Kite Preschool Theme/Interest

                                          

A kite theme in a preschool curriculum can occur in a spring preschool lesson plan, or as part of other topics such as shapes, colors and weather. The theme might stem from an interest among the children. The topic can focus on one day, over a week, or longer. The following article will provide some craft ideas, as well as song, poem and group activities using a kite theme.

Introduce a Kite Theme at Circle Time

Begin a theme on kites at circle time by asking the children what they know about kites.Record their answers and use them as a starting base for the learning process. Place the answers on a bulletin board for parents to read, such as inside a kite or a cloud.

 Some questions to ask preschool children about kites:

  

1. What is a kite?
2. What shape is a kite?
3. Are there different kinds of kites?
4. What do you need to fly a kite?
5. Have you ever flown a kite?
6. Is a kite heavy or light?

Facts About Kites

• Kites have existed for centuries and can be found all around the world with great diversity in style and size
• Kites are found in many festivals and celebrations, and historically were used for many reasons, such as communication.
• Flying a kite is a popular hobby among all ages.
• Kites come in all shapes and sizes (It would be helpful to find some pictures of kites off the internet, from a book, magazines and so forth to show young children similarities and differences in kites.)

Preschool Kite Crafts

1.Sun Catcher Kite: cut out two kite shapes with wax paper, and allow the child to use a mini grater to place crayon shavings onto one kite. Place the other wax paper kite shape over the crayon shavings, and then use an old iron on low temperature to melt the crayon, creating a fun design. When dry, the children can attach some ribbon strips to one end and a string on the other end.

2.Paper Bag Kites: with a brown paper bag, let the children decorate them with felt pens, crayons and stickers. When complete, punch a hole at the bottom and string a long piece of yarn through secured with a knot. Let the preschool children take their kite bags outside to fly in the air.

  Visit ArtyKids Blog for this Kite

3.Open Ended Art: Find collage material, such as foam shapes, stickers, fabric pieces, tissue paper and other light product. Then let children decorate their kites in a free art environment.

Kite Song

The following song is sung to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

See my kite up in the sky

Flying past you, oh so high

With the wind, it moves so fast

Watch the clouds, moving past

See my kite up in the sky

Flying past you, oh so high!

Kite Matching Game

To learn about our colors, numbers or shapes, make a matching game with kite shapes. These kites can be made out of paper, foam or felt material. For number matching, place dots on the kites for the children at group circle to match their given numbers to. So, for instance, if one child was given the number five, he/she would have to find the kite with five dots on it. For color and/or design recognition, make pairs of kites. Place all the kites onto the easel, and give out one matching kite to each child. Each child will have to find their kite on the board. Young children love hands-on involvement, and in the process, this activity fosters concept skill development.

Kite Felt Story

                                                                                       

   

One little kite in the sky so blue,

Along came another, then there were two.

Two little kites, flying high above me.

Along came another, then there were three

Three little kites, just watch them soar

Along came another, then there were four.

Four little kites, so high and alive

Along came another, then there were five.

Five little kites dancing across the sky,

What a sight to see, way up so high!

Further reading suggestions:

Cloud Preschool Lesson Plan

Spring Felt Board Activities

Dinosaur Preschool Theme/Interest

The following article has great ideas and make sure to visit my Pinterest Board for even more!

A dinosaur theme or interest in a preschool curriculum can occur on its own or within a focus on reptiles and other animals.  The theme might stem from an interest among the children. The topic can focus on one day, over a week, or longer. 

Introduce the Dinosaur Theme at Circle Time

Dinosaurs are a fun topic for both preschool boys and girls in any early childhood setting.

Before the dinosaur theme begins, ask the children what they know about dinosaurs. Record their answers down for a bulletin board display for parents to read. Some fun facts to relay to preschool children about dinosaurs are:

• Dinosaurs lived millions of year ago
• Dinosaur lived and evolved on earth for 185 million years!
• Dinosaurs are extinct
• Scientists who study dinosaurs are called Paleontologist
• There are many theories to why dinosaurs suddenly became extinct. One theory is that a meteor landed on earth, and changed the temperature of the earth causing the plants to die, and consequently the dinosaurs
• Dinosaurs who eat plants are called herbivores and those that eat meat are called carnivores
• The name dinosaur means terrible lizard. Dinosaurs, like other reptiles, laid eggs.
• We know about dinosaurs from finding fossils
• Not all dinosaurs were big, some were the size of chickens

In addition, during the introduction of dinosaurs, the Educator could also ask the children what they want to learn! 

