More Fun with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Our community library hosted another great family event this week, this time all the activities were based on Eric Carle’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Last year I shared some of the ways I used this wonderful picture book with my Kindergarten classes, check out the link under the Insects section if you are interested.  After this terrific evening I have more great ideas to share.   The kids loved getting to meet the giant caterpillar, and they even got a chance to dance with him!  And I got a shameless opportunity to share a picture of my youngest granddaughter!

One of the children’s librarians began the evening by retelling the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar using a flannelboard, felt food pieces and a wonderful sock type Caterpillar puppet.  The felt pieces all had large slits cut in them so they fit over the sock caterpillar on the librarian’s arm.  Very cute!

After that parents and children were free to explore all the projects and activities that had been prepared and set up around the large community room.  It was very well organized and clear instructions were posted on each table giving directions for the craft or game.  Oh – and one of my favorite ideas – they set out adhesive name tags for the children to wear, and they were all punched with several holes, I heard several parents and children laughing and enjoying how the caterpillar must have nibbled on them!

The first activity my grandchildren decided to do was making Hungry Caterpillar bookmarks.  They used red and green Bingo markers to make their caterpillar on a strip of card stock, then they used a hole punch to make nibble holes, and a hole to tie a ribbon at the end.  I loved having kids use hole punches in Kindergarten, I think it is a great way to help develop hand strength which is so important for fine motor control.  They had a new kind of hole punch for the children to use – they were easy to squeeze and most of the children were able to punch independently.  I am sure I need one of these!

Here is 2 year old Lily’s bookmark!

The librarians had made large cardboard cutouts of some of the foods that the caterpillar ate.  They were cut out of corrugated cardboard and painted.  The parents held them up and the children had so much fun crawling through the holes.

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My favorite project of the evening was making butterfly wings!  The project had been prepared ahead of time by cutting open brown grocery bags, they were shaped so they were larger at the outsides and a bit narrower in the center.

On the back of the grocery bag, the inside of the wings, they attached 2 handles, one on each end.

The set out glue sticks and small squares of tissue paper, along with crayons to decorate the wings.  They decorated the sides of the bag that did not have the handles.  Glue sticks are by far the most convenient, but a lot of the tissue paper squares fell off because the children didn’t press them into the glue.  I used to use watered down glue and paint brushes, the tissue paper adhered more easily, but sometimes they had to be left to dry awhile and that would not work for the library program.

But the most fun part was using the wings when they were done!  The children held onto the handles and the wings went across their back.  When they moved their arms the wings flapped in and out!  It was so cute!

Another fun idea was making pompom caterpillars, glued onto a spring clip clothespin.  The jiggly eyes had already been glued onto the red pompoms.

The children had fun “feeding” the hungry caterpillar a variety of colors and sizes of pompoms.  This encouraged even my little ones to recall the food from the story – they called the purple pompoms “plums,” the red ones were “apples,” etc.

The children used dry erase markers for the final activity.  I loved the idea of gluing large pompoms on the ends of the markers as erasers.

They provided a laminated paper with the numerals 1 – 5.  The children needed to remember the foods at the beginning of the story, and draw them.  Then they put on a cute caterpillar glove (another great idea – the caterpillar was made of felt and glued onto the pointer finger of the glove), and pointed to each food as they retold the story.  At the bottom of the page there was a butterfly that was covered with dry erase marker and they had to rub off the marker to reveal the butterfly.

So I see the fruit on this paper were not drawn in the right order – of course that wasn’t done by my grandchildren!  Mostly because I prompted them!  It might have helped to have a copy of the book close by in case children needed to check out which food came next, but it really didn’t matter anyway – the whole idea was to think about the story and to have fun!

It was such a fun time!  Thanks and hugs to the Commerce Township Community Library, and all the dedicated, talented librarians who provide wonderful programs like this for our kids!

Seeds and Flowers!

