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.

Mitten Montage

Books:

The Missing Mitten Mystery by Steven Kellog

A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Stoeke

One Mitten by Kristina George

The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Buying Mittens by Nankichi Niimi

                               

Game:                 

Mitten Hide & Seek

                 

Songs:                  

Thumbs in the Thumb Place

Thumb in the thumb place (Give Thumbs up with both hands)
Fingers all together (hold fingers together like in mittens with thumbs out).
These are the things we wear in mitten weather (move mittens back and forth).
When it's cold, it doesn't matter whether, (shrug shoulders)
Mittens are wool or made of finest leather. (rub hands)
Thumb in the thumb place, fingers all together, this is the song we sing in mitten weather.

Warm Mittens

I wiggle my left hand.

I wiggle my right,

Inside my mittens,

So warm and so tight.

I wiggle my pinkie,

I wiggle my thumb,

So when I make snowballs,

My hands don’t get numb.

10 Little Mittens Hanging on the Line

10 little mittens hanging on the line... 
one went away, and then there were nine

9 little mittens near the gate... 
one went away, and then there were eight.

8 little mittens blowing near heaven... 
one flew off, and then there were seven.

7 little mittens hanging near the sticks... 
one fell off, and there were six.

6 little mittens by the old beehive... 
one came off, and then there were five.

5 little mittens very near the door... 
one went away, and then there were four.

4 little mitten hanging froma tree... 
one went away, and then there were three.

3 didn't know what to do... 
one went away, and then there were two.

2 little mittens drying in the sun... 
one went away...and then there was one.

1 little mitten didn't want to be alone... 
He went a way, and then there were none.

Activities:          

Mittens Collage

We’ll create unique mitten designs with tissue paper and yarn scraps.

Mitten Puzzles

It takes a keen eye to put these mitten puzzles together!

Mitten Matching

The mittens on the clothesline are all mixed up…let’s match them up.

Idea for Home:

Mystery Mittens

Here's a fun mitten-related activity that will stimulate visual imagery and increase each child's awareness of his sense of touch. Gather several Large adult mittens. Place a small object - such as a toy car, plastic animals, lego block, or pinecone-inside each mitten. Ask the children to try to figure out what is inside each mitten by feeling the object from the outside of the mitten. Then have each child reach into each mitten and feel the object inside. Ask youngsters if they would like to change their guesses or stick with their original ones. Afterward, reveal the objects and discuss the children's guesses versus the actual objects.

Sleeping Bearzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

Books:

Bear Snores On  by Karma Wilson

Old Bear by Kevin Henkes

Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep by Maureen Wright

Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep by Jane Yolen

Bearcub and Mama by Sharon Jennings

Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming

Songs & Fingerplays:

Cave Play

Did you know you carry a bear cave with you wherever you go?

Little Bear

(to the Tune of Are You Sleeping Brother John?)

Are you sleeping
Are you sleeping, little bear, little bear?
You will sleep all winter
Through the cold, cold winter, little bear, little bear.
Are you sleeping,

Are you sleeping, little bear, little bear?
You will wake in springtime,

In the warm, warm springtime, little bear, little bear.

Game:

Hibernating Bears

Let's play a rousing game of musical caves! While the music is playing the 'bears' will dance in the sunshine of spring and summer, foraging for berries and visiting friends, but when the music stops we'll fall fast asleep in a 'cave'  for the winter.

Activities:

Bear Den Craft:

We’ll make our own bear dens today, complete with a sleeping bear!

Sleeping Bear Cave:

Bring your teddy bears for some snuggling in the ‘cave’!

Bear Dominoes:

Make a bear domino train by matching bear pictures.

Large Group Activity
Pass the Bear…we’ll play Pass the Beanbag, but with our stuffed bear friends instead of beanbags.

Celebrate Snow!

Books:

A Hat For Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

Songs, Fingerplays and Flannelboards:

Cold Winter’s Day

Going outside on a cold winter’s day,

If it starts to snow I’ll play, play, play.

Did you bring your hat?

Yes, I brought my hat.

Going outside on a cold winter’s day,

If it starts to snow I’ll play, play, play.

Did you bring your scarf?

Yes, I brought my scarf.

Did you bring your hat?

Yes, I brought my hat.

