An Indian made a teepee (pull laces up and cross one under
the other)and it collapsed! (pull first 'knot' down) So he
started another, (make first loop for bow)and he took this
string and went around it, (wrap other lace around loop)
and went inside, (push lace under new loop) and there he had
it! Two tents! (pull both loops for bow)
This story is great for a group activity where the children
can help one another follow the story, and if you make
pictures to go with the story the kids can follow the steps
by themselves! The story also helps to limit the child's
frustration with learning to tie because they are helping the
Indian to build a teepee and if they fail it is the Indian
who needs more help! Contributed by Jen (Kmjjlj@aol.com)
After a bath, I try, try, try.
To wipe myself till I'm dry, dry, dry.
Hands to wipe, and fingers and toes,
Two wet legs and a shiny nose.
Just think how much less time I'd take,
If I were a dog, and could shake, shake, shake!!
Teaching the kids how to do this is not to hard if :
1. You know how
2. Use two colors of lace.
Materials: Small shoe box, Stickers, Contact paper, 2 colors
of shoe lace. Keeping lid seperate from box, decorate both
with contactpaper & stickers. Punch holes in either the
box or lid like a shoe. Tie knots in laces on one end and
glue them to the cardboard on the inside. Tape or glue both
box parts together. Lace box (shoe) with two colors of lace.
Now children should be able to see where each goes. Start
with your X , form 1 bunny ear, chase him round the garden,
into the burrow and out the other side,pull tight!
Contributed by (Gltenschmt@aol.com)
Sung to Farmer in the Dell
We all wear shoes,
We all wear shoes,
To keep our feet so warm and clean,
We all wear shoes.
We wear them when we run, We wear them when it
rains,
We wear them when we jump, We wear them when it
snows,
We wear them when we go outside, We wear them when the sun
We all wear shoes comes out,
We all wear shoes.
Skinamarinky dinky dink, Skinamarinky doo: I love you.
Skinamarinky dinky dink, Skinamarinky doo: I love you.
I love you in the moring, and in the afternoon.
I love you in the evening, and underneath the moon
Skinamarinky dinky dink, Skinamarinky doo....I LOVE YOU
(I really mean it) I LOVE YOU TOO BOO BOOPY DOO
This is me, me, me (pointing to self)
And this is my nose
These are my eyes
And these are my toes
These are my hands they clap like this
These are my lips to blow you a kiss.
Tony Chestnut Knows I love you,
(toe, knee, chest, head, nose, eye, heart, point)
Tony knows, Tony knows.
(toe, knee, nose, toe, knee, nose)
Tony Chestnut Knows I love you,
(toe, knee, chest, head, nose, eye, heart, point)
That's what Tony knows.
(toe, knee, nose)
A friend uses this: She began with the children standing in
circle. They sang, to the tune of Happy Birthday -
'Good morning to you, Good morning to you, Good morning, good
morning, Good morning to you.' Then she went around the
circle, touching each child on the head as they sang,
'There's Steven and Becky and Patricia and Ryan and
.....'.
Each child sat down after being touched. This gives a
personal 'touch' to the greetings. A child can also touch
heads.
Each day present a mystery food. Have the children close
their eyes and have a taste of the mystery food and then
describe the clavour and guess what it could be. After each
child has had a turn, reveal what the mystery food is.
Fill pairs of empty 35mm film containers with identical
amounts of chosen media such as sand, water, rice, popcorn
kernels or pebbles. Securely tape each snap on lid in place.
Colour code each pair for self-checking by attaching small
construction paper circles to the bottom of the containers.
Child attempts to pair the containers by gently shaking and
listening to the contents of each. When finished, he checks
his work. Now that's a listening challenge!
Mouth Puppets: With fist turned so that thumb faces chest,
use the opening as the puppet's big mouth. Apply red
lipstick and mark eyes with a make-up pencil. The children
may enjoy making both hands into puppets so they can have a
conversation.(Toe Puppets) Draw eyes, nose, and mouth on big
toes. Put feet up and wiggle toes to gesture. There's
plenty to talk about...those shoes were so tight, and whew,
what about those smelly socks!(Thumb Puppets) Thumb people
can have many adventures. With the help of arms, they can
travel up and down mountains, staircases, even a giant's leg.
