FEBRUARY THEMES
    
    
    
    These pages are dedicated to all the wonderful childcare providers and teachers that have become my friends and support through my daycare email lists. Most of the activities and ideas on these pages come from them. Please visit there sites or send them a note to let them know what you think of their ideas. Also, feel free to email me with ideas of your own for activities or other themes that you feel would be appropriate for any particular month. I will add your ideas with links to your website and email address. Thank you, and enjoy!
    
    
    
    
    LETTERS: K & L
    
    
    Coming Soon
    
    
    
    
    NUMBER: 6
    
    
    Coming Soon
    
    
    
    
    SHAPE: Heart
    
    
    Coming Soon
    
    
    
    
    COLOR: Pink
    
    
    Coming Soon
    
    
    Manners
    
    
    The following poems, crafts and ideas come from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care

    Manners Poem

    We say, "Thank you."
    We say, "Please."
    We don't interrupt or tease.
    We don't argue.
    We don't fuss.
    We listen when folks talk to us.
    We share our toys and take our turn.
    Good manners aren't too hard to learn.
    It's really easy, when you find.
    Good manners means JUST BEING KIND!

    It's Nice To Meet You

    Get "buzzy" teaching your little ones about manners by making a Miss Bea look-alike. To make one, gather a nine inch orange foam ball, a straw hat, two black pipe cleaners, tow practice golf balls, and black and pink Slick fabric paints. To make Miss Bea's antennae, paint he plastic golf balls black. Fold each pipe cleaner in half and twist it. Insert one end of each pipe cleaner into a golf ball, and the other end into the tope of the straw hat. Paint facial features on the foam ball. When the paint is dry, gently press the ball into the hat. During a group time, bring Miss Bea out for a flyby. Modeling your most appropriate manners introduce Miss Bea to each child by saying:

    "Miss Bea, this is (child's name).
    (Name), this is Miss Bea Polite.
    " Encourage each child to respond by saying,
    "It's nice to meet you!:

    When all formal introductions have been made, explain to your group that your honored guest has arrived so that your class can learn about manners. Ask volunteers to explain what they think it means to be polite and have them give examples of good manners. If desired, record their examples. Then conclude by reminding the children that Miss Bea will be using her eyes and antennae to watch and listen for good manners in your class room. When she does indeed observe politeness, allow her to buzz a word of praise in that child's ear.

    Activity

    If you'd like your little ones to begin making choices about mannerly behavior, keep this activity in mine. First have each child make a Miss Bea bee puppet. To make one, draw a smiling face on one yellow paper plate and a frowning face on a second plate. Color tow craft stick black. But two small circles from black construction paper; then glue a circle to one end of each craft stick to represent antennae. To the back of one plate, tape the craft stick antennae at the top of the plate. Tape another craft stick to the bottom of the plate for a handle .. Glue the backs of both plates together. When each child has made a puppet, have him use his puppet during this group time activity. Using each of following suggestion, describe a situation in which proper or improper manners were used. Direct each child to display either the happy or sad expression on his puppet to indicate if Miss Bea Polite would approve or disapprove of the behavior.. After using the following suggestions, encourage volunteers to contribute scenarios of their own.

    1. Beatrice Butterfly said, "Pass the flowers, please"
    2. Gracie Grasshopper said, "thank you," when she was given a treat.
    3. Bobby Bumblebee bumped his brother off the beehive.
    4. Arnie Ant waited his turn in line.
    5. Carl Caterpillar crunched quietly.
    6. Chrysy Caterpillar chatted with her mouth full.
    7. Sammy Spider played with his food.
    8. Christopher Cricket chirped wile another cricket was chirping.
    9. Casy Cricket chirped, "Excuse me," before interrupting.
    10. Lucy Ladybug borrowed a leaf without asking.

    Game

    This honey of a game will give your little one practice using the magic words "please" and "thank you". In advance, cut honeycomb shape from yellow construction paper, then add details with a marker. Remove Miss Bea Polite's straw hat and place it in a chair that is near, but facing away from your group area. To play, seat the class on the floor. Ask a volunteer to sit in the chair, wear the hat and pretend to be Miss Bea. Place the honeycomb under the chair Ask miss Bea to close her eyes, then quietly choose another child to tiptoe to the chair and take the honeycomb. The child then returns to the group and sits on the honeycomb. As miss bea to open her eyes and face the group. recite this chant:

    (Class) Miss Bea Polite, your very sweet. May we please have a honey treat?
    (Miss Bea) Miss Bea Polite says, "Yes, you may."
    (Class) "Thank you, thank you" we all say.

