Friday, February 5, 2016

Family Fun! Fingerplays, Songs, Crafts and More


Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe de la Famille Soler
by Pablo Picasso, 1903
The snow if falling here in Massachusetts and many schools were cancelled today. Families may be snowed in a bit this weekend so here are a few fun things to do together.

FINGERPLAYS

There Are Five Families

There are five families in the bed (hold up five fingers)And the little one said, “Roll Over! Roll Over!” (roll hands over each together)So they all rolled out.And one fell out. (one hand rolls to one side) Repeat with four, three, two, and oneThere were no families in the bed (hold up fist)And the little one said,“Good night!” (lay head on hands and close eyes)

Grandma’s Glasses
These are Grandma’s glasses, (fingers make glasses around eyes)And this is Grandma’s hat, (hands make hat on head)And this is the way she folds her hands,(fold hands)

And lays them in her lap. (hands on lap)These are Grandpa’s glasses, (make huge glasses with hands)

And this is Grandpa’s hat, (huge hat above head)And this is the way he folds his arms, (large gestures to fold arms)

And lays them on his lap.(lay folded arms down) 

Going to Bed

This little child is going to bed. (point to self)
Down on the pillow he lays his head. (rest head on hands)
He wraps himself in covers tight. (wrap arms around body)
And this is the way he sleeps all night. (close eyes, rest head on hands)
Morning comes, he opens his eyes (raise head, eyes wide open)
Off with a toss the covers fly. (fling arms wide)
Soon he is up, dressed, and away.
He’s ready to play all day. (clap hands)


STORY STRETCH

Families, Families Families Everywhere

Families, families families everywhere! (point in different directions)
Families, families climbing stairs. (make climbing motion)
Families, families giving stares (hands to eyes as if looking through glasses)
Families washing hairs. (hair washing motions)
Families, families everywhere!
Families up! (up on tip toe)
Families down! (bend knees and stoop down)
Families, families all around! (turn around once slowly)
Families, families sit back down!

The Family On Parade

Clap your hands (clap hands)
Stamp your feet (stamp feet)
The family is coming done the street. (march in place)
Rum, pum pum (motion beating a drum) A great big drum.
Root-a-toot-toot (hands to mouth blowing a horn)
Bang! Bang! Bang! (Clap hands together)
Clap your hands! (Clap hands)
Stamp your feet! (Stamp feet)
The family is coming down the street!

SONG

We’re On Our Way to Grandpa’s Farm

Chorus

We're on our way, we're on our way.
On our way to Grandpa's farm.
We're on our way, we're on our way.
On our way to Grandpa's farm.

Down on Grandpa's farm there is a big brown cow…x2
The cow, she makes a sound like this: "Mooooooo”…x2

Chorus

Down on Grandpa's farm there is a little yellow duck…x2
The duck, she makes a sound like this: "Quack Quack."…x2

Chorus

Down on Grandpa's farm there is a little pink pig… x2
The pig she makes a sound like this: "Oink, Oink”…x2

Chorus

Down on Grandpa's farm there is a black and white skunk...x2
The skunk, he often smells like this “pee ewww”…x2


BOOKS


Children’s Books About Families
https://www.naeyc.org/article/books-about-families   


CRAFTS


DIY Fun Ideas – Family Hand Prints






Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace 2016 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.


Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Elephants: Gentle Giants Among Us II


From The Folk-Tales of Bengal, 1911
Illustration by Warwick Goble

“Nature’s great masterpiece, an elephant; the only harmless great thing.” – John Dunne

Below are some of the fingerplays, songs and story stretchers I use during a storytelling lapsit program for toddlers. Some of these are found on the web with no attribution. Wherever I could find an author, I have noted the link and attribution. Have fun with the elephants!

FINGERPLAYS


One Little Elephant

One elephant went out to play, (hold up one finger)
Over the hills and far away. (wave finger like it is going over the hills)
She had such enormous fun, (on “enormous” circle arms out and around)
That she called for another elephant to come. (cup hands over mouth)
“Oh Elephant!”… (call out and then pound the floor for the running elephant sound)
Two elephants went out to play, (use two fingers…repeat above actions)
Over the hills and far away.
They had such enormous fun they called for another elephant to come.
“Oh Elephant!”…
(Repeat with as many elephants (fingers) as you want)
http://www.nncc.org/curriculum/fingerplay.html


Five Gray Elephants

Five gray elephants, marching through the glade,
Decide to stop and play like they are having a parade.
The first sings his trunk and announces he’ll lead;
The next waves a flag which of course they need.
The third gray elephant trumpets a song;
The fourth beats a drum as he marches along.
While the fifth makes believe he’s the whole show
And nods and smiles to the crowd as they go.
Five gray elephants, marching through the glade,
Having a lot of fun during their parade.
http://www.childfun.com/themes/animals/elephants/

SONGS AND STORY STRETCH

Elephants At Work and Play

As five little elephants marched through the grass (march fingers of right hand)
They decided to stop and have a music class,
The first blew his trumpet and announced he'd be teacher. (make a trumpet of fists and blow)
The next gave a call of the wild jungle animal (cup hands to mouth, make a low eerie sound)
The third & fourth elephants trumpeted a song, (make a trumpet and blow twice )
But the last little elephant just followed along,
Then he left the others as he didn't care to play,
And he carried tree logs the rest of the day. (link the little finger under two fingers of the left hand and carry them away)

Zoo Animals  
(To the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)

If you want to be an elephant swing your trunk
If you want to be an elephant swing your trunk
If you want to be an elephant, if you want to be an elephant
If you want to be an elephant swing your trunk

Monkey, jump up high!
Parrot — flap your wings
Elephant — swing your trunk
Lion — roar out loud
Giraffe — stand up tall

An Elephant Goes
An elephant goes like this and that, (wave arms in front like trunk)
He’s oh so big, (raise arms up)
And he’s oh so fat. (spread arms out to the sides)
He has no fingers, (wiggle fingers)
He has no toes, (shake feet)
BUT, goodness gracious, WHAT A NOSE!

The Elephants Are Here! (To the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell")

The elephants are here! (Look excited)
The elephants are here!
Look at all the elephants! (Shade eyes as if looking)
The elephants are here!

They're exercising now. (March in place, keeping feet on floor, pumping arms)
They're exercising now.
Look at all the elephants!
They're exercising now.

They're jumping up and down! They're jumping up and down!
Look at all the elephants! They're jumping up and down!

They're touching all their toes…
They're spinning 'round and 'round…
They're all exhausted now...
They're all exhausted now...
Look at all the elephants...
They're all exhausted now...
ZZZZZZZ (Lots of snoring)
http://www.childfun.com/index.php/activity-themes/animals/115-elephant-activity-theme.html?start=2 

BOOKS

Children’s Books GuideA wonderful list of books about our excellent elephant friends.
http://childrensbooksguide.com/elephants

CRAFT



Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace 2016 ©
This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.