Westward, Ho! * Round-Up Time! (Ideas from MOMS Online -Young At 'Art) *See Young At 'Art Folder for photos and more ideas! So, come on in pardner and share with the little cowpokes one of their favorite themes in child care, "Western Days." The rustic desert-like setting of the 3 1/2 acre parcel on which we live added a persuasive ambiance to this whimsical theme. The kids shouted cowboy lingo while whooping at imaginary "little dogies". Yup, howdy ma'am, y'all, pardner, and grub were words we became quite familiar with. We counted chickies made from yellow cotton balls and told tales around our circle-time campfire. All of the kids worked on coordination and large motor development practice as we square danced and participated in the rodeo events. Sounds of "Turkey in the Straw," "Home on the Range," and "Polly Wolly Doodle" rung through the hills surrounding our home, as the young voices chimed. A Western Days theme can be used for a children's party, child care setting, crafting fun with your own children, or within preschool activities. Each child had their own favorite parts of the special week. Activities that went over well were the cherished bandanna creations that were made on Monday and worn the rest of the week, the "Brown Cow" drinks (root beer floats) we had as a special treat, the tall tales they told that were dictated, displayed and read aloud each day, and of course, their favorite rodeo event, calf roping. In this week's Young at 'Art I give instructions for making bandannas and for potato print branding. I've also included some snapshots of our Western Days week, with suggestions for activities. I hope you're inspired! Children's literature that could be used to illustrate various facets of this week are... Down on the Farm with Grover - Ray Sipherd The Day the Goose Got Loose - Reeve Lindbergh When the Cows Come Home - David Harrison These ideas were inspired by Kapers for Kids Home Preschool Program (800) 882-7332. * Western Bandannas The bandannas are personalized by each child and heat set. We chose them to feature for their simplicity and for their value in building a child's self-esteem. They are durable and will last them quite a while. PROJECT OVERVIEW: This project is quick and easy. It utilizes plain fabric and regular crayons to create a whimsical prop for hours of make-believe.SUPPLIES: *Unbleached muslin (cut into triangles) *Regular Crayons (not washable) *Waxed Paper *Newspaper *Iron ESTIMATED COST: $1.50 makes 4 ESTIMATED TIME: 20 Minutes LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy ADULT ASSISTANCE REQUIRED: Cutting fabric and ironing project. * Potato Branding Irons PROJECT OVERVIEW: This project is a creative slant to the long-time-favorite, potato printing. Potatoes are given a handle and, with a little imagination, become honest-to-goodness branding irons. 3-dimensionally illustrates the tools used to create each ranch's own unique combinations of symbols. Prints can be used to adorn your child's bedroom wall, be displayed on the family refrigerator, or serve as a rustic wrapping paper for Dad's Father's Day gift. If you get really inspired, you could even use fabric paints on the potatoes and decorate a western shirt! SUPPLIES: *A brown grocery store bag *2 or 3 potatoes *Small salad forks *2 or 3 colors tempera paint *Knife for carving ESTIMATED COST: $2.00 if you already have the paint, $6.00 for all ESTIMATED TIME: 45 Minutes LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy ADULT ASSISTANCE REQUIRED: Carving the potatoes (aka "smithing the branding irons") * cowboy hats for all.... (Oriental Trading has them inexpensively. As well as lots of other decorations and do-dads she might like. Here is their link. http://www.oriental.com/main (Keyword to: http://www.oriental.com/) ) drink root beer in bottles.. * play horse shoes... * play pin the tail on the horsey.... * play rope the cow.....putting horns on a bale of hay..and giving them a lasso... * play shoot the target.....give them a dart gun and let them shoot at a target of your choice... * play throw the bean bag into the bucket...calling it cow turd tossing contest....making bean bags out of brown felt...and tossing them into a wash basin....or something else..through a tire...whatever...an old boot would be good...but might be hard to hit.. * have them run relay races with a homemade brand....and run dip into white powder...run...brand the dog or whatever..LOL..just kidding...then run back and give to their other team mates...having the kids divided into two groups... * How about roping the bull....sort of get a bale of hay and make horns have them toss rings on "to lasso"......wear cowboy/girl hats......square dancing.......how about a cookout on the range.....make a pretend fire, set out bales of hay, make s'mores, oh they always have neat cake ideas.....for my dd she had a pool theme and I took a sand pail and made the cake in there and served it with a shovel maybe you could come up with something like that.. * How about: Tape the Tail to The Horse. (5 yr. old version of Pin the Tail to The Donkey). * Make a western vest. Using Brown Paper bag cut out vests, and allow each to decorate with markers, crayons, stencils, etc. * Play Duck-Duck Goose using a Cowboy Hat. Have the child who is going around the outside of the circle carry a hat, when he chooses a goose he places it on the child's head. Variation: Call it Horse, Horse, Donkey! :-) * A Treasure Hunt: Looking for the Lost Gold/ Have the Gold-Minors seek and find. * Party Favors: Maybe a cowboy hat for each child. Perhaps candy wrapped in a bandana. * BAked Bean Bread It works well to use those Campbell soup cans. After your are done baking the bread in them it looks nice to tie a bandana material around the center of the can. Kids really like this even though you might think they wouldn't! Baked Bean Bread= 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup oil, 3 eggs, 1t. vanilla, 1t.cinnamon, 1 can pork & beans (16 oz.) drained, 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/2 t. soda, 1 cup raisins optional. Mix sugar, oil, beans. Mix flour, dry ingredients, put together with vanilla. Fill 5 greased (sprayed with pam) 16 oz cans 2/3 full with batter. Bake 45-50 minutes at 325 degrees. * Also with this theme using material that is cut in a triangle and cutting strips from the point up and stringing beads on like you've seen before. * Also using binder twine and twisting a couple strips together and tying that into knots all around is good practice, making bracelets or whatever they desire. We've noticed that even putting beads on thread they really love. * Make horses out of cardboard boxes: Cut the bottom out of a box Cut handles on each side. Cut a head from more cardboard (side view) and glue on front. Paint them with house paint before hand or have kids glue on big sheets of construction paper. Decorate with ribbons or stickers and yarn for mane, construction paper ears, buy big eyes from a craft store or make them from black and white paper or felt. Then have kids hold horse at the side and walk/run around while music plays or jump over simple jumps (the library might have some tapes - or use William Tell's overture). * Make horse shoes out of plastic or cardboard and toss them. * Make little horse body-head shapes out of paper beforehand and have children add use wooden clothes pegs for legs. They can decorate their mane and tail with yarn or felt.