* Fishing for Friends (art and game activity) Materials: individual pictures of classmates, smooth metal juice can lids, fishing poles, magnets Procedure: Allow children to glue photos of themselves onto metal juice can lids. They can decorate them with stickers etc. Attach magnets to fishing poles. Have the children sit in a circle. Scatter the juice lids in the center of the circle. Give one child a fishing pole and instruct her/him to "fish" for a classmate by dangling her/his line over the center of the circle. Once she/he has "caught" the friend, the child whose picture is on the lid receives the pole and takes her/his turn "fishing." The juice lid is returned to the center and the pole is passed from child to child according to the "catch." Once the game is understood, hand out several poles to be used at the same time. Extension: When a child "catches" a friend then that child can tell something nice about that friend. It is a great self-esteem booster. Read: A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle little blue and little yeallow by Leo Lionni Sing the Playmate Song: Hello my playmate. Come out and play with me. Slide down the cellar door. Climb up the apple tree. Hello my playmate. Come out and play with me. And we'll be jolly friends. Forever more. Sing the Friend Song: Make new friends, but keep the old; One is silver and the other's gold. A circle is round, it has no end; That's how long I want to be your friend. Art activity: Balloon Pals Materials: 9-inch round balloons, precut feet shapes, one for each child; tagboard; yarn scraps, colored construction paper scraps; markers, glue; scissors Procedure: Cut out feet shape and trace it onto tagboard. Cut out the shape including a slit. Slide the tied end of an inflated balloon along the slot to the center of the feet. Now the balloon can stand up while the children use the yarn to add hair, and the paper scraps and markers to add eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. After all the balloon pals are complete, form a group and ask each child to introduce her pal and describe what she/likes most about her/his new friend. Suggestions: Discuss with the children that balloons can be dangerous. Explain that when a balloon breaks, it must be disposed of properly. Also warn that if their balloon breaks at home, they should be careful to not let any younger siblings get a hold of the pieces because the younger children could choke. * The ABC's of Friendship A Friend.... Accepts you as you are Believes in "you" Calls you just to say "HI" Doesn't give up on you Envisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts) Forgives your mistakes Gives unconditionally Helps you Invites you over Just because Keeps you close at heart Loves you for who you are Makes a difference in your life Never Judges Offers support Picks you up Quiets your fears Raises your spirits Says nice things about you Tells you the truth when you need to hear it Understands you Values you Walks beside you Xxoxoxoxxxoooxxoxo Yells when you won't listen and Zaps you back to reality (OUCH!) * 1. LET'S FIND A FRIEND (TUNE: The farmer in the Dell) (I begin by walking around the room while the kids are sitting on the rug and we all sing. Once they know the game I let the kids begin.) Let's find a friend, Oh let's find a friend Heigh Ho the Derry-O! Let's find a friend! (At this point I call a child, they hold my hand and we continue walking around the room and we sing:) (Mary) find a friend, (Mary) find a friend, Heigh Ho The derry-o! (Mary) find a friend. (Now Mary chooses a friend and we sing that child's name. The game continues until the entire class is walking around the room. When the last child is called to make it a "fun" spot to be, we reverse direction so that instead of being the "end" the last person gets to be the leader! and we sing:) We all found a friend, We all found a friend, Heigh Ho! The derry-o! We all found a friend. This is one of the first games we play together..it's fun...and it is a great way for all of us to learn each others names because we sing every one of them. Later in the year instead of calling out each others names we choose names from the box and guess (or read) who's name has been chosen. 2. DO YOU KNOW? (TUNE: Muffin Man) Do you know this friend of mine, this friend of mine, this friend of mine? Do you know this friend of mine, At (your school's name) today? We set up 1 chair at the front of the rug area. Everyone hides their eyes. When you are tapped you quietly rise and sit in the chair. When teacher says "OK" everyone looks and sings the song. At the end we take turns guessing the name of the person sitting in the chair. To speed the game along many days we put 4 chairs up at the front of the rug so we have 4 names to guess at once. Later in the year, the people tapped go to the chair and hide behind a large piece of poster board....look around the circle....who is missing?....Can you tell who they are by their shoes? etc. etc. 3. FRIEND OF MINE (TUNE: Mary Had A Little Lamb) Will you be a friend of mine, friend of mine, friend of mine? Will you be a friend of mine and (choose an action) around with me? 4. I SPY Play the "old -- I SPY" game only give clues about a friend in our room. "I spy someone with long hair, yellow pants and blue sneakers. Who do I SPY?" 5. CHILD IN THE DELL Play like farmer in the Dell only sing names: (Sarah) in the dell (Sarah) in the dell Heigh Ho the derry-0! (Sarah) in the dell. (Sarah) picks (Michael) (Sarah) picks (Michael) Heigh Ho the Derry-O! (Sarah) picks (Michael). Continue until the entire class is standing in the middle of the rug. 5. MUSICAL NAMES Arrange chairs in a circle. Walk around them to music. Sit when the music stops. Take one chair away. If you don't find a chair to sit in ....stand behind someone who is seated. The standing child tries to name the seated child. Later when there are not enough chairs...stand behind someone who is seated --or in a line behind someone who is seated....try to name the person who is in front of you...(we'll always help if you don't know!) Continue until everyone is standing behind 1 seated person.