Fun Days-Teddy Bear Picnic

We often have different “themed” days in some classrooms.  Pajama day is always a fun one, and popular.

One day, however, I saw a great day in a classroom that almost made me wish I was still a lead teacher in the classroom just so I could implement it…almost, I love what I do.

They had a Teddy Bear Picnic day!

What did this entail?  Many FUN activities full of intentionality!

Everyone brings in their teddy bears.  If someone doesn’t have a teddy bear, that’s okay because the teacher had LOTS of extras!  If they forgot or didn’t have one, they were able to pick one to be theirs for the day.

The teddy bears are the children’s “students” for the day and the get to/must bring them around and share their activities with them. 

In the blocks, teddy bears were the receivers of beds made just for them…to size. 

In the dramatic play area, well, what teddy bear doesn’t LOVE coffee, cake, and plastic pizza?

During circle, they sat in a circle according the the teddy bears size!   This was a great math activity to start off and then having the responsibility of “keeping your teddy bear quiet” brought a new attention span to even the most wiggly child.

Circle time consisted of reading/singing the Teddy Bear Picnic book and going around the circle introducing the teddy bear to the rest of the group (name, favorite food, age).

At one of the tables, there were pieces of fabric, scissors, and patterns to make clothes for their bears…if they wanted.  There was one teacher close by to HELP the children stitch the things together with fat needles and thread.  Yes, the teacher allowed them to SEW with REAL needles!  Awesome practice in trusting the children!

At another table, if they so chose, the children had a picnic making activity.  Teddy bears and their owners spent time making sandwiches (math/patterning, fine motor, reading recipes), filling baggies with carrots (counting), and filling baskets with small group numbers of sandwiches, carrot bags, applesauce cups, plastic spoons, paper cups, napkins, plates, and pitchers of milk (community, counting, sorting, spacial awareness).

During outdoor time, teddy bears rode on tricycles going through obstacle courses, built sand castles, and went on…wait for it…a BEAR HUNT!  It was an awesome obstacle course!

Lunch was a picnic out on the grass!

Nap time was a breeze for the simple matter that the children didn’t want to wake their bears.

It was an awesome day!

What kind of fun days do you have?

Make it personal

One of my favorite things to do in the classroom is to bring the children into every area.  I don’t mean by physically dragging them over to the blocks or dramatic play areas.  What I mean is make each area personal for everyone.

Children love to see themselves, don’t they?  A great way to bring them into the areas and activities is to bring in pictures of them.  Here is a simple list of ideas that I enjoy:

Make block play people out of their pictures.  Print out pictures of the children making each child about 4 inches tall.  Glue those pictures onto cute and sanded 2x4 blocks that have been cut to size.  You can even take intentional pictures of the children and ask them to pose however they want.  Don’t tell them what it’s for.  They will get a kick out of it and love to play with each other’s blocks.

Recreate Brown Bear, Brown Bear.  Using pictures of the children, write your own book having each child on the page.  Write the words as in the book, substituting the children’s names for the animals. “Suzy, Suzy who do you see?  I see Alyssa looking at me.”  I did this once in a toddler classroom and used laminated pages so that when a child left and a new child came it was easy to change the children’s names on the pages as necessary.

File folder games!  There is so much you can do with this.  First is a matching game.  Real simple, a picture of John matched a picture of John.  There is the puzzle one where you glue half the picture to the file folder and they have to match the other half.  Use their pictures for this!  For a bit more creative, take pictures of the children in specific numbers of group so they match the picture with the written number on the file folder board.  If they are getting more advanced in letter sound recognition, have them match the child’s name to the letter on the board.

Make lacing cards with their pictures glued to cardstock, teach them how to wave them together to make a long line of classmates together!  Have a stack of pictures where they can sort by color shoes, boys and girls, color of shirts, etc…

What other ideas do you have to integrate pictures of the children into the environment?

Play Clay

Yesterday I gave you a great recipe for play dough; I also mentioned that I prefer there to be clay in the classrooms.

At the beginning of the year, I like to start children off with play dough.  Especially if they are younger three year olds.  However, as they get older, I switch out that play dough for CLAY.

Why?  Because it is harder to work with and they NEED to build that muscle in their fingers if they are going to be successful in learning to write and hold a pencil.

Clay can be frustrating for the children so you have to sit with them when you first put it out.  Talk to them about squeezing and pushing it.  The more they work with it, the easier it gets because, as it gets warmer, it gets more pliable.

After a couple of weeks it will be just as popular as the play dough, but it will take some getting used to; however, it is much better for the children to be using play CLAY because of it’s benefits.