(continue adding coat, gloves, boots)

Sign Language: cold, winter, hat, scarf, coat, gloves, boots)

Five Little Snowmen

(feltboard, snowmen)

5 little snowmen standing in a row.

Each had a hat and a big green bow.

Out came the sun and it shone all day.

1 little snowman melted away.

4 little snowmen standing in a row. (Continue…)

I’m A Little Snowman

(tune of I’m a little Teapot)

I'm a little snowman round and fat.

Here is my broom and here is my hat.

When the sun comes out it's time to say

'This is the end of me today!

A Chubby Little Snowman

A chubby little snowman

Had a carrot nose.

Along came a bunny,

And what do you suppose?

That hungry little bunny,

Looking for his lunch,

Ate the snowman's carrot nose.

Nibble, nibble, crunch!

10 Little Snowballs

(pom poms, bucket)

(tune of One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians)

One little, two little, three little snowballs,

Four little, five little, six little snowballs,

Seven little, eight little, nine little snowballs,

10 little snowballs in a pile.

Dance Like Snowflakes

(tune of Frere Jacques)

Dance like snowflakes, dance like snowflakes

Through the air, through the air.

Whirly twirly snowflakes, whirly twirly snowflakes

Here and there, here and there.

Game:                 

Melting Snowman

Children lay on the floor, stretch out, and form a blanket of snow. They pretend that other children are rolling them up to make large snowballs. The children roll across the floor, finally becoming so large they have to stand up and become jolly snowmen. Snowmen are frozen and must stand rigid all day and night. One day the sun shines so long and so brightly that the snowmen begin to thaw. Call out body parts, starting at the head and working down to the toes. The children begin moving these body parts slowly. As the day continues to get warmer; the snowmen gradually melt away. Have the children slowly/gracefully melt to floor.

Activities:

Snowflake Scenes

(white paint, stamp pads, snowflake stamps, paper)

We’ll create snow scenes with paint and snow shaped stamps.

Snowmen feltboards

(individual feltboards, snowman pieces)

Designing snowmen is fun with felt pieces and pom poms.

Snowball Toss

(Snowmen, styro balls)

Who doesn’t love to throw snowballs? We’ll burn up some winter energy throwing snowballs at the snowmen.

Movement:       

Snowflake Dance

(bubbles, cd player/music: Vivaldi:Winter)

Celebrate the Season.....

Books:

Too many to list here...what are YOUR holiday favorites?

Songs:

Five Little Christmas Trees

Five little Christmas Trees standing all alone.
Their hearts were very sad ‘cause they hadn't found a home.
Then chop went the ax and down fell a tree
And off it went with a happy family!
(continue from 4-1 Christmas Trees)
No little Christmas Trees standing all alone.
Their hearts were very happy ‘cause they all found a home!!!

Here Is The Chimney

Here is the chimney (Make fist, enclose thumb)
Here is the top. (Palm of hand on top of fist)
Open the lid. (Remove hand quickly)
And out Santa will pop. (Pop up thumb)

Way up High on the Christmas Tree

Way up high on the Christmas tree (Point up)
Two little candy canes winked at me (wink),
So I shook that tree as hard as I could (pretend to shake tree)
And down dropped those candy canes (squat down)
Mmm, Mmm, Good!! (Rub Tummy)

Activities:

Santa Hat

Make a Santa hat for next week’s Holiday Parade.

Reindeer Chow

We’ll mix up some oats and glitter to make a treat for the reindeer.

Ornamental Match

Match different circle sizes to their corresponding ornaments.

Stick the Bow to the Present

Like the popular party game with a donkey and a tail!

Games

Reindeer Pokie (Sung To: Hokey Pokey)

You put your antlers in,
you put your antlers out,
you put your antlers in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your hooves in,
you put your hooves out,
you put your hooves in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your tail in,
you put your tail out,
you put your tail in,
Then you shake the,em all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your red nose in,
you put your red nose out,
you put your red nose in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your whole self in,
you put your whole self out,
you put your whole self in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

Santa, Santa, Reindeer

Play just like duck, duck, goose

Jingle Parachute

Place small bells on a parachute. Have each of your children grab a part of the sheet. Everyone picks up the sheet and the bells are in the middle. As you all sing Jingle Bells Have them move the sheet to jingle the bells. At the end of the song everyone raises their arms quickly which sends the bells flying.