SUMMER *Sun Catchers Cut out 2 of any shapes of contact paper, (square, circle, triangle), let the children put on ANYTHING that goes, scraps of small paper, glitter, bits of curling ribbion, colored hole punches, you name it... Then using the other sheet of contact paper, lay it ontop the first one, smooth it out, trim the edges, hole punch it and hang in a window and you have a sun catcher. *Dandelion Jewlery If your yard is "blessed" with dandelion weeds, this is the perfect activity for you!! Get the kids to pick the dandelions...go for the best ones, with long stems. Collect a couple dozen or so. The easiest way to connect them is to wrap one stem carefully around another and tie a knot. Another way is to carefully slit the stem of one dandelion close to the flower, then feed the stem of another one through it. (you will need damdelions with thick stems for that one). Make some bracelets...necklaces...anklets... headbands etc!! *Sun Cards required: Construction paper, -small objects optional: FAX paper Take a piece of construction paper and fold it in half (to make the card). Next, put some objects on it (ex. keys, small toys, something with a distinctive shape). You can also cut out shapes or letters from another sheet of paper and arrange them on top of the construction paper. Place the paper directly in the sun...by the end of the day, the paper will be faded--except the areas covered by the objects or pieces of paper. FAX paper also works well for this. It quickly turns yellow or brown when exposed to strong sunlight. (great way to recycle it too!) *Make a Rainbow required: garden hose and nozzle Your garden hose needs to be capable of producing a fine mist. You should have your back to the sun when you turn on the water. Hold the hose upward so you get a good arc (your trying to simulate a gentle rain). The kids should see a small rainbow in the spray (the kids need to have their backs to the sun as well)......Kids might need to move around a bit to find the right spot! This is great on a hot summer day! After everyone's seen the rainbow...they can run through it!!!! (Just make sure they have their bathing suits on!! LOL) *Sand Pictures Materials needed: A sheet of 9"x12" white construction paper, various colored construction paper, diluted glue and sand Method of Preparation: A wavy horizontal line is drawn across each sheet of white construction paper. Beach umbrellas and beach balls are cut out of the colored construction paper. Process: The child spreads the thinned glue over the paper below the horizontal line. (A brush or fingers may be used.) Sand is sprinkled on the glue and the excess is shaken off. An umbrella and a beach ball are then glued on the paper. Concepts learned: Sand is found on the beach in the summer. Sand has a wonderful texture. Glue is used to hold things unto paper. *Watermelon slices Materials needed: Red and green construction paper, and dryed watermelon seeds. Preparation: Cut out circles from the green construction paper (10" diameter) and smaller circles from the red construction paper (8" diameter). Then cut all of the circles into semicircles. Process: With assistance, the child glues the red semi-circle over the green semi-circle. Then fingertip dots of glue are applied to the red semi-circle and seeds placed on each dot. Concepts learned: Watermelon is a summer food. Watermelon grows from seeds. Lining up the paper. Gluing. Colors-red, green and black. *Summer Sun Materials needed: Yellow Tempra paint Paint smocks Aluminum pie plates Orange and blue construction paper Scissors Glue Process: Give each child a piece of blue construction paper. Have them paint the palms of their hands and use them to make a circle with fingers pointing out on the paper. While the paint is drying, cut out circles from the orange construction paper. Have them glue their circles in the center of their handprints to create the sun. Concepts learned: The sun comes out in summer. Paint has a neat texture. Printing with hands. The colors blue, yellow and orange. The sky is blue. *Summer Collage Materials needed: Magazines, travel brochures, and posters Glue Construction Paper Process: Have the children cut pictures of things that remind them of summer. Foods, camping, sailing, summer sports, swimming, etc. Glue them onto the paper to make a summer collage. Concepts learned: Summer is fun. Gluing and cutting. *Summer Fun Watercolors Materials Needed: Tempera Paint Sand Paper Brushes Teacher Preparation: Mix a small amount of sand into the paint to give it a textured look and feel. Process: Give the children a piece of paper and let them free paint with the textured paint. Concepts learned: Sand adds texture to the paint. Sand is rough. Sand has many uses. "I am creative" *Barefoot Painting Materials needed: Butcher Paper Paint An outside area, near dirt of sand. Aluminum Pie pans A chair Soapy water Teacher Prep: Place a long strip of butcher paper on the ground near your sand or dirt source. Place chairs next to pans of paint along the edges. Place a bucket of soapy water nearby. Process: Have the children sit in the chairs and dip their feet in the paint. Then have them dip their painted feet into the sand or dirt. Let them walk along the paper, leaving "dirty" footprints. Have them wash their feet in the soapy water when finished. Concepts learned: Sand is squishy when wet. Sand helps us to not slip in the wet paint. We leave footprints when we walk. Soap and water make us all clean again. *Summer Snacks: Lemonade Materials needed: 1 cup water Lemons 3/4 tbsp sugar ice Measuring utensils Teacher Preparation: Cut a lemon in half for each of the children. Process: Have the children squeeze their lemon halves until they have about 1 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice. Mix