    Give Miss Bea several chances to guess who took the honeycomb before revealing the child, if necessary. The child who took the honeycomb then becomes Miss Bea. Continue until each child has been queen bee.

    Stickers

    Miss Bea Polite recommends making a batch of stickers to remind youngsters to use good manners. Or use the stickers as rewards for those who make an effort to show exceptional etiquette. Simply use a black marker to draw stripes on a set of yellow dot stickers (the kind like for yardsales---my input ) Encourage a child to press a sticker on his hand or clothing . Your room is sure to be buzzing with "bee-utiful" behavior!

    Dramatic Play: Manners

    Place a container of Honeycomb cereal in hour housekeeping area along with napkins, small paper plates, and a spoon. Set Miss Bea on the center of the table. Encourage each child to have a seat a the table, obtain a napkin and a plat, and serve himself a spoonful of cereal . Remind youngsters that Miss Bea will be watching for polite table manners.

    Tea Party time:

    Celebrate good manners with a tea part. Discuss the manners that will be necessary at the party. Make honeybuns and have tea. Keep those pinkies out-stretched! LOL

    Formal Meal

    Practice good manners in the whole setting of a dinner party. Have the children set a proper table, how to hold out a chair for the girls, how to place a napkin on their lap. You can go all out on this or make it very simple. It will give the kids a chance to practice being polite and give them a different type of lunch. In all that we do with children a little change in the routine always seems to keep thigs fresh!

    Thanks Tracy, for those great ideas!

    
    
    
    
    Valentine's Day/ President's Day
    
    
    The following poems, crafts and ideas come from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care

    Shaker Cards

    Supplies:
    Craft Board - 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick lightweight foam with cardstock-type cover on both sides.
    Card Stock
    Clear, Heavy Plastic
    Glue
    Crayons or Markers
    Misc. Craft Supplies

    Begin by cutting the craft board with an exacto knife to about 3 x 6 inch, or whatever size you want. Then get some plain card stock and cut 2 pieces the same size as the board. With the knife, cut out a heart, about 2x 2, in the center of one piece, laid it on top of the board and marked the heart, then cut it out of the board. Get a piece of clear plastic,like from a sheet protector, and cut a piece big enough to cover the cut-out with enough border for glue. Now it is ready for the kids. You should have a piece of cardstock, plain; one piece of cardstock with acut-out; one piece of clear plastic; and one piece of board with a cut-out for each child. Let the kids decorate the 2 pieces of cardstock with crayons, markers, stickers, lace, ribbon - whatever you have. When they are done, glue the plastic to the wrong side of the cardstock with the cut-out, then glue the 2 cut-out pieces together, lining up the cut-outs. Put a small handfull of metallic confetti - this one had multi-colored hearts - or anything else you might think of in the "window". Glue the back piece on to seal it in, and trim the edges if needed.

    Picture Card

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Picture of Child
    Paper Doily
    Pen , Pencil, or Crayon

    Take your construction paper, try not to fold and cut it into a heart shape, take a poloriad picture or a 1 hour photo shot of each child, take a paper lace doily and glue the picture to the doily with the lace around the picture, have the child write a cute verse, or you can write it and let them sign their name. Here are a few verses, or make up your own!

    Roses are red
    Violets are blue
    I hope you like this picture of me to you.

    Roses are red
    Violets are blue
    I made this
    Just for you.

    Valentine Cards

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Pen , Pencil, or Crayon
    Gum

    Cut out heart shapes from paper. On the Heart, tape a piece of gum and write this poem...

    I love you,
    I love you,
    I love you divine,
    Please give me your bubblegum,
    Cuz you're SITTING ON MINE!!

    Eatable Valentines

    Supplies:
    Graham Crackers or Construction Paper
    Glue or Frosting
    Candy Conversation Hearts

    Cut out hearts from construction paper (or use graham crackers for the base of the card), and glue the candy conversatin hearts on them.

    Magic Valentines

    Supplies:
    Crayons
    PaperClips
    2 Sheets of White Paper
    Various Sizes of Paper Hearts

    Put hearts on 1 sheet of paper and place other sheet on top, paper clip together to keep them from slipping, rub the side of the crayon over the surface of the paper. Hearts will appear like "magic".

