Next month is Ramadan, and I don't have a Ramadan set! Strike that--I DIDN'T have a Ramadan set. But now I do :)
Like my Kwanzaa and Diwali sets, I had to do quite a bit of research for this set--because I don't personally celebrate Ramadan. Here's what I wrote about those holidays, and it applies here, too:
I thought it would be fun to create some holiday sets for holidays that I don't personally celebrate. (I was right--it WAS fun, and wow, I learned a lot while doing research for these sets.) I'm so happy to be able to share these, as I think it's so important to expose kids to various cultures, and to share in celebrations with the kids who DO celebrate holidays outside of my own experience :)
I focus holiday sets on the parts of holidays that kids understand, so the concepts are about simple traditions vs. religious themes.
I also want them to be usable both as storytime sets-- where the adult is using the set pieces as props to support a rhyme, song or story--and as play sets for the kids--where the kids are re-enacting traditions, songs, and stories that they've learned about.
Here's one of the rhymes I've written to go along with this set:
Okay, time for a little sorting fun. Ready? Let's go!
I'll use my Transportation Set for this little game. Because it has sorting cards, which we need for this activity... Here they are (laminated in all their cardstock glory :) ):
Okay, so what do you do with these sorting cards? The point is to engage the kids in playful early math and early literacy. No strict rules or right or wrong--just have fun.
One way to use them: Put the sorting cards that represent the four types of
vehicles on your board on the four corners.
Talk with the kids about what each of the cards mean. Now place each of your vehicles in the center of the board. Ask the kids to help you figure out where to put each vehicle. You might want them to
simply call out where that vehicle goes, or you might call children up to pick
a vehicle and “steer” it to the right spot.
Use your “many” and “few” cards in the same way. Does a particular vehicle carry many or few
people? What do many and few mean?
And then of course you can combine the cards and get them thinking even harder:
So, yep. It's two of my favorite things, all bundled up together: Cats, and Little Mouse. I mean, can you go wrong with this? No. No, you can't. (Plus, these cats are the stars of Kitty Bingo, too, so--muti-use sets for the big win!)
Kids just love surprises, and it's always a surprise where that ball of yarn might be hiding...And sometimes, just to be super sneaky, I don't hide it behind ANY of the cats--I hide it behind the flannel board!! Gasp! The children are furious! I'm delighted!
Anyway..
Ball of yarn, ball of yarn, where can you be?
Are you behind the gray kitten? Let...me...see!
or
Ball of yarn, ball of yarn, playing hide and seek...
Are you behind the orange cat? Let's take a peek!
Fun cat books to go along with these sweeties are right here.
I thought it would be fun to create some holiday sets for holidays that I don't personally celebrate. (I was right--it WAS fun, and wow, I learned a lot while doing research for these sets.) I'm so happy to be able to share these, as I think it's so important to expose kids to various cultures, and to share in celebrations with the kids who DO celebrate holidays outside of my own experience :)
I focus holiday sets on the parts of holidays that kids understand, so the concepts are about simple traditions vs. any religious themes that might be attached.
I also want them to be usable both as storytime sets-- where the adult is using the set pieces as props to support a rhyme, song or story--and as play sets for the kids--where the kids are re-enacting traditions, songs, and stories that they've learned about.
First up was Diwali, and now it's time for Kwanzaa!
Teach the kids how to do this as a call and response. As you sing about each piece, place it on your flannel board, or you may want to have some of them already positioned. It is Kwanzaa, it is Kwanzaa Seven days of light, seven days of light Candles in the kinara, candles in the kinara, They shine so bright, they shine so bright!
It is Kwanzaa, it is Kwanzaa Seven days of light, seven days of light Corn for all the children, corn for all the children, On the straw mat, on the straw mat.
It is Kwanzaa, it is Kwanzaa Seven days of light, seven days of light Lots of fruits and veggies, lots of fruits and veggies For our karamu feast, for our karamu feast!
It is Kwanzaa, it is Kwanzaa Seven days of light, seven days of light Pass around the Unity Cup, pass around the Unity Cup, We are all together, we are all together!
