The candy cane is a delightful way to introduce preschoolers to the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus! With its simple rhymes and vivid imagery, the poem and activities capture the essence of the season while offering engaging activities to reinforce the message. Explore this page for creative ideas, story books, and fun ways to incorporate the candy cane into your Christmas celebrations.
Look at the Candy Cane, what do you see?
Stripes that are red like the blood shed for me
White is for my Savior Who's sinless and pure!
"J" is for Jesus My Lord, that's for sure!
Turn it around and a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd was born for Me!
To introduce the poem and following activities, read one of the following books.
The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg tells the story of how the candy cane symbolizes the birth of Jesus.
The Candymaker's Gift by David and Helen Haidle shares the story of a grandpa, humble candymaker, desires to create the perfect Christmas gift for his grandchildren to help them understand the true meaning of Christmas. Through this tale, children learn how the candy’s shape, colors, and stripes represent aspects of Jesus' birth and teachings.
Printables are free for family use or with an active ABCJesusLovesMe License.
Print and cut apart the poems and attach to a candy cane, craft, or activity to share the truth of Christmas.
Candy Cane Poem Option #1
Candy Cane Poem Option #2
Print the Candy Cane Poem worksheet for the child to decorate. Fingerpaint every other stripe on the candy cane red and talk about the AB pattern.
Celebrate Jesus' birthday with fun activities, meaningful conversation, and yummy cake to help children ages 3-12 understand the significance of Jesus' birth.
Using a salt dough recipe, make J's or candy canes with a cookie cutter or roll small amounts of dough into candy-cane shapes. Use a straw to make a hole for tying a ribbon. Paint red lines on the candy cane. Air dry for 24 hours turning one or twice to reduce curling. Tie a bell and the Candy Cane poem to the candy cane with ribbon. Give as gifts.
Twist a red and white pipe cleaner. Then bend the top to form a candy-cane shape. Can be used as a tree ornament.
Thread red and white beads or tri-beads in an AB pattern onto a pipe cleaner. Bend the ends to hold the beads on the pipe cleaner. Then bend the top to form a candy-cane shape. Place by the hook of the candy cane on a Christmas tree.
Warning: Children under the age of three should not participate in activities in which small pieces are involved.
Just like an Easter Egg hunt, hide candy canes outside or in a large area for a child to find. Play Christmas music in the background encouraging the children to find all of them before the music stops.
Set up a relay race where preschoolers carry a ball in the crook of the candy cane from one side of the room to the other. The challenge is to keep the ball balanced on the candy cane!
Help your little ones learn their colors with these vibrant, fun flashcards—perfect for preschoolers! Click the link below to download your free set today and start learning through play.
Make or purchase red and white play dough. Show the child how to roll the dough into long snakes. Then, twist the red and white playdough together to form candy canes.
