* Language and Listening: Ask the parents to send in a photo of the children as babies. Make a poster to encourage conversation and comparisons. Use photos taken of the children at school mounted next to their baby photos. Make a book for the library corner using pictures from magazine ads featuring babies crying, laughing, being serious, funny, shy, etc. * Book: Peter’s Chair , Ezra Jack Keats, Harper & Row, 1967 Listening songs: Sittin’ in a High Chair, Rolling, and Walking from Hap Palmer’s Babysong * Fingerplay: Pat-a-cake * Flannel Board Rhyme: Here is a baby so soft and small (place baby on the board) His legs can’t walk, so he must crawl He drinks from a bottle (place a baby bottle on the board) And naps in a crib (place a crib on the board). He dribbles his food, so he wears a bib. (place bib on the board) When his pants are wet, he starts to cry. (place a diaper on the board) His mom will change them, so he’ll be dry. * Movement/Large muscle: Sing rock-a-bye baby while pushing children on the swings. Make an obstacle course and invite the children to crawl through it like babies. * Pretend Play/House Corner: Baby dolls, booties and bonnets/sunhats for the dolls, doll bed, doll high chair, velcro-close bib for dolls, bottles, baby spoons, diaper squares for dolls with velcro closures, receiving blankets, empty baby powder container (small size). A rocking chair is also a good addition. * Cognitive Games/Table Toys: Baby Bottle Sort (for children 3 and up) Provide tiny baby bottles and rattles for sorting (the kind ordinarily used for cake decorating). Set table blocks on a tray with small babies and baby furniture from a doll house set. * Sensory Exploration/Art Finger-painting with pastel colored paint. Sprinkle the paint with baby powder to give it a different feel and smell. * Collage: Provide scraps of assorted baby gift wrap, pastel wallpaper and snips of pastel ribbon and yarn to glue on a construction paper background. * Sensory Exploration: Washing babies in the water tub. Add a squirt of baby bath soap to the water and supply sponges, cut in half for scrubbing. To end the activity, hand out dry washcloths to wrap the babies in. * Tasting Party: Try tasting several varieties of baby food. Talk about why the food is smooth and soft, and the purpose of teeth. * In a Feelie Box, place items such as a baby brush, a bar of baby soap, a cotton ball, a pacifier, a rubber teether and a rattle, etc. Have the children take turns feeling an item in the box and guessing what it is by it’s feel. Babies *Story book-I Love You Forever-by robert munsch(A super book) * Pictures of children around the room is a great idea. *FingerPlay- 5 little fingers on this hand(hold up 5 fingers) 5 little fingers on that(Hold up 5 fingers on the other hand) A dear little nose(Point to nose) A mouth like a rose(pont to mouth) Two little cheeks so tiny and fat(pont to cheeks) Two eyes and two ears(Point to eyes and then ears) And ten little toes(Point to toes) That is the way the baby grows *Discuss friends and families *Circle Time: Folk Song"Hush Little Baby" Hush little baby, don't say a word Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird. If that mocking bird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring If that diamond ring turns brass, Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass. If that looking glass gets broke, Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat If that billy goat won't pull, Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull If that cart and bull turn over, Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover If that dog named Rover won't bark, Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart If that horse and cart fall down, You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town. *"More, More, More", Said the Baby (au. V. Williams, I think), and The Rainbabies (au. L. Melmed) are two more recommended books for this theme. *For a group "game" have the children take turns on a med-size blanket. The rest of us kneeled around the edge, and together, lifted the "baby" up a few inches, so we could rock the "baby" and sing a lullaby. Good cooperative, peaceful feeling. *Painting with Q-tips and pastel tempera, on small pieces of paper. I framed their baby paintings on pastel construction paper; they were very pretty. *Have the children bring in their baby pictures and after the children have guessed who is in the picture, I have that child come up and we talk about the similarities and the differences between the child as a baby and the child now. Then we talk about what they can do now that they couldn't do as babies. This helps them to realize that even though sometimes they feel like their too little to do a lot of things, there are really a lot of things that they can do. *Have one of our parents who has a baby bring the baby in. The children will get a chance to watch the mother feed the baby and they can ask her questions about taking care of the baby. *Outside, have a station set up to bathe baby dolls. Using plastic tubs filled with water and washcloths, the children will have the chance to bathe a doll and then dry it. *For one project, remind that children that when babies color they scribble all over the paper. Do a project like a baby. They will scribble all over a white piece of paper and then paint over with a light wash of black paint. The children are fascinated to see how the paint does not stick to the color but only to the white paper. You do have to remind them, however, to color pretty hard when they are scribbling. But it makes a pretty picture when they are through. *song: Rock a bye baby on the treetop (Make rocking motion with hands) WAAAAAA (sort of loud baby cry) what's wrong with the baby? the baby's hungry, Let's feed the baby (make bottle movements to feed baby) There, we fed the baby. Rock a bye baby on the tree top WAAAAAA What's wrong with the baby? We fed the baby..... uh-oh we forgot to burp the baby (make burp