(Knee Puppets) Drape yarn, paper, or a wig over the top of
the knee.
Materials: Chalk, Small bowls, Plain paper, white art paper
or manilla paper, Buttermilk, Measuring cup
Procedure:
1. Pour 1/4 C fof buttermilk into small bowls.
2. Place or dip chalk into the buttermilk and draw picture
on the paper.
Materials: Paper, Wet Sponge, Chalk
Procedure:
1. Each child should wet paper slightly with wrung out
sponge.
2. Draw freely with colored chalk. Show the children how to
use side and ends of chalk.
3. Allow paper to dry.
Materials: Chalk, Construction paper (light color),
Fingerpaint, Trays.
Procedure:
1. Draw freely with colored chalk onto construction
paper.
2. Set this aside.
3. Fingerpaint on trays. (These can be reused.)
4. Wash and dry hands.
5. Press chalk drawing onto fingerpainted trays.
Materials: Paper (Use butcher paper, easel paper, or any
good grade paper.), Chalk, Liquid starch, Tape, Paint cups
or similar containers, Easel
Procedure:
1. Fill paint cups or containers with about one inch or
liquid starch.
2. Children dip large colored chalk into starch and draw on
paper on easel.
3. For variation use different shapes and sizes of
paper.
4. Two or three pieces of chalk may be taped together with
masking tape to add to the experience.
Gather an assortment of sample paint cards from a hardware
store, you will need two of each card. Cut apart and glue
one set to the inside of a file folder. Cut apart and store
the matching colour cards in a zip lock bag. The child
matches each piece by colour to the folder.
Material Needed: White Paper, Peeled Crayons,
Various Objects--leaves, pine needles, shapes, sandpaper.
Procedure:
1. Peel many crayons. The fat ones are best for this.
2. Give each child a sheet of white paper.
3. Have various objects for the child to choose as a print.
(Leaves, shapes, sandpaper, scissors, feathers, etc.)
4. Let the child select some of these objects and put them
under the paper.
5. He then rubs with the side of the crayon onto the paper
and the object shows through as a print.
Without looking, the child tries to guess what familiar food
he is eating. For the young child offer him a chance to look
at the foods first. Then, one at a time, offer him such
foods as:
Collect some eggs (for example, from pantyhose or plastic
Easter eggs) and place inside them items, such as pebbles,
spool of thread, paper clips, etc.
Have children take turns placing the eggs in order from heavy
to light.
Extend this activity using more eggs or by having the
children pair eggs that seem to weigh the same, and then,
perhaps, seeing the items that are inside.
Materials: Fabric Scraps, Pipe cleaners, Scissors, White
glue, Pencil, Paper, Green floral tape
Procedure: Draw a pattern for the petals and cut it out of
paper. Trace around the pattern onto the fabric and cut 6
petals. Choose pipe cleaners of a colour that matches the
fabric. Glue a pipe cleaner around the edge of each petal
you've drawn. Leave one long end on each pipe cleaner. Cut
away the fabric from the outside of petal. Make center for
flower: cut circle of material, wrap it around a bit of
material, or cotton. Put the flower together: hold the stem
ends and group the petals around the center, Wrap with pipe
cleaner & tape wires.
Put a mystery object into a shoe bag. Let each child have a
chance to feel inside the bag (no peeking), and guess what
the object is. After each child has had a chance to feel
inside the bag, reveal what was inside.
Try: toothbrush, sponge, small doll, toy car, paper cup,
comb, spoon, fork, stone, crayon
Take a pretend 'sense walk'. Have all of the children stand
up. Have them begin walking in place. Start the story. 'Oh
it was a beautiful day. The weather was warm, the wind was
blowing slightly, and Tommy and his mother decided to go for
a walk to the park. They packed a picnic lunch and began to
walk to the park. While they walked they looked (stop and
let the children point to their eyes.) For all of the
animals, birds, and insects. The neighbor's dog came up the
walk toward them. Tommy stopped to pet her. (stop and let
the children touch their hands.) Her fur was so soft and
silky. On they went to the park. Oh No! Tommy and his
mother held their...
