We School

Picnic

2009-02-28T22:35:00.001-08:00

Fine Motor: Art

Fingerprint ants: Dip index, middle, and ring fingers in paint or press onto an ink pad. Press all at once onto a pre-drawn anthill outline. Use crayons / markers / etc. to add legs and antennae.
Make picnic baskets: Weave strips of brown construction paper or ribbon in and out of strawberry baskets and add a pipe cleaner for a handle.
Make mini picnic blankets: Glue red construction paper cut into squares to a printed (this site lets you choose the size of your grid) or drawn grid. Alternating squares creates a "real" checked tablecloth effect but don't be restricted by tradition: fill in squares with different colors, letter stamps, stickers, etc. to personalize each miniature blanket!
Color / finger paint/ sponge paint picnic pictures
Fancy Ants: Make an ant shape about the size of a peanut from black, blue, and red construction paper. Poke 3 holes in the body. For the legs, place 2 paper fasteners into two holes next to each other and open to lie flat. Turn the ant over and place another paper fastener, point side up in the last hole. Bend back slightly. Draw some food on a paper plate, put the ants on the plate and place a magnet underneath. Make the ants crawl by moving the magnet.

Lanugage: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Here We Go on a Picnic (sung to: "Mulberry Bush"): Let’s go on a picnic today, / A picnic today, a picnic today. / Let’s go on a picnic today, / It’s such a lovely (day of the week) / First we’ll pick the perfect spot... / Next we’ll lay our blanket out... / Now let’s see what we brought for lunch... / Time for a nap or a game of catch... / The sun’s gone down, so it’s time to go... It’s been such a lovely (day of the week)!
Ants at the Picnic (sung to “Skip to My Lou"): Ants at the picnic, what'll I do? / Ants at the picnic, what'll I do? / Ants at the picnic, what'll I do? / Guess I will eat real quickly!
Teddy Bears Picnic (by John Walter Bratton, lyrics added by Jimmy Kennedy): If you go out in the woods today / You're sure of a big surprise. / If you go out in the woods today / You'd better go in disguise. / For every bear that ever there was / Will gather there for certain, because / Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic. / (CHORUS: Picnic time for teddy bears, / The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today. / Watch them, catch them unawares, / And see them picnic on their holiday. / See them gaily dance about. / They love to play and shout. / And never have any cares. / At six o'clock their mommies and daddies / Will take them home to bed / Because they're tired little teddy bears. ) / If you go out in the woods today, / You'd better not go alone. / It's lovely out in the woods today, / But safer to stay at home. / For every bear that ever there was / Will gather there for certain, because / Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic / (CHORUS) / Every teddy bear, that's been good / Is sure of a treat today / There's lots of wonderful things to eat / And wonderful games to play / Beneath the trees, where nobody sees / They'll hide and seek as long as they please / Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic / (CHORUS)
Ladybugs Picnic (by Bud Luckey, lyrics by Don Hadley): One two three / Four five six / Seven eight nine / Ten eleven twelve / Ladybugs / Came to the ladybugs' / picnic / One two three / Four five six / Seven eight nine / Ten eleven twelve / And they all played games / At the ladybugs' picnic / They had twelve sacks so they ran sack races / And they fell on their backs and they fell on their faces / The ladybugs 12 / At the ladybugs' picnic / They played jump rope but the rope it broke / So they just sat around telling knock-knock jokes / The ladybugs 12 / At the ladybugs' picnic / One two three / Four five six / Seven eight nine / Ten eleven twelve / And they chatted away / At the ladybugs' picnic / They talked about the high price of furniture and rugs / And fire insurance for ladybugs / The ladybugs 12 / At the ladybugs' picnic / 12!
Picnic Packing (sung to "A Tisket-A Tasket"): A-tisket, A-tasket, / Let's pack a picnic basket. / We'll fill it up with food to munch. / What's in our picnic lunch?

Language: Songs

Picnic Chant: Going on a picnic (Going on a picnic) / Leaving right away (echo) / As long as it is sunny (echo) / We can stay! (echo) / Did you bring the sandwiches? (Yes we brought the sandwiches.) / Did you bring the chips? (Yes we brought the chips.) / Did you bring the (...)? (Yes we brought the (...).) / Got our baskets ready! (echo) / We’re on our way! (echo)
Let's Pretend : Let's pretend we're having fun at a picnic everyone. / Then some picnic pets come ' round.. / Birds that flutter to the ground. / Crickets who can jump so funny, and a wiggly little bunny. / Butterflies on lazy wings, squirrels, and lots of other things! / Let's pretend that we are all picnic pets who've come to call.
Ants at a Picnic: Ants, Ants everywhere / Ants on my apple, / Ants on my pear. / Ants at a picnic / Are not so great. / I see five crawling / On my plate!
Picnics: Fried chicken, watermelon, apple pie; Do you love picnics? So do I! Lemonade, root beer, chocolate cake, Lazy canoe rides along the lake. Games and singing -- let's square dance! And don't forget, at picnics, you'll have A N T S!
8 Ants: One ant two ants, three ants four. / Our picnic is their grocery store. / Five ants, six ants, seven ants, eight. / They are crawling on my plate! / Eight ants, seven ants / Stomp around. / Six ants, five ants / On the ground. / Four ants, three ants / On the run! / Two ants, one ant / No more fun.

Math / Science

Count the watermelon seeds: Fold several paper plates in half and decorate to resemble slices of watermelon. Draw in seeds on each slice, starting with one seed and working up consecutively. Cut out numerals and match the numeral to the watermelon piece with that number of seeds on it.
Sort plastic (or cut out pictures of)picnic foods by color, type, size, etc.
Draw / print several different kinds of sandwiches onto sturdy paper. Cut each sandwich in half and put all the halves into a picnic basket. Take turns drawing out halves and see who can come up with the most matches.
Setting the Picnic Table: Set out four placemats on a picnic tablecloth. Place plates on three of the placemats. Talk about whether or not there are enough plates for all the placemats and if not, how many more are needed. Next, place five napkins on the tablecloth. Talk about whether or not this is the right number of napkins and what kind of adjustments should be made. Continue the game with utensils, plates, cups, etc.
What's Inside? :Secretly place an object in a picnic basket. Give clues about the object's size, color, shape, etc. and see who can guess what it is.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Lemonade Stand: Add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring to the water in a water table, throw in some plastic lemons, spoons, plastic cups, and take turns buying and selling "lemonade".
Have a sack race.
Print and cut out several copies of these sandwich pieces. Spread the pieces out randomly on a picnic blanket, then how quickly you can gather enough pieces to make a full sandwich.
Play toss with a Frisbee, water balloons, balls, etc.
Pretend to be ants and march around to the song "The Ants Go Marching".

Snacks

Ants On A Log: Spread peanut butter or cream cheese on celery or carrots. Top with your choice of ants (raisins, peanuts, craisins, chocolate chips, etc.).
Watermelon Pops: Puree seeded watermelon and pour the juice into small paper cups or into ice cube trays. Add a popsicle stick to each pop once the juice is partially frozen.
PBJ's: What's a picnic without peanut butter and jelly?
Ant Hills: Crumble graham crackers or cookies over a mound of chocolate pudding. Mix in raisins or chocolate chips for ants.
Picnic Basket Fruit Salad: Cut a watermelon in the shape of a basket with a handle. Use plastic knives to cut a variety of fruits into bite-sized pieces and fill the “basket” up.

Ocean

2009-02-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

Fine Motor: Art

Ocean Art: Draw / color ocean pictures with crayons, then paint over the entire picture with thin blue tempera paint or watercolors.
Starfish: Cut starfish from large piece of heavy paper. Cover with glue then sprinkle with sand. Remove excess sand.
Make a kelp mobile: Cut a paper plate into a spiral. Glue varying lengths of strips of green, brown, and yellow tissue paper to the edges of the spiral. Cut out fish and other ocean animal shapes and attach to the kelp. Add a string or ribbon to the top of the plate at the center to use as to hang the mobile from the ceiling.
Sand Castles: Make sand castles out of sand dough (1 cup cornstarch, 2 cups fine sand, 1 1/2 cups cold water. Mix and stir 5-10 minutes over medium heat until thick. Cool before using.)
Color / Sponge paint ocean coloring pictures.

Lanugage: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Octopus: An octopus has eight long arms (Hold up four fingers on each hand) / It lives in the sea, but don't be alarmed (Wave hands back and forth to show no worry) / He squirts out ink (Clap hands) when he is the prey / And grows a new arm when it’s torn away. (Hold up arm as high as you can)
Five Little Sea Creatures: Five little sea creatures / On the ocean floor; / The lobster walked away / Now there are four. / Four little sea creatures / Living in the sea; / The octopus crept away / Now there are three. / Three little sea creatures / Wondering what to do; / "Good-bye," said the starfish / Now there are two. / Two little sea creatures / Not having much fun; / Off swam the sea horse / Now there is one. / One little hermit crab / Sad and all alone, / Back came the starfish, / Back came the sea horse, / Back came the octopus, / Back came the lobster, / Then all five went home.
Five Little Fishies: Five little fishies, swimming in a pool (Wiggle fingers) / The first one said, "The pool is cool." (Shiver and hug self as if cold) / The second one said, "The pool is deep." (Spread hands out to show how deep) / The third one said, "I want to sleep."(Rest head on hands) / The fourth one said, "Let's take a dip." (Dive hands into “water”) / The fifth one said, "I see a ship!" (Look through hands as if looking through a telescope) / Fisher boat comes, (Cup hands together to form a boat ) / Line goes kersplash (Pretend to fish) / Away the five little fishies dash! (Hide fingers behind back)
One, two, three, four, five / I caught a fish alive. / Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, / I let it go again. / Why did you let it go? / Because it bit my finger so. / Which finger did it bite? / The little finger on the right.
Ocean Shell: I found a great big shell one day (cup hands) / Upon the ocean floor / I held it close up to my ear (raise hands to ear) / I heard the ocean roar! I found a tiny shell one day (cup one hand) / Upon the ocean sand / The waves had worn it nice and smooth / It felt nice in my hand. (pretend to roll shell between hands)

Language: Songs

Sea Fishing (sung to My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean): I took my boat out on the ocean, / I took my boat out on the sea. / I stuck my head down in the water / What a wondrous sight before me! / Star fish, sea horses, / Dolphins, kelp, clown fish in anemones. / Sharks, rays, and jelly fish, / And there’s still much more down there to see! / (Repeat tune of second verse) Shrimp, crabs and lobsters, / Coral and urchins and manatees / Squids, whales and octopi, / There’s so much to see in the sea!
I'm A Little Fishy (sung to “I'm a Little Tea Pot”): I'm a little fishy / Watch me swim / Here is my tail / Here is my fin / When I want to have fun with my friends / I wiggle my tail and dive right in!
My Octopus Song (sung to "Three Blind Mice"): Octopus, Octopus / In the Sea, In the Sea / To swim they use all 8 of their arms / Their color changes to hide them from harm / They live in the sea, not on a farm / Octopus
I'm a Big Whale (sung to "Clementine"): I am swimming, I am swimming, / I am swimming in the sea. / I'm a big whale and I'm swimming, / I am swimming in the sea. / I am singing... / I am spouting...
Ocean Creatures (sung to "The More We Get Together"): If I lived in the ocean / The ocean, the ocean / If I lived in the ocean / What creature would I be? / A whale or a dolphin, / A starfish or mollusk / If I lived in the ocean / I creature would I be?

