Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now 

The actual first day of summer is almost here! And I have lots of hands-on summer activities for you! I also have a new summer pack (newsletter subscriber freebie at LivingMontessoriNow.com)! 

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Summer-Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Summer-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired summer numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) Go to my Free Summer Printables and Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities post at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Summer Pack

Montessori-Inspired Summer Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities

For more Montessori-inspired summer activities, check out these posts with lots of activities and resources:

• Montessori-Inspired Summer Playdough Activities
• Montessori-Inspired Activities for Casey at the Bat
• Top 10 Summer Themes for Preschoolers
• 20 Outdoor Phonics Activities
• Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
• Free Summer Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
• Montessori Nature Tray with Vocabulary – Parts of the Plant
• Montessori-Inspired Summer Themes and Activities
• How to Have a Healthy and Courteous Tea Party Picnic
• How to Have a Healthy and Courteous Teddy Bear Picnic
• 50+ Creative Ways to Use Materials Found on Your Nature Walks
• Free Summer Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Summer {Free Printables}
• Montessori Summer Resources for Classroom or Home
• Fun with Montessori-Inspired World Travel Activities and Games
• Free Travel Printables and Montessori-Inspired Travel Activities
• Summer Fun Pinterest Board

If you'd like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout June, see June Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Summer Printables and Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities post at Living Montessori Now for lots of free printables and activity ideas!

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 45 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.

Montessori-Inspired Ocean Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now 

An ocean unit is perfect for summer, although it's great at any time. Today, I have a new ocean unit along with a free ocean pack (subscriber freebie at LivingMontessoriNow.com)!

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Ocean-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired ocean numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

I always have related books available throughout a unit. On the top shelf, I have Steve Jenkins' Down Down Down (an amazing book and one of Zoey's very favorite books), The Big Book of the Blue (lovely!), and Ocean: a Photicular Book (see below). On the right side of the shelf (book on a wooden cookbook holder), I have National Geographic Kids Ultimate Oceanpedia (gorgeous photos and a fabulous reference book!). 

You could mix your ocean-themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special ocean-themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves this month have a mixture of skill levels. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.

Ocean Sensory Bottle with Ocean: A Photicular Book

Ocean: A Photicular Book was a New York Times bestseller. It's a super-fun book for multiple ages to look at with images that use Photicular technology to make each image like a 3-D movie on the page. It also tells about each ocean animal, including vital statistics such as size, habitat, range, diet, life span in the wild, and threats. 

The sensory bottle is my old baby beluga ocean sensory bottle with a new Voss 11.2 oz. bottle and with Safari Ltd. Good Luck Minis Sea Life Pack.

Montessori Movable Alphabet with Long-Spine Porcupinefish Movable Alphabet Cards and  Ocean Words Pictures and Booklet

Free Printable: Ocean Word Cards from PreKinders. I printed the printable out twice ... once to make an ocean animals booklet and once for pictures to use with the movable alphabet. 

Free Printable: Long-spine Porcupinefish Movable Alphabet (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

We use the small Montessori movable alphabet. I have the movable alphabet from Alison’s Montessori, which I love. You can also get a movable alphabet from Amazon or make your own. You can just use the movable alphabet printable.

For Zoey's work, I cut out pictures from the printable that would work for the Montessori pink, blue, and green series. Then she call spell the words with the movable alphabets and check her work with the appropriate page in the booklet. 

/o/ for Octopus Sandpaper Letter and Font Card with Schleich Octopus and An Octopus Is Amazing Book

Free Printables: Octopus Letters for letter o font cards (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

I used the "o" Sandpaper Letter and octopus font card with Schleich Octopus and An Octopus Is Amazing Book.

Ocean Animal 3-Part Cards with Safari Ltd Ocean TOOB Animals

Free Printable: Ocean Animal 3-Part Cards from Memorizing the Moments 

I am in love with this Montessori cards display box! It recently became available on Amazon in the U.S. I love it for displaying 3-part cards or 4-part cards. It's so attractive and doesn't take up much space. I used the Safari Ltd. Ocean TOOB for this work and placed everything on a Multicraft tray.