Our local libraries have been presenting some great FREE programs for children!  Last night my son and I took the kids to a Spring themed pajama night.  I always wish more parents knew that these great opportunities are available.  These programs include movement songs, stories, crafts, snacks and sometimes even parachute play!   What a great way to introduce children to some of the types of activities they will engage in when they go to preschool or kindergarten.

This cute flower project made me think about some of the wonderful books I loved sharing with my kindergartners.

 During the spring we always studied seeds and the parts of plants.  That usually included planting some quick growing seeds so the children could watch this exciting process and take home a small flower.

Dr. Jean has a fun song to the tune of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.  It introduces or reinforces the parts of a flower.

Of course the children touch their head, body, stick out their arms for leaves, and their feet for the roots!

You can find this song on Dr. Jean’s CD – Kiss Your Brain

We made this project using the children’s hands to trace the roots and flowers, then again with their fingers close together for the leaves.

The children wrote a short phrase about the job of each part of the plant.

Here are the details of the cute project the children made at the library.  I loved this because the children could pull the pipe cleaners down for the roots, and push them up to simulate how the flowers grow!  They always love to make a project they can play with!

They started out with a 3 oz. paper cup that already was wrapped with paper, and 5 small holes were punched in the bottom.  You could easily make this with fewer flowers, 3 would still be great!

They provided stickers to decorate the outside of the “flower pot” and the little flowers with holes inside were precut – probably a die cut.  Older children might cut their own flowers too!

The children poked one end of the pipe cleaner through a hole in the cup and put a flower on the other end.  Adults helped the little ones bend the ends of the pipe cleaners to keep them in place.

Next they stuffed small strips of brown tissue paper into the cup around the pipe cleaners to make it look like dirt.

With the pipe cleaners pushed all the way up the little flower pot will sit on the table.  The kids loved pulling the flowers down into the pot and pushing them up to “grow!”

Here are the directions that were posted on each table.

  I love simple, inexpensive projects that the kids can play with!   You might want to check out your local library and share the information about great programs like this with the families in your class!  Thanks to the Milford Public Library for a fun evening!

Happy Easter!  Happy Spring!

Some Kids Won’t Say Sorry!

I bought this book in honor of one of my grandchildren who is often pretty resistant to saying “I’m sorry.”  I know that refusing to say sorry is not that unusual, and that the issue can become a battle of wills – which no one wins.  In Samantha Berger’s book, Martha’s family deals with the problem by leaving her out of fun activities and she decides to give in and apologize.  I thought this book could be followed by brainstorming and writing about a time you should say “I’m sorry.”  Here is a writing paper you might like to use.

sorry

The whole issue made me think about what is really important here.  I believe that children need to realize that their actions affect other people.  They need to develop compassion and learn to care about how other people feel.  I’m not sure rattling off an insincere “sorry” really accomplishes those goals.  But there is another part of the problem, apologizing is considered good manners and common courtesy.  When a child refuses to apologize adults might look at him as uncooperative and even unkind.

I came across a blogpost that suggested requiring a child to do or say two kind things to make up for one unkind action or word.  Here is a link to the post in you would like to read about it:

http://kidlutions.blogspot.com/2009/10/when-sorry-doesnt-cut-it-put-downs-and.html

I think you will have to copy and paste it into your browser because I don’t know how to insert a link (sorry!)

I think this idea has some merit – it offers good opportunities to talk about how the other person feels, and what the child did or said that was hurtful.  It also encourages helpful and kind behavior.  But it doesn’t really help the child conform to the social expectation of apologizing.  It kind of sounds like if you do something nice it makes up for doing something hurtful.

