22 replies to this topic

[leanne772]

hello. My theme for next term is Winter. I have lots of ideas for activities to do with the children, but I wondered if anyone knows of any fun songs, and movement and action games along this theme.
We are looking at penguins and , hopefully igloos, clothes and other animals in cold climates.
Any ideas would be welcomed

[Susan]

hi leanne and welcome! Its always good when a new member takes the plunge and makes a post, especially on the day of joining. Take care you will soon be addicted! :D

However, I'm not sure I can answer your request, without more thought and consideration. I would be looking at weather characteristics too I think! Have you access to any of the scholastice "Nursery Projects or Education" magazines as they have had winter topics before and I am sure they have a title in their "Themes for Early Years" range.

Hopefully someone else will be more inspiring!

[hali]

hello and a warm welcome to you... :D :D

[leanne772]

thanks everyone for making me feel so welcome. I thought about doing a penguin dance- but will play it by ear. I have sent off for the book Cudley Dudly because I love it and the school in Italy I am working at doesn't have a huge supply. Ok, next question. Does anyone have any great ideas for a role-play area which is cheap, practical and very child friendly? I thought about a clothes shop, a comparative beach to compare with the theme of cold, winter and dressing up. Ideally, I would love to have an igloo, but feel a bit pressured for time and resourses to set it up.

[Andreamay]

we have a cafe in winter theme and we serve hot choc at snack time

[Mimi]

A great non fiction book is The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins ISBN 0-7445-7259-2 ALSO AVAILABLE AS A BIG BOOK
The male emperor penguin is 1.3 m tall draw out a life size penguin and stick on the wall for the children to stand next to to see if they are taller.

Sung to Have you ever seen a lassie -
Have you ever seen a penguin a penguin a penguin
Have you ever seen a penguin swim this way and that way and this way and that way and so on
Slide / waddle /

5 little penguins sitting on an iceberg far far away in the stormy sea......
If one little penguin jumped into the water, SPLOSHSHSHSH how many penguins would there be.

Give the children small ice cubes to build an igloo.
Freeze some water in a tray and pass it round at the same time as a hot water bottle when talking about Hot / Cold.

Please remember that penguins and polar bears live at opposite poles.

[leanne772]

thank you for all your ideas. xxxx

[Inge]

we made an igloo with an old white sheet, over a clothes horse with a tunnel to crawl through to get inside, not difficult to do,

How about packing suitcases for a holiday, skiing or beach, supply 2 cases and a varitey of things found for each type of weather, I was lucky with all this at home, my son skiis in winter and scuba dives in all weathers!! so we had fins, snorkel mask sun cream, (which went on both holidays of course) ski goggles boots slopettes etc etc, need not be so elaborate as most people can find suitable items to pack. The children spent all day packing and repacking the clothes for each holiday. It was paryticuilarly good ans many had never seen a lot of the items we had, and we had to use pictures to help explain them.

Put shaving foam ( This smells lovely in lime) or soap snow flakes in the water tray and cold climate animals, add ice blocks too if you want to go one step further.


Inge

[jambo]

We use a parachute and some big plastic fish.
We start by making waves with the parachute, low, high, fast and slow - gets the children used to handling it.
Once they are ready they take it in turns to "swim" like a penguin under the waves (Get used to being under!!)
Then I put the fish underneath the parachute. A child is chosen to "swim" under the water and catch a fish for tea and put it into the bucket "barbeque".
They will play at this for ages.

How about musical icebergs, but with a co-operative element. We use large carpet mats to represent the icebergs and while the music plays (the Snowmas music etc) the children waddle, slide, swim etc around the room. Once the music stops they have to find an iceberg. Each time remove an iceberg but explain to the children that all of the penguins need to find a piece to stand on and need to help each other. They love all having to squeeze onto the last iceberg and hold each other steady.

We also do penguin skating painting, card penguins, laminated and textures stuck onto feet. Children move the penguins around their paper to suitable music.

Have some songs too, when I find the file I will post

[jambo]

Poems and songs as promised.

Attached Files

•  PENGUIN.doc   35K   120 downloads

[ASPK]

I've just saved some polystyrene blocks to use as icebergs in our water tray - might be less cold than real ice!

[Lucyd]

Hi
Penguin Small by Mick Inkpen is very useful. The TOP dance cards base a unit of work on the book.
It leads to some lovely PSHE work- the polar bears are bullies so Penguin Small relocates to the South Pole.
Also in Okki Tokki Unga music book is the song Okki Tokki Unga about Inuits fishing!
cheers Lucyd

[JacquieL]

Hey Jambo don't keep that wine to yourself but pass me a glass!
Small note, polystyrene is not to be used in schools, certainly not in our authority.
Some really good ideas which I shall be using. Thanks.

[Hoglet]

Can I ask why noy polystyrene? I wanted to do a snow scene with it