Please Can Someone Help With A Nursery Graduation Party

[clarap]

 

Hello really need some help from you wonderful people.

 

 

On 17th July we are having a nursery graduation party. The ch are being presented with a portfolio of all work acheived within their time at Nursery. We are showing a powerpoint presentation/slide show of lots of activities and events throughout the year, ie chinese new year, teddy bears picnic.

 

 

 

The children have all learnt the song when your smiling by nat king cole. Some ch are sayin a prayer ie, Dear Jesus please take care of me in Reception. We are a FU they only movin in next room.

 

 

We are then playing I am the one and only when being prsented with scrolls from the head. And finally were all going on a summer holiday Cliff Richard. The children walkin and dancin with bucket spades wearin shades.

 

My big problem is a song to play when they make their entrance to sit on benches I did think of Whitney Houston Greatest love of all very nice lyrics to begin with I believe that ch are the future teach them well so on so on would love people to pass on suggestions as I just cannot think of an appropriate song to play in a nice catholic school with millions of people watchin in the audience. I did think of M People Movin in up but lyrics inappropriate. Pleese help Thank you so much. x x

[Guest]

I put Louie Armstrong's 'What a Wonderful World' on our photo CD's - which seemed to be generally well received (I'm in a catholic school too - so celebrating God's creation). A few parents though said it made them cry, so may not be wise for a public performance - though I guess many parents cry anyway

 

Harricroft

[clarap]

That a lovely sugggestion "What a wonderful world" extremely appropriate and fitting within the theme of the assembly.

[luluj]

We did Harricroft's wonderful suggestion of a song at our final Leavers Assembly last year. Parents,children and staff had tears 'a plenty.' Just what we all need for whatever 'Moving on' means to each of us, whatever the Year Group. (I am notorious for crying the most!) This song is what is needed. Tissues needed. That's always 'good.' luluj

[rosepetal]

Hi Clarap,

 

Just wanted to say, what a wondeful idea to have a nursery graduation. We don't do anything like that. I might suggest it to my manager for next year and see what happens. I love the idea of having a slide show of the years activities. The parents will love all your ideas.

 

 

Rosepetal

[rosepetal]

Hi,

Just thought of a song, may not be what you are after. I can't remember the proper name, but it is a childrens hymn and goes along the lines of;

 

If i were a fuzzy wuzzy bear,

I'd thank you lord for my brown hair.

 

And if i were a butterfly,

I'd thank you lord for giving me wings,

but i just thank you for making me, me.

 

For you gave me a heart and you give me a smile,

you gave me Jesus and you made me your child,

So i just thank you for making me, me.

 

The words may be slightly wrong, but if you have heard the song you will know it.

 

Rosepetal

[Marion]

That one is firm favourite with my class Rosepetal

If I Were A Butterfly

 

If I were a butterfly,

I'd thank you, Lord, for giving me wings;

And if I were a robin in a tree,

I'd thank you Lord, that I could sing;

And if I were a fish in the sea,

I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee;

But I just Thank You Father, for making me - ME!

 

 

'Cause you gave me a heart and

You gave me a smile

You gave me Jesus, and

You made me His Child

And I just Thank You, Father

For making me - ME!

 

 

If I were an elephant,

I'd thank you, Lord, by raising my trunk;

And if I were a kangaroo,

I'd hop, hop, hop, right up to you;

And if I were an octopus,

I'd thank you, Lord, for my good looks;

But I just Thank You, Father, for making me - ME!

 

 

'Cause you gave me a heart and

You gave me a smile

You gave me Jesus, and

You made me His Child

And I just Thank You, Father

For making me - ME!

[becsltd]

We had our graduation party last week - amidst the rain showers!!!

 

The children all made mortar boards out of black card. We held the event outside and the children came parading out to the music of .........Westlife - Flying without wings!!!

 

They then held up pictures of which answered the questions to 'What would you like to be when you grow up?'

 

They then sang a song about what they had learned at nursery.

Then they did a friendship circle dance.

 

Then sang a graduation song to the tune of 'The Farmer's in the den'.Words went something like; We're graduating now, We're graduating now, We're going off to big school, We're graduating now! There were various other verses which I could write up if you like. Just let me know.

 

Finally they had a medal and scroll awarded and then all walked off to 'Somewhere over the rainbow'

After that they had an official photograph taken and then joined their parents for a graduation picnic.

 

Great fun and lots of positive comments from parents.

[louby loo]

Ours are singing the old hymn ' one more step along the path I take'

 

all about travelling from the old to the new.

[apple]

Hi there

we have just been taking the graduation photos for this years groups... we plan to play Heather Small's 'Proud' for coming int the hall and Queen's 'Dont stop me now' to finish on. Have you heard of the Hawaiin singer Israel Kamakawiw'ole? You can find him on itunes. His mix of 'somewhere over the rainbow' and 'wonderful world' on his ukulele is fantastic. we downloaded his version of twinkle twinkle for our christmas production and it had been the most requested song by parents and staff this year. have fun

[rosepetal]

That one is firm favourite with my class Rosepetal

If I Were A Butterfly

 

If I were a butterfly,

I'd thank you, Lord, for giving me wings;

And if I were a robin in a tree,

I'd thank you Lord, that I could sing;

And if I were a fish in the sea,

I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee;

But I just Thank You Father, for making me - ME!