(Stop and let the children do the same) Guess what they
smelled? You're right, they smelled a skunk. They started
walking faster to get away from that smell. Soon they were
far enough away and they could let go of their noses. They
were a little out of breath since they had been walking so
fast. They walked a little slower and did not talk for a
while, they simply listened for the sounds around them.
(stop and let the children point to their ears.) They could
hear lots of things. What do you think were some of the
sounds they heard? (Let the children answer.) Finally they
reached the park. It had been a long walk and they were
hungry they sat down under
a big willow tree and enjoyed all of the treats in their
lunch. (Let the children point to their tongues.) Tommy
played for awhile and his mother rested in the green grass.
After awhile, Tommy got tired. He and his mom walked back
home. 'Reverse the sequence of the walk beginning with all
of the sounds Tommy and his mom heard near the park. See how
many of the details of the story the children can remember.
Make a number of cardboard arrows -- some straight, some
right angled and some left angled.
Hide a 'treasure' or 'treat' somewhere in the room or on the
playground.
Create a path with the arrows that will lead children to the
hiding spot. (Be sure to place arrows far enough apart to
challenge sense of sight.)
Use and re-use.
Materials: 4 Egg whites, 1 Cup sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter,
1/2 cup flour, 1/4 t. salt, 1/2 t. vanilla, 2 T water.
Procedure: Write fortunes and fold them. Mix sugar into the
egg whites and blend until fluffy. Melt the butter and cool
it so it's not too hot. Add flour, salt, vanilla, water and
butter to the sugar mixture. Beat batter till smooth.
Grease a cookie sheet well. Pour batter from a spoon to form
circles (about 3 in or 8 cm.) Bake at 375 degrees for about
8 min. Lay message on circle, fold in thirds, then bend it
gently in center. He who eats no bananas has no appeal.
Materials: Yarn - 36 inches, Water colors and brush,
Scissors, White tissue paper (2 sheets 10 in. X 12 in.)
Mixture 2 parts glue, 1 part liquid starch Black thread
Needle
Procedure Day 1 - Tie ends of yarn together. Let child dip
yarn into small container of glue/starch mixture, running
fingers down yarn to squeeze out excess mixture. Not too
hard! Child places yarn on one sheet of tissue in shape or
shapes he/she wants. Teacher places second sheet on top of
yarn and child gently presses down where yarn touches tissue.
Set aside to dry.
Procedure Day 2 - Teacher cuts around outside of yarn shape.
Child paints tissue with water colour. Discourage too much
water. Poke needle and thread through the edge of tissue.
Inside the outside yarn shape. Tie thread and hang mobile to
dry. A coat hanger works great for drying.
Materials: Cornstarch, Water, Trays, bowls, spoons,
Food coloring or tempera, Measuring cups.
Mixture:
1. Mix 1/2 C cornstarch with 1/4 C water plus color
Procedure:
1. Pour this mixture onto trays for the child. See what
happens.
2. Add more cornstarch. What happens? More water. What
happens?
3. This is totally a tactile experience. Not to take
home.
4. Keep reusing mixture.
Material: Dishpan, Water, Colored Chalk, Grater, Paper
Procedure:
1. Fill dishpan just to cover bottom with water.
2. Let children grate various colored chalk on top of water.
(Do not stir.)
3. Let children lay the paper on top of the chalk and water.
Roll it out.
4. Let dry.
Materials: A pie tin, Some pieces of charcoal, 1/2 cup
water, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup liquid blueing, 1 Cup ammonia, a
few drops of blue, green and yellow colouring, a mixing bowl,
a spoon
1. Place enough pieces of charcoal in the pie tin to cover
the bottom.
2. Mix water, salt, blueing and ammonia. Pour it carefully
over the charcoal. Make sure all the charcoal gets wet.
3. Squirt a few drops of the food colouring over the
charcoal. Do not use read food colouring. 4. WAIT....the
garden should grow beautiful crystals by next day.