In my Kindergarten classroom I often used role playing for situations like this.   Sometimes I would take on a role and exaggerate it myself.  I might ask a child to pretend he did something unkind to me, and then refused to say “I’m sorry.”   I would tell the child that I didn’t like what they had done.  I would tell them that it was hurtful.  I got into my role and acted a little silly, to make the kids laugh and get involved with the role play.  Then I would stop and ask the class what the other child should do.  Then I would prompt the child to say he realized he had done something hurtful and wouldn’t repeat the behavior.  Sometimes I would re-play a scenario that happened in our classroom.  Role playing several times helps children become comfortable with the language.  It raises the expectations of the class that we will treat each other kindly and be helpful and not hurtful.  It gives the children a chance to practice saying “I’m sorry.”

I still think the bigger issue is helping children learn to treat each other, and adults, with compassion and respect.  Role playing can help with this.  I also took every chance I could to talk about how characters in a story were feeling, in the classroom I would take the opportunity to talk about how children felt when there was a problem over a toy or an issue on the playground.  This is something I brought to parents’ attention too, young children are naturally egocentric, but we can help them begin to think about other people’s feelings by talking about characters in books and on television.

Here are two other books that I used in my classroom.

Our school adopted the Bucket-Filler program one year.  This book uses the idea of filling or emptying other people’s buckets when you are helpful or hurtful.

Heartprints, by P.K. Hallinan, really emphasizes how people can help other people feel good by doing acts of kindness.

I love both of these books and used them every year with my Kindergartners.

I just heard of a resource book called Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes… by Scott Turanksy and Joanne Miller.   The emphasis of this book is helping children learn to honor other people.  I am fascinated with this idea.  I looked up the definition of honor – it is to regard someone with respect.  I love the idea of teaching children not only to tolerate each other, but to honor each other.  I haven’t read the book yet, but the reviews were very positive.  Here is a link to copy and paste if you are interested.

Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes… in You and Your Kids

So what are they doing about my little grandchild who refuses to say sorry?  They are practicing at home.  They are noticing every time anyone else says they are sorry and talking about it.  They are encouraging and praising.   They are appreciating all the wonderful things he does do, and loving him just the way he is.

Building Children’s Brains

I am very excited to share a wonderful resource with you.  I’m sure you are all familiar with some of the extensive brain research that has impacted how we teach, and even how we relate to children in the last few years.    I got permission to share an audio recording with you that explains brain development in very understandable language.  Dr. Joan Lessen-Firestone, the Director of Early Childhood Education at Oakland Intermediate School District here in Michigan, presented this information and the CD I received was sponsored in collaboration with the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health, the Michigan 4C Association, and the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health.  Dr. Firestone is a wonderful teacher, and I have listened to this information again and again.  I also made copies for my adult children before they had babies of their own.

01 Building Brains 1

Dr. Firestone gave me permission to share this information.  I hope you will listen to it and share it to help build a basic understanding of brain development.

I have been thinking of all you teachers so much the last few weeks, with many of you working on report cards and holiday celebrations, and then with the devastating events that have overtaken the news.  I wish you all a wonderful and peaceful break from your jobs, and special times with your families.  I know you never really quit thinking and planning even when you aren’t in school each day, but please take time to enjoy your blessings.

Merry Christmas!

The Gingerbread Man!

Fairy Tales are one of my favorite kinds of stories to retell, and I especially love telling stories with a refrain that encourages the children to chime in.  Of course these stories are also great for acting out.  There are so many different versions of The Gingerbread Man, and so many take-off stories like Gingerbread Baby, etc.  Here are a couple that I used.

 

 

The characters are often different, and sometimes the story ends in a different way, but the basic idea is that they bake a gingerbread man and he runs away.

Here are some pictures of the characters from one version that I used to make necklaces or headbands for kids to act out the story.  Sometimes I reduced the size of the pictures and mounted them on popsicle sticks to make stick puppets too.  You could also glue them onto an upside down paper lunch bag and make puppets that way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a little game that can be used to retell the story.  After coloring and cutting out the Gingerbread Man and Fox, fold them so they stand up and can “move” along the gameboard.