'Cause you gave me a heart and

You gave me a smile

You gave me Jesus, and

You made me His Child

And I just Thank You, Father

For making me - ME!

If I were an elephant,

I'd thank you, Lord, by raising my trunk;

And if I were a kangaroo,

I'd hop, hop, hop, right up to you;

And if I were an octopus,

I'd thank you, Lord, for my good looks;

But I just Thank You, Father, for making me - ME!

'Cause you gave me a heart and

You gave me a smile

You gave me Jesus, and

You made me His Child

And I just Thank You, Father

For making me - ME!

 

 

 

Thats it Marion,

Thank you, I love that song too.

 

I have written the words out.

 

Thank you

 

Rosepetal

[Bliss]

Thats it Marion,

Thank you, I love that song too.

 

I have written the words out.

 

Thank you

 

Rosepetal

 

We just had our leavers' party which ends with circle time: tea light in a decorated jar, insence, and quiet time to remember the lovely friends and times we had at pre-school. We then sing our leavers' song: Goodbye Helen, Goodbye Jane, Goodbye David, we wish you lots of fun! (To the tune of Nice One Cyril!?) The children enjoyn it, but most of the staff can't sing 'cos they're crying! What about the song from Dirty Dancing - I Had the Time of My Life?

[MichelleKL]

What lovely ideas. I know our pre-school is a bit different but some of the ideas will be lovely adjusted to fit in with our Hawaiian Party next week.

I am usually seen as such a hard faced person but I just know i'll crack up again on leavers day, each year I seem to get more attached and it gets harder (probably because my youngest is leaving primary school I think this year it has hit me harder!)

As for the Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World song - I have included that as one of my funeral songs! - Hopefully a long way off, but its such a beautifully mixed song.

[Guest]

Does anyone have the words to 'one more step along the road i take' - I remember my own children sang that at their school and would love to use it for our nursery graduation.

 

Thanks.

[Lucy P]

Is this the one you mean?

 

One more step along the world I go,

One more step along the world I go,

From the old things to the new

Keep me travelling along with you.

And it’s from the old I travel to the new,

Keep me travelling along with You.

 

Round the corners of the world I turn,

More and more about the world I learn.

And the new things that I see

You’ll be looking at along with me.

And it’s from the old....

 

As I travel through the bad and good

Keep me travelling the way I should.

Where I see no way to go

You’ll be telling me the way, I know.

And it’s from the old....

 

Give me courage when the world is rough,

Keep me loving though the world is tough.

Leap and sing in all I do,

Keep me travelling along with you.

And it’s from the old....

 

You are older than the world can be,

You are younger than the life in me.

Ever old and ever new,

Keep me travelling along with you.

And it’s from the old....

[Buttercup]

i do not know if anyone will read this but this is my first year in preschool and i am crying already reading what you do. we were going to have a disco with children and parents but i could encorperate a few ideas.

 

thanks

 

angela

[HappyMaz]

i do not know if anyone will read this but this is my first year in preschool and i am crying already reading what you do. we were going to have a disco with children and parents but i could encorperate a few ideas.

Of course we'll read it Angela! That's the great thing about the Forum: people read old posts and resurrect them and our words of wisdom come back again!

 

Glad you enjoyed the thread - its great to hear what other people do. Mind you, some of these might be a bit over the top in a pre-school like ours when perhaps only three children might be leaving. But as you say, there are always some ideas you can make use of!

[Guest]

We too will only be losing 6 children this year and none of them come every day so organising a proper graduation would be difficult!

 

I was thinking about putting on a play at least half of those going up to school we have some very dramatic characters! We have one girl who loves telling us all stories and we have to all take part, her imagination is remarkable. This encourages the other children. So I thought if we were to put on a bit of a show with the older ones describing the story and the younger ones doing characters and sound effects and the staff participating too I think this would be great.

 

We might do a Forest School morning too including the parents in the activities as we have just brought it in, the children love it and it would be great to have parental involvement.

 

This has been a good reminder I must take the leavers group picture tomorrow.

 

So much to do and so little time! Where has this year gone!

[Shiny]

You luck things only loosing a few children to school!! We have a complete 'clear out' and loose 34 to school this year!!! Looks like our work will be cut out for us in September!!

[Guest]

Its funny isn't it Shiny.

 

This September coming we will be busier than ever before at the start of the school year. Last September we were struggling with a max of 5 children a session!

 

Good luck all.

[Shiny]

Its funny isn't it Shiny.

 

This September coming we will be busier than ever before at the start of the school year. Last September we were struggling with a max of 5 children a session!

 

Good luck all.

I remember when I first started work at the preschool, on a wednesday we used to have just 7 children in he September!!

 

To be honest, we can't afford to open with any less than 30 per session now!! Don't get me wrong we have 27 new starters in September, and retain 24 children, but trying to get them to settle in etc!! Aaaaagh!!

[dublinbay]

We lose 46 children to reception this year, some of them not even 4 until July & August. We will keep our Easter starters along with the September ones.

Numbers obviously go down then per session and its one of my favourite terms of the year. The younger ones have a chance to blossom and we get to spend more time with each child in a somewhat quieter room. Oh Bliss!!