Plus, you’ll see them start to use it to make sculptures rather than flat images.  Again, you have to encourage this and give them some examples.  Get our some art books on ceramics!  TAKE AWAY the cookies cutters!  Show them how to stack balls, make cubes, and roll that snack up to turn it into a snail.

It’s amazing how clay will change their play.

Play Dough Recipe

Whether you spell it play dough or playdough, it’s a staple in our classrooms, right?

Many teachers make a new batch every week.  It’s almost necessary because it gets used so much.

Add things to it, make it interesting colors, use rolling pins and cookie cutters, scissors and knifes, no matter what, the children love this stuff.

I am a huge believer in play dough; I am a bigger believer in clay.  If you are going to put clay out, make sure to put the play dough away.  However, clay is something that you have to buy or, if you are lucky, get a local art school to donate a batch.

Here is the best play dough recipe I have ever come across:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/4 cup salt
• food coloring

Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time.

Now, here’s the thing.  Cream of Tartar is EXPENSIVE!  It’s not necessary.  It is in there as a preservative.  If you are going to be making a new batch every week or two, then you won’t need it.  If you are planning on keeping this play dough for longer than 2 weeks, then you will need it; but let’s face it, that stuff NEEDS to be changed AT LEAST every two weeks.

This is a recipe that can be made in the classroom if you have an electric skillet.  Just make sure you are careful with the children around.  However, there is nothing like getting to play with that play dough immediately out of the pot…it’s like eating a cookie straight from the oven…it’s magical!

What’s your favorite play dough recipe?

The old and the new

With the new year starting now is a great time to do some curriculum on the old and new.

Do some matching games.  Have pictures of OLD cars and cars from today!

Put pictures up of the children with their grandparents.

Even more fun, put OLD pictures of the children up (as babies) next to pictures of them today.

Take a class trip to a local nursing home and visit some elderly people.  Plan this in advanced with the home and have books available for the elderly people to read to the children.  It’s also fun to have things like play dough and paints as well.

If you can’t take a class trip, ask some elderly people to come in and volunteer in the classroom.  Have them come and read books to the children and participate.  Some children don’t have grandparents around and they love it.  The grandparents also love spending time with the children.

This is a time to talk about how things change and grow.  Look at those seeds that were planted, grew, gave us fruit, and are not dead and used as fertilizer for the next planting season.

What activities do you do to introduce children to old and new?

Rhythm Sticks

When it comes to music and movement time in the classrooms I see one thing: Music playing really loud while the children jump around manically.

Occasionally there might be some instruments passed around to make this chaotic time even more chaotic (if that’s at all even possible); or sometimes there might even be some dancing ribbons or scarves tossed in as well.

Often times these scarves and ribbons are quickly collected as the children are admonished for waving them in other children’s faces or using the stick end of the ribbons as swords.

I also see classrooms that have a music center, but again there is no direction.  Therefore, the rhythm stick sit beckoning to the boys to be swords or other weapons; the drums call out to be beaten on roughly almost to the point of let’s-see-how-hard-we-have-to-hit-it-before-the-stick-punches-through-it.

What I don’t see, however, are children being taught how to use these materials. I rarely, if ever, see the teachers sitting down at free choice and exploring the drums with the children, showing them how they work.  I definitely don’t ever see the children being taught how to use the rhythm sticks.

 

Musical instruments are items that many of us have in the classroom.  If you set your room up according to ECERS standards, you probably even have a music center in the room.  What good does it do it you don’t show the children how to use the materials?

They can be great tools to use to teach patterning, team work, and even beginning reading.  If you just change the outlook of them from something-you-have-to-have-in-the-classroom-because-ECERS-or-your-director-says-so to something-that-can-be-a-great-tool-to-use-in-the-curriculum-over-all

Here’s how to introduce music to the classroom.  First, use the best musical instrument: your hands.

Get a poster board size of paper.  Evenly spaced apart, make one line of 8 circles.  Just below that line, make a line of 8 squares.  Just below that line, make a line of alternating circles and squares (so there are 8 circle, square, circle, square, circle, square, circle, square).  Just below that line, make a line of two circles, one square pattern (so there are 8: circle, circle, square, circle, circle, square, circle, circle).

If you want, you can add to the rows, but that’s a good start.  Later, you might even make a poster with velcro pieces and circles, squares, and even x’s with the other velcro parts on them so the children can make their own patterns.

Okay, now have the children sit in a circle and tell them that they are going to play music with their hands.  Every time you point to a circle, they are to clap their hands together.  Now point to the first row one circle at a time in rhythm.  This way, they will get the idea that with a circle they are to clap.

Once they stay in rhythm with your pointing to the circles, explain to them that every time you point to a square they are going to hit their thighs.  Demonstrate to them then point to the row of squares in rhythm.  Repeat this until they do so in rhythm with you pointing to each square. 