 

Here are pictures that can also be used to sequence and retell the story:

 

 

Along with our reading, acting out and retelling of this story we made cinnamon applesauce Gingerbread Men ornaments (equal parts cinnamon and applesauce – then cut with a cookie cutter).  We also cut out gingerbread men shapes and used paint and markers to decorate them.  Afterward. each child would write a short sentence about something or someone that he or she could outrun.

 

 

I would make a display of this writing along with their paper decorated Gingerbread Men.  On cooking day we sometimes made real Gingerbread men to eat too!

I know that I often felt like I was in this story right about this time of year saying  Run, Run, as fast as you can!

I hope you are able to slow down and enjoy this special time with your children!

 

 

Halloween Senses Book

I love getting comments from readers!  Awhile ago, Aaron made a comment on one of my posts that helped me decide to do a remake 0f a Holiday Senses Book that I shared.  The Five Senses are an important part of Kindergarten Science curriculum, so I liked to reinforce them in different ways through the year.   One of the things that helps children be successful reading this book, even early in the school year, is that I included pictures for the senses and little helper pictures to remember what goes on each page. Of course, you probably have some different ideas of things to put on each page, feel free to change it to make it work for your class!       I cut apart a clipart picture of a skeleton into 3 pieces.  The children cut them out and assemble them.     The children cut out the word bubble BOO! and glue it on the top.  They can just draw a ghost, or if you use colored paper they could use white chalk, paint, or construction paper to create their own ghost.   The most tactile thing I could think of is the inside of a pumpkin.  I always loved bringing in a pumpkin to carve, and encouraging the children to touch the pulp and seeds.  On this page I would ask the children to free cut a pumpkin, then cut off the top.  I would give them each a couple of pumpkin seeds to glue on.   I had trouble thinking of a Halloween smell, but my class always went to an apple orchard this time of year, and enjoyed cinnamon donuts!  I would put cinnamon into a shaker and give the children paint brushes with watery glue.   One option for this page would be just to give each child a small candy and after they taste it they could glue the wrapper on the page.  Or you could give them each a couple of candy corns and ask them to color this one to glue on.

Here are pdf copies of the book pages and clipart.

Halloween Senses

skeleton clipart

boo

candy corn

Happy Halloween!

Our Next Adventure!

I know that I am incredibly blessed to have 3 wonderful grandchildren who live so close by.  In fact, my daughter in law is helping with Vacation Bible School this week which means I get to have Nana Camp with the girls!  They turned 21 months old yesterday and they could not be more adorable!  Today they tried out watercolor paint for the first time!

But the news gets even better!  My daughter is having a baby in August and we had a baby shower for her yesterday.  It was so much fun to plan and even more fun to watch her enjoy it all.  I know it has nothing to do with Kindergarten – but please indulge me – or just skip this post!  I’d love to share some of this special day with you.

My sister Linda is a master with her Cricut machine and volunteered to make the invitations.   Megan wanted a tea party theme and my sister found this adorable scrapbook paper that was perfect.

The ruffled envelopes were so cute too!

We had the food catered – tea sandwiches, petit fours, scones – regular tea party fare.  My cricut wielding talented sister made these little signs to put by all the food.

After Linda created them I typed the different foods on clear address labels, then trimmed them to fit on the signs.  They looked so cute on the food table, but I forgot to take a picture!

It took me a long time to decide what to put on the tables as a centerpiece.  I wanted them to be pretty but personal and meaningful too.  I started collecting Bible verses that I liked that had to do with babies or children.   I thought about painting (very basic) wooden frames to put the verses in at the tables, but when I saw how cute the food signs were I asked if that Cricut cartridge could make larger borders.   So Linda cut out frames that were about 5 x 7 or so.  I typed the verses on pink cardstock and put them behind the borders.

I used the same cardstock to make a 3 sided base, then I glued two Bible Verses to that stood up tent style.

