Penguin Awareness Day!

Edward Adrian Wilson (1872–1912)
Plate 1 from ‘National Antarctic Expedition.
1903-1904

I’m a day late but I just found out that yesterday was Penguin Awareness Day! Yet, I was also a bit ahead of myself as a few weeks ago we celebrated penguins at the Whales, Tales and Sails program at the New Bedford Whaling Historic Park.

We had a great time! I wore black and white that day and of course we had a penguin parade, waddling like penguins and hopping from ice flow to ice flow.  Here are some of the fun things we did that day. I located these songs and fingerplays on many sites throughout the Internet, without attribution. Feel free to use them in your work.


FINGERPLAYS/ACTION RHYMES

I used this along with a flannel board. The children had fun counting along.

Six Little Penguins

Six little penguins off an iceberg did dive,

One bumped his head and then there were five.

Five little penguins swam the ocean floor,

One saw a whale, and then there were four.

Four little penguins twirled around, WHEE!

One spun off and then there were three.

Three little penguins with nothing to do,

One went fishing and then there were two.

Two little penguins having lots of fun,

One slid away and then there was one.

One little penguin when the day was done,

Went home to sleep and then there was none.

SONG

Penguin Action Song (Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)

I’m a little penguin (penguin walk)

In the sea (arms make waves)
I can swim (pretend to swim)
As fast as can be (faster)
When I catch a fish (pretend to grab a fish)
Just look at me

I’m as proud as can be (stand up proudly)

I’m a little penguin (penguin walk)

On the ice (point to ground)
I think cold (point to head)
Is very nice (wrap arms around chest)
Then I hop around first once, (hop)
Then twice (hope twice)
Yes, I think ice is very nice (nod head & smile)

Waddling Penguins

Penguins, penguins having fun.
Waddling in the winter sun.
Waddling fast and waddling slow.
Waddling to and waddling fro.
Penguins, penguins having fUn,
Waddling in the winter sun.

STORY STRETCHERS

If You’re a Penguin and You Know It (Tune: If You’re Happy and You know It)

If you’re a penguin and you know it flap your wings (flap your wings)

If you’re a penguin and you know it flap your wings
If you’re a penguin and you know and you really want to show it
If you’re a penguin and you know it flap your wings!

If you’re a penguin and you know it waddle your feet (waddle around)

If you’re a penguin and you know it eat a fish (yum yum)
If you’re a penguin and you know it go for a swim (swimming motions)
If you’re a penguin and you know it splash around (splashing motions)

BOOKS

Little Penguin’s Tale by Audrey Wood – The children loved this story, filled with vibrant illustrations.
https://www.booksource.com/products/little-penguins-tale__0152474765.aspx

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Florence Atwater
https://parnassusbooks.net/book/9780316058438

Brightly – Chill Out with these 8 Endearing Books About Penguins  https://www.readbrightly.com/kids-books-about-penguins/

Books About Penguins for Preschool    
https://playtolearnpreschool.us/books-about-penguins/

Goodreads – Picture Books with Penguins 
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/723.Picture_Books_with_Penguins

CRAFTS

The Best Ideas for Kids – 15 Adorable Penguin Crafts for Kids
https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/penguin-crafts/

Penguin Craft made
during lapsit program

Freekidscrafts.com – This was the penguin craft the children made. It was so cute and easy for them to do. This craft is no longer on the freekidscrafts website, but I was able to find the template on the Wayback Machine. Here is the link. 
https://web.archive.org/web/20120204163855/http://www.freekidscrafts.com/egg_shaped_penguin-e204.html

ColoringPages101.com – Ninety-five penguin coloring pages. You are sure to find something you love!
https://www.coloringpages101.com/search/PENGUINS    

DLTK-Kids.com – Penguin Toilet Paper Roll Craft
http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mpenguin.html

Kidzone – Penguin activities, facts, and photos.   
https://www.kidzone.ws/animals/penguins/index.htm

CURRICULUM

National Geographic for Kids
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/search?q=PENGUINS&location=srp&type=manual

Penguin Activities and Videos for Kindergarten and First Grade  
https://deannajump.com/penguin-activities/

Sciencekids.com.nz – Animal facts: Fun penguin facts for kids.  https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/penguin.html

RECIPES

Marshmallow Penguins
https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/christmas/christmas-treat-recipes/marshmallow-penguins-fun-food-tutorial

Penguin Slice and Bake Cookies
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/penguin-slice-and-bake-cookies-4531396

SONGS

19 Penguin Songs for Preschoolers
https://preschooleducation.com/songs/penguin-songs-for-preschoolers/

Penguins Songs and Rhymes – Wonderful PDF file filled with fun.
https://www.srsd119.ca/departments/teacherinformation/SSS/PreK%20Info/Penguins.pdf

SOMETHING EXTRA

Penguin Webcam via the California Academy of Science – Have fun watching the delightful creatures throughout the day.
https://www.calacademy.org/learn-explore/animal-webcams/live-penguin-cams

 

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 2013 (Updated 2026) ©

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  or karenchace.stories@gmail.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 appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Thanksgiving Fun: Fingerplays, Songs, Stories and More!

Next Thursday brings my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! Tomorrow, at the New Bedford Whaling Historical Park we will be celebrating this special day and of course turkeys! 

Here are some fingerplays and songs I will be using during the program. They are not my original pieces but found on many websites over the Internet without attribution. Please feel free to use them in your work. I hope they add something festive to your holiday.