Then, repeat the first line and the second line until the children can stay in rhythm and can change from clapping to hitting their thighs.

 

Then challenge them by pointing to the third line.  Do this until they can stay in rhythm with you and can identify when to clap and when to hit their thighs.

 

This should only be about 10 minutes each day or else some children will get overwhelmed with the information if it’s longer.  After about 3 to 4 days, they will begin to catch on to what to do.

The second week, as they sit down for circle, quietly place two rhythm sticks in front of each child, parallel to them, and tell each one, “Leave them there until I tell you.”

If one child picks them up or even touches them, pick them back up and remind them not to touch, then put them back down.  It is VERY IMPORTANT that you not allow them to touch them until you are sitting down and ready and that you respond immediately upon them touching them.

Once you are sitting down show them how to hold the sticks, one in each hand, with their hands resting on their knees.  Show them how to tap them on the ground and tap them together (making an x).  Then tell them that every time they see a circle, they tap them together and every time they see a square they tap on the ground.

Again, walk them through the circle and square rows and walk them through reading the pattern and playing.

Eventually, add the x to the pattern.  On an x there is NO SOUND!

In 3 weeks time you will have the children making music, rather than just noise, reading patterns, and even creating patterns of their own.  Go from there and, if you start it early enough in the school year, by the end of the year you will have the children reading simple music notes.

Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley, for those don't know, is a book by Jeff Brown. It's about a boy who gets flattened and has some fun adventures.

What does this mean for Preschool teachers? Simple, it's a great project to spin off in the classroom. Last night I had this in my mail box:

A dear friend of mine has a 5 year old daughter. Guess what her class project is? Yep, they each made their own flat doll and have sent them on adventures. This Flat Alyssa is on a great adventure in our home for the weekend.

Want to know the best adventure I have planned for her? Visiting a preschool classroom. I have decided that one of the classrooms in our center is also going to benefit with this curriculum. Flat Alyssa will be talking to the children about her adventures so far as well as asking the children to draw pictures for her, tell her about their adventures, and ask for suggestions of where she should go while she is in San Diego.

I'm bringing in a map and we are going to look at all the places she has been and where she is going.

If I were the teacher sending this out, I would make sure to put up a map and plot all the points that the dolls were going to visit. Before hand I would have the children guess at what kinds of adventures they thought their dolls would have; then when they came back we would compare our guesses.

I would also ask the receivers of the dolls to send periodic updates to the school so that the children's interest remains alive and active.

This is an adventure that can last a whole year; if not at least two months.

Have you ever done a Flat Stanley project? What were some of your activities?

Experiences in Geomotry and more

I obtained these blocks at a training I attended for free. If you want to order some, they are over here.

Yes, it does say they are for Kindergarten to 4th grade, however they are very appropriate for the 4 year old if it's a teacher guided activity.

It has some small pieces that a child who explores orally will need to be closely watched; but everyone else will be fine.

I used the term teacher guided activity, let me explain what I mean. First, let's look at how I set it up:

It's a very simple set up. I get some masking tape out and tape 6 squares on the table. This is a defined workspace for each child who would be participating. I then put a handful of shapes into each square (taking out the spheres because these just turn into throwing and destruction tools).

I put the tape down to give them for children who are working on Shared use of Space. (For those using the DRDP-r, this is measure 11). This allows a child who is possessive of their materials to have a clear line of what is theirs.

I use tape and not trays because it opens up the children much more to sharing their materials and also it is very difficult to build on some trays.

When the children come to the table, the teacher is sitting at one of the spaces as well. Remember, this is a teacher guided activity. When the children first come to the table I give them about 2 minutes to explore. I explore the items as well. Stack them, line them up, move them around.

Start "sports casting" what they are doing: "Ian is lining his up on the tape. Karla, are you stacking your up? I see you have made many little houses."

Then the guiding starts..."I'm going to stack mine by colors. Watch! Can you do this?"; "Ian, I wonder what you have more of, cubes or cylinders. How can we find out? Maybe if we line them up next to each other."; "Karla, can you make all your stacks look the same?"

These are suggestions only; if they go along with it, great. If not, at this point they may just walk away. Typically they will walk away if the task you give them is too challenging, so make sure that you are well aware of their ability level when you are guiding them through these challenges.

Also, make sure you are praising the work they put into it, not the work itself: "Wow Ian, you worked for a long time lining those up."; "Karla, high five for sticking with it. You're towers kept falling over but you figured it out!" You are praising the process, not the result. This is very important.

These shapes and this activity work on geometry, patterning, teacher interactions, peer relations, sticking with a task. For those using the DRDP-r, the measure numbers are: 11, 13, 16, 17, 24, 26, 28, 35.

