Spring: Day Four

Wind

IS THE WIND BLOWING?
Explain to your children that wind is moving air. Ask: "Since we can't see air, how can we tell that the wind is blowing?" Some clues: clouds moving across the sky, tree branches swaying, wind chimes ringing, paper blowing down the street. As the children give answers to the question, write their responses on paper for them to illustrate later.


Books:
Kites--Bettina Ling
Kite Flying--Grace Lin


Songs/Fingerplays

WIND, WIND
Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat”

Wind, wind, blow the clouds
Fast across the sky.
Blow the branches back and forth
In the trees so high.
Elizabeth Scofield

THE WIND IS BLOWING
Tune: "Here We Go 'Round The Mulberry Bush"

Oh, the wind is blowing - all over town,
All over town, all over town.
Oh, the wind is blowing all over town,
Just like so. (Child blows)

Oh, the trees are bending - way down low,
Way down low, way down low.
Oh, the trees are bending - way down low,
Just like so. (Child bends low)

Oh, the kites are flying - watch them go,
Watch them go, high then low.
Oh, the kites are flying - watch them go
Just like so. (Child pretends to fly kite)

Continue with
"Oh, the clothes on the line - flop to and fro"
"Oh, the flag on the pole - waves fast and slow"

Jean Warren

I’M A LITTLE KITE - Music/Movement
Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”

I’m a little kite up in the sky.
See me flying, oh, so high.
When the wind begins to blow and blow,
I twirl and swirl, just watch me go .
Heather McPhail

Let your children pretend to be kites and act out the song as you sing.

FIVE LITTLE KITES FINGERPLAY
Five little kites just beginning to soar, (Hold up five fingers.)
The wind blew one away and that left four. (Bend down first finger.)
Four little kites so colorful to see,
The wind blew one away and that left three. (Bend down second finger.)
Three little kites waving high for you,
The wind blew one away and that left two. (Bend down third finger.)
Two little kites flying in the sun,
The wind blew one away and that left one. (Bend down fourth finger.)
One little kite having lots of fun,
The wind blew it away and that left none. (Bend down fifth finger.)
Liz Ryerson
COLORS IN THE AIR
Once I hung some ribbons
High up in a tree.
I hung them on branches
For everyone to see.

They were so very pretty
With colors everywhere.
Now when it is windy,
There are colors in the air.
Jean Warren

Then, do this:

FLYING RIBBONS

	Tie bright colored ribbons on the branches of a tree on a windy day.
	Have your children notice the moving display of color.

Art/Activities:

K is for Kite--click here


KITE PICTURES - Art

	Diamond Kites: Let your children trace around cardboard diamond shapes on large pieces of paper. Have them use crayons or markers to turn the diamond shapes into kites. Then invite them to draw pictures on their papers incorporating the kites.
	Kite Mural: Instead of making individual kite pictures, have the children create a mural. Invite them to cut or tear colorful paper into diamond and free form shapes. Let them tape the shapes onto an extra-large piece of paper for kites, adding yarn kite tails and strings. To complete, have them work together to incorporate the kites in a group picture.

WIND STREAMERS

	Cut out tissue (or crepe paper streamers) approximately 4 feet long. Multi-colors is fun, but same colored streamers are fine.
	Stack together 4-6 streamers and wrap tape around the middle of the stack.
	Give the streamer to your child and have him hold it in the middle over the tape.
	Show him how to run with the streamers trailing out behind him.

Windsocks

Construction Paper
Have children decorate a sheet of construction paper. Roll into a large tube and staple. Glue tissue paper or streamers to the bottom.

Paper Bag
Cut the bottom off a paper bag. Have children decorate the bag. Punch four holes in the top area about a 1/2 inch from the top, add the string to hang the windsock; knot the string together. Can add reinforcement circles. Glue tissue paper or crepe paper streamers around the bottom.

--You can have the children decorate about 1/4 of the paper bag. Cut up from the bottom to just below the design to create strips.

You will need a plastic tub lid for this (the kind that comes on top of margarine or whipped topping).

	Take the lid and with a pair of scissors, cut out the middle of the lid, leaving the ring around the edge.
	Next, cut out some one inch wide by 3 feet long tissue paper strips.
	Show your child how to put some paste on the end of a paper strip.
	Then wrap it around the ring and pressing the glue side to the rest of the strip.
	Have your child attach 4-6 streamers around the ring.
	Attach a 6” piece of string to two sides of the ring for a hanger.
	Hang the simple wind sock in a tree, or hook, outside.

WIND CHIMES
Even toddlers like to listen to wind chimes. You will need a stick or twig, plus wire and small metal items, such as washers.

	Attach a washer to a 2’ piece of wire, then attach the top of the wire to a stick.
	Attach four or five hanging metal pieces. (Spoons can also be hung down.)
	Finally, attach a 2 ½’ piece of wire, with both ends tied onto the stick for a handle.
	Hang the Wind Chimes in a tree, or hook outside.

SIMPLE KITES - Art
Invite your children to try one or both of the activities below.

	Paper Plate Kites: Decorate both sides of thin paper plates with crayons or markers. Tape tissue paper streamers or ribbons around the plate edges. To complete, poke two holes in the middle of each plate and tie on a yarn kite string, about 12 inches long.
	Paper Bag Kites: Use crayons or markers to decorate the sides of brown paper lunch bags. Around the open end of the bags, tape tissue paper or ribbon streamers. Complete each kite by poking a hole on opposite sides of the bag near the top and tying on a yarn handle.

Bubble Fun
Go outside and play with bubbles. Watch how the wind blows the bubbles away.

Place a tub of water on the table with non-toxic liquid soap in it. Give each child a straw and show the child how to blow out. They will suck in instead of blowing out. Place the staws in the tub and blow to create bubbles. Get for development of muscles used for talking.

Snacks:
KITE SNACKS - Food Preparation
Have each of your children spread softened cream cheese on two bread triangles and top them with decorations such as raisins and flaked coconut. Then demonstrate how to arrange the two triangles together on a plate to form a diamond-shaped “kite.” Add thin strips cut from fruit leather for kite strings, if you wish.