Math / Science

Shell count: (my variation) Make two sets of cards -- one set representing the beach and one set representing the ocean. Number both sets of cards so that each set has corresponding numbers. Mix up each set (separately), then take a card from each pile. Put enough shells on each card to match the numbers on the cards. *Challenge: Take it a step further and talk about how many shells there are when you put both cards together. Discuss the idea of "adding" the shells from the two cards together to get the total number of shells.
Balancing shells: Provide a balance scale and shells of different shapes and sizes. Talk about which are the heaviest, lightest or about the same in weight.
Sort ocean animals according to similar characteristics (number of fins / legs/ arms, color, size, manner of moving, etc).
Go Fish: Make a fishing pole out of a short stick and a string with a magnet attached to it. Cut out different sizes, colors, and types of ocean animals and attach a paperclip to each one. Spread the fish out and see how many you can catch! Try to catch them in different orders (all of one color, all of one size, from smallest to biggest, etc).
Observe and compare a wide variety of shells. Talk about the differences in size, texture, color, etc and about the different kinds of ocean animals that once lived in each kind.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Flying Fish Socks: (my variation) Stuff a bunch of small socks with tissue paper, leaving just enough of the cuff to tie into a knot for the tail. (If the socks are too small for a knot, secure the "tail" with a rubber band or yarn.) Decorate the fish if desired. Designate a large container or mark off an area to be the ocean, scatter the fish around on the "beach", and then take turns tossing the flying fish back into the ocean.
Go fishing! Attach small magnets to lightweight ocean animal toys (such as those you might use for party favors) and to the ends of several lengths of yarn. Attach the other end of the pieces of yarn to small sticks to make fishing poles. Toss the animals into a wading pool of water and see who can make the best catch!
Feed the Pelican: Draw the picture of a pelican with it’s beak open onto a large piece of sturdy cardboard. Cut an opening where the back of the beak should be, then toss “fish” (bean bags, small plastic ocean animal toys, etc) into the pelican’s waiting beak.
Do the Ocean Motion: Move like different sea creatures. (Jiggle like a jelly fish / Creep like a sea snail / Soar like an eagle / Wiggle like an eel / Float like a sea otter / Bark like a seal / Walk forward, backward, and sideways like a crab / Swoop like a pelican...)
Hunt for seashells in the sand & water table.

Snacks

Under the Sea Snack: Prepare blue Jell-O, adding Swedish fish or gummy fish before chilling to gel.
Sand Dollars: Spread peanut butter on round crackers. Sprinkle "sand" (actually Parmesan cheese and wheat germ) on top.
Fishing For a Snack: Fill a small cup with goldfish crackers. Supply pretzel rods for fishing poles and peanut butter to put on the ends to use as bait to snag the fish.
Seashell quesadillas: Layer cheese between two tortillas and melt (I like to use our Panini press, but 30 seconds or so in the microwave will also do the trick nicely!). Use cookie cutters to cut out seashells or ocean animals. (Sun dried tomato tortillas make great “lobsters” and “shrimp”!)
Octodogs: Cut the bottom of a hot dog into 8ths (using vertical cuts), leaving the top 1/4 intact. Boil as you normally would.

Night

2009-01-29T13:33:00.001-08:00

Still working on a couple of Math/Science and Gross Motor activities, but wanted to get this posted...

Fine Motor: Art

Night Mobiles: Paint a paper plate black or dark blue to represent the night sky. Cut out moon and star shapes and color them with glow in the dark paints / crayons / markers. Attach them with varying lengths of string to the dried paper plate and hang from the ceiling with another length of string.
Make telescopes and binoculars.
Create shape constellations.
Sun and Moon Dough Art
Color / fingerpaint "night" coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Hey Diddle Diddle: Hey diddle diddle, / The cat and the fiddle, / The cow jumped over the moon. / The little dog laughed / To see such sport, / And the dish ran away / With the spoon.
The Man in the Moon: The man in the moon / Looked out of the moon, / Looked out of the moon and said, / It's time, I think, for all good children / To think about going to bed.
Four Little Stars: Four little stars / winking at me. / One shot off, / then there were three! / three little stars / With nothing to do. / One shot off, / Then there were two! / Two little stars / Afraid of the sun. / One shot off, / Then there was one! / One little star / Alone is no fun. / It shot off, / Then there were none!
Amanda Boon: Where are you going Amanda Boon, / All dressed up in the afternoon? / I'm hurrying home to wash my face, / For I'm flying today to outer space. / Who will go with you, two friends or three? / Just Billy, and Lola, and Christopher Lee. / How will you get there? The trip's very hard. / We're building a spaceship in Billy's back yard. / What in the world will you pack for the flight? / My pillow, and blanket and a high-beam flashlight.
At night I see the twinkling stars (shut and open hands) / And a great big shining moon (circle arms over head) / And then I jump into my bed (“jump” index finger into opposite cupped hand)/ And hum a good night tune.

Language: Songs

Aikendrum: There was a man lived in the moon / In the moon, in the moon / There was a man lived in the moon / And his name was Aikendrum. / And he played upon a ladle / A ladle, a ladle / He played upon a ladle / And his name was Aikendrum. / And his hat was made of cream cheese... / And his coat was made of roast beef... / And his pants were made of haggis... / There was a man lived in the moon...
Stars (sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"): Twinkle, twinkle, little star, I know what you really are: / Giant ball of glowing gas, One of billions in a mass! / Twinkle, twinkle, little star, Oh, how big you really are! / Twinkle, twinkle, giant star, Larger than the Earth by far! / Since your distance is a lot, You look like a tiny dot. / Twinkle, twinkle, giant star, Very bright, yet very far! / Stars are twinkling, every one, Some are bigger than the sun! / Just a twinkle in the sky, Just because you’re oh, so high! / Twinkle, twinkle, little star, Oh how big you really are.
Have You Ever Seen the Moon (sung of "The More We Get Together"): Have you ever seen / The moon, the moon, the moon, / Have you ever seen / The moon, the moon, the moon, / way up in the sky. / Look this way, and that way. / Look this way, and that way. / Have you ever seen / The moon / So very high.
There's a Tiny Little Star (sung to “Little White Duck): There's a little tiny star / Way up in the sky. / A tiny little star, / Up so very high / She twinkles brightly / Through the night: / The stars are shining bright. / But during the day / She is out of sight. / There's a tiny little star / Way up in the sky. / A tiny little star.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Moon (sung to TwinkleTwinkle Star):Twinkle twinkle little Moon / How I wonder what you're doin' / Up above the world so high / Like a Pancake in the sky / Twinkle Twinkle little moon / How I wonder what you're doin'.

Math / Science

Sort a variety of star and moon shapes (paper, beads, small toys, etc) into groups of the same size, color, shape, etc.
Star Gazing Activity: On a piece of paper draw five or ten columns. Place a number 1-10 at the top of each column. With star stickers have the children match the number of stars in each column.
Play memory with cards with the phases of the moon on them.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Star Catch: Use a parachute to pop "stars" (beanbags, yarn balls, etc) up into the air and see how many can be caught.
Meteor Catch: Wrap large styrofoam balls with aluminum foil. Attach long streamers of crepe paper for tails. Use these to play a game of Meteor Catch!
Tic-Tac-Toe: Make a large Tic-Tac-Toe board. Instead of playing with X's and O's, play with stars and moons. Form teams and jump (hop, crawl, etc) into the spaces or throw the stars/moons into the spaces to encourage even more movement.

Snacks

Cheesy Man on the Moon
Moon Balls
Moon & Star cookies: Cut sugar cookie dough into moon and star shapes. Mix in some chopped nuts before cutting out the moon shapes to create moon rocks and craters.
Moon Bread
Moon Snacks

Mail

2008-10-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Make postcards.
Make mailboxes.
Make a mail carrier bag out of construction paper. Round the bottom edges of two pieces of construction paper. Punch holes around three sides of each piece and lace together with yarn. Leave enough yarn at either end to make a strap to carry the mail bag with.
Make stamps using paper scraps. Draw a picture, trim the edges (I like the look of craft scissors to give the edges a “wavy” look), and write the value of the stamp on the corner. Use a dab of glue or a doubled over piece of tape to affix the stamps to envelopes / postcards to be “mailed”.
Color / fingerpaint pictures of mail.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Letter to Grandma: Lick them, stamp them (make licking and stamping motions) / Put them in a box (extend arms outward) / Hope that Grandma / Loves them a lot! (hug self)
Post Office: Step inside! / Stamps for sale! / Packages, postcards, / Letters to mail! / Come to us / For your money's worth. / Deliveries made / All over the Earth!
Five Little Letters: Five little letters lying on a tray (extend fingers of right hand) / Mommy came in and took the purple one away (bend down thumb) / Then Daddy said, "Looks like there’s one for me" / When I counted them again, there were only three (bend down the pointer finger) / My brother asked, "Anything for me?" / He found one and cried, "Hooray! Yippee!" (bend down middle finger) / My sister took the next one, second to last. / And ran up to her room to open it fast. (bend down ring finger) / Just one letter left! I can’t quite see (stand on tiptoes, peer and squint) / Who the last one's for, but I hope it's for me! (wiggle little finger then clap hands)
The Mailbox Poem: I went to mail a letter and slid right in the box / All that you could see of me were my tennis shoes and socks. / I self addressed my elbow and air-mail stamped my knee. / Soon I would be ready for the next delivery. / I folded like an envelope and in a day or so. . . / I'll go with all the letters to Japan or Mexico
Letter to Papa: I’m writing my Papa a letter / And oh! How proud he’ll be! / To get a little letter / written just by me. / I’ll tell him about my dolly / she’s sleeping on the floor / Any noise will wake her / So please don’t slam the door... Bang! (Clap hands loudly.)

Language: Songs

Mailing Letters (sung to "The Mulberry Bush"): This is the way we mail a letter, / Mail a letter, mail a letter. / This is the way we mail a letter, / So early in the morning.
Mail Carrier Song (sung to "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"): I get to sort the mail, / Then carry it to your home. / The mail comes from all over, / Like New York, Paris, and Rome. / Mail, mail, mail, mail, / I love to deliver the mail, mail, mail. / Mail, Mail, Mail, Mail, / I love to deliver the mail.
Do you Drive a Mail Truck? (sung to "Do your ears hang low?"): Do you drive a mail truck, / Walk in snow and rain and muck, / To deliver mail over hill and dale? / Do you carry great big boxes, / Heavy like they're filled with rocks? / Do you drive a mail truck?
The Mail Carrier's Song (sung to: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"): Write, stamp, and mail some cards, / And lots of letters, too. / They’ll be delivered to your friends, / And they’ll write back to you.
In the Mailbox (sung to "Are You Sleeping?"): In the mailbox, in the mailbox, / Look and see, look and see! / A package or a postcard! / A letter from my grandma! / Just for me, just for me

Math / Science

Meaningful Counting, Matching: Label the front of small paper sacks (from 1-5, with different shapes, with letters, etc) and set them about the room. Label the front of envelopes, postcards, old mail to match the sacks and practice delivering the mail to the proper bags.
Cause & Effect Predictions: Use a small scale to compare the weights of different kinds of mail (small boxes, magazines, junk mail, etc). Before weighing items, talk about which ones feel "heavy" and which ones feel "light" then compare your predictions to the actual results.
Size, Comparing & Classifying, Measuring: Sort different types of mail (old catalogs, junk mail, postcards, etc) by size and other similarities (color, weight, etc).
Matching, Spatial Relationships: Match cards (use old holiday card left-overs!) and letters to different sized envelopes.
Measuring, Time, Spatial Relationships, Cause & Effect Predictions: Set up two (or more) different delivery points. Talk about which point is closer / farther and which one will take the most / least time to deliver the mail to and why that might be the case.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Play post office! (Lots of great ideas here, here, here, and here.)
Take a field trip to your local post office. Call ahead to see if it might be possible to get a behind-the-scenes look at the action.
Deliver "mail" to friends in the neighborhood.
Take a walk around the neighborhood and look for different types of mailboxes (group and individual boxes on the street, mail slots in doors, mail boxes at the door, USPS drop boxes, FedEx & UPS boxes, etc).
Set up a mailbox (a large box with a mail slot cut into it on two opposite sides) at one end of the yard and see who can deliver the mail the fastest, starting at the other end of the yard and running to the mailbox. Make it more challenging by hopping, skipping, jumping, etc. to the mailbox.