Teach them about the World

We want to teach children about other cultures. We want them to grasp the concept that there are other people around the world who do things very differently. So, how do you teach your children about all the cultures of the world?


When I worked at one agency, we managed to make pen pals with a different classroom in the agency. That was fun for the children. They got a kick out of hearing what the other classroom was learning about. That began to broaden their world; they began to understand that the world was larger than just what they knew.


But how to make it even larger? And on top of that, possibly learn about new cultures. I started a new experience that I have been writing about here. Then, I got a brilliant idea. This is a free website that I had found in which you can send postcards all around the world. You also get postcards in return. Last week when I requested an address, it gave me a 3 year old girl and I thought, "What a great class project!"

So, here's how I imagine it working:
First, talk to the children about people all around the world. Put up a world map on a wall to be kept throughout the year. Put a globe up as well. Get some books with pictures of people from the different countries.

Sign up the classroom at postcrossing. Put the classroom name and school address in the information instead of your name. Then, in the information, write something about this being a preschool classroom that is learning about different cultures. That you would love to get a return postcard with pictures of their country or even letters talking about some of their traditions or a favorite recipe of theirs.

You have to request (and send) addresses before you will receive any. So, return now to the classroom experience. At circle time, discuss this new project with the children. Let them know that you will be sending postcards to different people around the world and they will be getting postcards in return. Point out the places of the first address you will be sending to. Ask them what they would like to know from someone who lives in that country. Write out the post card putting in questions that the children want to know. Add in there a request for a possible return card or something if you like (but remember, you will also be getting postcards from others as well).

Take a "field trip" to the mailbox at the center to put it in. Maybe some other time during the year you could take a field trip to the post office and bring some postcards you are sending. That would be a great experience!

Start two graphs:

1. To guess how long they think it will take to arrive to it's destination. Have each child guess and record their answers. Put it next to the world map. Make sure to take a picture of the postcard you sent so they can remember and track it.

2. Make a graph for each card that is sent and how long that it took to travel to it's destination. When you get the confirmation that it was received, count how many days it took and then make a bar graph.

When you start receiving post cards, be sure to ask the director to let you know and your class can go on another "field trip" get the mail. Be sure to display the post cards around the map as well. I would even get some yarn and lead it from the picture to where it came from.

When you put in that the card was received, be sure to ask the children what they want to tell the person to thank them for the postcard.

You can even plan some art activities to make postcards to send to people as well.

This is a project that I am very excited about. I am going to try it out in one of our classrooms and give you updates regularly. If you try it out, keep me updated and let me know how it's going. Share your activities that create from this, I'll post them up here.

Sneaky Education

So many times parents come into the center and think their child is "just playing" all day long. They think that we aren't doing anything with them.

Then, after a few months that same parent comes in all impressed because their child is writing his or her name, counting to 100, and recognizing shapes and patterns while on outings. Here's the thing, we don't let our children know they are learning most of the time.

Sure, at circle time the children probably can figure out that it is "lesson" time. But during free choice activities, they really think they are just playing! How do we do it?

We set up an environment that is conducive to learning and the children don't even know it. What to teach patterning? We do it so many different ways. My favorite is with Lego's. In the block area I put out a container or Lego's and I join in the fun:

When I approach I find out what they are making (usually airplanes, robots, or jet fighters). "Can I make one too?" Of course! Then, I talk out loud while I am building. "Hm, green, blue, green, blue, green, oh, I need another Lego for my robots leg." This draws them in. They hand me one (maybe red). I put it on, "No, that's not right. Look at the colors I'm using." They hand me a green one. "No, I have a green one there" They are now intrigued by what I am doing. I comment, "See, it doesn't fit my pattern." Now they are involved with what I am doing and are helping me to create the patterns.

That's all I have to do. I have created enough interest now that the next day when they are playing they are making patterns themselves...and showing me! Slowly, I start pointing out patterns around the classroom; slowly, they start pointing them out to me!

Another thing I do is put a sign in book for the children. Each child signs his or her name when they come in and when they leave for the day. Their name is written in big letters across the top of the page so they have a sample (I don't dot the letters or highlight anything, they copy it on their own). I also have a book in the writing area that has all of the children's names on a full sheet in protective sleeves with dry erase markers available. They can now write any child's name they want. At circle, and other times throughout the day, I listen carefully for that "how do you spell" or "what is this word". I take that cue and then create more pages in this book of "favorite words". These are words that they are interested in learning to write themselves.

We have treasure hunts. Cut out shapes of letters, shapes, numbers, anything and hide them all around the school. Then we have to find them! I also will create a map in which I put the location of the letters on the map and say "Let's go find the letter g" looking at the map we find it there, then we go look around the center for it.

