| Volume 3 Issue 07
March 29, 2005
Celebrate Spring!
WELCOME! to Education World's Early Childhood Newsletter. Every other week, I'll share some
ideas on a familiar teaching theme. Hopefully you will find a new activity idea or two -- or a new
twist on one of your old favorites! Since I know you are very busy, I'll be short and sweet -- like
most of activities I suggest.
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This week's newsletter is brought to you by Marvel Enterprises/Cover Concepts
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“Spring has sprung, the grass is riz…” Or has it? Whatever your weather looks
like outside, our calendars indicate that spring is officially here. We can’t help but savor
the thoughts of buds on trees, colorful flowers, and bright blue skies that spring brings. Celebrate
this season of awakenings with your students as you involve them in activities that are sure to
help them GROW!
Susan LaBella
Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter
SILLY SEEDS
Provide children with several kinds of seeds, wax paper, string, and white glue.
Encourage children to squeeze the glue onto the wax paper to make a simple design that is 4 to 5
inches long. Ask children to sprinkle seeds onto the glue. Let the glue dry well. Then help children
gently peel their seed designs from the wax paper. Tie a string to each and hang from your ceiling.
LIVING LETTERS
Give each child an aluminum pie plate with holes punched in the bottom. Invite children to fill
their pans with potting soil. Next, have children use their fingers to “write” the first
letters of their names in the soil. (Be sure each child’s letter is about ½-inch deep.)
Help children place grass seed inside the outline of their letters in the soil. (A seed every 1/8
of an inch should do it.) Cover the grass seed with a layer of soil. Then water. Watch for the letters
to come alive!
RAIN -- IT’S A SPRING THING
Let children enjoy spring showers by having them sprinkle some powdered tempera paint on paper.
Then place the papers outside. Invite children to watch as the rain finishes their paintings. As
children watch, encourage some rainy observations:
-- What things look different when they are wet? The sand? The blacktop?
-- What new sounds do you hear?
-- Try clapping your hands to the beat of the raindrops.
FLOWER HOUR
Cut a 3-inch-wide strip of paper from a grocery bag for each child to use as a headband. Invite
children to sponge paint pastel-colored flowers onto their paper strips, to color and glue precut
flower shapes onto the bands, or to decorate their headbands with scraps of fabric or ribbon. Staple
each decorated headband together. Let children wear their headbands and create a spring dance as
you play Tschaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” from the Nutcracker Suite.
A WINDY WALK
Take children for a walk on a gusty spring day. While outside invite children to
-- show which way the wind is blowing.
-- run with the wind.
-- run slower than the wind.
-- stand still and move their arms like the wind.
-- run with streamers or balloons. (Which way do they go?)
-- hold up a wet finger. (What do you feel?)
Check out the following Web sites for more
background and activities.
Springtime Lessons
See this archive of across-the-grades activities. One of the articles, “Springtime Online,”
includes a special section of activities for primary-grade kids.
http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/spring.shtml
Spring to Life!
The life cycle of a butterfly, a frog, and more -- it’s all here for kids to easily understand.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/01-1/lp237_01.shtml
Signs-of-Spring Door
Hanging
Invite your students to make a colorful spring door hanger. For directions, click the link below.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp305-02.shtml
Spring Theme Activities
for Young Children
Find loads of spring-themed ideas, including songs, science, and sensory stuff.
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-spring.htm
Spring
Science
Spring science, anyone? Stop here for some great activity ideas.
http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/preschool_themes/spring/spring4.html
Spring Theme
Recipes, activities, and more spring links.
http://stepbystepcc.com/spring3.html
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