Snacks

Graham Cracker Postcards: Spread a graham cracker with cream cheese (or frosting). "Address" this postcard with uncooked alphabet noodles, add a cheese-square "stamp", and decorate with raisins, pretzel sticks, dried cereal, etc.
Practice addresses and zip codes with alphabet cookies (I love Newman's Own).
Address a grilled cheese sandwich with mustard and ketchup.
Fold over a tortilla to make an envelope and stuff it with cheese or peanut butter. Microwave (or grill) until inside is gooey. Watch out for hot-spots when eating (especially if filled with peanut butter)!
Fill an envelope with trail-mix type snacks for a yummy to-go snack.

Leaves

2008-10-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Make a Leaf Wreath.
Cut leaf shapes out of construction paper. Dip a sturdy string (yarn, twine, etc.) into autumn colored paints (brown, orange, red, yellow, & green) then drop onto the leaves. Pull the string off the leaf and drop it back down to make interesting designs. Repeat with different colors as desired.
Make play dough in autumn colors and cut out leaf shapes with cookie cutters.
Make mobiles of Falling Leaves or Autumn Leaf Sun Catchers.
Color / fingerpaint pictures of leaves.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Two Leaves: Here is a leaf, yellow and brown./ Here is a leaf that (child’s name) found./ Put them together and you'll have two / One for me and one for you!
Five Little Leaves: Five little leaves, so happy and gay (hold up five fingers) / were dancing about on a tree one day. / The wind came blowing through the town / and one little leaf came tumbling down. (Repeat until all the “leaves” are gone.)
Falling Leaves: All the leaves are falling down (flutter fingers downward) / Orange, green, red, and brown. (flutter fingers) / If you listen, you'll hear them say, (cup hands around ears) / "Wintertime is on it's way." (whispering)
Lucky Leaves: Yellow leaves tumbling, (move hands like falling leaves) / falling through the air; (repeat action) / Falling in my front yard. / Falling everywhere. / Oh, that I could catch one (grab one in the air) / before it blows away! / A yellow leaf, caught in the air, / will bring me luck, they say!
Raking Leaves: I like to rake the leaves (raking motion with hands) / Into a great big hump (pretend to pile leaves) / Then I move back a bit / Bend my knees and jump!

Language: Songs

Leaves on the Tree (sung to "Wheels on the Bus"): The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown. / Orange and brown, / orange and brown / The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown / All around the town. / The leaves on the ground go crunch, crunch, crunch... / The leaves on the trees come tumbling down....
Leaves (sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"): All join hands and circle around / While we watch the leaves fall down. / See them skipping here and there / See them flipping in the air. / Autumn leaves so peacefully / Falling, falling from the tree.
Autumn Leaves (sung to "London Bridges”): Autumn leaves are falling down / falling down, falling down. / Autumn leaves are falling down / Red, yellow, orange and brown.
Autumn Leaves (sung to "Mulberry Bush"): Summer leaves are hanging, / Hanging, hanging / Summer leaves are hanging / All day long. (stand with arms outstretched) / Autumn leaves are turning colors, / Turning colors, turning colors, / Autumn leaves are turning colors / All day long. (turn around) / Autumn leaves are falling, / Falling, falling, / Autumn leaves are falling / All day long. (lower yourself to floor) / Autumn leaves are dancing, / Dancing, dancing, / Autumn leaves are dancing / All day long. (dance) / Autumn leaves are being raked, / Being raked, being raked, / Autumn leaves are being raked / All day long. (everyone squishes together)
The Leaves' Journey (German Folksong by Homer H. Harbour, adapted by Terry Kluytmans, copyright 2001 KIDiddles.com): "Come away," sang the river, / To the leaves on the tree; / "Let's sail off on a journey, / So the world you may see." / So the leaves fluttered gently / From the tree on the shore, / And they sailed down that river, / To return never more.

Math / Science

Comparing & Classifying, Matching: Gather a variety of leaves (or pictures of leaves), then sort them by similarities (size, stem or no stem, color, etc).
Meaningful Counting: Fall Counting Cards Print out cards (on cardstock) labeled with the numbers 1-10. Place craft leaves, nuts, or something else fall related on a table and practice counting out the right amount of items.
Sequencing & Patterning, Seriation / Ordering: Talk about the order in which leaves change their colors (from green to red/yellow/orange to brown), then sort a group of leaves into piles of "new", "older", and "oldest".
Measuring, Size: Number a set of index cards (I suggest no more than 5). Use a ruler or fabric measuring tape to measure the lengths of different leaves and put the leaves onto the index card that corresponds to the measured length (index card #1 = all leaves less than 2 inches long, index card #2 = all leaves measuring between 2 & 3 inches, etc).
Spatial Relationships, Matching: Print out 2 or more sets of these leaves. Cut out all but one set of leaves, then match the cut outs to the uncut set.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Find some small rakes and rake up the leaves in your yard! Don’t have a lot of leaves? Make some from tissue paper and scatter them about for raking practice.
Go on a nature hike and collect interesting leaves.
Gather up a pile or basket full of leaves. Mix in a few “special leaves” (made out of tissue paper, made out of fabric, painted, etc.) and see who can find them in the pile.
Attach a few leaves to a broomstick or jump rope with various lengths of string (not too long!) and see who can limbo under without getting tickled by any of the leaves.
Leaf Toss

Snacks:

Make a salad out of different kinds of greens (different lettuces, spinach leaves, arugula, fennel, etc.)
Make leaf shaped sugar cookies.
"Plant" a celery tree (stalk with the leaves left on) in a spoonful of peanut butter. Use chunky peanut butter for rocky soil, add some raisins for stones, sprinkle on some crushed cookie crumbs for dirt.
Maple Leaf Snacks
Cut a variety of cheese slices into leaf shapes and arrange around a pretzel rod "tree trunk".

Kites

2008-09-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Lunch Bag Kites
Bumblebee Kite
Windsock
Tissue paper kites
Color / fingerpaint “kite” coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Kites: Five bright kites I bought at the store. (five fingers) / Along came a strong wind, and now I have four. (thumb) / Four bright kites flying over the sea. / Along came a big wave, and now I have three. (index) / Three bright kites, I'll give one to you. / Three bright kites, now I have two. (middle finger) / Two bright kites flew too near to the sun. / Poor little kites! Now I have one. (ring down) / One bright kite - that's enough for me, / I'll keep it away from the kite - eating tree!
Five Little Kites: Five little kites, way up in the sky / say hi to the clouds, as they pass by. / Say hi to the birds, / Say hi to the sun, / say hi to the airplane, oh what fun. / Then swish went the wind, / and they all took a dive: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Windy Day: The wind is calling, / "Come fly your kite!" / The wind is blowing / With all its might. / The kites are tossing / In the sky. / The wind is calling, / "Come fly up high."
Kites Go Up:The kites go up, the kites go down, / In and around, all over the town / The children run and jump and play, / Because they love a windy day.
Kite Flying: On many spring days I wish that I / Could be a kite flying in the sky. / I would climb high toward the sun / And chase the clouds. Oh, what fun! / Whichever way the wind chanced to blow / Is the way that I would go. / I'd fly up, up, up. I'd fly down, down, down. / Then I'd spin round and round and round. / Finally I'd float softly to the ground.

Language: Songs

I Like Kites (Sung to: "3 Blind Mice"): I like kites, I like kites. / They fly high, they fly high. / They keep on spinning round and round, / Sometimes they even touch the ground, / They fly through the air without a sound. / Oh, I like kites!
Go Fly A Kite (Tune sung by Bing Crosby in Star Maker here): Go fly a kite and tie your troubles to the tail / They'll be blown away by a merry gale, / Go fly a kite and toss your worries to the wind / And they won't come back, they'll be too chagrined. / Go on make friends with the sky / Have a talk with the sun / It's the bright way to live, if you'll pardon the pun / Go fly a kite and you'll imagine you're a king / Cause you've got your world on a piece of string
Kite (Sung to: Hayden's Symphony No 94, “Surprise”: I often sit and wish that I, / Could be a kite up in the sky. / And ride upon the breeze and go, / Whatever way I chanced to blow. / Then I could look beyond the town, / And see the river winding down. / And follow all the ships that sail, / Like me, before the merry gale. / Until at last with them I came, / To some place with a foreign name. / Then bow my head and dip my tail / And upon the wind back home I’d sail.
My Kite (Sung to: The Itsy Bitsy Spider): There’s nothing I like better / When the wind is right / Than to run off to the park, / Just me and my kite / Let out some string! / Toss it in the air! / And pretend that I am sailing / With it way up there.
Let's Go Fly A Kite (Tune from Mary Poppins here) : With tuppence for paper and strings, / you can have your own set of wings. / With your feet on the ground, / you're a bird in flight! / With your fist holding tight, / to the string of your kite! / Let's go fly a kite / Up to the highest height / Let's go fly a kite / And send it soaring / Up through the atmosphere / Up where the air is clear / Oh, let's go fly a kite! / When you send it flying up there, / all at once your lighter than air! / You can dance on the breeze, / over 'ouses and trees! / With your fist 'olding tight, / to the string your kite! / Let's go fly a kite / Up to the highest height / Let's go fly a kite / And send it soaring / Up through the atmosphere / Up where the air is clear / Oh, let's go fly a kite!

Math / Science

Identifying Shapes: Print out pictures of kites from around the world (or find a book with a good variety of kite pictures). Point out all the different shapes (triangles, diamonds, squares, etc) that you can see on different kinds of kites.
Matching: Cut kite shapes out of different patterned pieces of paper (leftover holiday cards, wrapping paper, wallpaper samples, etc). Cut each kite shape into half lengthwise. Mix up the pieces and take turns putting them back together.
Meaningful Counting: Draw several simple kite outlines (no tails), number them, and cut them out. Draw another set of kite outlines, this time with tails on separate pieces of paper. Give each of these kites a different number of flags on it's tail. Count the number of flags on the tails of the kites and match the appropriate kite to it’s tail.
Measuring, Cause & Effect Predictions: Make a few simple kites and attach a different length of string to each one. Talk about which one will fly the highest, the lowest, etc. and why that might be the case.
Size, Comparing & Classifying, Measuring: Sort paper kites (made out of construction paper, printed out kite pictures, etc) according to their different sizes.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Go outside and fly a kite!
Pretend to be a kite. Make a tail using streamers, ribbons, etc. and attach it behind you so that it can flip and spin while you dip and soar through the air.
Go for a walk around the neighborhood on a windy day and look for kites.
Play "Snatch the Tail": Try to pluck the "tail" (a scarf or streamer or something similar tucked into the waistband) from another "kite" (player).
to be added...

