Click on the links below to jump to a specific date
2017:
January February March April May June
August/September 2017
https://youtu.be/FsZB2TCfb8s
We’re Marching to the Drum
This is a great movement opportunity, and you can change the action word(s) in each verse to suit your audience.
Lyrics:
We’re marching to the drum
We’re marching to the drum
Hi ho the derry-o,
We’re marching to the drum.
And the drum says STOP.
Can you hit stop for me?
Wonderful!
Fantastic!
Magnificent!
Need some ideas to replace ‘marching’?
Stomping
Sliding
Hopping
Tip Toe
Clapping
Nodding
Yawning
Stretching
July 2017
Tickle the clouds, and tickle your toes.
Turn around, and tickle your nose.
Reach down low, reach up high
Storytime’s over, so wave goodbye!
June 2017
Scarf Time: Wheels on the Bus
You can add some variety to your scarf time by taking well known rhymes and adding a scarf movement element to the mix!
“The wheels on the bus go round and round (move scarf in circles),
Round and round
Round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All Through the Town”
Developmental Tip of the Month
Provide your child with toys that involve shapes and matching and engage your child with attempting to match shapes. When we encourage children to play with shape toys and attempt to match them, we are setting the stage in the child’s brain for mathematic critical thinking. Observe your child play with shapes, though they will not often match them up correctly.
May 2017
I Went To Visit a Farm One Day
I went to visit a farm one day.
I saw a horse along the way,
And what do you think the horse did say?
Neigh, neigh, neigh.
I went to visit a farm one day.
I saw a sheep along the way,
And what do you think the sheep did say?
Baa, Baa, Baa.
I went to visit a farm one day.
I saw a pig along the way,
And what do you think the pig did say?
Oink, oink, oink.
I went to visit a farm one night.
I saw an owl to my delight,
And what do you think the owl did say?
Who, Who, Who.
Please check out the same rhyme in Chinese!
April 2017
Jarvis to Fort Dover
While going down the dusty road from Jarvis to Fort Dover,
My wheels got stuck in a rut,
And I went tumbling over… whoops!
Over… whoops!
And I went tumbling over… whoops!
Developmental Tip of the Month
A recent study (mentioned in last month’s newsletter) showed that back-and-forth conversations with your children matter. Vocabulary and language skills increase when you talk together. However, if you interrupt the conversation by answering your cell phone, your children learn less. It makes sense; willingness to interrupt the conversation can be seen as if the conversation isn’t important to you. Try having phoneless conversations with your child once a day (by turning down the ringer or leaving your phone in another room), and enjoying knowing that you are helping to build your child’s language skills, while sharing quality time together.
March 2017
The Elevator Song
Oh the city is great, and the city is grand.
There are lots of tall buildings on a little piece of land.
And you live way up on the 57th floor, and this is what we like to do!
We take the elevator up
We take the elevator down.
We take the elevator up
We take the elevator down.
We take the elevator up
We take the elevator down.
And we turn around!
Developmental Tip of the Month
Parents are a child’s first and best teacher. Children learn by looking at the people most important to them and imitating what they are doing. So, if you want your child to get the most out of today’s program, please participate enthusiastically in all of our activities. There’s plenty of time to talk on your cell phones afterward. But for now, help make this experience even more enriching for your children by joyfully participating with them.
February 2017
Zoom Zoom Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon
Zoom Zoom Zoom
We’re going to the moon!
Zoom Zoom Zoom
We’re going to the moon!
If you want to take a trip,
hop aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom Zoom Zoom
We’re going to the moon!
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blast off!
Developmental Tip of the Month
This song about a rocket is exciting for many children, and they often try hard to learn the associated actions. Once they learn to control muscle movement and coordinate with eye-hand development,they become better at other more challenging tasks. These physical abilities are called “fine motor skills” and they help children prepare for learning how to write (or type on a keyboard) successfully. So encourage your child to sing this song to you, using all the motions we did here today.
January 2017
Popcorn
Pop pop pop
You put the corn in the pot.
Pop pop pop
And you shake it till it’s hot.
Pop pop pop
You lift the lid and what have you got?
Pop pop pop
Popcorn!
Developmental Tip of the Month
Have your child try to jump with both feet off of the ground while reciting this rhyme. Physically, it will help your child let off steam and build gross motor skills. Because this short rhyme plays games with sounds, it exposes your child to the qualities and differences in sound. And, acting out kernels turning into popcorn ignites your child’s imagination.