Good morning, friends! Welcome to the month of April.
Here are some fun activities to get you over the hump today.
Baby Bumblebee Fingerplay
by Lauren
This is a traditional fingerplay that is certainly a favorite of mine and a hit with ALL ages!
This song really encourages children to activate their imagination. It may take some encouragement, but as they get to know the song (maybe you will find that they already do) they will LOVE making the movements and being dramatic about what is happening with their pretend bumblebee.
For young children, I make sure to accentuate the words “ouch,” “yucky,” and “all clean.” This way these children can watch your mouth say the word and be enticed to practice saying the words themselves. In my experience, children (young toddlers especially) will start being involved with the singing of this song by trying to shout out these parts first!
I also like to mix it up and include other friends or family members in the song. You could replace the word “mommy” with daddy, sister, brother, grandma, papa, an uncle or aunt’s name, a classmate’s name, or even a teacher’s name (we all miss you)!
Singing and adding movements to songs helps children learn and grow skills relating to comprehending language, expanding vocabulary, speaking clearly, making connections, thinking symbolically, engaging in sociodramatic play, and noticing and discriminating alliteration.
For your tiny baby, you can gently move their arms in the motion for them while they’re laying on their back to encourage their motor development and activity. This is a lot of fun to do with ‘Wheels on the Bus,’ too!
You may notice I haven’t included a video with this, and that’s just because I couldn’t find one of anyone doing it quite the way I love doing it with children. It can be such a fun song! That just means I will have to create one. As soon as I do, Natalie will post it on BCS’s Instagram page. Keep an eye out!
In the meantime, you can still search for this song online to find the tune and get you started. Here are the lyrics below:
Bzzzzz Bzzzz Bzzzz
(Point and pretend to be following a bee in the air. Then dramatically catch the bee and start singing! You can encourage your child to catch their own bee too.)
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me,
(Cup hands together as if holding a bee inside. Peek inside your hands and smile proudly. Offer for your child to peek inside at your pretend bee!)
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Ouch! It stung me!
(Shake hands as if just stung. Look surprised!)
I’m squishing up the baby bumblebee,
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me,
(Start singing this verse looking sad. ‘Squish’ bee between palms of hands.)
I’m squishing up a baby bumblebee,
Oooh! Yucky!
(Open up hands to look at ‘mess.’)
I’m wiping off the baby bumblebee,
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me,
(Wipe hands off on each other.)
I’m wiping off the baby bumblebee,
Look! All clean!
(Hold hands up to show they are clean with a big smile!)
Dress Up + Fashion Shows
by Sam
Do you want to be an old lady? (One of the green preschoolers loves to dress up like that.) Do you want to be a big sister or a tiger or maybe a dinosaur?
To prepare, go through clothes and find clothes that fit what you want to pretend to be. It’s fun to use lots of accessories like scarves, ties, shoes, hats and maybe even glasses.
Lauren used lots of her parent’s accessories when she was little for dress up.
Natalie and her sister, Cassandra, dressed up like grown ups with beards when they were little.
Tip for the kiddos: Ask your parents first before you draw on your face 😉
Melissa and her friends made up some characters for dress up named “Erwin + Ermma. They have some fabulous hairdos, face paint and accessories!
These are things your child might be learning or working on while playing dress up:
recalling and imitating details and information about specific people, characters or animals
gaining new information about their person, character or animal
increasing vocabulary and sounds repertoire (“What words or sounds should I make to become this?”)
problem solving with different scenarios
emotional development (“How does it feel to be this?”)
fine motor skills (zipping zippers, pulling on clothes, using scarves as capes)
gross motor skills (acting things out, jumping, dancing, big movements)
strengthening relationships (“How does this person feel?” “What is it like to be a big sister?” “What does it feel like to be a grown up?”)
As you support their imagination, the children feel freer to practice caregiving and reflect on their fears and joys. When I would go through my gramma’s closet I would put on her clothes and I truly felt like I was her. I would make a grand entrance while my family was in the living room. I would make my voice sound like hers and try to take on her personality. She would wear a shower cap before swimming so I would put that one too. Everyone would laugh and I felt so proud to be my gramma even if it was only for a few minutes.
Sam even dressed up her doggie, Duke! (Please only do this if your animal feels okay with it. You will definitely be able to tell from their bodies if they do not like dress up.)
Have fun with the family! I hope all of you laugh a lot today!
“DO WHAT I DO, FOLLOW ME AND I’LL FOLLOW YOU”
By Melissa
Many of us remember the game Follow the Leader! Such a simple game with so much developmental significance and opportunity.
They say imitation is the finest form of flattery. Children experience this as an affirmation of self.
Children find imitation fascinating, engaging and empowering!
Tip: This would be a fun game to do while you’re all dressed up for your fashion show!
Development:
imitation (following another’s actions, noises, facial expressions)
promotes observation skills
supports attention and builds listening skills
following instructions
team building and turn taking.
Also, practice and learning about what it means to be a leader and the pro social skills of group cooperative games.
Babies and very young children love to have their actions imitated by their people! It is so fun to watch a young child light up when they recognize that you are doing what they are doing. It is extremely empowering and strengthens the emotional & social bonds you have with your child.
To play with your baby or younger toddler:
Observe your child’s actions and noises
Imitate them while making eye contact
When your child indicates that they understand you are following them attempt to do simple movements (clap, flap arms, stomp feet)
Continue to follow your child’s movements. Occasionally throwing a movement or noise for them to follow.
Game ends when your child tires or becomes bored or you can end it by pretending to sleep
Here are some variations to the classic!
Catch the change (how Blue Preschool starts meeting each day):
Tip: This is great for older toddlers and preschoolers.
Leader does a body movement, makes a noise or facial expression and others follow.
Leader makes changes and others catch the change and follow suit
Take turns being the leader
Note: Blue Preschoolers love this game and transfer leadership easily!
Rubber band
Hold hands in a circle.
Leader begins to move and others follow while continuing to hold hands
The movement of the group resembles a rubber band as participants mimic the speed direction and specific motions of the leader
Remember to move safely for the specific players
Note: This game can be played with two people. It will be a string by only holding one hand.
Some great books for ‘Do What I Do”:
Head to Toe by Eric Carle (simple and great for older babies and toddlers):
Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood:
‘WE ARE THE DINOSAURS’
by Natalie
This is a great gross motor activity to do inside or outside. Stomp, roar, sing and act out all the different verses. Get those bodies moving in a big way!
This is a favorite of all the BCS classrooms, including the infants!
(Follow the link at the bottom to hear the song and learn the lyrics here, too.)
“We are the Dinosaurs” lyrics:
We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching We are the dinosaurs Whaddaya think of that? We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching We are the dinosaurs, we make the earth flat We make the earth flat
We stop and eat our food, when we’re in the mood We stop and eat our food on the ground We stop and eat our food, when we’re in the mood We stop and eat our food and then we march around
‘Cause we are the dinosaurs, marching, marching We are the dinosaurs Whaddaya think of that? We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching We are the dinosaurs, we make the earth flat We make the earth flat
We stop and take a rest, over in our nest We stop and take a rest at the end of the day We stop and take a rest, over in our nest We stop and take a rest and then you’ll hear us say
That we are the dinosaurs, marching, marching We are the dinosaurs Whaddaya think of that? We are the dinosaurs, marching, marching We are the dinosaurs, we make the earth flat We make the earth flat
And then we roar! ‘Cause we are the dinosaurs! (Roar!)
“We Are The Dinosaurs” sung by The Laurie Berkner Band: https://youtu.be/vPrmY7labLA
See you here tomorrow!
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