Snacks:
...to be added...

Jungle

2008-08-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Jungle Safari Vest: Cut armholes and a head hole in the bag. Decorate it with the paint to make great jungle attire.
Jungle Animal Masks: Cut eye holes out of the center of a paper plate. Use construction paper scraps, yarn bits, pipe cleaners, etc. to make jungle animal faces. Attach a craft stick to the back (at the bottom of the face) so that the mask can be held in front of the face.
Safari Hat: Cut the center out of a paper plate so that the rim of the plate becomes a “doughnut” shape. Attach the rim of the paper plate to an upside down paper bowl. Add enough yarn on either side of the bowl so that the hat can be tied securely under the chin. Paint and decorate each hat and take them on safari!
Make paper plate snakes. (Use the center of the paper plate that was left over from Safari Hat!)
Color / fingerpaint “jungle" coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Jungle Animals: This is the way the elephant goes (clasp hands together , extend arms, move back and forth) / With a curly trunk instead of a nose / The rhino all hairy and fat / Has a sharp horn in place of a hat / The hippo with his mouth so wide / Let's see whats inside (hands together and open wide and close them) / The wiggly snake upon the ground / Crawls along without a sound (weave hands back and forth) / But monkey see monkey do / is the funniest animal I ever knew! (place thumbs in ears and wiggle fingers)
Five Little Monkeys in a Tree: Five little monkeys swinging in a tree, / Teasing Mr. Alligator “You can’t catch me, you can’t catch me! / (Whisper)Along came a alligator quiet as can be / (Loudly and clap hands together on “snapped”)And he snapped that monkey right out of that tree! / (Repeat, each time losing one monkey) No more monkeys swinging in a tree, / Teasing Mr. Alligator, “You can’t catch me, you can’t catch me!” / Along comes Mr. Alligator, fat and happy as can be / Singing “That’s what you get for teasing me!”
Alligator Noise: (Softly) Alligator / Looking for some food in the morning (Make alligator mouth with fingers) / (Louder) Alligator / Looking for some food at lunch (Make alligator mouth with hands) / (Louder) Alligator / Looking for some food in the morning (Make alligator mouth with arms) / (Louder still) Alligator / Munch, munch, munch! (Clap hands loudly together to punctuate each “munch”)
Monkey See, Monkey Do: The monkey claps, claps, claps his hands ( clap hands) / The monkey claps, claps, claps his hands ( clap hands) / Monkey see, monkey do / The monkey does the same as you! (point to children) ...Repeat, changing motions (monkey stomps his feet, covers his eyes, sits down, stands up, etc
The Elephant: The elephant has a great big trunk / That goes swinging to and fro. (Clasp hands to make trunk swing.) / And he has tiny, tiny eyes / That show him where to go. (Put hands to eyes.) / His great big ears go flopping (Put hands to ears.) / While his great big feet go stomping, stomping, stomping on the ground (Stomp feet on the ground.)

Language: Songs

I Went to the Jungle One Day (Sung To: "London Bridge"): I went to the jungle one-day, jungle one day, jungle one-day / I saw a monkey on the way and this is what he said, "oh-oh-oh-oh" / I went to the jungle one-day, jungle one day, jungle one-day / I saw a lion on the way and this is what he said, "roar" / went to the jungle one-day, jungle one day, jungle one-day / I saw a snake on the way and this is what he said, "hiss"...
Do You Know the Jungle Animals (Sung to: "The Muffin Man"): Do you know the slimy snake, the slimy snake, the slimy snake / Oh do you know the slimy snake that lives deep in the jungle? / Do you know the chimpanzee, the chimpanzee, the chimpanzee / Oh do you know the chimpanzee that lives deep in the jungle? / Do you know the wildebeest, the wildebeest, the wildebeest / Oh do you know the wildebeest that lives deep in the jungle? / Do you know the crocodile, the crocodile, the crocodile / Oh do you know the crocodile that lives deep in the jungle...
I'm A Little Tree Frog (Sung to: "I'm A Little Teapot"): I'm a little tree frog / Oh, so green / With great big eyes and a big mouth in between / I jump and climb with my sticky toes / Look out! I might stick to your nose!
I've Been Working in the Rainforest (Sung to: "I've Been Working on the Railroad"): I've been working in the rainforest, / All among the trees. / I've been working in the rainforest, / Where I saw the bats and bees. / Parrots, butterflies and toucans, / Monkeys and hummingbirds galore, / Frogs and snakes and spotted leopards / On the rainforest floor! / I've been working in the rainforest, / All among the green. / I've been working in the rainforest, / Where the plant life must be seen! / Ferns and mosses and lianas, / Orchids and honeysuckle, too./ Oh, how special is the rainforest, / A magic place come true!
One Elephant Went Out To Play: One elephant went out to play / On a spider’s web one day. / He had such enormous fun; / He called for another elephant to come.

Math / Science

Identifying Shapes, Matching: Trace jungle animal shapes from stencils or cookie cutters, laminate and cut out. Match up each laminated shapes with its stencil / cookie cutter.
Meaningful Counting: Draw 5 tiger faces without whiskers. Write a number onto each cat 1 through 5. Provide the children with 15 pipe cleaners and together place the appropriate number of whiskers onto each face.
Matching, Comparing & Classifying: Sort pictures of jungle animals according to similarities (four legs, has a tail, lives in the trees, has feathers, etc.)
Spatial Relationships: Create jungle scenes using these templates. Talk about where the different jungle animals are in relation to other items in the scene. (The elephant is behind the tree; the toucan is on the branch, etc)
Comparing & Classifying, Size, Measuring, Seriation / Order: Sort jungle animal figures (or pictures print outs) by size.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Jungle Safari: Draw different jungle animals on a large piece of cardboard. Make binoculars (two toilet paper tubes) and go on a jungle safari. For an added effect have them make jungle vest (see art) and wear on their safari.
Safari Maps: Talk about how a map is used, then create your own map. Use a few obvious landmarks (I'd start with no more than 3) in your own house / backyard and practice following the map to get from one spot to another.
Elephant’s Spider Web: Use jump ropes or masking tape to create a spider’s web on the ground. Practice balancing carefully on the lines, pretending to be the elephants playing on the spider’s web in the song.
Feed the Elephant: Make an elephant by painting and decorating a box. Cut out a mouth hole and throw peanuts (still in the hull) into the elephants mouth to feed the elephant. For younger children, use beanbags instead of peanuts.
Play follow the leader and imitate the movements, sounds, and activities of jungle animals.

Snacks

Jungle Fun Toss
Banana Boats
Jungle Treat
Monkey Milkshake
Tiger Paws

Ice Cream

2008-07-06T20:41:00.002-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Paste colorful "scoops" of ice cream (circles cut out of construction paper) onto a printed cone.
Use an eyedropper and colored water to color cotton balls. Set cotton balls aside to dry. When dry, paste to a print-out of an ice cream cone.
Fingerpaint with melted ice cream.
Make an ice cream cone hat.
Color / fingerpaint "ice cream" coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

At The Ice Cream Shop: Chocolate, mango, / Lemon lime, / Mint chip, and cherry / All look divine! / Flavors and colors / So tempting and yummy. / Now, tell me which one should go / Inside my tummy?
Eighteen Flavors by Shel Silverstein: Eighteen luscious, scrumptious flavors / Chocolate, lime and cherry, / Coffee, pumpkin, fudge banana / Caramel cream and boysenberry. / Rocky road and toasted almond, / Butterscotch, vanilla dip, / Butter brickle, apple ripple, / Coconut and mocha chip, / Brandy peach and lemon custard, / Each scoop lovely, smooth and round, / Tallest ice cream cone in town, / Lying there (sniff) on the ground.
Ice-Cream Dream: I’d know for sure I was asleep (pantomime sleeping) / And in a happy dream (draw big smile on face with fingers) / If I asked, ”What’s for dinner?” (raise hands and shrug shoulders as if to ask a question)/ And then Mom said, “Ice cream!” (pretend to eat an ice cream cone)
Five Little Ice Cream Cones: Five little ice cream cones so good to eat. / The first one said, "I'm a summer time treat." / The second one said, "It's such a hot day." / The third one said, "I'm melting away." / The fourth one said, "Don't lose your top." / The fifth one said, "Oh dear , ker-plop!"
Little Miss Muffet: Little Miss Muffet / Sat on her tuffet / Eating a chocolate ice cream / Along came a spider / Who sat down beside her / And said, "Give me some or I'll scream."

Language: Songs

Take Me Out For Some Ice Cream (sung to "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"): Take me out for some ice cream, /Take me out to the store. /Buy me a triple scoop jumbo cone. /I won't share, I'll eat it alone! /For its scoop, scoop ,scoop up the ice cream-- /Give me three kinds I adore! / For it's one, two, three, scoops to go /At the ice cream store!
Hot Fudge, Cherries, Toffee Crunch (sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"): Hot fudge, cherries, toffee crunch /Peanuts, whipped cream, lots to munch, /At the top of my ice cream. / So delicious, it's a dream! /Hot fudge, cherries, toffee crunch, / How I love to munch and munch!
Ice Cream Cones (sung to “Mary Had a Little Lamb”): We all want an ice cream cone, ice cream cone, ice cream cone /We all want an ice cream cone, we'll eat it right away. /Chocolate is our favorite kind, favorite kind, favorite kind /Chocolate is our favorite kind, we'd eat it every day... (add as many flavor verses as you like) /Thank you for the ice cream cone, ice cream cone, ice cream cone /Thank you for the ice cream cone, it really hit the spot!
We Are Ice Cream Cones (sung to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"): We are ice cream cones / On a summer's day / Melting, melting, melting, melting / Melting all away.
Save Some For Me (sung to "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean): My mother likes one scoop of ice cream / My father likes two scoops or three. / My brother likes four scoops with sprinkles. / The whole carton is just right for me! / Please save, please save, / Oh, please save some ice cream for me, for me. / Please save, please save, / Oh, please save some ice cream for me!

Math / Science

Meaningful Counting, Predicting, Measuring: Print and cut out these scoops and cones. Count out the number of scoops indicated on the cone and predict which cone will be the tallest, smallest, etc.
Identifying Shapes, Comparing & Classifying: Use a variety of cut out shapes to build paper ice cream treats. Talk about the different shapes used to build different treats (ice cream cone - circles, half circles, triangles / cones... ice cream sundae - circles, half circles, rectangles for sprinkles... banana split - crescent for the banana, circles, half circles, rectangles for sprinkles, etc.)
Seriation / Ordering, Matching, Comparing & Classifying: Print and cut out these ice cream cards and sort them according to similarities (type of treat, color, have sticks, have sugar cones, have cake cones, etc.)
Cause & Effect Predictions: Put scoops of ice cream into different kinds of dishes (metal, glass, plastic). Take the dishes out into the sun and talk about what you see when the scoops begin to melt. Predict which scoop will be the first to melt completely.
Sequencing & Patterning: Create patterns using different colored “scoops” of ice cream. (I like this template.)

