Welcome Spring!

Books

Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson

Wake Up! It’s Spring by Lisa Campbell Ernst

When Will it be Spring?

Spring’s Sprung by Lynn Plourde

Wake Me in Spring by James Preller

Hopper Hunts for Spring by Marcus Pfister

Spring is Here by Will Hillenbrand

Songs/Poems/Fingerplays

Spring Poem

Some days seem like winter, 
Some are nice and warm. 
Rainy days and windy days, 
Maybe it will storm. 
Warm or cold or wet or dry,
What will the weather be? 
I think Spring is trying to play 
Peek-a-boo with me

Planting Seeds

First you take the seed and you plant it in the ground (pretend to plant seeds in hand) 
Next a rain cloud comes and waters all around (Use one hand to simulate rain) 
Next the sun shines brightly, without a sound (use fingers like sun) 
And in just a few days, a flower is found (open hand like flower)

Plant A Little Seed

I plant a little seed in the cold, cold ground (Squat down pretend to plant)
Out comes the yellow sun, big and round (Put arms above head like sun)
Down come the raindrops soft and slowly (dancing fingers)
Up comes the flower grow, grow, grow (jump as flower emerges)

Activites

Peat Pots

It’s the season for new growth, so today we’ll plant some seeds.

Forsythia Fun

Let’s see what’s inside those buds….we’ll explore forsythia branches today, and perhaps take some home to force into bloom.

Tree Buds

We’ll decorate our own bud-filled trees today.

Large Group Movement Activity

Dancing Ribbons

We WILL have time for these this week, for sure!

Ideas for Home

Growing Grass

Dampen a sponge and then put grass seed on the top of it. Next pour water over the sponge let your children watch as the grass grows over the next few weeks.

Baggie Garden

Wet a paper towel, and drop it along with six white beans into a Ziploc bag. Seal the baggie (leaving air in the bag) and put it in your window. Your children will love watching the beans grow. 

Big Bird's Birthday: March 20th

This week, in honor of Big Bird's Birthday, we'll have some birthday party fun!

Since so many asked...I have added the link to the Boomwhacker site...look in the menu in the right sidebar under Resources Used in Class. 

Books                   

The Surprise Party by Pat Hutchins

Birthday Monsters by Sandra Boynton

Make  A Wish Honey Bear

It’s My Birthday by Pat Hutchins

Platypus and the Birthday Party by Chris Riddell

Ask Mr. Bear by Marjorie Flack

Happy Birthday Moon by Frank Asche

Songs Fingerplays and Flannelboards

I Have 10 Cupcakes

I have 10 cupcakes on the kitchen shelf,

(Child) took one cupcake now there’s 9 left for myself.

Don’t touch them, don’t touch them,

Those are just for me.

With a middle full of jelly,

Oh I want them for my belly,

Yummy, yummy, yum, tee hee!

(repeat, counting down to no cupcakes.)

Four Pretty Presents

Four pretty presents and they are all for me.
(Hold up four fingers.)
I unwrapped the red one, and now there are three.
Three pretty presents and one is from you.
(Hold up three fingers)
I unwrapped the blue one, and now there are two.
Two pretty presents left until I’m done
(Hold up two fingers.)
I unwrapped the yellow one and now there is one.
One pretty present, I am having so much fun!
(Hold up one finger.)
I unwrapped it slowly and now there are none.
(Hold up both hands palms facing out)

The Birthday Cake 

Today is my birthday.
I think I'll make a cake.
Mix and stir, stir and mix,
Then into the oven to bake.

Here's the cake so nice and round,
I'll put icing on so white.
I'll put on all the candles
To make my birthday bright!

Happy birthday to me! 

Activities            

 Play-do Cakes

Let’s dish up some delicious play-do cakes, stick some candles in and sing Happy Birthday to Big Bird!

 Egg Toss

We’ll see how many eggs we can toss into Big Bird’s nest.

Dot Cakes

Let’s make some polka dot decorated cakes today!

Matching Birthday Hats

Can you match the bears’ hats with their shirts?

Large Group Movement              

Birthday Parade

In honor of the big yellow bird, we’ll play some Sesame Street Music and have a marching band with the

musical instruments.

Rainbows and Leprechauns

Books:

Hooray for St. Patrick’s Day

The Luckiest Leprechaun

Lucky Leprechaun

Leprechauns Never Lie

The Hungry Leprechaun

Songs, Fingerplays and Flannelboard:

Five Little Shamrocks

1 green shamrock, in the morning dew,

Another one sprouted, and then there were two.

2 green shamrocks, growing beneath a tree;

Another one sprouted and then there were three.

3 green shamrocks, by the cottage door;

Another one sprouted,

And then there were four.

4 green shamrocks, near a beehive

Another one sprouted,

And then there were five.

