glitter to the white sand to make it look like sparkling snow. 

If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

I have a post and video on how to introduce words starting with phonograms, even with very young children.

“Er” Phonogram Work

"Er" Phonogram Work

“Er” Phonogram Work

Free Printable: /er/ phonogram in herd (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

Free Printable: er Dobble Game from MontessoriSoul (MontessoriSoul has other free er printables, such as the printable I used in our backyard birds and summer units.)

Also, check out these free printables:

These are the double sandpaper letters I use.

Reindeer Sight Word Activity

Reindeer Sight Word Activity

Reindeer Sight Word Activity

Free Printable: Reindeer alphabet cards (part of my subscriber freebies, so just sign up for my free newsletter to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber). 

Free Printable: Reindeer HFW/Sight Word Card by Kool Kinders of AZ at TPT (printed multiple per page: settings 2×1 pages per sheet, horizontal page order, and landscape orientation)

Free Printable: Winter Reindeer Alphabet Beginning Sounds Upper Lower Case Preschool Matching by Grow Learning at  TPT (This is fun for younger kids! I would print them the same way as the sight word cards to go with the alphabet cards – or larger if you want to use them alone)

Reindeer and Carrots Division Activity

Reindeer and Carrot Division Activity

Reindeer and Carrots Division Activity

Free Printable: Reindeer number cards needed for division by 1, 2, or 3; division symbols (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber).

Free Printable: Santa’s reindeer from 3 Dinosaurs (Santa’s reindeer cards are from the first part of the reindeer pack, which includes many activities. You’ll also find the link to reindeer finger puppets in case you’d prefer to use those.)

I used this with miniature carrots. 

This is a simple division activity, showing how many carrots each reindeer would get if the carrots are divided between specific numbers of reindeer. I put out the carrots and first card according to how many carrots I wanted to use in the activity. The child can divide 18 carrots between the specified number of reindeer, saying “1 for you, 1 for you….” until they are all divided equally. 

There are so many different activities you can prepare using the math cards! You’ll find many ideas in our previous units.

Reindeer Shapes

Reindeer Shapes

Reindeer Shapes

Free Printable: Reindeer Shape Match by Cumberland Printables at TPT

This is a simple way to combine metal inset work with silly reindeer shape matching. Older kids could design their own reindeer using the metal insets.

I love the plastic insets from Alison’s Montessori for home use, but they’ve been discontinued. Alison’s Montessori does have the traditional metal insets, of course. And I found some inexpensive wooden insets on Etsy that look like a great option for home use. There are also DIY insets you can make for home use.

Free Montessori-Inspired Reindeer Pack

Montessori-Inspired Reindeer Pack

Montessori-Inspired Reindeer Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

Free Montessori-Inspired St. Nicholas and Santa Claus Pack

Montessori-Inspired St. Nicholas and Santa Claus Pack

Montessori-Inspired St. Nicholas and Santa Claus Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Advent and Christmas Resources

Advent

Christmas

If you’d like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout October and November, see my November Themed Activities for Kids. and my December Themed Activities for Kids.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Deb - Signature

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