CELEBRATE SPRING IN THE EARLY YEARS PART 1 Jan Homden CONSILIUM EDUCATION
Spring Activities Take your class on a visit to a local garden centre/florist/farm shop These children from Dulwich School, Beijing, were fascinated by the plants they saw. Click on the image above to follow the link Role Play Areas Back in the classroom transform your role play area. Click on the images for links through to free downloadable resources - printable signs, banners and labels for use in your Flower Shop/Garden Centre 1 P a g e
A few colourful ideas for your Role Play Corner: Click on the images for links 2 P a g e
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What about this for a Farm Shop? Children from Hordle CE Primary School, Hampshire are enjoying buying and selling vegetables in their new role play area, a farm shop Farm Shop Role Play Resources Click on the images to follow the links 4 P a g e
Get Planting: Choosing bulbs! Planting bulbs! Pupils from Barlby Primary School, London attended a spring bulb planting workshop. BBC Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins showed the children how to pot up the spring bulbs. 5 P a g e
These children who attend Lisnagelvin Primary School in Londonderry, N. Ireland had great fun planting bulbs and flowers in their new raised flower beds. They were very excited to be involved in transforming their play area which in Spring, will become a riot of colour. Or try planting bulbs in a jar Click on the image below to follow the link to Karen s blog Flights of Whimsy In our initial observations, the children noticed that the roots started to grow first, and they questioned and wondered why. It took about 3 weeks and then one beautiful Spring morning, there it was! 6 P a g e
And for the very young: PLAY DOUGH GARDEN CENTRE Click on the image above to follow the link to Anna s site The Imagination Tree 7 P a g e
Stories to Share: Reviewed by Amazon Click on the books to follow the link Grandpa's Garden PB Paperback by Stella Fry (Author), Sheila Moxley (Illustrator) This beautifully told story follows Billy from early spring to late summer as he helps his grandpa on his vegetable patch. They dig the hard ground in early spring, sow rows of seeds and keep them watered and safe from slugs. Children will be drawn in by the poetry of the language and the warm illustrations while also catching the excitement of watching things grow! Eddie's Garden: and How to Make Things Grow Paperback by Sarah Garland (Author) What makes Eddie's garden grow? Earth, rain, sun and all sorts of creatures, of course! Eddie's garden is magnificent, from his stringy bean house to his tall sunflowers. How Eddie's garden grows and develops is clearly told in this gentle story with lively characters and colourful illustrations. The book includes full information on growing a garden like Eddie's in a home garden or even indoors. Spring is Here! - by Heidi Pross Gray (Author, Illustrator) Discover the world as it wakes from its winter slumber as the flowers blossom, the animals come out from their resting place, and nature comes alive during this season of renewal. Head outside and play soccer and baseball with your friends while enjoying a wonderful picnic lunch from the food you grew in your garden! Heidi has done it again with this wonderful, wholesome book about the spring season, tying family and nature together in a book that will leave you feeling excited about spring! 8 P a g e
When Will It Be Spring? - by Catherine Walters (Author) It's Alfie's first winter, and his mother tells him he must sleep until spring. As Alfie curls up for the long winter, he feels sure he will know when spring has arrived. But will he? Everything Spring (Picture the Seasons) by Jill Esbaum (Author) In Jill Esbaum s beautifully photographed picture book, young children can see, hear, and feel the warmth of springtime by reading and learning all about chicks, bunnies, and the other baby animals that come out to play in springtime. Six Little Chicks - by Jez Alborough (Author) Busy Hen has five little chicks to look after while making sure number six - still an egg - stays warm. The last thing she needs is hairy, scary Fox sniffing about. She is frantic when the other birds warn her that her chicks are in danger, but her five little chicks are a lot braver than she realises! From the author of HUG and DUCK IN THE TRUCK. Children will love the repeated action words and thinking of new ways to act them out. 9 P a g e
Songs and Stories for Young Children Click on the images to follow the link Spring is Here with Lyrics - Kids Songs by The Learning Station Popular children's dance song about spring, "Spring is Here" with lyrics. Five Little Bunnies Easter Bunny Song by The Kiboomers Five Little Bunnies song is made easy-tolearn and easy-to-teach. It uses simple words and is done at a pace young children can follow and sing Five Little Ducks - Spring Songs with Lyrics by The Learning Station Five Little Ducks is a popular nursery rhyme song that helps children recognize the numbers 1-5 and teaches basic math skill. Enjoy our animated version of this popular kid s song. The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny film 1/2 The mischievous adventure of Peter Rabbit and his cousin, Benjamin Bunny in Mr. McGregor's garden come to life in this animated film. Suitable for 4-5 year olds - some children can find Mr. McGregor a bit too scary! 10 P a g e
The Ugly Duckling - Tatiana Uglova A classic Walt Disney production - The Ugly Duckling is a literary fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). The story tells of a homely little bird born in a barnyard who suffers abuse from the others around him until, much to his delight (and to the surprise of others), he matures into a beautiful swan, the most beautiful bird of all. The Lazy Bear - Story by Sue Clarke Animation by Cambridge English Online It s spring in the forest and the animals are waking up. But where is Bruno the bear? Grandpa's Farm An animated story called Grandpa's farm. It is a story about all the animals which live on the farm. At the end there is a drag and drop farm scene activity. Suitable for 3 year olds. -5 year olds) The Farm - An appealing animation of animals which live on the farm. Not a story but it is excellent for promoting discussion and language development. 11 P a g e
Songs and Rhymes to teach your children There s a Tiny Caterpillar on a leaf Tune She ll be coming round the mountain There s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf (WIGGLE WIGGLE) There s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf (WIGGLE WIGGLE), There s a tiny caterpillar, there s a tiny caterpillar, A tiny caterpillar on a leaf (WIGGLE WIGGLE). He will eat the leaves around him till he s full (MUNCH MUNCH) He will eat the leaves around him till he s full (MUNCH MUNCH), He will eat the leaves around him, eat the leaves around him, Eat the leaves around him till he s full (MUNCH MUNCH). A cocoon is what he s spinning for his home (SPIN SPIN) A cocoon is what he s spinning for his home (SPIN SPIN) A cocoon is what he s spinning, cocoon is what he s spinning, A cocoon is what he s spinning for his home (SPIN SPIN). He will be a butterfly and fly away (FLAP FLAP) He will be a butterfly and fly away (FLAP FLAP) He will be a butterfly, be a butterfly, Be a butterfly and fly away (FLAP FLAP) The Days of Spring (Sung to: Farmer in the Dell) The days of Spring are here, Warm, sunny days are near, Flowers and bees, and birds in trees. The days of spring are here. 12 P a g e
What the Robin Told The wind told the grasses, And the grasses told the trees. The trees told the bushes, And the bushes told the bees. The bees told the robin, And the robin sang out clear: Wake up! Wake up! Spring is here! A Little Seed by Mabel Watts A little seed For me to sow... A little earth To make it grow... A little hole A little pat... A little wish, And that is that. A little sun, A little shower... A little while, And then-a flower. 13 P a g e