Then Linda – the crafty one – made roses out of baby socks, she found the directions online.  I bought these little bean bag babies from Big Dot of Happiness.  Here is how it all looked on the table.

I used these directions that I found online to fold the fabric napkins – you can find just about anything online these days!  I chose this design because it was simple to fold and had a little pocket for the silverware.
napkin folding

Before Linda turned off her Cricut I got her to make a banner too!  Our new baby’s name is Eleanor and they plan to call her Nora.

I ordered little tape measures with a label that says “Love Beyond Measure” as favors.  I made little tea bag covers out of cardstock that I folded and stapled around a teabag for each place setting too.

Here is the template if you’d like to see how I printed these.

Tea bag covers2

I wanted to include Megan’s brother and close friend who live out of state, so I bought onesies for them to decorate and mail to me.  I bought 10 onesies so I asked other close family and friends to decorate one before the shower.  It was fun watching her guess who made each one.

Can you guess which one crafty Aunt Linda made?  Of course!

Her friend used a quote from Anne of Green Gables – their shared favorite book!

We are a Michigan State Family (except for one holdout son – but he did give me my first 3 grandchildren!)  Her brother even drew Sparty on the sleeve – impressive!

Her brother – the experienced parent – took a different approach – he used a computer graphic – they were all so cute!!

Another friend tried tie-dye, with a tea cup applique!

My daughter in law used a darling lamb theme …

She helped the children do Chicka Chicka – with the Boom Boom on the bottom!  The coconuts were their fingerprints.

Megan’s sister-in-law made beautiful, intricate flowers and her children’s fingerprints became the bumblebees!  So clever!

I made one with a tutu!

My husband was the last one to do his onesie.  I was convinced he was just going to take it out to the garage and smear grease on it, then say she needs to get dirty or something.  But he finally came through, and it was cute too!

There were a lot of people coming to the shower who did not know each other, so I made name tags.  I also wanted an activity to do that would help if conversation didn’t flow naturally at a table, so I asked each guest to make a future birthday card for Nora.

I bought the star wands at a dollar store and tied the little circles on with ribbon.

I set out prefolded cards and craft supplies, the cards were very cute.  I will put them in envelopes and mail each one on the correct year.

Here are just a few examples … I had some people make them for the same year, I assigned ages 1-20.

Not so different from when I planned special events in Kindergarten, I have a tendency to plan too much.  I had made “Advice cards” but I didn’t end up using them because of time.

We played two games – I adapted the first one from the internet.

Here are printable copies:

revised candy game questions

Candy Game answers

For the other game I made signs that said Eleanor and posted them around the room (Mine were all different – I’ll save you from that!)

I asked people to look through their purses to find things that begin with each letter of Eleanor’s name!

I bought pretty tea cups for prizes and wrapped them in clear cellophane bags with bows so guests could choose the cup they liked.

I had one more game ready to play, but decided I was asking too much!

Match Megan game

I found an old trunk of Megan’s baby clothes in my basement, and knew that I wanted to use those somehow.  So I dug through old photos (lots still in shoeboxes or stuck in those sticky page albums!) and found pictures of her wearing some of those clothes.  I took pictures of the clothing, then added pictures of Megan in the clothes and the Bible verses that I had selected for the tables.  I made them into a book on my computer – on a MAC you can make an 8 1/2 x 6 paperback book for $10.

Here is a sample.  This is the front and back cover.

The picture is of newborn Megan.

I was able to include pictures of my mom, who passed away, and other pictures that meant a lot to me.  I wrapped up the clothes, the photos and the book and gave it to her with her gifts.  Some of the guests remembered giving me different articles of the clothing.  It was very sweet and fun.

I had so much fun planning it and watching Megan enjoy it!   Thanks for letting me share it with you.

I planned to share the Bible Verses that I typed and put in clipart frames for the book, but I have been informed I have reached my upload maximum.  Please let me know if you would like them and I will add them to a new post!