Fun foundations class: bugs
June 11-June 15, 2018
Bugs!
We are spending so much time outside right now that Callum and I have been talking about bugs on an HOURLY basis! :)
The topic of bugs offers the opportunity to share, discuss and teach SO MUCH vocabulary, it's awesome! Keep in mind that the brain's of infants and toddlers are like little sponges when it comes to language: just keep pouring that language in and they WILL soak it up! Keep in mind: the quantity of words spoken to a child in the first 3 years of life are associated with language skills, vocabulary size and IQ
We are spending so much time outside right now that Callum and I have been talking about bugs on an HOURLY basis! :)
The topic of bugs offers the opportunity to share, discuss and teach SO MUCH vocabulary, it's awesome! Keep in mind that the brain's of infants and toddlers are like little sponges when it comes to language: just keep pouring that language in and they WILL soak it up! Keep in mind: the quantity of words spoken to a child in the first 3 years of life are associated with language skills, vocabulary size and IQ
- The words directly spoken to a child are responsible for vocabulary growth, not those passively heard like while watching TV or being around adults who talk to each other
- Another study showed toddlers 12-24 months benefit more from QUANTITY of words – children 24-36 months benefit from QUALITY of words (variety of more sophisticated words)
- When the goal is talking about something children are interested in, language growth occurs at a higher rate. Children as young as 18 months have higher vocabularies than peers if their parents talk about things they are interested in
skills + strategies discussed in class
sensory play
|
We had lots of fun sensory bins out in this class! They included:
We also had a fine motor activity that is just a plastic basket with yarn woven through it. I placed plastic bugs in it for this class, but you could use a variety of different items inside! For older kiddos, this could be paired with large plastic tweezers, but younger kiddos will be challenged enough just getting their fingers through. Curious about the benefits of sensory play? Check this out. Wondering how to make dyed-rice sensory bins for home? Check this out. |
|
bug signs
|
BUGS
TO sign BUG place your thumb on your nose with your index finger and middle finger extended. Bend and extend your index and middle fingers. BUG looks a little like a bug has landed on your nose and is twitching his antenna. |
|
|
BUTTERFLY
The sign for BUTTERFLY is signed by taking your two hands and interlocking your thumbs. Then you flutter your fingers. The sign looks like a BUTTERFLY flapping it’s wings. |
|
|
SPIDER
The sign for SPIDER is a natural sign, resembling a spider crawling around. You take by crossing your hands at the wrist. Wiggle your fingers around, as if the legs of a spider, and at the same time move your hands to make the spider move forward. |
|
|
CATERPILLAR
The sign for CATERPILLAR signs looks a little caterpillar inching along a branch. Take your non-dominant hand and lay it flat with the palm down. Take your index finger from your dominant hand, then inch it along the stationary non-dominant hand. |
|
|
FLY
To sign for FLY make an "F" with your dominant hand and pretend you are holding a fly between your index finger and thumb. Then wiggle your hand around as if the imaginary fly between your finger and thumb were buzzing around in the air. |
|
|
BEE
To sign for BEE start with your dominant hand open, thumb and index fingers touching to make a little BEE. Touch the tips of these two fingers against your cheek, then open your hand and swat past the spot on your cheek with the open hand. |
|
|
|
ANT
To sign for ANT make your hand into a fist and put it on top of your other hand while your other hand makes a walking motion with your fingers. |
|
Songs from BUGS class
|
Itsy Bitsy Spider
The ITSY (little) bitsy SPIDER Went UP the WATER spout. DOWN came the RAIN And washed the SPIDER out. Out came the SUN And dried up all the RAIN The ITSY (little) bitsy SPIDER Went UP the spout AGAIN. |
|
|
Spin Around Time!
1. Clap your hands, clap your hands, clap them to the beat! Clap your hands to the beat, Now spin around in circles! 2. Stomp your feet, stomp your feet, stomp them to the beat! Stomp your feet to the beat Now spin around in circles! 3. Raise your hands, Raise your hands, Raise them in the air Raise your hands in the air, now spin around in circles! 4. Shake your body, shake your body, shake it to the beat! Shake your body to the beat, Now spin around in circles! |
|
|
I’m So Happy!
Chorus: Naa, naa, naa I'm so happy - Oh, so happy Sing with me (2x) 1. Clap, clap, clap your hands Stomp, stomp, stomp your feet Swing, swing, swing your arms Dance everybody & sing with me! Chorus 2. Jump, jump, jump around Touch the sky & touch the ground Shake, shake, shake your hips I know a song & it goes like this! Chorus Repeat Verse 1 Repeat Verse 2 Chorus |
|
|
Shoo Fly!
1. Shoo fly, don't bother me Shoo fly, don't bother me Shoo fly, don't bother me For I belong to somebody! 2. I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star (x3) |
|
|
The Ants Go Marching
The ants go marching 1 by 1, Hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching 1 by 1, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching 1 by 1, The little one stops to suck his thumb, And they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain. 2. tie his shoe 3. climb a tree 4. shut the door 5. take a dive |
I Wish I Were a Bug! (we didn't have time to do this one in class, but it's a fun one if you want to sing it at home!)
(Tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
1. Oh, I wish I were an
eensy-weensy SPIDER
*clap, clap*
Yes, I wish I were an
eensy-weensy SPIDER
*clap, clap*
I’d go “creepy-creepy-crawly” down your hall and up your wall-y!
Oh, I wish I were an eensy-weensy SPIDER!
*clap, clap*
2. Oh, I wish I were a yellow honey BEE…
I’d go “buzzy-buzzy-buzzy” and my stripes would be all fuzzy!
3. Oh, I wish I were a wiggly CATERPILLAR
I’d go “munchy-munchy-munchy.” All the leaves would be my lunch-y!
4. Oh, I wish I were a small red army ANT
I’d go “trompy-trompy-trompy” over hills and through the swamp-y!
6. Oh, I wish I were a pretty BUTTERFLY
I’d go “fluttering ‘round the sky”
Oh yes, I would fly so high
(Tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)
1. Oh, I wish I were an
eensy-weensy SPIDER
*clap, clap*
Yes, I wish I were an
eensy-weensy SPIDER
*clap, clap*
I’d go “creepy-creepy-crawly” down your hall and up your wall-y!
Oh, I wish I were an eensy-weensy SPIDER!
*clap, clap*
2. Oh, I wish I were a yellow honey BEE…
I’d go “buzzy-buzzy-buzzy” and my stripes would be all fuzzy!
3. Oh, I wish I were a wiggly CATERPILLAR
I’d go “munchy-munchy-munchy.” All the leaves would be my lunch-y!
4. Oh, I wish I were a small red army ANT
I’d go “trompy-trompy-trompy” over hills and through the swamp-y!
6. Oh, I wish I were a pretty BUTTERFLY
I’d go “fluttering ‘round the sky”
Oh yes, I would fly so high
BOokS FOR TALKING ABOUT bugs
|
Hello, Bugs! is the book I read to the classes with younger children in them. It's a very simple board book that says "hello" to a different animal on every page (e.g. "hello butterfly!", "hello bee!"). I have used it in therapy to target "hi" (much easier to say than "hello") and Callum still loves this book even though it's so simple.
|
|
|
Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! is a thin paperback with collage-like illustrations. Aside from the fact that it's not very durable, it's great for toddlers! I love that in the back, it has some science-y charts and size differentials to show the similarities and differences.
|
|