    Heart Puzzles

    Supplies:
    Scissors
    Marking Pens
    Various Sizes of Paper Hearts

    Cut hearts in half leaving a zig-zagged edge. Number both sides of the heart with the same number or letter. Let children match heart halves.

    Laced Hearts

    Supplies:
    Hole Puncher
    Hearts cut out of Carboard
    Shoelaces or Ribbons

    Punch holes around outside edge of heart. Let children weave shoelaces or ribbons through holes. Tie ends in a bow.

    Heart Caterpillars

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Crayons

    Cut out hearts for the lenghth of the body (as many hearts and different colors as you like) and glue them together. You can decorate the body with little hearts or stickers. For the antena I cut a little heart and glued them on, and the eyes can be little hearts too.

    Picture Hearts

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Fabric Paint (in tubes or bottles)
    Picture of child

    Cut out a bigger heart and cut a heart out of the center.Then write, I love you mom and dad or whatever you want. Use my tubes of fabric paints to decorate them. Then when they are dry, put the picture in the center.

    Mail Boxes

    Supplies:
    Shoe Box
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Glue
    Misc. Crafts Supplies

    Cover the shoe box with red construction paper, and cut a mail slot in the top. Decorate the box with paper scraps, material scraps, stickers, what ever you want.

    Mosaic hearts

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Glue
    Crepe Paper or Tissue Paper

    Cut out a large heart. Cut up small pieces of construction paper (either pink or red but not the same color as the heart) and glue them all over the heart. You can also use pieces of crepe paper which are crumbled up.

    Heart People

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Glue

    Cut out a heart (large) and glue on hearts for eyes, nose & mouth. Attach paper strips, folded accordian style, for arms and legs and trace childs hands and feet and attach to the accordian strips.

    Valentines Collages

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Glue
    Misc. craft Supplies

    Cut out hearts of different colors and sizes, and use extra things like pink or red feathers, arrows ect. and just paste away on a large sheet of construction paper.

    Valentines Gift

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Red Tempera Paint
    Glue
    Misc. craft Supplies

    Cut various shaped hearts from white and pink construction paper. Using red tempera paint, decorate the hearts with children's thumbprints. Set hearts aside to dry. On a 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch paper write out "Thumb-ody Loves You", and tape the paper to an empty 12oz juice can. Glue a painted heart to the can, then glue the remaining hearts to popsicle sticks. Press a small amount of clay into the bottom of the can, then tuck a small amount of red tissue into the can, and then insert the sticks through the paper and into the clay.

    Valentines Wreaths

    Supplies:
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Paper Plates
    Glue
    Yarn or Ribbon

    I cut out diffrent sized, smaller hearts from red and pink paper ( a whole bunch of them ). Then cut the middle out of a paper plate and glue the hearts all over the plate to make a valentine wreath. Make bows with some yarn or ribbon.

    Valentines Person

    Supplies:
    Paper
    Scissors
    Paint
    Glue

    Paint the child hand red and print it on paper twice to make a heart. Cut out eyes, mouth, arms and legs and let the child glue them on the heart.

    Modge Podge Hearts

    Supplies:
    Posterboard
    Construction Paper
    Scissors
    Glue
    Modge Podge
    Picture of Child (optional)

    Cut out heart shapes from heavy poster board, have kids glue red and pink (small) pieces of construction paper on hearts. If you have small pictures of kids, glue in the center of the heart. Using fingers, cover the entire heart with a thin coating of modge podge, it will dry clear and glossy. You can put magnet strips on the back.

    Valentine Bunny

    Supplies:
    Baby Food Jars
    Cotton Balls
    Construction Paper
    Glue
    Scissors
    Picture of Child (optional)

    Fill baby jars with cotton balls. Cut out 1 large heart which is just a little taller and wider than the front of the jar. Cut out a med. size heart which is a about 1" larger than the base of the jar. Cut out 2 small hearts (about the size of a penny or dime). Glue large heart to the face of the jar so that the top of the heart extends beyond the top of the jar (gives the appearance of ears). Glue med. heart to the base of the jar so that the top of the heart extends beyond the front of the jar (top of heart sticking out from the base will look like feet). Glue small hearts on the sides of the jar in the middle (looks like hands). Glue a cotton ball to the back of the jar (looks like a cotton tail). **Have the kids draw the face on the large heart before gluing.

    Valentine Collage

    Supplies:
    Paper
    Scissors
    Clear Contact Paper
    Misc Materials (see below)

    Each child has a piece of sticky paper (contact paper) taped to the table. Provide them with valentine tissue paper, ribbons, hearts, paper scraps, white pink pom poms, white feathers, red material, and anthing else you can think of.

