Polar Express Day in Kinder

At Blake's school they have a yearly tradition for the kindergartners of a Polar Express Day.  It is a fun and magical day for all the kiddos and a lot of work by a group of parents gets poured into it all to make it happen.  The best part is that its a surprise for all the kindergartners!  All they knew going into the day was they got to wear their pj's to school.  Normally, I drop Blake off in the carpool lane, so he was very curious why I was walking him into school!  Instead of going to their classrooms, they were immediate greeted at the front doors and ushered into the school cafeteria.  Here is Blake waiting for the fun to begin, not knowing what was going on.  He asked me to take a "silly" picture of him.

Then they gathered the students and explained to them the tradition of the Polar Express Day at the school.  One of the teachers then read them the book, Polar Express.  

This is when I had to exit stage right to take Brady to school so I missed some really fun pictures.  But I quickly made my way back to the school  After the story, each student was handed a train ticket to board the Polar Express!  They took the "train" on the "tracks" all through the school, back to the kinder pod. 

When they arrived, they were at the North Pole!  

 

And got to meet Santa and take their picture with him.  Every student took home a printed picture as well. 

*Blake later told us that the Santa at his school was a fake.  We asked how he knew that and he said, "I just did."

They colored snowmen and did crafts to give as presents to mom and dad.  

They played the dreidel game to attempt at including Chanukah.  I then had to teach the class how to play.  Blake kept asking me when I was leaving and I said I wasn't and he would get the biggest smile ever on his face.  Made me feel oh so good.  
After craft time the teacher announced Santa's elves had put something in their cubby!  They each got a bell necklace.  Blake's teacher then quickly told them to put them back where they found them, ha!

After lunch and art class, they got to watch the movie Polar Express.  During art class I went and got Brady and then brought him back to the school for the rest of the day.  He sat next to Blake on the carpet watching the movie with his brother.  My heart was so full.

Blake said of course it was the best day ever.  How could an entire day of fun at school not be?!