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups of flour
oil of peppermint
- stir flour into cold water
- cook over low heat until the mixture thickens to a creamy
paste
- add more water if the paste gets too thick
- cool
- add a few drops of peppermint oil
- use the paste to coat paper strips
You need paper (newspaper, newsprint, paper towels, tissues,
wallpaper, tissue paper)
You need paste (wallpaper paste, wheat paste, liquid starch,
white glue mixed with an equal amount of water, homemade
paste)
- tear paper into strips
- coat strips with paste
- mold the strips over a base
Put several items into a purse, briefcase or bag.
Children describe the items they find in the purse, briefcase
or bag.
After the children are experienced, one child can describe
the item without letting the other children see it and the
other children try to guess what the item is.
This activity offers a good opportunity for the teacher to
expand the vocabulary of the children by asking questions
about each item.
Try: toothbrush, comb, sponge, spoon, small doll, fork, toy
car, stone, paper cup, crayon
Buy a clear water pad (available at some pharmacies). Fill
with distilled
water and add glitter, sequins, sponge shapes, large
colourful buttons, etc.
Replace cap and you have an infant water blanket.
Buy a 6 pack of small Evian Water Bottles. Remove labels and
water. Make
discovery bottles by adding any of the following
materials:
1) bells 2) pom poms
3) cooking oil, food colouring and water
4) clear cornsyrup and any other substance (ie. sequins,
glitter) to give it suspension
5) beads 6) water (food colouring, optional) &
glitter
7) coloured rice 8) water & seashells 9) anything else
you can think of
Glue gun the lids on the bottles.
Materials: Liquid starch, Brushes, Paper or muslin fabric,
Chalk, Smocks or aprons
Procedure:
1. There are two ways to do this.
A. Paint entire paper or fabric with starch using brush.
B. Dip chalk into bowl of starch.
2. Let child freely experiment with this. (If too much
starch is used you may want to wipe some off or the project
gets too messy and frustrates the child.)
3. Show child how to use ends and sides of chalk.
4. This is a messy activity and you may want to use smocks
or a bowl of water and towel handy for clean-up.
Provide the children with three or four cans with lids, for
example, potato chip cans or coffee cans, and a box of
objects that can fit into the can.
Allow the children to put objects in the cans. Then they
shake the cans to determine which cans make the loudest
sound, which cans make the softest sound.
Cans can be ordered from softest to loudest.
Materials: Media (Can be found in hardware stores.)
White paper, Large brushes, Bowls, Chalk
Procedure:
1. Make sure each child has a large piece of white
paper.
2. Each child should have a large brush and a container of
media.
3. Have children spread the media mixer on paper with
brush.
4. Then have children use coloured chalk and draw freely on
paper.
Set out four or five objects that make different sounds in
front of you and have your children close their eyes. Tap on
one of the objects and see if they can guess which object it
was by the sound it made. If you have time, let your
children take turns tapping the objects.
Make the game harder for older children by just walking
around the room and tapping on random objects for them to
guess.
Materials: 2 ice cream sticks, or any sticks, Colored yarn
or string
Procedure: Cross the two sticks. Tie the yarn in a knot
around the sticks where they cross. Weave the yarn over one
stick, then around and under, then over the stick toward the
next stick. Do this on each stick. Continue around the
square doing the same thing for all the rows. You can change
colours whenever you'd like to. Start a new colour by tying
it to one of the sticks.
Materials: Large shallow pan, Hot water, Heavy paper
towels (Heavy towels are necessary) Chalk
Procedure:
1. Dip towel into a pan of hot water. Wring out.
2. Place wet towel on table and smooth out the wrinkles.
3. Let children draw with chalk as they wish onto wet towel.
Materials: Flower petals, Water, Bowls - spoons, Little
containers, Masking tape
Procedure:
1. Mix a few flower petals (torn up) with a little water.
2. Stir until it looks yellow.
3. Pour into containers. It does not look too good but it
smells very nice.
4. Tape closed.
Materials: Clear contact paper, Flowers petals, leaves, pine
needles, tissue paper, etc, pinking shears
Procedure:
1. Put some pieces of clear contact paper, sticky side up on
the table.
2. Ask the child to arrange dried flowers/petals/tissue
paper/spangles, etc., on the contact paper.