motion, putting baby on shoulder) Okay, we burped the baby Rock a bye baby WAAAA what's wrong with the baby? UH_OH baby smells LE'ts change the baby (use motions for changing diapers) Now, let's see.. Rock a bye baby (etc. finish song in a very soft voice) after doing this a few times, the kids join in the ideas on why baby is crying and using exagerated motion for changing diaper. They get a little loud while singing about crying baby but finally ending it with soft voice and putting baby to sleep brings it all back. Its a fun time. *a book for infant and toddlers -Look At Me By:Caroly Buhai Haas this book has toys to make, learning games, indoor/outdoor fun, books and reading, more learning games, positive self-image, imaginative play, poems songs and fingerplays, arts and crafts, nature and science fun, parties, easy nutritious recipes, and expert advice it is wonderfull. Has many ideas Magic Painting Bag you need: 1/4 cup of liquid laundry starch 3 tablespoons of powdered tempra paint a large ziplock plastic bag masking or cloth tape several colors of construction paper you do: Mix the starch and paint together and put a glob of it into the plastic bag. Squeeze out the air before "zipping" the bag closed (a piece of tape across the top will prevent any leaks) Gently smooth the bag to distribute the paint. Then show your child how to rub his hands over the bag, making swilrs, and designs. The fingerpainting can be done on a table or the floor or on a lap tray, if sick in bed or traveling. For a colorful effect slip a piece of construction paper under the bag and see how it changes the color of the paint. Children think it is magic, and grownups love the no cleanup feature. this is very nice for young children because they get to paint and no worries about them eating it or getting it all over everything. *1) I spray up some awesome bubbles in the sink by outting dish liquid in the sinking and spraying the living heck out of it to make lots of bubbles.....with either the child in the highchair or if old enough in a bowl with a paintbrush. let them go at it. If using a paintbrush I let them paint my glass door, my cabinets, floor...etc...in the highchair just to mush the stuff around and around the tray is great fun!!! *2) Most popular thing I do is water play. Get a small bucket of water and supervise well. I pull out spoons, small toys and sit down next to them and get down and dirty. Not for the weak at heart who do not like messes. I also am known for pulling the pool inside during the winter and having a water play day complete with Beach Boys music!!! BABIES Putting baby to bed: On white paper, have kids glue cut out picture (from magazine) of a baby to paper. Older kids may wish to draw their baby. Then give kids small pieces of felt or fabric to glue over baby as a blanket. Can also glue picture of a teddy bear or other stuffed animal for baby to sleep with. Now baby is already for bed!! Circle time discussions: Ask open ended questions to children about babies, such as: * How do babies get around? * What kinds of foods should babies eat? * How do babies tell us what they want or need? * What kinds of toys are good for babies? What kinds are not? * What do you remember from when you were a baby? * Any kids with babies in their house can talk about them. Other circle time ideas: Show the kids different baby items (pacifier, bottle, diaper, formula, newborn clothes, baby wipes, baby food jar etc....) ask children what the object is and why it is needed. Do some of the "baby" songs/rhymes with children: This little Piggy, Rock-a-bye-baby, Pat-a-cake etc... Have parents bring a photo of their child when he/she was a baby (without child knowing). Mix them all up and see if each child can pick out their own pictures. Have kids discuss what they remember about being babies. Let them crawl around. perhaps even eat a jar of applesauce baby food (with a little cinnamon added, of course!). It's fun to remember the "good 'ole days"!! Poem for Baby Little fingers, Little toes, Little mouth, Little nose. Little ears, With which to hear. Little baby so precious and dear. Poem: Little Baby Here is a baby so soft and small His legs can't walk, so he must crawl. He drinks from a bottle and naps in a crib. He dribbles his food, so he wears a bib. When his pants are wet, he starts to cry. His mom will change them, so he'll be dry. *1. An idea from More Than Counting book (Sally Moomaw and Brenda Hieronymus, Redleaf Press) that has been successful for choice time when I've done a baby theme: Create 2 laminated grids of baby pictures (wrapping paper or greeting cards are good sources-I actually had the same one illustrated in the book). Set out on a table with die or dice and two containers of small baby theme counters (I found inexpensive plastic diaper pins, rattles, and pacifiers that are sold as party favors for baby showers). Older children may play by taking turns rolling dice and taking the appropriate number of baby items for the babies on their grid. Younger children may just place counters on babies, exploring one-to-one correspondence. WOW-THIS SOUNDS COMPLICATED, BUT IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE MORE THAN COUNTING GAME FORMATS, ITS' REALLY EASY TO CREATE AND PLAY! 2. I often combine human babies with animal babies. My students have enjoyed learning some of the less familiar names of animal babies and playing matching games with animals and their babies. 3. I ask parents to send in baby photos for a "We All Were Babies" bulletin board. Children enjoy guessing who is pictured in each of the baby photos and get a really laugh out of the photos of their teachers! 4. We put our baby dolls in the water table for a bath. *Look How We Have Grown Have the parents bring to daycare a baby picture. Display the pictures on a bullentin board. Then have the children guess the who it is in each picture. You could also display current pictures of the children and they can match them to the correct baby pictures.