My daughter, Christina, and her son, Caleb worked with the materials at a toddler level. First, Christina named the animals and matched them to the cards. 



Then Caleb had his turn with identifying each of the animals. Here, Christina asked Caleb to point to the dolphin. This is a great introduction to vocabulary and matching for toddlers! You can read more about teaching vocabulary to toddlers using the 3-period lesson here.

(Note: With toddlers, I keep the Safari Ltd. animals out of reach because they're a choking hazard. We only use them when an adult is working directly with the toddler.)



For Zoey's level, I'd have her read the words and match them to the picture cards, check them with the control card, and match the Safari Ltd. animal figure.

Toddlers and young preschoolers can just use the picture cards for matching to the animal figures. A pre-reader could have the control card placed first and then match the picture and word to the control card.

Adding Three Numbers and Making an Ocean Bracelet or Necklace with Ocean Charms

Free Printable: World Map Number Cards 1-15 (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

I found these adorable ocean charms to use. There are six of each. I just chose the 10 best ones (leaving out the mermaids, for example).

I used a number dice (either dots or numerals is fine) along with the number cards 1-15 (in case the child rolls 4+5+6). You could have enough for doubles, although I have this activity set up so the child has to roll again until there are three different numbers. Younger children can just add two numbers or roll the dice to choose one number.

 
Zoey and Sophia enjoyed working side by side. Zoey added three numbers and strung the corresponding numbers of ocean animals on the chenille stem to make a necklace. Sophia worked on placing chenille stems in the holes of a strainer, a great activity for toddlers.

 

Here, Zoey has completed her equation and is finishing her necklace. Sophia has moved on to bending the chenille stems and enjoying the sensory experience.

Ocean 3-Part Cards and Placing Ocean Labels on Continents Globe

Free Printable: Ocean 3-Part Cards and Control Chart from Imagine Our Life

I printed out an extra set of labels to attach to the Montessori continents globe. (You could use any globe.)



This activity is a great way to reinforce the names and locations of each ocean. Using painter's tape or removable double-sided tape, you can have the child place the second set of ocean labels on the globe.

More Ocean Resources

• Montessori-Inspired Ocean Unit
• Montessori-Inspired Beach Language Activities
• Montessori-Inspired Resources for World Oceans Day
• Montessori-Inspired Ocean Math Activities
• Montessori-Inspired Turtle Activities
• Shells and Starfish Activities + Free Printable from Montessori By Mom
• Free Shark Printables and Montessori-Inspired Shark Activities
• Shark Water-Bead Number or Letter Sensory Bin
• Farm, Zoo, & Ocean Animal Sensory Bottles for Babies and Toddlers
• Montessori-Inspired Toddler Geography Activities with Baby Beluga
• Coral Reef Kit and Sensory Bin
• Letters and Words in the Sand {Montessori-Inspired Beach Phonics Fun}
• Wonderful Whale and Water-Bead Sensory Bin {Free Printables}
• Seashell and Sea Life Nature Tray: How to Teach Vocabulary Using the 3-Period Lesson
• Free Turtle Printables and Montessori-Inspired Turtle Activities
• Free Turtle Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Free Turtle Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Seashell Color Matching {Easy-to-Prepare Variation of Montessori Color Box 3}
• DIY Coral Reef Water Table with Practical Life Activities
• The Ultimate Montessori-Inspired Shark Unit
• Ocean Unit Study Pinterest Board

For more free printables for this unit, go to my post at Living Montessori Now with Free Ocean Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ocean Activities. 

 If you'd like to focus on manners with children, please check out my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy! It's written for anyone who'd like to feel comfortable teaching manners to children ages 2-12.

Happy summer!

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 44 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.

Montessori-Inspired Travel Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now 

Family travel is such a fun summer activity that we're having a whole month of travel activities! I'm sharing both travel activities and free travel printables, including my new Montessori-inspired travel pack (subscriber freebie at LivingMontessoriNow.com)! 