3. When the child is finished, place the same size sheet of
contact paper on top. Press.
4. Pink the edges with pinking shears.
Prepare pudding according to package directions. Divide
amongst 4 (disposable) containers. Add a different colour to
each container. The pudding can be used like fingerpaint -
be sure to provide enough paper. You may also want to have
cake decorations, sprinkles, coloured sugar, etc., on hand.
For a change in texture try whipped cream or shaving foam.
(Use regular shaving cream only, as the menthol variety can
be harmful if it gets in your eyes.
Place cotton balls in several paper cups.
Drop a different smelling liquid in each cup -- vanilla,
orange, pepperment and lemon extracts (or other substances
safe to smell).
Or instead of liquid try: cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, tobacco,
perfume, chocolate chips, mint leaves, lemon peel, orange
peel, coffee grounds, tea leaves, black pepper, vinegar,
talcum powder, garlic, onion, alcohol.
Let children smell and identify.
Activity can be extended by having children identify the
lunch menu from the smells coming from the kitchen.
Prepare the children by reading stories and poems with
rhyming words.
Provide the children with a box of small toy objects.
Ask the children to name each object.
When the teacher is certain the children can correctly
identify each object, the children can be asked to find
objects with names that sound alike, for example, cake, rake;
boy, toy, etc.
Materials: dark coloured construction paper (a large piece),
white chalk, tape, scissors, magazines, glue, filmstrip
projector or overhead projector, helper
Procedure: Sit in a chair next to a wall (with your side to
the wall). Tape the construction paper to the wall at the
same level as your head. Set up a source of light and shine
it right on the paper. Return to your chair and sit very
still while a friend traces around the shadow of your
profile. Carefully cut out the silhouette. You might want
to paste it onto a card, bright paper, or a piece of wood.
Materials: Meat trays, Large needles, Yarn, Buttons - fabric
pieces - noodles - bangles,
Procedure:
1. Give each child a meat tray.
2. Let each child choose color of yarn.
3. Thread onto needle for the child. Secure knot at end.
4. Help the child to poke through meat tray and in/out.
5. Let child thread buttons, fabric, noodles, etc. onto the
yarn as they sew.
6. Adult should tie off the end when finished.
Use flavor concentrates to make smell bottles. Ask your
pharmacist for eight small brown plastic pill containers with
easy-to-remove plastic tops. In each bottle place a cotton
ball. Drop two drops of flavor concentrate on each cotton
ball. (You can find concentrates such as vanilla, peppermint
extract, imitation butter, onion juice, and lemon extract in
the baking supplies section of your supermarket.) You can
make each bottle different, or you can have two bottles with
the same smell and have the children match the pairs.
Materials: Plaster, Water, Bowl for mixing plaster, Sturdy
plastic bag, String, Newspapers, Fine sandpaper, Optional:
paint and brush.
Procedure: Mix plaster into warm water. Pour plaster into a
plastic bag and tie it shut tightly with string. When the
plaster begins to thicken squeeze the bag with both hands.
Hold the 'squeeze' for 5 to 10 minutes until the plaster is
hard enough to hold its shape. When it is completely hard,
tear away the plastic bag and lightly sand the rough edges
(if you want to). Paint your sculpture if you'd like it
coloured.
Materials Needed: Various thicknesses of string and yarn,
Glue (watered down), Bowls, Dark paper or matt board,
Wet towel (for clean-up).
Procedure:
1. Have small bowls of glue (watered down) on hand for each
child at the table.
2. Give each child a piece of dark paper or dark matt
board.
3. Dip yarn or string into glue. Take the yarn and pull it
between the fingers to get rid of excess glue.
4. Arrange yarn or string into a design on paper or matt
board. It will stick.
Materials: String, Cardboard, A fat needle, Crayons, paints
or markers, A compass for making a circle, Scissors
Procedure: Cut a circle out of cardboard. Decorate both
sides with crayon, paint or markers. You can cut away the
edges a bit but you must do it equally all the way around so
the shape doesn't get lopsided. With the needle, punch 2
holes and tie the ends together. Cut a piece of string about
5 feet long. String it through the holes and tie the ends
together. Keep the spinner in the center....and spin!