Gross Motor: Active Play

Make a cone out of a large piece of tagboard or similarly heavy paper and fill it up with balls. Practice picking balls up off the ground without dumping the ones already in the cone.
Balance a scoop of ice cream on a mixing spoon and see how far you can carry it before it melts.
Set out several hula hoops. Fill up the hula hoop “bowls” with pool noodles (bananas), balls (ice cream scoops), etc to make giant banana splits. See how many treats you can put in each bowl before they spill over the edge.
Cut clean bleach bottles at an angle starting just below the handle to make a large scoop. Toss “ice cream scoops” (small balls, yarn balls, tissue paper balls, etc.) up in the air and try to catch them in the scoopers.
Set up an ice cream parlor.

Snacks

Banana Split
Baked Apples and Ice Cream
Rock 'n Roll Ice Cream
Ice Cream Cone Cake
Ice Cream Sandwiches: Put a scoop of ice cream between two cookies

Home

2008-05-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Make the Three Little Pigs houses.
Cut pictures of household items out of a magazine and paste them inside a shoe box to make a paper doll house. Color and cut out paper dolls and introduce them to their new home!
Make a house puzzle using this house template and pieces of construction paper cut to fit the corresponding shapes. Laminate the template and the pieces for repeat play.
Make a birdhouse. *You could use popsicle sticks instead of twigs for this project.*
Color / fingerpaint "home" coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

There Was An Old Woman... : There was an old woman (curtsey) / Who lived in a shoe (touch shoes) / She had so many children / She didn't know what to do. (count fingers and then hold arms out like you don't know what to do) / She gave them some soup (pretend to eat the soup) / Some jam and some bread (Pretend to spread jam on bread) / Then kissed them all sweetly (Kiss all your fingers) / And put them to bed. (Hands joined on your shoulder and head resting on hands – pretend to go to sleep)
My House: I'm going to build a little house / With windows big and bright / With chimney tall and curling smoke / Drifting out of sight / In winter when the snowflakes fall / Or when I hear a storm / I'll go sit in my little house / Where I'll be snug and warm.
Different Houses: A sparrow's home is a nest in a tree / An octopus lives in a cave in the sea / In a hole in the ground a rabbit hides / A sunflower is where a gnome resides / A hollowed-out log is for a porcupine / But the best home of all is the one that is mine
Playmates: (Begin with closed fists) From a window in this house (Open one fist, fingers point up) / From a window in this house (Other fist open, fingers point up) / Playmates wave at each other (Close fists, then thumbs wag at each other) They jump (Hands go up and down quickly) / And have such fun! (Hands together and clap)
Here Is A House: Here is a house built up high (stretch arms up and touch fingers like a roof) / With two tall chimmeys reaching the sky (strech arms up separately) / Here are the windows (make square shape with your hands) / Here is the door (knock) / If we peep inside / We see a mouse on the floor!

Language: Songs

My House (sung to "The Wheels On The Bus"): The door on my house goes open and shut / Open and shut / Open and shut. / The door on my house goes open and shut / And the sun shines bright all day. / The windows on my house go up and down... / The chimney on my house goes puff, puff, puff... / The lights in my house go on and off...
Some People Live In (sung to "The Old Grey Mare"): Some people live in apartments / Live in apartments, live in apartments / Some people live in, apartments
That’s where some people live. / Some people live in big houses... / Some people live in boat houses... / Some people live in ice houses... / Some people live in mud houses...
Cleaned Up!(sung to "I've Been Working On the Railroad): I've been cleaning up my bedroom / All the live long day! / I've been cleaning up my bedroom / Look at all I put away:/ The books and blocks and balls and babies / Neatly in a row / Now when I want to find a toy / I know right where to go!
Build A House (sung to "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush") Hammer, hammer with one hammer (move one fist up and down) / one hammer, one hammer / Hammer, hammer with one hammer / Now hammer with two. / Hammer, hammer with two hammers (move both fists up and down)... /Hammer, hammer with three hammers (move both fists and one foot up and down)... /Hammer, hammer with four hammers (both fists, both feet)... / Hammer, hammer with five hammers (both fists, both feet, and nod head) / five hammers, five hammers / Hammer, hammer with five hammers / Now we're done
There Was A Crooked Man (click here for tune): There was a crooked man / And he walked a crooked mile. / He found a crooked sixpence / Upon a crooked stile: / He bought a crooked cat, / Which caught a crooked mouse, / And they all lived together / In a crooked little house.

Math / Science

Identifying Shapes: Use a variety of paper shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, etc. Get creative!) to "build" pictures of different houses. Call each shape by it's appropriate name and talk about how different shapes can fit together in a variety of ways.
Comparing & Classifying, Matching, Seriation / Ordering: Find a number of pictures of different kinds of houses in magazines, real estate papers, etc. Sort them into groups based on similar features (animal houses, houses with many windows, houses with chimneys, one-story houses, apartment houses, etc.)
Spatial Relationships: Talk about what you might find inside, outside of, and around a house. Use a simple house outline and pictures of these items (cut out of magazines, cut out of catalogs, printed from the internet, drawn, etc) to put them in their proper places. Talk about where they are in relation to the house (the dog is inside; the bed is upstairs; the tree is outside...)
Measuring, Size, Meaningful Counting: Use popsicle sticks to compare the height / width / length of different household objects. Talk about the differences you see (the blender is one popsicle stick shorter than the coffee pot; the couch is eleven popsicle sticks longer than the chair...)
Predicting: Revisit the story of the three little pigs, then build their houses. (Stack small bits of straw or toothpicks to make the straw house; twigs or pencils to make the house of sticks; Legos or playdough bricks to make the house of bricks). Take turns being the wolf and predict what will happen to each of the houses as you come to them in the story.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Play house! Provide household tools (hand-held vacuum, feather duster, whisk-broom & dust pan, buckets, paint brushes, spray bottles, etc.) and let imagination (imitation?) take over...
Room Match: Cut out a variety of pictures of household items that might be found in each room of a house from magazines, etc. Use an appropriate adhesive (I like painter’s tape) to affix each picture to the appropriate room in the house.
Go on a nature hike and look for different types of animal houses (birds nests, squirrel holes in trees, dog houses, spider webs, etc.)
Make a shoe house and decorate it together. If you don't feel like a lot of clean up, try "painting" with water!
Wash The Dishes

Snacks

Graham Cracker Houses
Bird Nests
Bats in a Cave: Cut an apple in quarters and scoop out the middle. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on the middle and press some raisins into the peanut butter. Turn upside down and viola! Bats in a cave!
Miniature Gingerbread Houses: "Cement" small gingerbread squares (5 per snacker -- 4 standing on edge to form the walls, 1 slightly larger one for the roof) together using peanut butter or cream cheese. Decorate with dried fruits, nuts, etc.
Make log cabins out of peanut butter playdough. Use bits of pretzel sticks to add doors and windows; a miniature marshmallow makes a great puff of "smoke" from the chimney!

Garden

2008-05-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Foot Flower: Make a footprint by painting the bottom of the foot and then stepping on paper. Draw on a stem and viola! A foot flower!
Sponge Lawns: Sprinkle grass seed on a moisten sponge and place in a shallow dish. Spray with water regularly to keep moist.
Shoe Box Garden: Fill a sturdy shoe box with an inch or two of potting soil. Plant seeds of choice (*note: root plants such as carrots, radishes, etc are NOT advised!) and place in a shallow container in a sunny spot. Mist regularly with water. After the seeds begin to sprout, the entire box can be planted in the ground if desired.
Coffee Filter Bouquet: Drip colored water onto a coffee filter. Dry, scrunch into a flower shape and secure with a pipe-cleaner "stem". Gather stems together and tie with decorative ribbon or place in vase.
Color /paint / finger paint "garden" coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

I'm a Little Flower Pot: I'm a little flower pot Mom put out (point to self) / If you take care of me, I will sprout (nod head, point to self) / When you water me, I will grow (make sprinkling motions) / Into a pretty flower, don't you know! (raise hand slowly up from floor; make wide circle with hands or arms).
A Little Sun: A little sun (hold arms above head) / A little rain (wiggle fingers in the air in a downward motion) / Now pull up all the weeds (pretend to pull weeds) / Our flowers grow, all in a row (hold up all ten fingers lined up like flowers) / From tiny little seeds. (hold thumb and finger to show size of seeds)
My Garden: This is my garden. I’ll rake it with care. (Pretend to rake.) / And then some flower seeds I’ll plant there. (Pretend to plant seeds.) / The sun will shine, (Put arms over head in a circle.) / And the rain will fall, (Put hands in air and bring down as rain.) / And my garden will blossom and grow straight and tall. (Make fist then open slowly as the flower blooms.)
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary: Mary, Mary, quite contrary / How does your garden grow? / With silver bells and cockleshells / And pretty maids all in a row!
Spring Garden by Gareth Lancaster: Jack Frost has upped and gone away, / To his icy summer home. / He stays there whilst the sun is warm, / It's not safe for him to roam. / Now he's left the earth warms up, / And flowers start to grow. / Peeking through the heating soil, / Growing quickly for a show. / Crocuses and Daffodils, / Green shoots poke through the ground. / And with each day as spring returns, / They burst up all around. / When spring arrives the garden glows, / With yellows, blues and reds. / Stretching in the sunny warmth, / Whilst Jack is safe in bed!

Language: Songs

Planting Flowers (sung to "Frere Jacques"): Planting flowers, planting flowers / In the ground, in the ground, / Water them and they grow, / Water them and they grow, / All around, all around.
I'll Plant a Little Seed (sung to "I'm a Little Teapot"): I'll plant a little seed in the dark, dark, ground. / Out comes the yellow sun, big and round. / Down comes the cool rain, soft and slow. / Up comes the little seed, grow, grow, grow!
The Garden Song (sung to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"): Dig, dig, dig your garden / Make it smooth and neat / Push, push, push that shovel, / Push it with your feet. / Plant, plant, plant your seeds / Push them down an inch / Cover your seeds with some soil / Cover with a pinch. / Water, water, water your seed / This will help them sprout, / Sprinkle lightly and let's not pour / And don't let them dry out. / Sun, sun, sunshine / It will turn them green, / Carrots and radishes and peppers, too / Tomatoes and some beans. / Watch, watch, watch them grow / See them grow so tall / Put a scarecrow in the ground / To protect them all. / Pull, pull, pull the weeds / Keep your garden clear / To make them grow up and out / And stretch out here and / there. / Pick, pick, pick your feast / Cook some veggie soup / You'll have lots and lots to eat, / Enough to feed the group.
I'll Plant A Little Seed (sung to "I'm A Little Teapot"): I'll plant a little seed in the dark, dark ground. / Out comes the yellow sun, big and round. / Down comes the cool rain, soft and slow. / Up comes the little seed, grow, grow, grow!
Seeds (sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"): Dig a hole deep in the ground / Spread some tiny seeds around / Pat them down - so they will keep / They are lying fast asleep / Rain will help the seeds to grow / Sunshine keeps them warm I know

Math / Science

Classifying: Separate silk flowers into groups by color, size, number of flowers on stems, etc.
Meaningful Counting, Comparing & Classifying, Spatial Relationships: Count the number of petals, leaves, stems, etc. on a variety of real and silk plants. Talk about the different parts of the plants and talk about where each part is in relation to the other parts.
Size: Compare the sizes of different parts of plants (seeds, stems, leaves, roots, flowers, petals).
Measuring: Plant seeds in a cup and measure the amount of soil and water used.
Comparing & Classifying, Predicting: Compare different sized seeds and predict the size that the plants will be based on seed size.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Plant a garden outside or in a large container.
Fill up a watering can and help water the garden.
Take a nature hike and look for different plants and seeds.
Fill the sand / water table with potting soil and plant a pretend garden using fake plants, vegetables, and fruits.
Pretend to be seeds growing into plants. Cover up with blankets / pillows and pop out of the "soil".