It is Kwanzaa, it is Kwanzaa Seven days of light, seven days of light Gifts for friends and family, gifts for friends and family Let’s celebrate, let’s celebrate!
Naturally, I also laminated a small Kwanzaa flag, so we can play a Kwanzaa version of the Little Mouse game. I'm sure you're surprised ;)
Why yessirree, I do like vehicles :) And, I love counting--counting up, counting down. It's all early math, and I love to do it in a playful way. So today, I've got my BIG Transportation set (which you may have seen here), and I'm using it to count UP.
It's time for another nursery rhyme. Because they're classic. Because they're fun. Because I love the simplicity of a good nursery rhyme, and the absolute lack of making any sense. It's fun!
I do have another version of Hey Diddle Diddle. But I copied those pieces from images online, and I wanted to make my own adorable set! So...I did :) And here it is:
I will of course use my Hey Diddle Diddle Re-mix with this set, as well. It's tooooo fun! The kids love getting things all mixed up!
Hey diddle diddle, the COW and the SPOON,
The CAT jumped over the DISH! The little MOON laughed to see such sport,
and the DOG ran away with the FIDDLE!
Whaaat? That's not right... Let's try again!
(over.and.over.and.over.)
June 2022, editing to add the video:
And I needed a cute nursery rhyme character to hide under those cuties, so I drew a Little Bo Peep, printed her out, and laminated her.
She's going to love hiding, and the kids are going to love trying to find her!
Bo Peep, Bo Peep, playing hide and seek...
Are you behind the orange cat?
Let's take a peek!
OR
Bo Peep has lost her sheep, and we've lost HER somewhere!
Is she behind the brown fiddle? Let's look under there!
These guys will also perfect for a Hey Diddle Diddle version of the Brown Bear concept.
Here's to nursery rhymes!
Oh hey, by the way... If you like rhymes for kids, check out a ton of them
Oh, I love a classic nursery rhyme! (I think I might be an old fashioned, low-tech kind of girl.)
I had an older version of Hickory Dickory Dock, with a mouse. And a clock. But a one use set wasn't cutting it. It was just a little too simple (although I do think simple is a good, good thing!)
So how to mix it up, but keep it simple, right?
Enter the mouse, the clock...and some friends!
Now, going up the clock isn't just for mice!
Let's JUMP up the clock!
Let's CRAWL slooowwwwly up the clock!
Let's RUN up the clock!
And hey--we can give clues to the kids and have them guess which animal is going next...
"I'm thinking of a tiny critter who has a shell and moves very slowly..."
"Lets find an animal that jumps AND has a pouch for their baby..."
"This animal moves quickly, and can be a pet at your house..."
Here's a video of one way to use these friends:
Now, I also printed out a little clock, because why not have a Hickory Dickory version of the Little Mouse game? It's always a winner, right?!
Tick tock, tick tock, the clock is hiding somewhere..
Is it beneath the green frog? Let's check under there!
Sometimes it's fun to count up, and sometimes its fun to count down... This time, we're starting with five, and counting down to none--how sad to see them go!
I like to sprinkle vocabulary words into my rhymes, so we're not only counting, we're building knowledge about the subject at hand. This time it's cat knowledge :)
I thought it would be fun to create some holiday sets for holidays that I don't personally celebrate. (I was right--it WAS fun, and wow, I learned a lot while doing research for these sets.) I'm so happy to be able to share these, as I think it's so important to expose kids to various cultures, and to share in celebrations with the kids who DO celebrate holidays outside of my own experience :)
I focus holiday sets on the parts of holidays that kids understand, so the concepts are about simple traditions vs. religious themes.
I also want them to be usable both as storytime sets-- where the adult is using the set pieces as props to support a rhyme, song or story--and as play sets for the kids--where the kids are re-enacting traditions, songs, and stories that they've learned about.
So up first is Diwali. I made up some super simple songs to go with the set--Diwali vocabulary and concepts are sprinkled within, and the tunes are familiar so everyone will have an easy time joining in.
