Week of April 30th, 2010


“DING” FOR “SPRING!”

Today we practiced using our listening ears through an activity involving desk bells, triangles, and two "Spring" themed books (Wake up, It's Spring!and Hello, Spring!) that each had repeating incidences of the word "spring" in them!

My directions to the children were to wait for any time they heard an instance of the word "spring" read to them...and then to "ding" their triangle or bell!

This was good practice for our friends who have a hard time waiting and listening-- especially when around the excitement of instruments! No, we didn't make it through the book with total silence--but we tried! Practicing waiting makes us more patient. Patience--an acquired skill! :)


Rather than perform the listening activity, infants and toddlers just explored instruments, and sang songs with the ukulele!

The desk bells were a big hit!





The kids giggled when I used the scarf to play a "hide and seek" game with a simple spring poem:

"Close your eyes,
And do not peek!
'Til springtime brushes
Against your cheek!"

Once the children felt the scarf "sweep" over their face, they woke up! The kids thought this was hilarious and waited quite intently for their turn with the scarf!












We also enjoyed singing this simple movement song about spring:


Can you be a sunbeam,
A sunbeam, a sunbeam?
Can you be a sunbeam?
Then show me what you'd do.

I can be a sunbeam,
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I can be a sunbeam,
And I'll shine down on you!