Snacks

Fruit Critters with Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip
Cherry Tomato Pops
Snail Sandwiches
Vegetable Flowers: Arrange celery & carrot strips into flower shapes, add pretzels for stems, and serve with veggie dip.
Watermelon Cookies

Friends

2008-05-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Friendship Bracelet: String fruit loops onto pieces of string / yarn. Make enough to share one with everyone.
Friendship Rainbow: Cut paper into rainbow shapes. Paint with thumb prints or hand prints -- a different color (or two, depending on the size of the group!) for each painter.
Friendship Mobile: Trace and cut out handprints from different colored pieces of construction paper. Punch holes into the outer edges of a paper plate and into the cut out handprints. String handprints onto the paper plate, leaving enough string between the two so that the handprints hang down when the plate is suspended. Punch a hole in the center of the plate and knot a string through it. Hang the mobile from this center string.
Wiggle Worm Friend
Color /paint / fingerpaint "friend" coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

With A Friend (By Vivian Gouled):I can talk with a friend / and walk with a friend / and share my umbrella in the rain / I can play with a friend / and stay with a friend / and learn with a friend / and explain / I can eat with a friend / and compete with a friend / and even sometimes disagree / I can ride with a friend / and take pride with a friend / A friend can mean so much to me!
Friends:I have two friends, (hold up 2 fingers on left hand) / And they have me; (hold up 1 finger on right hand) / Two friends and me, (bend each from left to right) / That's one, two, three (hold up fingers while saying 1,2 3)
Make New Friends: Make new friends, / but keep the old. / One is silver, / the other is gold. / A circle is round, / it has no end. / That's how long, / I will be your friend.
Two Little Friends: Two little friends are better than one, / And three are better than two; / And four are much better still. / Just think! What four little friends can do.
Hand In Hand: By myself I'm good, but together we're much better / Together we're much better, hand in hand / By myself I can sing, but together we're better / Together we're much better, hand in hand / Oh Big hands, little hands, clapping hand and waving hands / All different kinds of hand together hand in hand / By myself I can clap, but together we're much better / Together we're much better, hand in hand / By myself. I can jump but together we're much better / Together we're much better, hand in hand / Oh brown hands, pink hands, yellow hands and tan hands / All different kinds of hands together hand in hand

Language: Songs

The More We Get Together (sung to "Did You Ever See a Lassie?"):The more we get together, together, together / The more we get together, the happier will be.
For your friends are my friends, / And my friends are your friends, / The more we get together, the happier will be.
Friends (sung to "Frere Jacques"): You are my friend, you are my friend; I'm your friend too!. I'm your friend too! / We work and play together / No matter what the weather / I'm so glad / I know you.
Oh, Playmate!(Words and music by Saxie Dowell): Oh playmate, come out and play with me / And bring your dollies three. / Climb up my apple tree, / Look down my rain barrel / Slide down my cellar door / And we'll be jolly friends forever more.
The Buddy Song (sung to "Daisy, Daisy"): Buddy, buddy, / Come and play with me. / We can color; / Or maybe climb a tree. / Sharing, laughing, singing, / Running, skipping, swinging. / Whatever we do / It's better with you / Come and play with me!
If You're Friendly (sung to "If you're happy and you know it"): / If you're friendly and you know it, / clap your hands. / If you're friendly and you know it, / clap your hands. / If you're friendly and you know it, / and you really want to show it, / If you're friendly and you know it, / clap your hands!

Math / Science

Comparing & Classifying: Trace and cut out hand prints then compare sizes, lengths of fingers, left & right, etc.
Measuring: Use a tape measure to measure the height of each child and mark it on the wall with sticker, masking tape, etc. Talk about the differences you see.
Spatial Relationships: Talk about where the children are in comparison to each other (behind, to the left, in front of, beside, etc.)
Sequencing & Patterning, Meaningful Counting: String fruit loops on each friendship bracelet in color sequences. Count how many fruit loops are on each bracelet.
Meaningful Counting, Cause & Effect Predictions: Make block towers side by side that represent the different heights of each child. Count how many blocks are in a few of the towers, then predict if the next tower is going to have more or less.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Roll different sized balls back and forth to each other.
Play follow the leader.
Use beanbags to play catch with a partner.
Fill up a bucket with a partner at the sand / water table.
Play hide-n-seek.

Snacks

Gingerbread Friends: Roll out and cut gingerbread cookie dough using gingerbread man cutters. Line up on baking sheets so that their hands are touching, then bake.
Friendship Mix
Friendship Cookies: Roll sugar cookie dough into balls and have children flatten with their hands, leaving hand prints. Sprinkle with sugar and bake according to recipe.
Pretzel Twists: Provide each child with a ball of pretzel dough and show how to roll into long strips. Twist together two strips (each strip from a different child) and bake according to recipe.
Buddy Sandwiches: Form pairs. Give each partner a slice of bread and something to spread with. Put peanut butter on one partner's slice; jelly on the other. After the partners have spread their slice, put the slices together and cut the sandwich in half.

Earth

2008-04-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Fingerpaint with mud.
Hand Earth: Paint a large circular piece of paper blue. When dry, paint hands green and then make hand prints on it.
Coffee Filter Earth: Drop blue and green colored water on a coffee filter with eyedroppers and watch the colors swirl as the filter absorbs the water.
Wax Earth: Shave blue and green crayons and arrange shavings between two pieces of wax paper. Melt with iron on low heat.
Color /paint / fingerpaint "earth" coloring pages.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Home Sweet Home: A nest is a home for a robin; (cup hands to form a nest) / A hive is a home for a bee; (turn cupped hands over)/ A hole is a home for a rabbit; (make a hole with hands)/ The Earth is home for all three! (Make a big circle with arms to encompass all three)
The Mud Puddle (By Barrie Teague Alguire): Here’s a great big mud puddle. (Make a circle with your arms) / I walk around it. (Show fingers walking around the imaginary puddle) / I touch it with my finger. (Mime touching) / I scoop up a glop (Mime scooping) / And squeeze it through my fingers. (Mime squeezing) / Then I take off my shoes (Pluck at your “walking” fingers as if removing shoes) / And jump right in! (Jump your fingers into the imaginary puddle, or jump with your whole body)
Wonderful World: A wonderful world, I live in ( Make a circle with arms.) / Wiggly little worms; I see 10! (Wiggle all 10 fingers.) / I look low and I look high (Shade eyes with hand, look low and high) / I never know what I might spy!
Dirt Stew: Dirt for flour / Rain for milk / Stir, stir, stir / 'Til it's smooth as silk. / A sprinkle of pebbles / A twig or two / Who will try my yummy dirt stew?
The Earth is a Ball: The Earth is a ball, (Make ball with hands.) / So tiny you see, (Pinch fingers together to indicate size.) / Tossed out into the galaxy, (Pretend to toss like baseball.) / Much smaller than the sun that gives it heat. (Make larger ball with hands and shrink it down.) / But the Earth's none too small, (Make large "X" with finger.)
You'd have to agree. (Point to friend and nod.) / It's much bigger than you and me. (Make giant ball with hands above head; point to friend, then self.)

Language: Songs

Planting Time (sung to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"):Dig, dig, dig the earth (make digging motion) / Plant your seeds in a row (pretend to drop seeds) / A little rain (Flutter fingers down)/ A little sun (Circle arms above head) / Let's see what will grow!
Around Me (sung to "Down in the Valley") Mountains and valleys / Oceans so blue / Forests and farmland / Big cities, too. / They're all a part of / This land that I love / The Earth underneath me; / The sky up above.
This Land Is Your Land (words & music by Woody Guthrie Chorus): This land is your land, this land is my land / From California, to the New York Island / From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters / This land was made for you and me.
Dig, Dig, Dig! (sung to "This Old Man"): Dig a hole / In the ground / Rock and pebbles / All around / Keep on digging / That hole's getting big! / Make it bigger / Dig, dig, dig!
Gonna Get So Muddy (sung to "Did You Ever See a Lassie?"): Oh, I'm gonna get so muddy, so muddy, so muddy! / I'm gonna get so muddy, do you want to know how? / I mix water and dirt / I squish and I squirt / That's the way I got so muddy / Aren't you glad you know now?

Math / Science

Cause & Effect Predictions: Mix water and different types of soil and predict what will happen.
Matching: Press objects into mud thick enough to leave an impression. Match up which object left which impression.
Measuring, Counting, Size: Count how many scoops of soil, sand, pebbles, etc. it takes to fill up a small bucket. Use a variety of scoops and talk about the differences in size
Classifying: Sort different types of soil and soil contents (roots, rocks, leaves, etc.).
Time, Predicting: Make various sized mudpies and talk about which one(s) will dry first and why.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Nature Hike: Examine the different types of soil and its contents (bugs, rocks, roots, etc) in different areas nearby.
Real Stone Soup: Fill a bucket partially with water and add rocks, twigs, roots, etc.
Use rocks, mud, dirt, etc. to build an Earth castle. Add a moat with water for even more squishy fun. Experiment with which materials make the best dams, which make the best walls, etc.
Play with different types of soil (peat, sand, clay, rocky, etc.) in the sand / water table.
Rock & Roll: Find different sized / shaped rocks and see which one will roll the furthest / straightest, fastest, etc.

Snacks

Bugs & Dirt
Mud Pies: Make pie crusts by pressing sugar cookie dough thinly into muffin tins. Bake according to recipe and let cool. Fill with chocolate pudding and sprinkle cookie / graham cracker crumbs on top. Add raisins, gummy worms, etc. to complete the effect.
Rice Crispie Earth
Edible Rocks
Earth Muffins: Color 3/4 of a recipe of white cake batter blue. Color the remaining 1/4 green. Pour the blue batter into muffin tins and drop a small amount of green batter on top. Swirl gently with butter knife and bake according to recipe.