When we are getting ready for a big activity or special event I ask them what we need. As they come up with the list, they write it out. Yes, I am writing it down as well so I can remember what it is if I can't read it, but that's on my own paper they know nothing about. Typically each child gets to write their own suggestions, but we might have a "secretary" who gets to write everything.

At the lunch table we might talk about what our favorite food on the plate is. As we are talking, I am writing down a graph on my clipboard. After everyone says their favorite, we talk about the graph I just made!

Another one of my favorite graph activities is in the manipulative area. I get one dice and a paper with columns of squares (six columns) I write the numerals at the bottom (1-2-3-4-5-6) and put a marker with it. Every time they roll the dice, they color in a square in the corresponding column. They just like rolling the dice, counting the numbers, finding the numeral, and then coloring it in. They don't realize they are making a graph and learning about probability.

When parents ask me what they can do at home to help them learn; they are typically looking for "Sit them at the table and have them write..." What I tell them is: have them write the grocery list and read it when they get to the store, show them how to find the price of an item and have them tell you how much it is (as they get older, have them add up the items as you shop-round up or down for the younger ones $5 and $2 is how much), look at signs on the street and talk about the shapes, read books and have them "read" aloud to you.

What things to you tell the parents to do at home? What is your favorite classroom activity that is teaching the children when they don't know they are learning?

Dramatic Play Ideas-Camping

I have been in many classrooms. Some are great all around, some excel in one area and hurt in others, some have spurts of good ideas. The toughest area seems to be the dramatic play area. Some combine this with home living. I'm okay either way.

This week I went into a classroom and was curious when I walked into the closet and saw two Styrofoam pieces (obviously from a box that held some sort of appliance like a toaster oven or small microwave). Well, they were both painted red and one had a hole cut in it that was filled with black pipe cleaners (looked like jail bars). I was trying to figure out what it was and what the teachers could possible use it for.

The next day, I was spending time evaluating the environment and saw this:

They were doing a camping scene in the dramatic play. As you can see, the red thing I couldn't figure out...a barbecue! Very creative! Very nice! The children cooked eggs. The shelf had a mat on it so they could lay down and feel like they were camping. There was a fire pit and even a box made into a "lake" to go fishing in. On the hooks hang binoculars that the teacher and children made as well.

Very well done! Very creative! And the children were having so much fun!

Curriculum Ideas-Bug predictions

This week, let's examine bugs! I mean really examine bugs. Here are some great activities to do with science and creating theories and estimations. Critical thinking skills are important to develop in the early years and all of these activities do just that:

1. Get an ant farm! Put in some different types of food and ask the children which the ants will like best. For more fun, ask them why they think that will be the favorite. Throughout the day and week, check back and record your findings. Which food went the fastest? Which did they not touch? What can you conclude from this?
Make sure that you have magnifying glasses out at the science table so the children can get a closer look at what is going on. Also, make sure you leave the journal out for anyone to write their observations in. They have to write their name for any observation. They can draw the observation or write it; whichever they choose. Everyday, bring the journal to circle and discuss what everyone has observed and make some predictions based on those observations. Be sure to answer any predictions is possible (which food did they like the best?)
This activity works on critical thinking skills (predicting what will happen based on previous knowledge or observations) as well as writing skills, and interest in nature.

2. Another fun activity that I've done (and seen others do) is to get some ladybugs and put them in a clear tube. Tape a piece of black paper over one half of the tube and leave the other half open. Before placing the paper over the tube, have the children guess which side the ladybugs will like best: the dark or the light. Write these predictions down in a graph: one side list the children who say dark, the other side list the children who say light. Then, keep the tube, laying flat, on the science table with a journal. Let them write down their observations throughout the day and come back at the end of the day and discuss what they saw; or even the next day.
I like to let the ladybugs go after a day because they don't have any food or water in that tube. What's even more fun is that you can buy a box of ladybugs at the home and garden stores and use the few you need for the experiment (5-10) and let the rest go outside. They hang around for a while and the children love them!
This activity works with predictions and writing skills. It also works with math: graphing!, and of course, interest in nature.

3. I knew one teacher who got a sack of praying mantis eggs from the home and garden store. This was awesome! She had all the children predict how long it would be until the eggs would hatch and wrote this down on a paper she posted in the science area. She placed magnifying glasses on the table in the same area so that the children could go over and observe. This is also, as every activity, a great place for a journal for the children to write or draw what they observe. Everyday, they would revisit the table and chart and see if there were any baby praying mantis yet.
This activity helps develop language and writing skills, predictions, estimations, and, as always, interest in nature. This also helps develop understanding of time! They must predict how long: a day, hour, month, minutes. This is a great way to see who understands time. It would also be great to add a clock to the science table or, if you can find one that goes that far, a timer that counts up.