5 little shamrocks, bright and emerald green,

Think of all the luck these shamrocks will bring.

  

I’m a Little Leprechaun

to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot

I'm a little leprechaun dressed in green

the tiniest man that you've ever seen.

If you ever catch me so it's told

I'll give you my pot of Gold!

The Leprechaun (Fingerplay)

A leprechaun is small and green,

(Use hand to indicate a small person.)

He hides where he cannot be seen.

(Cover eyes with hands.)

But if you catch one on this day,

(Shake finger.)

He must give his gold away.

(Pretend to put gold in pocket.)

Activities:

Hidden Gold

Search for hidden gold in the field of green playdough! Mom's and kids can take turns hiding and searching for gold together.

Rainbow Paint & Pot of Gold
Let's paint a rainbow that leads to a pot of gold!

Rainbow Music

Have you ever heard of a Boomwhacker? Boomwhackers are rainbow colored plastic tubes in graduated sizes; when whacked on something they play a note in the music scale. They are loads of fun. Today we'll just have fun exploring them and making music.

Games:

Run Little Leprechaun

We’ll sit in a large circle. As the music plays we’ll pass around a shamrock. When the music stops the child holding the shamrock also stops. We’ll all yell "Run Little leprechaun, run!" The child gets up runs around the circle once than sits back down.

Rainbow Ribbons
A little Irish music and our rainbow ribbons for some dancing fun.

March Winds Do Blow!

Books:

The Wind’s Garden by Bethany Roberts

The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins

One Windy Wednesday by Phyllis Root

Gilberto and the Wind by Marie Hall Ets

Millicent and the Wind by Robert Munsch

Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros

Songs, Poems and Fingerplays:

Wind, Wind
Tune:  Row, Row, Row Your Boat”

Wind, wind, blow the clouds
Fast across the sky.
Blow the branches back and forth
In the trees so high.

COLORS IN THE AIR

Once I hung some ribbons, high up in a tree.
I hung them on branches, for everyone to see.
They were so very pretty, with colors everywhere.
Now when it is windy, there are colors in the air.

Wind Tricks

The wind is full of tricks today,
It blew our newspaper far away.
It chased the trash can down the street.
It almost blew me off my feet.
It makes the trees and bushes dance,
Just listen to it howl and prance!

The Wind is Blowing

Tune: "Here We Go 'Round The Mulberry Bush’
Oh, the wind is blowing - all over town,
All over town, all over town.
Oh, the wind is blowing all over town,
Just like so. (Child blows)

Oh, the trees are bending - way down low,
Way down low, way down low.
Oh, the trees are bending - way down low,
Just like so. (Child bends low)

Oh, the kites are flying - watch them go,
Watch them go, high then low.
Oh, the kites are flying - watch them go
Just like so. (Child pretends to fly kite)

Continue with
"Oh, the clothes on the line - flop to and fro"
"Oh, the flag on the pole - waves fast and slow"

W-I-N-D-Y

Tune of BINGO

There was a day when we were blown
And windy was the weather-O,
W-I-N-D-Y, W-I-N-D-Y, W-I-N-D-Y,
And windy was the weather. Continue

Activities:

Wind Socks

Everyone needs a new wind sock in March! Streamers and construction paper and stickers.

Cotton Ball Race

It’s Moms vs. Kids in this race! Who can get their cotton ball across the table first…with a straw??

Feather Fans

Let’s use some of our very own fan power (aka hands and arms) to keep the feathers in the air.

Large Group Activity:

Ribbon Dancing!

At Home Fun:

The Wind Blew at Home

Use a household fan and test different items to see if the fan can move them, try a scarf, a piece of paper, a pencil, etc. Let kids choose items and predict what will happen, then test their predictions, try it again with a hair dryer. How about trying this on a windy day outside and comparing results.

Bubbles in the Wind!

March is a great month for bubbles….enjoy a windy day outside with bubbles.

Kite Toast

Cut a slice of bread into a kite shape and have the children butter it. Toast it and add a licorice string for a cute kite snack.

Make-Up Mix Up!

This week we're making up a class we missed due to snow, so let's have a little Make-up fun! 

Here's a sampling of what i've got in store for us....

Stories

...of course! I'll pick a few of my favs that don't necessarily fit into one of our planned themes but are fun to read.

Sing Along from the Song Jar

...everyone will get a turn to pick a song from the Song Jar!

Activities:

Playdough!

...playdough is an all time favorite at Circle Time!

Cut Collage 

 ...scissors and glue sticks and paper, oh my! 

Hula Hoopla

...have some fun with the hula hoops today!

Ribbon Dance fun!

****There are still some openings in the next session that begins on 3/9 (next week), so call Park & Rec if you want a spot, (860) 652-7679.