Pot of Gold (a Little Mouse Variation)

Yep, it's that time of year again.  Leprechauns will be coming around to classrooms, clues will be left for scavenger hunts, maps will be used, songs will be sung, rainbows and good luck and clovers and shamrocks will be discussed, green beer will be...oh wait--that's not preschool!  

Okay, on with today's flannel board!

This set was made as a custom request, and of course as with most of those, I thought--why didn't I think of that?  Well actually, I sort of almost did--here's my Leprechaun Hide and Seek set from last year!  In case you don't click, I'll repeat the adorable Mr. Leprechaun song below, because it's worth repeating :)

(Here's a link to my recent Mr. Leprechaun set.)

So, this set is pretty self-explanatory if you're familiar with the Little Mouse game, but I like to assume you're a newcomer, so here's the deal:

You place your pots on the board one at a time, commenting on or asking the children to help you name the color of each pot as it's placed.  Sneakily hide the gold coins behind one of the pots as you're putting it on the board, and then begin...

The chant is as follows, subbing the bold words as appropriate:

Gold coins, gold coins,
Playing hide and seek...
Are you behind the red pot?
Let's take a peek!

And then you use all kinds of dramatic techniques to check behind the pot, act confused/disappointed/stumped/etc. as you seek out those sneaky gold coins! We like to pat our legs as we do the chant, just to get the kids even more involved and aware of the rhythm...  And of course invite them to tell you which color to check under (sometimes just lightly touching the one YOU want to do next will send a subliminal message and they'll 'choose' it for you!)

As with all the Little Mouse variations, this is a great set for increasing color knowledge, exposing the kids to rhymes, building interactive social skills, and just plain having fun!  Do it again and again--you're bored, but the kids aren't ;)

And the Mr. Leprechaun song I mentioned above:

Mr. Leprechaun 
(credit goes to a past co-worker, Angela Lenz)

Mr. Leprechaun, Mr. Leprechaun, Mr. Leprechaun--Hello!
Mr. Leprechaun, Mr. Leprechaun, Mr. Leprechaun--I Know...
...you're a cute little elf,
If I say so myself!
In your suit all of green,
You come on March seventeen!

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