Curriculum, Crafts, and FUN Ideas
Art Recipe
Submitted By: Tammy Stevens
You have to try this recipe for puff paint. This works best when you leave piles of paint puffed
up high on sturdy paper. You can put things, like glitter and sequences in the pile to let dry.
Try making snow men, hearts, or just designs with different colors. It dries hard in about 24
hours.
Mix 1 cup shaving cream with 1/3 cup glue. Separate into different bowls to add color (food
color or paint). Apply to surface using paint brushes, spatulas, spoons or ??? Let the children
experiment with this fun stuff.
IDEAS FOR CIRCLE TIME
Submitted By: Tammy Stevens
Always start with the same "calling together" song. Children like routine, so just start singing the
opening song and they will know it is time to join you for circle.
Let the children be comfortable. They don't have to be in a circle to sing.
Make sure the children are having fun. If you have to keep telling them to sing, or stop bothering
their neighbor, it is time to stop. Usually 20 to 30 minutes is plenty of time for circle.
Let the children take turns picking what song to sing.
Mix up the songs and games to keep it interesting. Some fast, some slow, a finger play, a game, a
story, etc.
Let the children talk and interrupt. It is their time to be involved, let them.
Wait for a child to think of a word to put in a song as long as it takes. If the child isn't going to
answer, ask if it is OK to come back to him/her, then make sure you do come back to that child.
Make up songs, or new words to old songs with the children. Be as creative as possible. Write
them down if you want to remember them!
Use records as little as possible, except to dance with. They don't allow the children to sing at
their own pace, or make up new words.
Songs for children should not be faster than their heartbeat if they are going to sing along.
Circle time is a good time to talk to the children about what is planned for the day, about any
problems they are having, the theme of the day (if you have one), what they did over the
weekend, etc.
Borrow new song tapes from the library, listen to them until you know a new song you like, then
teach it to the children.
Use music throughout the day, not just at circle time. Anything you can say, you can sing, just
make up a tune.
Music should be for music's sake only, not to "teach" something.
Use props sometimes, such as puppets, dolls, scarves for dancing, blankets, etc.
Read a fun story, then let the children act it out.
Have fun, when you are bored, so are the children. It is then time to learn a new song or game.
Call me and I'll teach you one. Tammy 395-5729.
Heart-Shaped Finger Puppet
Submitted By: Pat Alexander
What you'll need:
• Scissors
• Pink, red, and white poster board
• Glue
How to make it:
1. Cut out a three-inch paper heart and a one-inch paper heart from red (or pink) poster
board.
2. Make two finger holes in the top of the large heart.
3. Draw a face on the smaller one.
4. Overlap pointed ends of the hearts and glue these together.
5. Accordion-fold strips of paper and glue these to the heart for arms.
6. Place your fingers inside the holes and manipulate these heart puppets.
7. Kids will enjoy working the puppets alone. Make up a story together about this valentine
puppet or sing a favorite song.
Valentine’s
Submitted By: Pat Alexander
You will need:
pink or red construction paper
a lacey back heart shape or square.
2 tootsie roll pops,
To do:
Cut out a heart
Put a message on it:
Example: "You can count on me when things get sticky"
Put heart on the lacey back, and attach suckers.
Theme: Post Office-Mail
Submitted By: Teresa Savage
I start off the month sending home a newsletter for the parents telling them about one of our
lessons plans for the month, post office-mail. In the letter I ask for the parents’ participation by
providing a blank envelope and a stamp so we can mail a valentine to them.
I then write the name and address of each child in my care then placing it on the wall near where
I have daily circle time. I point to each child’s card and ask whose name and address is on it. We
review this daily. I show the children one of my envelopes addressed to me and point out my
name and address in the front middle, who and where it is from and the stamp that is required to
mail it. I have a discussion over several days to weeks about how the mail is delivered, mail
carriers, trucks, airplanes according to age appropriateness.
A few days before Valentine’s Day I have the children make their own valentine, that will fit into
the envelope, and have the children address it themselves (or by me). We take a field trip to the
post office and mail our valentine.