Does anyone have any other great bug activities?

Water Play Ideas

So it's summer and it's HOT! The children are running around and their little cheeks are turning pink; not from sunburn, but from dehydration. You are constantly reminding them to drink water...right? Even though we have drinking fountains in the yard, I also get some cups and a water dispenser to put out as well. They seem to drink much more water this way. As they are drinking, you can actually see the pinkness fade away.

How else do you keep them cool? Take out the hose! That's always fun. I time it so that I soak them real good and then turn off the hose. By the time we go in, they are dry. But really, running in the water is fun; however, ever thinking as a teacher, I want to know how I can enhance their development through this. Here are some ideas:

1. Give everyone a cup or other container. While you are spraying the hose, put the nozzle on a good shower and spray high up. Have them see how much water they can catch. Put a sensory table out of the spray zone and when their container is full of water, have them dump the water into the sensory table. How long will it take to fill? This works on eye-hand coordination, measuring, social skills, gross motor, and teamwork

2. Have a relay race. You don't necessarily have to race against each other; race against the clock if you like. Fill the sensory tub with water. Have two or three of the same item (large spoon, 1/4 cup measuring cup, plastic egg, etc...). At the start line (where everyone lines up) put the sensory table. At the other end place a sand bucket. Have the children fill their small container and run to the bucket and fill with the water. When they run back, they give their container to the next child in line. Continue until the bucket is full, the time is up, whatever works. This work on balance, gross motor, social skills, teamwork. Turn it into a math activity by having them guess how many times they will need to fill their smaller container to fill the bucket.

Let me say here that I am not opposed to a little bit of competition. Having two teams race against each other is fine as long as the children aren't allowed to have poor sportsmanship. Everyone is recognized for their efforts. Make sure you make the teams equal in strength and weakness. Run the event several times so everyone has a chance. However, if you children can't handle the competition, compete against the clock.

3. Make water parks! Get rain gutters, pipes, funnels, and lots of string. Use the fence to make ramps, tunnels, and mazes to dump the water into. Put a bucket at the bottom of the maze to catch the water. This works with conflict resolution, negotiations, spacial awareness, social skills, reasoning skills, math and science.

4. For the younger children who may not be able to think abstractly and create a water maze: take two sensory tables. Put one in its stand and fill with water. Take the other sensory table out of it's stand and put it on the ground a few feet away. Take a couple rain gutters or pipes and place one end in the tub on the ground. Lean the other end up on the edge of the taller sensory table. Provide different sizes of containers for them to pour water down to the other sensory tub. Is there a way to get the water back up? This plays with cause and effect, science, spacial awareness, science, reasoning skills.

5. Fill spray bottles with colored water (use liquid watercolors to make it washable). Put up a large white sheet or butcher paper. Let the kids spray! Attach things to the sheet (leaves, stencils, etc...) to spray at and see the impression that is made by the spray. If you are really brave have a child stand facing the sheet (so it doesn't get in their eyes) and spray around them to see the impression. With this activity (spraying the children with colored water) you need to have VERY understanding parents and enough knowledge to express what they are learning; but it's fun! The children will get fine motor skills, social skills, reasoning, creativity, science, social skill.

I am of the belief that every classroom should have a large white sheet/blanket/material/fabric that you can use over and over. The sheet holds color better and, if you do it right, it's washable. Plus with being white you can bleach it if the color doesn't come out. This white sheet can be used for spray bottle art, fly swatter art, painting with feet, and so much more. It doesn't matter if it loses its bright whiteness; it should! But it is so much sturdier than the butcher paper!

Does anyone else have any great water play activities?

Curriculum Ideas-From a song

There is a simple finger play song that goes like this:

5 little froggies sitting on a well
1 looked up and down he fell
Froggies jump high
Forggies jump low
How many froggies left in a row?

Of course, the simple thing is to sing this as a finger play putting down one finger at a time. But, why would I go with the simple here? Let's expand this idea:

First idea (this children LOVE this):
Get a container of water to be the well. I have found the disposable food containers work very well for this. You know the kind, ziplock or reynold's have. They are cheap and sturdy. Get one with mouth that opens 4-6 inches is best, but pretty much anything works.

Fill the container up to an inch from the top with water. Get a lincoln log or a long block from the block area and rest it on the edge. I should note here that when you do this teacher directed, put the log closest to you. Then get 5 little toy frogs (I use the frogs from this, but you can find little frogs anywhere). As you, and the children, sing, drop the frogs in the water one at a time.