Dinosaurs

2008-03-28T23:34:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Dinosaur mural: Tape a large piece of fingerpaint paper to a large surface and use sponges shaped like dinosaurs, trees, etc. to make a prehistoric scene.
Color / paint dinosaur pictures.
Make dinosaur eggs.
Cereal Dinosaurs: Glue pieces of cereal to dinosaur outlines. After the glue is dry, paint the 3-D dinosaur.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Disappearing Dinosaurs: Five noisy dinosaurs / Roar, roar, roar / One decided not to play / Then there were four. / Four busy dinosaurs / Climbing up a tree / One slipped and fell and she ran home / Then there were three. / Three silly dinosaurs / Playing in the goo / One heard his mommy calling him / He ran off and there were two. / Two cranky dinosaurs / Tired of the sun / One laid down to take a nap / Then there was one./ One hungry dinosaur / Hurries home for a bite / She eats her dinner and takes a bath / Goodnight, dinosaurs, goodnight!
One Friendly Dinosaur : One friendly dinosaur wanted to play peek-a-boo. / She found another, then there were two. / Two friendly dinosaurs looked behind a tree. / They found another, then there were three. / Three friendly dinosaurs went to find some more. / They found another, and then there were four. / Four friendly dinosaurs in the water did dive. / They found another, and then there were five. / Five friendly dinosaurs played in the sun. / They all ran to hide; now there are none.
Hiding Dinosaurs: Dinosaur, Dinosaur, / Where can you be? / Hiding behind me (hands behind back) / Where you cannot see. / Now you see one(bring out one hand) ; / It's waiting for you. / Here comes another, (bring out other hand) / And now you see two!
Dinosaurs: Dinosaurs lived long ago. / Some walked (stomp in place) / Some swam (pretend to swim) / Some flew, you know! (flap arms at sides) / Some were big (hold hands high) / Some were small (hold hands low) / Some were gigantic--(stretch arms out wide) / V-e-r-y tall! (stretch arms up high)
Dinosaur Bones : Let's look for bones, / dig, dig, dig. / Dinosaur bones, / big, big, big. / Back to the lab, / zip, zip, zip. / Clean the bones, / chip, chip, chip. / Put them together, / so, so, so. / We've built a dinosaur, / oh, oh, OH!

Language: Songs

I'm a Grumpy Dinosaur (sung to "I'm a little Tea Pot"): I'm a grumpy dinosaur
(Make a mean face) / Big and Tall (Gesture hands big and tall ) / Here is my tail, here is my claw. (Gesture hands behind your back for tail and make claw hands) / When I get all hungry (rub your tummy) / I just grrroooowwwlll / Look out kids I'm on the prowl. ("Attack" by tickling tummies all around)
Hungry Dinosaur Song (sung to "Are You Sleeping?"): Din-o-saur / Din-o-saur / Fast and strong / Fast and strong / You look glad to see me / Uh-oh... you want to EAT me! / Run away! / Run away!
Dinosaurs Lived Long Ago (sung to "London Bridge"): Dinosaurs lived long ago/ Long ago / Long ago / Dinosaurs lived long ago / I wonder where they went? / Are they hiding over here? / Under this? / Way up there? / I don’t see them anywhere / Where did they go?
Ten Big Dinosaurs (sung to "10 Little Indians"): 1 big, 2 big, 3 big dinosaurs, / 4 big, 5 big, 6 big dinosaurs, / 7 big, 8 big, 9 big dinosaurs, / 10 big dinosaurs! / 10 big, 9 big, 8 big dinosaurs, / 7 big, 6 big, 5 big dinosaurs / 4 big, 3 big, 2 big dinosaurs, / 1 big dinosaur. ROAR!
Did You Ever See a Dinosaur? (sung to "Did You Ever See a Lassie?"): Did you ever see a dinosaur, a dinosaur, a dinosaur? / Did you ever see a dinosaur stomp this way and that? / Stomp this way and that way / Stomp this way and that way / Did you ever see a dinosaur, stomp this way and that?

Math / Science

Size: Separate big dinosaurs from little dinosaurs.
Meaningful Counting: Count the dinosaurs in each pile. Emphasize that each dinosaur corresponds with a particular number.
Measuring, Ordering / Seriation: Measure dinosaurs against a ruler and put them in order from longest to shortest
Spatial Relationships: Use rocks, plastic trees, etc. to make a dinosaur-scape. Talk about where the dinosaurs are in relation to other dinosaurs, the trees, the rocks, etc.
Sequencing / Patterning, Predicting: Put the dinosaurs in predictable patterns (big, little, big, little...) and talk about what will come next.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Dinosaur dig: Fill a tub (or sand / water table) with sand, cornmeal, or fine dirt. Bury mall plastic dinosaurs and use shovels, rakes, spoons, etc to dig them back out.
Move around like dinosaurs (stomp, crawl, fly, etc.)
Dinosaur Egg Hunt: Fill plastic Easter eggs with small dinosaurs and hide. When they are found, have the children hide them for you to find.
Dino Dance: Tie paper bags to the children’s feet and stomp / dance to dinosaur songs (Laurie Berkner’s “We are the Dinosaurs”, Bergman Broom’s album “9 Dinosaur Songs”)
Dress up like paleontologists and search for hidden dinosaurs.

Snacks

Circus

2008-03-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

Fine Motor: Art

Fingerprint Circus: Put a small amount of tempera paint in a small shallow container. Dip fingers in the paint and make a fingerprints on a piece of paper. After the paint dries, strings to make balloons; faces, whiskers and tails to make lions and monkeys; trunks, faces, and tails to make elephants, etc.
Clown Hat Collage: Glue scraps of paper and cloth to cut out clown hats.
Color / paint circus pictures.
Ringmaster Megaphone: Decorate black paper with chalk, paint, paper scraps etc. Then fold into a megaphone shape and tape together.
Popcorn Buckets: Glue red and white strips on popcorn boxes (template here) and tear the yellow paper for the popcorn.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Three Balls: A little ball, (Join thumb and pointer finger to make a small circle.) / A bigger ball, (Join hands to make a medium circle.) / A great big ball I see. (Raise hands overhead and let fingertips touch to make a big circle.) / Now let us count / The balls we've made, / One, two, three. (Count to three on fingers.)
The Elephant: The elephant walks / Like this and like that; (Get down on all fours and walk back and forth.) / He's very tall, / (Stand and stretch arms up.) / And he's very fat. (Stretch arms out to sides.) / He has no fingers, (Hold hands up, making fists to hide fingers.) / But he does have toes, (Reach down and touch toes.) / And, goodness gracious, / What a nose! (Grab nose between fingers and thumb of left hand; insert right arm through loop to form elephant's trunk.)
Wiggles The Clown: I have a funny nose. /I wear a funny little hat. / Sometimes I'm thin. / Sometimes I'm fat. / I wiggle, wiggle all about. / I jiggle up and down. / I make children laugh and shout. / It's fun to be a clown.
Under The Big Top: Under the big top, what will I see? / Look there's an elephant smiling at me. / Behind the elephant, what will I see? / Look there's a bear dancing for me. / Behind the bear, what will I see? / Look a wild lion is roaring at me. / Behind the lion, what will I see? / A little seal doing tricks for me.
Carousel: The carousel goes round and round / The horses go up and down / Up and down . . .round and round / I want to ride it, all day long

Language: Songs

Circus Song (sung to "I've Been Working on the Railroad): I am walking through the circus, / Happy as can be. / I am walking through the circus, / Just to see what I can see. / I can see the clown laughing. / I can see the elephant, too. / I can see the lion sleeping. / Look out! ‘Cause he sees you.
Oh, Little Lion (sung to "La Cucaracha"): Oh little lion, Oh little lion, / Jump through the fiery ring. / Oh little lion, Oh little lion, / Let's see you do it again.
Take Me Out To the Circus (sung to "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"): Take me out to the circus / Take me to the big top / I want to see the clowns tumbling / As I eat popcorn and drink soda pop / Oh, the lions and tigers may scare me / And the high wire acts amaze me / So . . .You! . . .see . . .all the great things we will do / On our circus day!
Let's Go To The Circus (sung to "Mary Had a Little Lamb"): Let's go to the circus today / The circus today, the circus today / Let's go to the circus today /And watch a big parade. /See the clowns all tumbling around / tumbling around, tumbling around. / See the clowns all tumbling around /In the circus ring. /Lions and tigers jumping through hoops /Jumping through hoops, jumping through hoops. /Lions and tigers jumping through hoops /In the center ring. / The prancing horses step so high / Step so high, step so high. /The prancing horses step so high / See them marching by!

Math / Science

Classifying: Separate beanbags into color groups.
Seriation / Ordering: Put the circus animals in order from shortest to tallest.
Identifying Shapes: Find pictures of circuses. Talk about the shapes you find in these pictures (rings = circles; top of the tent = triangle; tent stripes = rectangles, etc).
Spatial Relationships: Experiment with toy circus animals and talk about where they are in relation to each other and other circus objects (the lion is in front of the hoop; the elephant is on the ball; the horse is under the monkey, etc).
Matching: Play a simple matching game with circus picture cards.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Play with hula-hoops.
Juggle with bean-bags.
Have a circus animal parade.
Tightrope walk: Place masking tape on the floor, or tape a piece of yarn onto the floor for the children to walk along, while pretending they are a tight rope walker.
Dress up like clowns and circus performers.

Snacks

Popcorn and peanuts
Clown Faces
Munchy Merry-Go-Rounds
Monkey Salad
Animal Crackers

Bugs

2008-01-26T22:49:00.000-08:00

Fine Motor: Art

Pom-pom bugs: Glue pom-poms onto a paper-plate to make fuzzy bugs.
Playdough worms: Practice rolling playdough into long skinny "worms".
Color / paint bug pictures.
Potato Print Bugs: Cut a potato in half, dip half into paint and stamp onto paper. After the paint has dried, decorate the "bug" with crayons, fingerpaint, stickers, etc.
Collage bugs: Glue small pieces of torn construction paper to larger cut out shapes. Add pipe cleaner legs and antennae.

Language: Rhymes / Fingerplays

Caterpillar Change: There was a little caterpillar crawling all about. (Walk with fingers on arm)/ He worked and he worked without a doubt. (Wiggle fingers)/ Wrapping himself in a snug cocoon.(Wrap other hand around fingers)/ Waiting and waiting, will it be soon? (hold fingers) / Look, he's coming out, my oh my! (raise arms in excitement)/ For now he's become a beautiful butterfly (Cross thumbs and flap hands like wings)
Bee Hive: This is my bee hive (put hands together) / but where are the bees? / Hidden inside where nobody sees / One, two, three, four, five, (raising up fingers) / There they go, off to the trees (point)
Hunting Bugs: A-hunting we will go / A -hunting we will go / We'll catch a (insert any insect here) / and put it in a box / and then we'll let it go!
Roly-Poly Caterpillar: Roly-poly caterpillar (wiggle right pointer finger) / Into a corner crept, (place right pointer finger in left cupped hand) / Spun around himself a blanket (spin around) / Then for a long time slept. (place head on folded hands) / Roly-poly caterpillar (wiggle right pointer finger) / Wakening by and by, ("stretch" right pointer finger) / Found himself with beautiful wings / Changed to a butterfly. (flutter arms like wings)
Five Little Ladybugs: Five little Ladybugs climbing up a door / One Flew away then there were four / Four Little ladybugs sitting on a tree /One flew away then there were three / Three little ladybugs landed on a shoe / One flew away and then there were two / Two little ladybugs looking for some fun / One flew away and then there was one / One little ladybug sitting in the sun / She flew away and then there were none.

