lets do the CHRISTMAS Candy Cane Twist
I love pipe cleaners! Â They might be my new favorite kid supply. Â I wasn’t sure how this one would go, and I broke one of my major “mommy rules”. Â Always try a lesson before you present it! I think this one went better than I expected, and I’m already planning the next pipe cleaning project.
I needed a math activity for this so I cut the pipe cleaners to be different lengths.  When I laid the pipe cleaners out, I separated them by size so the kids could see how they would be matched.
Then I mixed them up and let the kids dig in. Â I encouraged them to find two pipe cleaners that were the same size.
Curl the twisted stick into a candy cane shape. Â I put the candy canes into a glass, and thought the lesson was over. . . boy was I wrong!
Once they found a pair of pipe cleaners I showed them how to twist them together. Â Have your little ones pinch the top with one hand and twist with the other. Â There are actually a few different ways to twist. Â Find the way that is comfortable to you and then let your kids find the “twist” that is comfortable to them!
Big M suggested we use the smallest candy cane to make Christmas cards. Â Grandma’s idea was to add them to our wreath. Â And as an added bonus, it was decorating the kids could do on their own!
Aunt L had crazy hair day at school, so she used a few of our candy canes. . . doesn’t she look cute?
Questions(to ask your kids): Â “Which size are you working on? Small, medium or large?” “How many candy canes have you made so far? How many candy canes have I made? Â How many candy canes have been made all together?” Â “Show me how to make my twist look like yours.”
Tips(to maximize learning): 1. *this one is important* When you spend a lot of time and thought putting together an activity, it can be hard to not have a picture in your mind of the perfect final product.  I cut a red match for each of the white or glittery white pipe cleaners, candy canes are red and white after all.  Of course Little M had a plan of her own (she always does, my creative baby).  She picked up two whites.  Not a big deal, except now there would be too many reds!  Yikes.  I bit my tongue, not always easy, and they ended up being beautiful.  My advice is this: BE FLEXIBLE and ALWAYS READY TO CHANGE YOUR PLAN.
2. Â I put the left over pipe cleaners in a tall plastic cup and added them to the art closet that M and M have access to. Â When we started this activity Little M was having a hard time twisting the pipe cleaners. Â She was pretty frustrated. Â A few hours later she went to the art closet and pulled them out again. Â I guess she just needed some time to process the finger movement because she ended up making more candy canes than anyone!
I can’t wait to hear how you’ve used these candy canes, so hurry up, pick up some pipe cleaners and get to twisting!
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