Transition Tuesday

Try this fingerplay to get the wiggles out.

Animals and Insects

Here is an ostrich straight and tall

(Arms above head with wrist bent forward for ostrich’s head)

Nodding her head above us all.

Here is a bull snake on the ground,

(Move hand back and forth)

Wiggling around with a hissing sound.

Here is an eagle flying high.

(Spread arms and move like wings.)

And spreading his wings across the sky.

Here is a porcupine with quills on back.

(Spread five fingers behind fist on other hand.)

Each quill is sharper than a sharp tack.

Here is a spider upon the gate.

I counted its legs and there were eight.

(Hold up eight fingers.)

Here is an owl with great round eyes

(Circle eyes with fingers.)

And here are some flickering fireflies.

(Wiggle fingers.)

Workshop Wednesday

Balloon Prints

Materials: balloon(s), a piece of paper, and paint

Directions:
1. Pour some paint on a plate. Blow up a balloon.
 (If you use more than one color use different balloons and plates. You can use the same balloon if you want the children to mix colors.)
2. Have the child dip the balloon into the paint and press it on the paper.
3. Continue until you have a "picture".

Examples of Balloon Print Caterpillars



Taken from Moments of Mommyhood



Transition Tuesday

Caterpillar Transition Game

When it is time to transition children away from group time to a different activity it is always good to have a transition game. This allows the children to move more slowly to the next activity with less confusion.

Make a large caterpillar with different color circles and black legs. Place the caterpillar on the whiteboard, flannelboard, or on the floor. On the back of each caterpillar body part (circle) is a different action movement for the children to do.

As the children are called to play the game they come up and roll a large cardboard box dice (the dice are made from a 6 x 6 mailing box) with color dots to match all of the colors on the caterpillar. Each child comes up, rolls the dice, identifies the color, and then finds that color on the caterpillar. Once the child finds the color, the teacher reads the movement that child needs to do before moving on to the next activity.

To make things run smoothly you could have 2 - 3 dice going at the same time. One adult runs the game and the other adult makes sure that the children are following the plan.

Taken from Teaching & Learning with Preschoolers

Transition Tuesday

Use the bee and song to transition children from clean up time, to lining up to going outside.

Buzz, Buzz Bumblebees 

Taken from Learning and Teaching with Preschoolers

Buzz, buzz bumblebees,
Flying all around.
Stop stand still, do not move around.
Shh, don’t make a sound.

Buzz, buzz bumblebees

Hurry up, in the jar
Before they sting your hand.

Buzz, buzz bumblebees
Hold your jar real tight.
We will carry them outside
Then let them all take flight

Bee Finger Puppet
Create a bee puppet using a yellow dish glove, white lace, wiggle eyes and black rick rack.