Language: Songs

The Little Caterpillar (sung to "Itsy, Bitsy Spider"): The little caterpillar crawled up into a tree, /Spun his cocoon and slept so quietly, /All through the winter he didn't make a sound, /He dreamt of his new life when he'd be flying all around. /While he was sleeping the snow did gently fall, /Winter came and went, then her heard the robin's call, /Come on Mr. Butterfly, out of your cocoon /Spread your wings and fly for me, while I sing my tune.
Bugs (sung to "Frere Jacques"): Big bugs, small bugs / Big bugs, small bugs / See them crawl / On the wall? / Creepy, creepy, crawling / Never, never falling. / Bugs, bugs, bugs! / Bugs, bugs, bugs!
Flutter, flutter, Butterfly! (sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"): Flutter, flutter, butterfly! / Floating in the summer sky. / Floating by for all to see. / Floating by so merrily / Flutter, flutter, butterfly! / Floating in the summer sky.
Insect Song (sung to "The Wheels on the Bus"):The firefly at night goes blink blink blink / Blink blink blink blink blink blink / The firefly at night goes blink blink blink / All around the town. / The bees in the flowers go buzz buzz buzz.... / The ants in the grass go march march march... The crickets in the leaves go chirp chirp chirp... / The caterpillar in the field goes creep creep creep....
Little Wiggle Worm Song (sung to "I'm a Little Teapot"): I'm a little wiggle worm, watch me go! / I can wiggle fast, or very very slow / I wiggle all around, then back I go / Down into the ground, to the home I know.

Math / Science

Counting: Count the number of legs on toy bugs.
Matching: Sort toy bugs according to number of legs, color, etc.
Identifying Shapes: Put together different paper shapes to make "bugs" (two triangles to make the wings of a butterfly, small circles on top of a larger oval to make a ladybug, circles in a row to make a caterpillar, etc.) and talk about the shapes that are used.
Size: Put toy bugs in order from smallest to largest, shortest to longest, etc.
Comparing & Classifying: Talk about which bugs can fly, which bugs crawl, which bugs hop, which bugs swim, etc.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Squirm like a worm across the floor on your tummy.
Hop like a grasshopper.
Go on a nature hike.
Dance to songs like "The Spanish Flea", "Flight of the Bumblebee", etc.
Catch and toss bean bags with butterfly nets.

Snacks:

Ants on a Log
Apple Ladybug Treats
Spider Sandwiches: Cut PB&J sandwiches with a round cookie cutter, add pretzel stick legs and raisins for eyes.
Dirt Pudding with Worms
Bug Snacks

Apples

2008-01-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

Fine Motor

Apple Pies: On a paper plate, paint with white glue mixed with brown paint. Decorate with apple punches or apple stickers then sprinkle with cinnamon.
Make apples using red and green play dough and apple shaped cookie cutters.
Stamp Paint: Cut apple(s) in half. Dip cut sides of apple in paint and stamp on construction paper.
Color / finger paint apple pictures.

Language: Rhymes / Finger plays

A Little Red Apple: A little red apple / up high in a tree / I looked up at it / and it looked down at me. / I called "Come down, please, apple!" / And what do you suppose? / That little red apple/ Fell right down on my nose! / OUCH!
Five Red Apples: Five red apples hanging in a tree (hold up five fingers) / The juiciest apples you ever did see. / The wind came by and gave and angry frown (flutter fingers downward) / And one little apple came tumbling down (etc)
Eat an Apple: Eat an apple (Bring right hand to mouth) / Save the core (Close right hand in fist) / Plant the seeds (Bend down & touch the ground) / And grow some more (Extend both arms out).
Mmmm, Apple: Look at the apple that I found, / so fat and rosy on the ground. / Let's go wash it and bite it in two / half for me and half for you.

Language: Songs

A Wiggly Worm (sung to "Boom! Boom! Ain't It Great to Be Crazy?"): Chorus: Yum! Yum! Don't you know I love apples? / Yum! Yum! Don't you know I love apples? / Red and green and yellow, too… / Yum! Yum! Don't you know I love apples? / (Verse) Way up high in an apple tree / I saw two eyes look at me / I reached for an apple / it started to squirm... / Oops! I found a wiggly worm! / (Chorus) / (Verse) That wiggly worm is a friend of mine / We eat apples all of the time. / I let him crawl back to that tree / Hey! That worm's still looking at me! / (Chorus)
Apples, Apples (sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"): Apples juicy, apples round / On the tree or on the ground. / Apples yellow, apples red / Apple pie and juice and bread! / Apples crunchy, apples sweet; / Apples are so good to eat!
Two Little Apples (sung to "This Old Man"): Way up high, in a tree (raise hands over head) / Two red apples smiled at me / So I climbed that tree as fast as I could (pretend to climb tree) / And picked those apples. Yum! They were good! (Rub tummy)
All Around the Apple Tree (sung to “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”): Here we go round the apple tree, the apple tree, the apple tree. / Here we go around the apple tree / So early in the morning. This is the way we (pick the apples, wash the apples, peel the apples, cook the apples...)... so early in the morning.
A Little Apple Seed (sung to "Itsy, Bitsy Spider"): Once a little appleseed was planted in the ground /Down came the raindrops, falling all around. /Out came the big sun, bright as bright could be /And that little apple seed grew into an apple tree!

Math / Science:

Counting: Separate fake apples into two baskets, then count the number of apples in each basket. Compare baskets using words like "more", "less", or "equal".
Sequencing & Patterning: Put the apples into a color pattern (green, red, green, red…) and talk about what will come next.
Size: Sort the apples according to size (big, little).
Predicting: Predict what will happen when different apples (real, plastic, foam, wooden, etc.) are put into the water table (will they float or sink?).
Sorting: Sort the apples by color into the two baskets.

Gross Motor: Active Play

Apple Roll: Roll plastic and real apples back and forth to each other.
"Bob" for plastic apples in the water table.
Toss plastic apples into a basket.
Toss and catch plastic apples.
Apple Hunt: Find the hidden plastic apples and put them in baskets.

Snacks

Fine Motor Skills

2008-01-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

From Wikipedia:

Fine motor skills can be defined as coordination of small muscle movements which occur e.g., in the fingers, usually in coordination with the eyes. In application to motor skills of hands (and fingers) the term dexterity is commonly used.

The abilities which involve the use of hands, develop over time, starting with primitive gestures such as grabbing at objects to more precise activities that involve precise hand-eye coordination. Fine motor skills are skills that involve a refined use of the small muscles controlling the hand, fingers, and thumb. The development of these skills allows one to be able to complete tasks such as writing, drawing, and buttoning.

Below is a list of some activities that can be used to develop fine motor skills. This list is by no means comprehensive!

Cutting
Pasting & Placing
Tracing
Coloring
Buttoning
Lacing
Tying
Fastening Snaps
Zipping
Carrying
Playdough
Sweeping
Manipulatives
Puzzles
Writing
Drawing
Painting
Stacking
Folding
Wrapping & Unwrapping
Hammering
Scooping
Transferring
...

Gross Motor Skills

2008-01-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

From Wikipedia:

The term gross motor skills refers to the abilities usually acquired during infancy and early childhood as part of a child's motor development. By the time they reach two years of age, almost all children are able to stand up, walk and run, walk up stairs, etc. These skills are built upon, improved and better controlled throughout early childhood. These movements come from large muscle groups and whole body movement.

Below is a list of some activities that can be used to develop fine motor skills. This list is by no means comprehensive!

Walking
Running
Hopping
Kicking
Climbing
Hitting
Catching
Jumping
Balancing
Tumbling
Dancing

Language Activities

2008-01-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

From LinguaLinks:

Language educators have long used the concepts of four basic language skills:
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing

The four basic skills are related to each other by two parameters:
the mode of communication: oral or written
the direction of communication: receiving or producing the message

Below is a list of activities that work to enhance language skills. This list is by no means comprehensive!

Reading
Following Directions
Repeating
Singing
Chanting
Working with Alphabet & Numbers
Sign Language

Math & Science Activities

2008-01-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

From PreschoolRock.com:

Math and science are important ways that preschoolers can learn about the world around them. As they come to understand basic math and science concepts, they will develop new interests and skills that will help them as they move on to kindergarten and beyond. Math and science activities will also encourage a preschooler to think creatively and look at things a little bit different than they did before.

Below are some basic math & science skills and a brief description of how very young children can experience them. This list is by no means comprehensive! (I found this list somewhere on the internet, but I can't for the life of me find the web address. My apologies for not being able to give proper credit... I will keep looking for the site and link to it when I find it!)

Size: Babies notice that they are “small” and mom is “big” before they know what those word mean.
Cause & Effect Relationships: Infants become aware of how their actions impact their surroundings, for example, they become aware that if they shake a rattle, it will make noise.
Classifying: Classifying is putting objects into sets based on common traits. Even babies start classifying objects in simple ways. For example, they come to realize which of their toys make noise, and which ones do not.
Predicting: Predicting involves guessing what will happen, based on previous experiences. For example, when kids hear the water running in the tub, they may “predict” that bath time is near.
Rote counting: Rote counting is based on memorization of number order. Toddlers learn to count (usually up to 5 or 10) before they know what the numbers mean and often skip, or repeat, numbers.
Meaningful Counting: Young children come to understand the use of numbers through exploration. They learn that counting can be used for objects, such as how many raisins they have for snack, and can successfully count a small number of items. Assigning a number to an object is the developmental milestone known as one-to-one correspondence. They will also notice if someone has “more” raisins than they have and will begin to recognize written numbers.
Identifying Shapes: Toddlers and preschoolers can recognize simple geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, etc. They may announce that their cracker is a circle.
Cause & Effect Predictions: As children develop, they become more aware of how their actions impact their surroundings. Toddlers know that when they hit a block tower they built, it will topple. Older toddlers and preschoolers may be able to “predict” what a story will be about by looking at the picture on the cover.
Spatial Relationships: Toddlers & preschoolers come to understand the relationship between shapes or objects. When they work on puzzles, their concept of “part-to-whole” relationships develops. They start using “positional” words to explain spatial relationships, such as, “The dog is under the table,” or, “I’m sitting in front of you.”
Seriation / Ordering: Seriation is putting objects in a particular order, such as size; for example, lining crayons up in order from shortest to longest.
Sequencing & Patterning: A repeated sequence is a pattern. Young children notice and experiment with patterns. For example, when stacking blocks, they may stack them in a black - white - black sequence. Two- and three-year-olds can usually sequence up to three items.
Matching: Matching involves finding objects that are alike, or the same. Young children may match blocks, or household items, such as plates. Once children can match, they can learn how to compare, and then physically classify (sort) items.
Comparing & Classifying: Comparing involves identifying similarities and differences among objects. As children develop, they start to use comparative language, such as, “My cup is the biggest!” Once children can compare objects, they learn how to sort, or “classify” them by one characteristic, such as color or size. For example, three- and four-year olds are able to create a set by putting all the “blue blocks” in a pile. Four- and five-year-olds can usually compare objects that are familiar to them, even if those objects are not in sight.
Time: Young children do not understand abstract ideas about time, for example, “The drive to grandma’s house is two hours,” and they can not understand clocks. However, they do have basic ideas about time, such as they eat breakfast in the morning and go to bed after dinner.
Measuring: Young children do not understand what “12 inches” means, but they can grasp that mommy is taller than grandma.