Prepare a jar of ice water and a jar of warm water.
Let children take turns touching the jars to see which is
warm and which is cold.
Children may close their eyes when touching the jars if they
wish. This helps concentrate on using one sense.
Prepare popcorn for snack time.
Divide popped corn into three bowls.
Season one bowl of popcorn with Parmesan cheese, one with
salt and one with sugar.
Let children identify the substance on the popcorn in each
bowl, after having had their three choices defined.
Use your ears, use your ears,
Listen now and hear!
Use your ears, use your ears,
What kind of sound do you hear?
Have the children close their eyes. Make a sound with your
body, such as a clap, a whistle, a snap of the fingers and so
on. Let the children guess what sound you make.
Give each child a paper plate and sliced vegetable. Ask them
to create themselves using the slices of vegetable. Example;
tomatoes for eyes, cauliflower for a nose and bean sprouts
for hair. This presents an ideal time to discuss the
importance of eating well to maintain healthy bodies. When
their creation is finished they may eat the fruit plate for
snack!
Read the story Wacky Wednesday by Theo LeSieg to the children
on Tuesday. This book is a 'What's Wrong?' story. Tell the
children that when they come to school tomorrow it's going to
be 'Wacky Wednesday.' If they want to participate, they may
do so by dressing in a way that is unusual, such as wearing a
shirt inside out.
On Wednesday, do several things to the classroom that are
obviously unusual. For example, a table may be turned upside
down or bulletin board characters could be reversed. Items
could be moved from one centre to another area of the room.
The teacher could dress in an unusual way , such as wearing a
pair of skates. Use your imagination, the wackier the
better.
Material: 2 pieces of paper with a hard surface, India Ink,
Newspaper, Fine point black marking pen
Procedure:
1. Drop a blotch of ink on the paper.
2. Press another piece of paper on top of it. Rub gently
out from the center to spread the ink blob.
3. Remove the blotting paper.
4. Use a fine-point marking pen to create something from the
'blob.'
Ask the children to sit in a circle while one child leaves
the room. Give a small bell to one child in the circle and
ask her to close her fist. Direct all the children to make
fists with their hands, too. When the first child returns to
the room, all the children stand up and shake their fists
above their heads. The first child must try to identify the
one with the bell. Once your children gain skill with one
bell, try more then one.
Provide children with a box of small objects, for example,
crayon, scissors, pencil, paste jar, book, etc.
Let the children select four items.
Have the children close their eyes, then remove one of the
items.
Ask the children to tell you what's missing.
Continue the game, changing the items.
Collect three or four items from around the classroom, for
example, block, crayon, book, doll, etc.
Arrange the items in a specific order.
Ask the children to close their eyes.
Change the order of the items.
Ask one child to put the items back in the original
order.
This activity may be done with objects specific to an area of
study.
Flannel board items may also be used.
A) Paper mache over two old light bulbs. When they're dry,
decorate them with apint. Then bang the bulbs on the floor
until the glass breaks.
B) Drop some pebbles or gravel into an empty soda pop can,
and tape it shut. Fasten the can to a stick and paper mache
around it or paint.....then shake!
Fill a glass with pebbles. Ask the children if the glass is
full. If they don't think so, have them add pebbles until
everyone agrees that the glass is full. Then ask if they
think anything else will fit into the glass. The children
will say no.
Pour either salt of sand into the same glass. The children
will be surprised. Call their attention to how the salt or
sand fills in the spaces left between the pebbles. Now ask
if the glass is full.
Pour water into the same glass. Ask if anybody knows why the
glass could hold water.
Ask the children if the process could work in reverse
starting with the water. Try it out.
Have children select a partner and stand facing each
other.
One child moves very slowly and the second child copies the
movement.
Use of variety of arm, leg and face movements.
Have children lie on the floor on their backs with each child
placing her head on another child's stomach.
Tell the children to laugh.
Let each child describe how it felt when everyone was
laughing.
Develop a file of pictures from magazines.
Children take turns describing how items are used, for
example, chairs are for sitting, trees are for climbing, cars
are for driving, etc.