Use Visual Aids

Find some pictures or plastic dinosaurs to show the preschool children, and show them how their features will often relay whether they were plant eaters or meat eaters. For instance, the plant eaters often had armor on their bodies to protect themselves from the meat eaters, such as the Stegosaurus, or had long necks to reach the plants, like the Brachiosaurus. Meat eating dinosaurs, such as the T-Rex, had sharp teeth and claws.

Create a Dinosaur Theme in the Classroom

When focusing on a theme or a interest, placing activities surrounding the topic can help to implement new concepts to preschool aged children while still giving opportunities to meet their developmental needs.

Some examples are:

• Collect dinosaur figurines, big and small, and place inside sand tables, with blocks, on tables, in the sand box outside...
• Fill the sand table with fossil bones and old toothbrushes so children can pretend to be Palaeontologist. “Fossil” bones can be made out of bleaching chicken bones in hot water if plastic bones cannot be found.
• Find cookie cutters with dinosaurs figures to place with play dough, baking or paint stamping.
• Try making large dinosaur figures out of old cardboard boxes and place around the room.
• Ask children to bring in some of their dinosaur toys for the length of the theme.
• Posters and pictures can be used at circle time and other areas around the room, such as the art center, drama area or the block shelf 
• Dinosaur books can be placed onto the library shelf
• Dinosaur puzzles.

Dinosaur Preschool  Song

This song can be sung to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

We know dinosaurs from long ago

Some were big and some were small

In the air, and on the land

In the sea, and on the sand

We know dinosaurs from long ago

Some were big and some were small

Dinosaur Circle Time Activities

1. Make dinosaur sticks by gluing a cut out dinosaur and placing it onto a large popsicle stick. Give each child a dinosaur and sing the following song:

The Dino Pokey   (to the tune of the original Hokey Pokey)

You put the dino up, you put your dino down,

You put your dino up and you shake him all around

You do the dino pokey and you turn yourself around

And that’s what it’s all about!

You put your dino in the front

You put your dino in the back

You put your dino in the front

And you give your knee a whack

You do the dino pokey and you turn yourself around

And that’s what it’s all about!

You put your dino to your head

You put your dino to your toe

You put your dino to your head

And you wobble to and fro

You do the dino pokey and you turn yourself around

And that’s what it’s all about!!

2. Make matching fossil bones or dinosaurs eggs for the easel board. These pieces can be made out of paper, foam or felt material. Have different colors and sizes for matching. Each child is given a piece to bring to the easel board to match which fosters cognitive development. Similarily, create matching pictures of dinosaurs or different sizes for children to bring to an easel board at circle time, or play at a table.

Dinosaur Creative Art Activities

1. A Shoeasourous: Each child will have his shoe traced onto a piece of paper, and the children can then turn the shape into a dinosaur using felt pens. This works well with a demonstration.

2. A Stegosaurus: Prepare the side view of a stegosaurus’s body for each child and have different color plates cut out. For the older children, have them write one through to five on their plates. Then they can glue the plates onto the body in the correct order. Finish the project with a googly eye and a tail which can be attached with a butterfly pin. Other versions of this idea are to use half a paperplate for the body, and for the plates, the children can use their handprints dipped into paint, or wooden clothespins.

3. Dinosaur Stamping   OPEN ENDED ACTIVITY :  Let the children place plastic dinosaurs into a shallow container of paint and then stomp the dinosaurs onto a piece of paper creating a fun art project.

4. Create a dinosaur scene in old shoe boxes. Provide each child with background pictures and dinosaurs, paper or even possible, some plastic ones to place into the prehistoric stage.

  Further Reading Suggestion: Dinosaur Felt Board Story