Extension: I plan a real field trip to the local post office.
Submitted By: Tammy Stevens
You have to try this recipe for puff paint. This works best when you leave piles of paint puffed
up high on sturdy paper. You can put things, like glitter and sequences in the pile to let dry.
Try making snow men, hearts, or just designs with different colors. It dries hard in about 24
hours.
Mix 1 cup shaving cream with 1/3 cup glue. Separate into different bowls to add color (food
color or paint). Apply to surface using paint brushes, spatulas, spoons or ??? Let the children
experiment with this fun stuff.
IDEAS FOR CIRCLE TIME
Submitted By: Tammy Stevens
Always start with the same "calling together" song. Children like routine, so just start singing the
opening song and they will know it is time to join you for circle.
Let the children be comfortable. They don't have to be in a circle to sing.
Make sure the children are having fun. If you have to keep telling them to sing, or stop bothering
their neighbor, it is time to stop. Usually 20 to 30 minutes is plenty of time for circle.
Let the children take turns picking what song to sing.
Mix up the songs and games to keep it interesting. Some fast, some slow, a finger play, a game, a
story, etc.
Let the children talk and interrupt. It is their time to be involved, let them.
Wait for a child to think of a word to put in a song as long as it takes. If the child isn't going to
answer, ask if it is OK to come back to him/her, then make sure you do come back to that child.
Make up songs, or new words to old songs with the children. Be as creative as possible. Write
them down if you want to remember them!
Use records as little as possible, except to dance with. They don't allow the children to sing at
their own pace, or make up new words.
Songs for children should not be faster than their heartbeat if they are going to sing along.
Circle time is a good time to talk to the children about what is planned for the day, about any
problems they are having, the theme of the day (if you have one), what they did over the
weekend, etc.
Borrow new song tapes from the library, listen to them until you know a new song you like, then
teach it to the children.
Use music throughout the day, not just at circle time. Anything you can say, you can sing, just
make up a tune.
Music should be for music's sake only, not to "teach" something.
Use props sometimes, such as puppets, dolls, scarves for dancing, blankets, etc.
Read a fun story, then let the children act it out.
Have fun, when you are bored, so are the children. It is then time to learn a new song or game.
Call me and I'll teach you one. Tammy 395-5729.
Heart-Shaped Finger Puppet
Submitted By: Pat Alexander
What you'll need:
• Scissors
• Pink, red, and white poster board
• Glue
How to make it:
1. Cut out a three-inch paper heart and a one-inch paper heart from red (or pink) poster
board.
2. Make two finger holes in the top of the large heart.
3. Draw a face on the smaller one.
4. Overlap pointed ends of the hearts and glue these together.
5. Accordion-fold strips of paper and glue these to the heart for arms.
6. Place your fingers inside the holes and manipulate these heart puppets.
7. Kids will enjoy working the puppets alone. Make up a story together about this valentine
puppet or sing a favorite song.
Valentine’s
Submitted By: Pat Alexander
You will need:
pink or red construction paper
a lacey back heart shape or square.
2 tootsie roll pops,
To do:
Cut out a heart
Put a message on it:
Example: "You can count on me when things get sticky"
Put heart on the lacey back, and attach suckers.
Theme: Post Office-Mail
Submitted By: Teresa Savage
I start off the month sending home a newsletter for the parents telling them about one of our
lessons plans for the month, post office-mail. In the letter I ask for the parents’ participation by
providing a blank envelope and a stamp so we can mail a valentine to them.
I then write the name and address of each child in my care then placing it on the wall near where
I have daily circle time. I point to each child’s card and ask whose name and address is on it. We
review this daily. I show the children one of my envelopes addressed to me and point out my
name and address in the front middle, who and where it is from and the stamp that is required to
mail it. I have a discussion over several days to weeks about how the mail is delivered, mail
carriers, trucks, airplanes according to age appropriateness.
A few days before Valentine’s Day I have the children make their own valentine, that will fit into
the envelope, and have the children address it themselves (or by me). We take a field trip to the
post office and mail our valentine.
Extension: I plan a real field trip to the local post office.
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