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Travel Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired travel numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

I always have related books available throughout a unit. On the top shelf, I have Transportation Long Ago and Today and Cars, Trains, Ships & Planes. My son-in-law was having lots of fun with the Cars, Trains, Ships & Planes book! It's an amazing DK book designed for ages 8 on up. My 5-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, loves to look through big books like that, so it's part of our unit!

On the right side of the shelf ( book on a wooden cookbook holder), I have National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Big Book of Things That Go. Zoey and I absolutely love this book series for a variety of themes! On the middle shelf, you'll see the Time for Kids book Take Off! All About Airplanes. I have a number of other travel books in book baskets. Watch for my upcoming post about transportation and travel books for kids!

You could mix your travel themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special travel-themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves this month have a mixture of skill levels. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.

License Plate Game Road Trip Game

Free Printable: License Plate Road Trip Game from iMom

Free Printable: U.S. Map from Wikimedia

For the license plate road trip game, I printed out 2 copies of the license plates and an 8½x11" copy of the map. I cut apart all the license plates from one copy of the printable. I kept the second page of license plates together. I placed everything on a Multicraft tray along with a miniature vehicle.

This activity was one of Zoey's very favorite educational activities!

We pretended we were traveling the U.S. in the Micro Machine RV. We have Micro Machines from when my kids were little. Unfortunately, they're hard to find now and are often very expensive. You could also use the car from the Safari Ltd. On the Road TOOB. Any vehicle will be way too big for the map, but Micro Machines and Safari Ltd. vehicles work better than most.

You could use a blindfold, but I just had Zoey close her eyes and draw a license plate from the bowl. She loved discovering which state's license plate she drew! Then she would place the license plate on the page of license plates and drive the RV to that state on the map.

We didn't make it to all 50 states before it was time for Zoey to go home, but we traveled to many of them!

Letter J Sandpaper Letter with J for Jet Font Card and a_e Plane Phonogram Activity

Free Printables: Jet Letters for letter j font cards and a_e plane phonogram cards (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
Free Printable: a_e sound with pictures and letters from MontessoriSoul
I set this up to show how you could use beginning sound printables for a younger child along with the phonogram work for an older child. For a younger child, you could feature a sandpaper letter to go with the unit.
I'll be adding the "ai" for train phonogram card and "sh" for ship phonogram card in a week or so. Zoey reads words and books with the phonograms already, but I still like to include the appropriate ones in our unit studies to help with spelling.
If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

Free Printables: Jet Letters for letter j font cards and a_e plane phonogram cards (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

Free Printable: a_e sound with pictures and letters from MontessoriSoul

I set this up to show how you could use beginning sound printables for a younger child along with the phonogram work for an older child. For a younger child, you could feature a sandpaper letter to go with the unit.

I'll be adding the "ai" for train phonogram card and "sh" for ship phonogram card in a week or so. Zoey reads words and books with the phonograms already, but I still like to include the appropriate ones in our unit studies to help with spelling.

If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

Transportation Pattern Block Activities

Free Printable: Transportation Pattern Block Mats from PreKinders

This was super easy to prepare. I just printed out the transportation printables (except for the rocket ship) and placed them on a Multicraft tray with a  Montessori Services basket of pattern blocks. I was given the Spielgaben set, so I used the Spielgaben wooden parquetry tablets from set 7. They fit perfectly, although you need to use the black and white printables because there isn't a trapezoid or yellow hexagon in the Spielgaben set.

I just placed the Spielgaben rhombus and equilateral triangle shapes in the basket because the transportation printables could all be completed using those (for example using a rhombus and equilateral triangle to make a trapezoid). Used in that way it's a bit like the Montessori constructive triangles!

Sand Writing Tray with Transportation Number Rhyme Mats

Free Printable: Print and Drive Number Rhyme Mats from Preschool Mom

This printable is a high-interest printable and can be used with mini vehicles to "drive" the number. I decided to use the printables printed at 50% with the sand writing tray, though. Used this way, the child uses fingers to trace the number path on the card and then writes the number in the sand.