The children get a HUGE kick out of this. Once you introduce this to them, make sure to put it out on the table as one of the activities. If you don't...they will! So, you might as well be proactive about it and beat them to it. If possible (read you have enough materials) set up 3 or 4 stations until the newness wears off. Then, now don't be afraid, put it in the language and literacy area. That's right! Maybe don't put as much water, but go ahead...trust them! It's only water and I have yet to have a huge disaster that got out of control.

Second Idea:
During a transition time, change the words to include the children. Let's pretend you are in circle time and it's time to go choose activities. There are 16 children there today so you start:

16 froggies sitting on a well
Jose looked up and down he fell (at this point Jose gets to stand up in his spot or in the center)
Jose jumps high (have Jose jump as high as he can)
Jose jumps low (have Jose make little hopping jumps)
And off he goes...(Jose now gets to go to his activity)

This is a longer transition song so it also works well for getting hands washed and bathroom runs done since there is ample amount of time between verses for the person to have washed his hands.

Third Idea:
You have the finger play puppets for 5 green and speckled frogs...use it here!

Fourth Idea:
Buy a long post at the lumbar store (one that has a flat edge so it won't roll) and put it out in the yard. Have children stand on it and sing the song, jumping off when it's their turn.

Anyone else have a great extension for this song?

This song is so closely related to the 5 green and speckled frogs you can almost do the same activities with that song as well.

Catalogs

There is nothing like a catalog. Not for us in the administration. Not even for the teachers as they dream about what they would like to have in the classroom. For the children! They love catalogs. Want to see a group of children sit at a table for possibly hours on end, without fighting, and all talking to each other? Put a couple catalogs in the middle of the table. Some types of catalogs (Avon, coldwater creek, oriental trade) will get conversations that talk about what they like. They discuss the pictures; and just plain enjoy looking through them. Other catalogs (Discount School Supply, Lakeshore, Kaplan) are great fun. They not only talk about what they see and like, but they begin to make connections to what is in the classroom. Most of the time, in my experience, it quickly goes from "Hey this is the same carpet we have" to "Miss N, can we get this?" They make that cognitive connection that the things in their classroom are the things that are in this catalog; that must mean that there is a possibility to have more!
I am always impressed with the language and conversation that comes out of this simple thing. They develop so much language, conversations, social skills, and everything from a simple catalog. They even develop small motor skills (turning pages), literacy skills (which way do the pages turn, what are these words, etc..), and, in an older group, math skills (how much would we need to have to buy these five things you want to get?).

Book of the Week-Fox Tale Soup

Here is a book I recently discovered; one which I can use as an extension to my stone soup curriculum. Fox Tale Soup by Tony Bonning; illustrated by Sally Hobson. This book takes a unique twist to a classic story: animals! And who would farm animals trust less than a fox? When they finish the soup and he leaves, of course they invite him back for more stone soup whenever he would like! The use of a sly fox adds to this tale. The bold colors used in the pictures add to the tale as well. This is a great book for group reading and one on one time. It is also great to expand on the stone soup curriculum; showing children books with the same story written/interpreted by different authors is a great social awareness.

Again, with not picture of the author or illustrator, I am cutting down your work (but only in half). Here is a picture of Tony Bonning:

Curriculum Ideas- Cornstarch and colors

Most of us know that there is great fun to be had in mixing cornstarch and water. Is it a liquid? A solid? What is it? You can roll it into a ball and it will immediately melt in your hand if you stop rolling it. For those of us brave enough, we have even put it in long trough like trays filled with the stuff and let the children "walk on water" in their bare feet. It's great! However, it took someone telling me of this great idea for me to go "Aha! Another great use!"
So, take some cornstarch...the more the better. Make a big mountain in the middle of the sensory table with it. Then fill spray bottles with primary colors (blue, red, and yellow). I usually fill six, but three is okay. Then, let the children go at it! They can spray the colored water on the cornstarch and it will mix the colors. What's great is that, when they are done, there is a sensory table full of something fun to play with. For some reason, not everything mixes right away as well and you end up with a somewhat fascinating color mixed concoction.

Book of the Week-Purple Hair, I Don't Care.

Purple Hair? I Don't Care! by Dianne Young is a fabulous book! Barbara Hartmann's paintings definitely add to the book. The story begins as soon as you open it. However, this book is not just about the pictures. The words are what makes it. It is a book that is repetitive with it's phrases. The children will be able to quickly "read along" with you. The surprise ending makes this so great. The first time I read this to a class, I don't finish it. We go to the table and draw pictures of what we think this baby will look like. The next day, we read it again (yes I leave them in suspense for a full day). They are all surprised to see a dragon in the end. But, they love it! Lakeshore used to have a story puppet that goes with the book. If you were lucky enough to get it before they stopped using it, I bring it out about the third day. You can easily memorize this story. It's one long poem really. I pull out the story puppet and recite the story for the children. The puppet then goes into the library area for them to explore. Of course, the book gets added to the library as well. This is a story that lasts for weeks, if not months, in the classroom. I highly recommend it gets added to your lesson plan.