the lemon juice with water and sugar. Add ice. Concepts learned: Lemonade comes from lemons. Lemons are Yellow. You need to add a little sugar to have good lemonade. Measuring. *Picnic Basket Fruit Salad Materials needed; Assorted fruits, like apples, bananas, melons of different kinds, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, etc. Plastic Knives Melon Ballers Apple Corers Teacher Prep: Cut the watermelon in the shape of a basket with a handle. Process: Have the kids cut the fruit into bite size pieces, being careful to remove any seeds. Have them take turns using the melon baller and the apple corer with supervision. Concepts learned: I am capable of helping to make snack. I need to be careful when using a knife or other kitchen utensils. We don't eat the seeds in most fruit. Creative recycling. *Cone Sandwich Materials needed; Ice cream cones Tuna, egg, or chicken salad. Teacher preparation: Either let the children help you make or make ahead you salad filler. Process: Have the children fill the ice cream cones with the lunch salad and eat it like ice cream. Concepts learned: There is not only one way to use foods like ice cream cones! Anything tastes good in a cone. *Make the best bubble brew You will need: 1cup Joy liquid dish washing detergent 2 cups warm water 3-4 TBS glycerine 1 tsp sugar large plastic container bubble blowers Blowing and chasing bubbles is great entertainment for all ages. ------------------------------------------------------------------ *Make boats from nature and re cycled materials You need: (for nature boats) reeds, bark, feathers, leaves, (for recycled boats) fast food hamburger and french fry containers, drinking straws ~Nature boats You take a reed that is about 1/2" wide and 6" long. With your thumb nail, slit an opening 1" long near the wide end (don't extend the slit all the way to the end). Slip 1 1/2" of the narrow end of the reed through the opening to make a loop for a sail. For bark boats, poke a feather or a strong leaf into the middle of a small piece of bark.( The fun is in the hunting for feathers and just the right piece of bark!) ~Recycled boats Before you toss your fast food containers, set them afloat!( But be sure to discard the boat in a proper receptacle when it's time to go home.) First, cut the french fry carton in the shape of a sail. Make two slits in it One near the top, the other near the bottom. Insert the drinking straw through the slits. then poke the straw through the middle of the lid from a hamburger container to complete the boat. For fun, send it adrift with a secret message tucked inside. *Do some finger painting out side (add sand to tempera) *Read books about the summer time ~Teeny Witch Goes on Vacation, by Matthews, Liz ~At The Beach, by Booth, Eugene ~Under The Ocean, by Booth,Eugene ~Mr Bear's Boat by Graham, Thomas *Pretend you are going to the beach,( wadding pool and sand box) *Kite flying make kites and fly them high! *Make tent forts outside! Lay blankets and sheets over the picnic table, or using clothes pins hang and drape them across several clotheslines ... pin and tie more blankets and sheets to nearby tree trunks, poles, etc. for more room. That's all. Stand back and let the kids decide what to do next. Or... ~Schedule snack time or lunch time (or both!) in the fort ~Take storytime out to the fort ~Take some housekeeping or camping props out to the fort ~If old sheets used only for fort-building, turn the kids loose with spray bottles of colored water to decorate their fort! Watermelon tambourines Have the children color 2 small paper plates to look like watermelon slices. (green rind, red fruit, black seeds), you can glue real seeds on if you like. Put beans inside the plates and staple them together. Use the tambourines during circle time in the following ways: SONG: WATERMELON, WATERMELON (tune: are you sleeping) Watermelon, Watermelon Tastes so yummy, tastes so yummy Green on the outside Red on the indside With black seeds, with black seeds. (point to these parts on the tambourines while singing) To keep rhythm-shake the tambourine while singing watermelon, watermelon songs. to demonstrate contrast and to follow diirections-shake the tambourines fast, slow, loud, soft, etc. To practice position words and to follow directions, Put the tambourines behiind your back, up high, down low, beside you, etc. To identify body parts and to follow directions, Put the tambourine on your elbow, knee, nose, etc. Count the number of seeds that each child colored or glued on his tambourine. Shake the tambourines counting the seeds on each. (1 seed-2 seed-so on) * Sunflowerflower Wind Dancers Supple each child with a paper plate. Instruct each child to cut triangles around the rim of the plate to resemble a sunflower. Punch two holes near the top of each flower. Thread a length of yarn through the holes and tie the ends. Then supply each child with three strips of 2"x20" green crepe-paper streamers and a handful of sunflower seeds. Have the child glue the streamers to the back of the plate. Then have him turn the plate over and glue the seeds to the centerof the plate. Paper Plate Suns Cut 1- by 2-inch rectangles out of yellow crepe paper or tissue paper. Let the children paint paper plates yellow. While the paint is still wet, have them press the paper rectangles all over the centers of their plate as well as around the edges to create sun rays. If the paint dries to quickly, allow them to glue the rectangles. Hang from the ceiling. Hello Mr. Sun Sung to the tune of "If you're Happy and You Know It" Hello, Mr. Sun, how are you? (Clap, clap) Hello, Mr. Sun, how are you? (Clap, clap) We're so glad you're out today, And we hope that you will stay. We just love to see you shine, yes, we do!!! (Clap, clap)