Students can use their hands and feet to make this reindeer craft. Have students trace one of their feet and both of their hands onto brown construction paper. Instruct them to cut out each of the prints. With the heel pointing down, have children glue their handprints to either side of the top of their footprints, creating antlers for the deer. Provide them with googly eyes and a red or black craft pom-pom, which they can glue onto their footprints, creating a face for the deer. While making this craft, discuss the significance of antlers for real reindeer.
Children of this age most likely known about the most famous reindeer of all: Rudolph. While real reindeer don't have glowing noses, you don't want to disillusion children. To avoid doing this, talk about how Rudolph was so special because of his glowing nose. Sing the song, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." After singing it, explain to children that aside from Rudolph, reindeer don't have glowing noses. Engage children in a conversation about what would happen if a reindeer with a non-glowing nose led Santa's sleigh. Encourage them to draw pictures to illustrate their ideas and invite them to share their pictures.
Use reindeer to teach kindergartners' directions. On paper, write sentences that include directions for how reindeer fly; for example, on one page write, "Reindeer fly above trees," and on another, write, "Reindeer fly below planes." Highlight the direction word on each page and read the sentences aloud with students. Provide students with crayons and instruct them to draw a picture that illustrates the sentences written on each page. Assemble the pages and bind them into books. Children can use their books to practice reading and to reinforce directions.
Compare real reindeer with Santa's reindeer. Read aloud the book "Reindeer" by Emery and Durga Berhnard, a children's picture book that offers factual information about reindeer. After reading this book, read aloud the book "Santa's Reindeer" by Rod Green, which offers children insight into Santa's magical reindeer. After reading the books, create a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts the similarities and differences between real reindeer and Santa's reindeer.