Again, there are no pictures of the author or illustrator on this book, so here you go:

Dianne Young

Barbara Hartmann

Curriculum idea-for the Dinosaur lovers!

I'm sure you've had them before, and you will probably have them again: the dinosaur lovers! This interest will lead to talking about archaeologists and I have a great activity for you!
Get some plaster of paris and dinosaur molds or rubbing plates. I've used these in the past. But anything will work. You can also do a negative space by using play dinosaurs.
So, you mix together a batch of plaster of paris and pour a thin layer on the rubbing places or molds. If you are making negative space (read fossils) get a shallow bowl or plate and pour a thin layer of plaster of paris on that and gently lay the dinosaurs on top (make sure it doesn't fall all the way through to the plate). You can also use leaves, sticks, and anything else. Get creative!
Once the plaster of paris dries the fun begins! Fill your sensory table with sand. I like to moisten the sand a little bit, but dry sand works just as well. Bury the plaster of paris molds you just made in the sand. If you have separate "bones" place them strategically down in the sand and then cover with more sand. This will make it like the real archaeologists find: bones laid out to show a perfect skeleton.
I have the children use plastic spoons and paint brushes for this activity. When I introduce it, we talk about how fragile the bones are and they can break. That's why archaeologists use paintbrushes, to be very gentle. Depending on the child, we talk about documenting what we find through drawings and pictures; I will provide them with the tools they will need close by. My dinosaur lovers will spend hours and days at the sensory table. It's great!
What's also nice about this is that the plaster of paris can be very fragile, just like the bones, giving the activity a realistic approach.
Have fun!

Curriculum Ideas-Stone Soupd comes to life

Have you ever read the story stone soup? It's one of my favorites. I especially love to do a storytelling rendition of it in the classroom. I have a special stone that I once found that only comes out for this purpose. I have been using it for years! Anyway, I would encourage you to find a special stone for this purpose. I get a clear bowl and set it aside; I also fill a cloth bag with all sorts of play food (carrots, lettuce, corn, salt/pepper shakers, etc...). I also have a pitcher of water available and a long wooden spoon. I start the story by showing my special stone, "Do you see this stone? This is a very special stone. It's very old and it has a very special, magical story that goes with it. Would you like to hear the story?" Well, of course they are all enamoured and want to hear the story. Wouldn't you? As I tell the story, I bring out the supplies as needed. The whole storytelling is one which leaves the children in awe and wondering...and always begging for another telling. I usually tell it everyday (sometimes several times a day) for about a week. After this, the children are eager for my next lesson plan idea...we make a classroom, very edible, stone soup.
I send home a request list to the parents of items we need to be shared with the classroom. I have done this a couple of ways: 1, make a list and post it on the door; 2, send a list home and ask them to bring in something off the list; and 3, send a paper bag home with each child with a specific item listed on the bag to be brought in. The last one works best. This one gets every parent to remember to bring in something and you don't end up with tons of carrots and no corn.
Leading up to this, I talk to the children about parties and dancing and singing, and we decide on the activities for the day of the soup making (I also plan a few surprises of my own). On the day of the making, we start immediately after breakfast. I set up a crock pot at circle time. I pull out the special stone and start the story telling process. "Let's see if this stone will work for us." I announce as I place it in the crock pot. Then I tell the story as if they are the villagers. They get all excited when I mumble to myself "It tastes all right, it just needs a bit of corn." "Oh, I have corn Miss Jenni!" Then, after the story telling, I have to leave it hanging because the villagers all dance and sing and have a party (in this version: "while they wait for it to cook"). And we have party games and I always include a dance lesson (square dances or line dances work well). We play musical instruments and it is a VERY busy morning hopping from one activity to the next. Then, of course, lunch time comes and we enjoy our soup!
This is a fabulous activity that totally wears them out (nap time is a dream!). It also takes some preplanning on your part. You have to introduce the story at a time that they are ready for it; and you have to get them so enamoured with the story that they ALL are eager to hear it and experience it. During this process, you also have to pick your window of opportunity. Have your soup party too early, and only some will be interested; have it too late, and they'll be tired of the story by this time and won't be interested. It is a great language and literacy experience; it's great for sharing and community; and it's fabulous for introducing some dancing and singing that maybe some of them would never try otherwise.
It's also a very busy day that, for the most part, the whole group seems to travel together (no one really breaks off into their own areas for fear that they will miss the magic of the soup).
In the end, however, it is well worth it!