FINGERPLAYS

Five Little Turkeys

Five little turkeys by the barn door (hold up open hand)
Four little turkeys flew up a tree (fly fingers into the air)I fell down and then there were three. (one finger falls to the ground)
Three little turkeys gobbled as they do
Three little turkeys gobbled as they do
Two little turkeys strutting in the sun.
The wind came along and then there was one. (make wind movements with left hand)
For he saw the farmer and now there are none. (left hand grabs right hand)

Turkey Dinner

Up and down, round and round (make circles in the air)

The turkey ran across the ground. (wave hands across the floor)

Over, under, in between (hold hands up, down, and between the legs)

Now the turkey can't be seen.

The farmer looks in front (look in front, holding hand above the eyes)

The farmer looks behind, (look behind, holding hand above the eyes)

Still the turkey can't be found.

There's the turkey (point across the room)

Running right (move hands right)

Running left (move hands left)

Over the hill and out of sight (move hands up and down)

No turkey for dinner tonight!

Turkey on the Farm – (Sung to The Wheels on the Bus)

The turkey on the farm says, "Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Gobble, gobble, gobble. Gobble, gobble, gobble."
The turkey on the farm says, "Gobble, gobble, gobble."
Thanksgiving Day is near.

The farmer on the farm goes chop, chop, chop.
Chop, chop, chop. Chop, chop, chop.
The farmer on the farm goes chop, chop, chop.
Thanksgiving Day is here.

The turkey on the farm says, "Please help me!
Please help me! Please help me!"
The turkey on the farm says, "Please help me!"
Thanksgiving Day is here.

The children on the farm say, "Come and hide.
Come and hide. Come and hide."
The children on the farm say, "Come and hide."
Thanksgiving Day is here.

The wife on the farm looks all around.
Looks all around. Looks all around.
The wife on the farm looks all around.
Thanksgiving Day is here.

The people on the farm eat Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Kentucky Fried Chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken.
The people on the farm eat Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Thanksgiving Day is here. 

The turkey on the farm says, "Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Gobble, gobble, gobble. Gobble, gobble, gobble."
The turkey on the farm says, "Gobble, gobble, gobble."
Thanksgiving Day has passed.

STORY STRETCHERS

My Turkey

I have a turkey big and fat (bend out arms at sides)
He struts around this way and that (strut around)His daily corn he would not miss (pretend to peck at corn on ground)And when he talks, he sounds like this (make gobble sounds)

Turkey Trot- Submitted (Sung to "Hokey Pokey")

You put your right wing in. 

You put your right wing out. 

You put your right wing in, 

And you shake it all about. 

You do the turkey trot 

And you turn yourself around. 

That's what it's all about.

SONGS

Hello Mr. Turkey! (Tune: If You're Happy and You Know It)

How are you? (clap, clap)
Hello, Mr. Turkey
How are you? (clap, clap)
With a wobble, wobble, wobble
and a gobble, gobble, gobble
Hello, Mr. Turkey
How are you?

Thank You Song (Sung to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)

Thank you for the sun so bright 

Thank you for the moon at night
Thank you for my family
Thanks for friends who play with me
Thanks for everything I see
I am thankful, yes sirree!

Thank you, Thank you; This We Say  (Sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Thank you for the earth and sky. 

(Form circle with fingertips; then point to sky)

Thank you for the bids that fly. 

( Flap arms)

Thank you for the food we grow. 

(Cup hands together; then slide one arm upward as if to grow)

Thank you for the streams that flow 

(Flutter fingers as hands move to side)

Thanks you, thank you; this we say: 

(Point to lips.)

Thanks for all we have today! 

(Spread arms out wide.)

FLANNEL BOARD

10 Little Turkeys

Cut a turkey shape out of brown felt. Cut out of colored felt a pile of brown straw, a pile of white snow, a blue sky background, a red barn, a yellow bag of corn, and a green tree for the turkey to sit in. Place all the shapes, except for the turkey, on the flannel board. Then sing the song with the children and let them take turns placing the turkey on the appropriate shapes.

Ten little turkeys sat in their pen 

"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.
One little turkey flew far away 

But the other nine decided to stay!

Nine little turkeys sat in their pen 

"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.

One little turkey flew out of the gate,

And when he was gone, there were eight.

Eight little turkeys sat in their pen.
"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.
One little turkey flew far away
But the other seven decided to stay.

Seven little turkeys sat in their pen.
"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.
One little turkey hid with the chicks,
And when she was gone, there were six.

Six little turkeys sat in their pen.

"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.

One little turkey flew far away 

But the other five decided to stay.

Five little turkeys sat in their pen.
"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.

One little turkey hopped out the door,

And when he was gone, there were four.

Four little turkeys sat in their pen. 

"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.

One little turkey flew far away 

But the other three decided to stay.

Three little turkeys sat in their pen. 

"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen. 

One little turkey flapped her wings and flew.

And when she was gone, there were two.

Two little turkeys sat in their pen.

"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.

One little turkey flew far away.

But the last one decided to stay.

One little turkey sat in his pen.

"Hide, turkey, hide!" said the little red hen. 

The last little turkey flew off toward the sun 

And when he was gone, there were none.

STORIES

A Season of Gratitude - A blog post from 2010 filled with facts, stories, curriculum connections and more.
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2010/10/a-season-of-gratitude.html 

Karen Chace 2012 ©

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.

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.