Spring into Seasonal Fun!

"March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb ... " Well, we know the first part of this saying already happened and now we're hoping for the second part!

Make It!: Lion and Lamb Puppet

Make a lion and lamb reversible "puppet" for tracking what kind of day it is each day:

Use two small paper plates and a craft stick to make the head - one side will be decorated like a lion's head with scraps of yarn or felt for a lion's mane, using markers and big googly eyes for the lion's face. The other side should look like a lamb's face, using fluffy cotton balls, markers and something for the eyes - maybe buttons!

This can be a lesson in textures as well!  Have your child describe the feeling of the materials they are using, "soft, fluffy" and have on hand some smooth (plastic or metal objects) and rough (sandpaper or tree bark) objects to choose from for contrast. When starting the project, ask "Do you think a lion's mane is rough or soft? Which thing here feels like it might be right?," and your child will touch, feel and decide what materials would work best.

They can give you a daily weather report with their puppet, letting you know if it's a lion day or a lamb day - great for starting to make associations about proper clothing and temperatures for dressing safely - use the newspaper or weather report to stimulate interest in learning about this world we  live in!

While you are talking about the changes in March, be sure to discuss all the seasons where you live, as well as other seasons they may not see!

Make It!: Four Season's Book
Make a four season's book, using four identical pages and a cover... each page could have a line dividing it in half with an outline of a tree on the top and an outline of a person on the bottom. Each day, have a conversation about one of the seasons, asking questions and generating information - kids love it when you record what they say on paper and read it back ... "so I heard you say ..."

Have materials and/or drawing tools to "dress" the tree and to "dress" the child. For instance, the winter tree could be trimmed with some cotton wisps with cotton at its base and the child will need boots, mittens, and a hat, as well as clothes. The summer tree might have some green tissue paper "leaves" and a bird in it (maybe a sticker), while the child might just have a swimsuit on! Make sure to design a cover and put it all together with staples or yarn, and transfer some of your child's appropriate words to the pages. This will become a favorite story!

Your child will be learning a science lesson about the changing seasons, as well as getting some needed practice with small motor activities, and you will be sharing a great literacy project, generating vocabulary and Making a Book! 

Have fun!