* Jack in the Box

If I were a Jack in a box
I'd make myself very small
I'd be shut tight inside my box
You couldn't see me at all
(crouch way down)
Until someone turns the crank
The music will play, then stop
The top will fly open
And out I will pop!
(jump up & raise arms up)


Jack in the Box Finger Play
Jack in the box  (thumb in fist)
Sits so still
Won't you come out?
Yes, I will!  (pop thumb up)


* J - jack-in-the-box  (also good shape review)

A very simple jack-in-the-box can be made from construction paper with a
square (about 4 inches), a triangle (just a little smaller), two rectangles
(about 3/4 by 3 inches), a circle (about 3 inch diameter) and a small paper
spring (3/4 in. by 4 in. strip, accordian folded).  The square is the box. The
triangle is the body (attach to the top of the square) and the circle (the
head) is attached to the top of the triangle with the paper spring .  The
spring makes the head bobble just a bit as if he had just popped out of the
box. The rectangles are attached to the triangle body for arms. The children
can draw the face and decorate the rest as they desire.  The whole thing can
be glued on another piece of paper if you desire.  This might make assembly a
little easier for the children.

Jack-in-the-Box Game (large motor and listening)

The children pretend that they are jack-in-the-boxes.  When the leader says
"Jack in the box" the children crouch down.  When the leader says "Jack out of
the box" the children jump up.  From time to time repeat the same phrase twice
in a row to make sure that the children are listening carefully.


* Jolly Dollars
Invite the children to earn "Jolly" Dollars- colored slips of paper with a J
drawn on each one.  Use Jolly dollars all week instead of usual tokens given
for good behavior and work.  Ask the children to bring Junk to school-
anything in good shape and the child no longer wants ( you may want to limit
this so you don't end up with too much junk).  At the end of the week, auction
off the junk.  the children may use their "jolly" dollars to buy the junk of
their chioce.  Remember, one persons junk is another persons joy!!


* Jack and the Beanstalk  
Paint a paper towel tube green.  Cut leaf shapes from construction. paper and
glue them to the tube.  For the stem glue a long piece of yarn around the
leaves.  Glue together 4 toilet paper rolls to make a castle.  Cut sections
from the  castle towers.  Paint the castle.  Add doors and windows from cut
paper.  Glue the beanstalk and castle together.  Glue cotton around the bottom
of the castle to look like clouds.  Draw Jack on paper and staple him to a
long piece of yarn about 2x the length of the beanstalk.  Tie the other end to
a craft stick.  Drop the stick down the beanstalk - when the stick comes down
- pull on the yarn and see Jack go up the beanstalk.

Jack-O-Lanterns
Give each of the children a round paper plate. Have them paint the back side
of the paper plate with Orange tempera paint. Use black paint or markers to
draw the face and add a green construction paper stem.

Jars 
Collect jars of different sizes with lids. Have the children practice finding
the correct size lid for the jar. Let them practice size comparisons by
arranging larger to smaller etc.. Practice counting skills as well as matching
skill. 

Jumping Jacks
Teach the children how to do jumping jacks. Count the number of times you can
do them, see how high you can count. You can also call out the letter "J"
every time you do a Jumping Jack. 

Jelly Rolls
Give each child a slice of bread and help them to trim the crusts off. Show
them how to flatten the bread with their hands or a rolling pin. Use Jelly or
Jam and let each child spread some on their bread and roll up the bread.
Enjoy. 

jump rope games -  tried to actually "jump" rope; played "limbo"; put rope on
floor and played "snake" on the floor where they have to jump over the wild
slithering snake as holders shake rope 
                               
jewelry - bracelets out of fish tank filter tubing filled with sesame seeds,
small cake decorating sprinkles, glitter, confetti tin foil beads - roll foil
into balls and roll in tempera paint - allow to dry and string with large
tapestry (dull) needles on fishing line

jazz - play some jazz music 
  

jellybeans - use these for sorting and counting activities


* How about JEWELRY!!!!!!! Stinging beads for necklaces and bracelets...
One of my kids favorite  activities... Keeps them very busy. We get the pony
beads and lanyard as materials.


* For those of you working on the letter Jj, how about painting with jello? 
You can either paint glue on paper and then sprinkle with jello powder for
a scratch and sniff picture, or you can mix jello powder with a little
water to make scented water colors.

You could make jello jigglers for a snack or make juice by squeezing
oranges on those manual plastic juicers.

You could glue Apple Jacks to an uppercase and lowercase Jj.


* - Color a ditto of a capital and lowercase Jj .  After colored add glue and
sprinkle on jello powder.
- A necklace of the letter J with sparkles and spangles glued on for a
"jewled J"
- A picture of a jar in which the children glue on jelly beans
- A construction paper jet
- Color a picture of a Jack in the box