    Smelly Valentines

    Supplies:
    Paper
    Glue or Stapler
    Cotton Balls
    Perfume

    Cut out 2 large hearts the same size; decorate as you wish. Spray perfume on cotton balls. Staple or glue around edges of hearts, leave an opening. Stuff the cotton balls inside. Seal the opening.

    Valentine Cone

    Supplies:
    Ice Cream Cone
    Pink Frosting
    Small Candings (see below)

    Cover an ice cream cone with pink frosting. Let the kids decorate with candy hearts, red hots, sprinkles, etc.

    Thanks again Tracy for all the great ideas!

    
    
    
    
    Dental Health

    The following songs, crafts and ideas come from Tracy's website at Lil Treasures Child Care

    •Ask the children what we use teeth for.
    •Ask the children what they think it would be like to not have any teeth.
    •Help the kids count their teeth.
    •Ask the children if any of them have lost any teeth, and why they loose their teeth.
    •Do they know who the Tooth Fairy is?
    •Talk to children about why teeth are important and how to take care of them.
    •Make a collage using pictures of mouths cut out of magazines.
    •Take a field trip to a dentist office.
    •Ask your local dentist to donate a few of his/her samples of toothpaste, brush, floss, brochures for kids, posters etc...

    Learn to Floss your teeth ( from Kinderheart Littles)

    To teach children about dental hygiene in a creative way. WHAT YOU NEED: Egg Carton, White yarn, Scissors.
    WHAT YOU DO: 1.Take a empty egg carton and cut, so you'll have 3 pieces.
    2.You don't need the top of carton, just the bottom.
    3.Cut a long piece of yarn (white) and use as floss.
    4.Turn carton over so the bottom will be face up, this will act as your teeth.
    5.Tell kids to wrap the yarn around their fingers and start to floss.

    Toothbrushes

    Thin Cardboard, Crayons, Paint, or Markers, Sponge, Glue.

    Cut a large toothbrush handle shaped out of the cardboard or heavy tag board . Have the children color it. Cut a piece of sponge to glue on where the bristles would go.

    Happy Tooth, Sad Tooth Craft (from Miningco.com)

    Cut pictures of high-sugar foods and healthy low-sugar foods out of old magazines. Cover them with clear self-stick paper for durability, if desired. Make two boxes for sorting the pictures, one with a happy tooth shape on it and one with a sad tooth shape on it. Show the boxes to the children. Talk about why certain kinds of foods would make teeth "happy" or "sad". Then let the children sort the pictures into the boxes, putting the pictures of low-sugar foods in the happy box and the pictures of high-sugar foods in the sad tooth box.

    Smiling Pictures (from Miningco.com)

    Give each child a 6-by 4 inch pair of smiling lips cut out of red construction paper and an 8-by 1/2 inch strip of white paper. Have the children snip off little pieces of their white paper strips to make "teeth". Then let them glue their paper teeth on their paper lips to make big toothy smiles.

    Healthy Snack (from Miningco.com)

    Ask the children why they think that apples are said to be "Nature's Toothbrush." Then let them help you prepare this apple snack. Core several apples. Fill each one with soft cheese of peanut butter. Slice the apple into rounds and serve.

    I Brush my Teeth Song
    Sung to the tune of Jingle Bells

    I brush my teeth, I brush my teeth,
    Morning, noon and night.
    I brush them, floss them, rinse them clean.
    I keep them nice and white.
    I brush them once, I brush them twice,
    I brush them till they shine.
    I always brush them up and down,
    Those precious teeth of mine.
    I eat good foods, I eat good foods,
    I give my teeth a treat.
    I always eat fruits, bread and milk,
    Vegetables and meat.
    If I eat sweets, if I eat sweets,
    I brush right away
    To keep my teeth shiny bright,
    And free from tooth decay.

    Brush Your Teeth Up
    Sung to the tune of The Hokey Pokey

    You Brush Your Teeth Up
    You Brush Your Teeth Down
    You Brush The Front and Back
    So they're shiny all around
    You brush them in the Morning
    And you brush them when it's night
    That's how you do it right.

    
    
    Thanks again to Tracy for those wonderful songs, crafts and ideas. Dont forget to visit her website at Lil Treasures Child Care
    
    
    
    
    Forest Animals/Groundhog Day
    
    
    Coming Soon
    
    

    
    

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