Bird Preschool Theme and the Felt Board

Here's a trick...instead of recreating an entire new set of felts to match your Preschool theme or interest, look at your collection, and find the stories (or songs) with the interest inside. For example, if the theme is birds, indeed there are specific stories surrounding the bird as the main character such as...

But, there are also many songs and stories with bird characters inside. So, choose stories or songs, and emphasize the bird to match the current interest. For example, with the following felt pieces below, the Educator can ask  open ended questions to provoke concepts and learning, such as, "Which animals have wings? Which animal has feathers?"

Out in the Garden

The following images are felt pieces in my collection, along with links to blog entries providing more information:

Green Grass Grew All Around

Down By the Bay

Ten Little Yellow Ducks

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Five Little Ducks

Five Little Penguins



Further Reading Suggestion: 

Ideas for a Preschool Bird Theme

Felt Board Winter Activities: Matching Colors!

Matching colors is a fun and educational activity for young children. For toddlers, a color coordination activity helps them to not only learns colors, but  label them as well, thus fostering language development. The following felt board activities provide matching hats and scarves, along with fun, age appropriate poems. In addition, matching activities aids in gradual transitions out of circle time

To the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot"

I'm a little penguin, black and white

Short and wobbly, and adorable sight

I can't fly at all, but I love to swim

So I'll waddle to the water

And dive right in!

Five little snowmen, on a winter's day.

The first one said, wake up so we can play

The second one said, let's stomp on the ground

The third one said, let's roll all around

The fourth one said, let's run and run and run

The fifth one said, I'm afraid I feel the sun

Oh dear, cried the snowmen

As they looked toward the sky

And the five melting snowmen

Waved a fond good bye

Online Early Childhood Workshops with Circle of Ideas

Polar Bear Felt Board and Penguin Felt Board Ideas



 

 

Polar Bears and Penguins are animals that fit well into a preschool winter curriculum. The following blog entry provides some felt story ideas and links to include into any early childhood setting.

Templates for Polar Bear, Polar Bear by Eric Carle

There Was a Little Penguin by Storytime ABC's

By A Bad Case of Books

Five Little Penguins

By Crafty Chic Mommy




Online Early Childhood Workshops with Circle of Ideas

Penguin Preschool Theme

With the increase popularity of Club Penguin and the many movies and television shows created for younger audiences featuring these black and white birds, penguins are fun animals to include in a preschool curriculum. Penguins can be found within a number of preschool lesson plans, such as arctic animals, ice, and birds. This article suggests ideas for a theme day (or week) surrounding penguins with preschool songs, books, crafts and other activities.

Introduce Penguins at Circle Time

Begin a theme on penguins at circle time by asking the children what they know about penguins. Record their answers and use as a starting base for the learning process. Facts to share with a preschool classroom about penguins:

• are birds, but cannot fly
• spend 75% of their time in the ocean, looking for food
• can leap out of ocean and dive in
• keep warm with a layer of blubber and their fluffy feathers
• daddy penguin will watch over the egg while mommy gets food (and vice versa)
• baby penguins are called chicks
• they waddle and they huddle together for warmth

Preschool Songs about Penguins

Song #1 To the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot"

I'm a little penguin, black and white

Short and wobbly, and adorable sight

I can't fly at all, but I love to swim

So I'll waddle to the water

And dive right in!

Song#2 To the tune of " My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"

The penguin slides over the ice bank

The penguin dives into the sea

Look at his black and white feathers

That penguin's as cute as can be!

Preschool Penguin Creative Art Ideas

1. Blank paper with pictures of penguins to draw

2.Black and white painting

3. Material to encourage penguin creations:  oval shapes, black and white paper, cotton balls, feathers, etc.

4. Penguin painting. Find plastic penguins to waddle through paint

5. Fingerpainting framed with penguin outlines

6. Creating penguins with clay or playdough

Suggested Preschool Poem about Penguins

With five felt penguins, or other penguins made of material that can be placed onto an easel board, the teacher can use this poem at circle time:

One penguin, with nothing to do, called to a friend and then there were two.

Two penguins swimming in the sea, called to a buddy, then there were three.

Three penguins waddled to the shore, they called to a pal, then there were four.

Four penguins learning how to dive, call to a brother, then there were five!

The following are some suggested preschool books about penguins:

That's Not My Penguin by Fiona Watt (Usborne, 2007)

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester (Sandpiper, 2006)

Scholastic First Discovery: Penguins (Scholastic Reference, 2007)

Winter Felt Board Activities



WINTER FELT BOARD ACTIVITIES

Hand-made Felt Snowmen

After making templates of a snowman, hat and scarf, cut out five snowmen with different color clothes. The hat and scarf should match to allow children to experience color coordination with the activity. The snowmen can be decorated with eyes, carrot nose, smile and buttons. Try outlining the snowmen with crystal fabric paint for an extra touch. Here is a poem to attach to this felt activity:







Five little snowmen, on a winter's day.
The first one said, wake up so we can play
The second one said, let's stomp on the ground
The third one said, let's roll all around
The fourth one said, let's run and run and run
The fifth one said, I'm afraid I feel the sun
Oh dear, cried the snowmen
As they looked toward the sky
And the five melting snowmen
Waved a fond good bye


Matching Felt Mittens

Matching activities are a great tool for teaching color, size, shape and design to young children. In addition, matching experiences allow children to participate themselves by bringing a felt piece to the felt board at a circle time or by matching the mittens themselves at a classroom station. With felt, the children can feel the softness of the material, and the fabric is very durable for those little hands. Try making two sizes of mittens with the same colors. This activity can be made to equal the amount of children in a group setting, so that everyone can have one mitten in their hands to bring to a flannel board. A song to go along with a mitten matching lesson is:

(Sung to the tune of Row Row Row your Boat)


Warm, warm, warm and dry

Mittens feel so nice

So grab a pair in chilly air

Or in the snow and ice











Five Little Snowflakes

This felt activity requires only one template, some googly eyes, and fabric paint. Use the snowflake template to cut out five white snowflakes. Decorate them with a fun smile, and some googly eyes. Also, trace the outline of the snowflakes with a glittery fabric paint, such as silver. Here is a poem to attach to this felt activity:

One little snowflake with nothing to do
Along came another and then there were two
Two little snowflakes playing in a tree
Along came another and then there were three
Three little snowflakes looking for some more
Along came another and then there were four
Four little snowflakes that finally did arrive
Along came another and then there were five
Five little snowflakes having so much fun
Out came the sun and then there were none.

Penguin Felt Activity

Penguins are a delightful animal to include in any winter curriculum for an early childhood setting. Planning a penguin theme day is a fun event. Try making felt penguins with matching hats and scarves. Add this poem to the felt activity:




One penguin, with nothing to do, called to a friend and then there were two.
Two penguins swimming in the sea, called to a buddy, then there were three.
Three penguins waddled to the shore, they called to a pal, then there were four.
Four penguins learning how to dive, call to a brother, then there were five!

Online Early Childhood Workshops with Circle of Ideas