For the tray, I used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though.

Land, Air, and Water Transportation Addition with Miniature Vehicles and Bead Bars
Free Printable: Land, Air, and Water Transportation Number Cards 1-19 (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

Free Printable: 1-10 Spinner (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

This activity uses a piece of felt for a table mat (I used the Montessori Services felt table mat) and bead bars from the decanomial box in a Multicraft tray and a Bambu condiment cup (what I used here) or  Montessori Services basket. (My bead bars, which I love, are from Alison’s Montessori. You can get bead bars on Amazon, although I haven’t personally used materials from those companies.) I used vehicles from the Safari Ltd. On the Road TOOB, In the Sky TOOB, and In the Water TOOB.

This was another activity Zoey enjoyed! She used the spinner to choose the numbers, counted out the vehicles, found the matching number cards, and then placed the correct bead bars at the end. Zoey already knows her addition facts, but this was just a fun extension using the Safari Ltd. vehicles. She enjoyed playing with the vehicles afterward!

For a younger child, you could use the number cards for DIY cards and counters or another type of counting activity.

Travel Dictation or Writing Tray

 

Free Printables: Travel Writing or Dictation Pages (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

I used a multicraft tray, the printables, a pencil, colored pencils in the Montessori colors for the continents, and a pencil sharpener for an added practical life activity. Advanced preschoolers on up can write their own story, while younger preschoolers can dictate their answers for you.

Blank World Map with Montessori Continent Map in the Corner

This is included in our subscriber freebie pack, but you won't see it on our shelves. I added this so that you can prepare an activity bag for travel. You'll see an example in my fun and learning with Montessori-inspired world travel activities and games post. You could also use it for another shelf activity if you prefer.

Subscriber Freebie

Montessori-Inspired Travel Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber)

More Transportation/Travel Resources

Fun and Learning with Montessori-Inspired World Travel Activities and Games

• • Montessori-Inspired Activities for Pre-Schoolers: Car Parking Game
  • Free Transportation Printables and Montessori-Inspired Transportation Math Activities
  • Montessori-Inspired Construction Unit
  • Free Police Printables and Montessori-Inspired Police Activities
  • Free Fire Safety Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fire Safety Activities
  • Free Ambulance Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ambulance Activities
  • Montessori-Inspired Train Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
  • Free Train Printables and Montessori-Inspired Train Activities
  • Free Car Printables and Montessori-Inspired Car Activities
  • Super-Cool Beginning Reading Activity – Race Car Blending
  • Free Car Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
  • Free Car Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
  • Fun Magnetic Vehicle STEM Trays and Activity Bags
  • Spielgaben STEM Challenge: Build and Fly a Magnetic Airplane
  • Montessori Resources for Land, Air, and Water Transportation Activities
  • The Ultimate Montessori-Inspired Transportation Unit
  • Transportation Unit Study Pinterest Board
  • Resources for a World Travel Unit Study
  • Continent Map Work
  • DIY Pin Maps
  • Montessori Continent Boxes
  • DIY Cosmic Nesting Boxes, Map Towers, a nd “Me on the Map” Activities
  • Montessori-Inspired State Box – Colorado
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder and Montessori Washboard Activity (South Dakota and Booking Across the USA Tour)
  • Montessori-Inspired Map Activities Using Pin It! Maps
  • Earth Exploration Activities from Montessori By Mom
  • Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Global Adventure (with links to all my Little Passports activity posts)
  • The Ultimate Guide to Montessori Geography Activities for Preschoolers
  • Creative Ideas for Montessori Continent Boxes from Around the World,
  • Montessori-Inspired Global Adventure Pinterest Board 
  • Kids’ Geography Activities Pinterest Board

For more free printables for this unit, go to my post at Living Montessori Now with free travel printables. 

If you'd like to focus on manners with children, please check out my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy! It's written for anyone who'd like to feel comfortable teaching manners to children ages 2-12.

Happy trails! 

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 43 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.

What's Bugging You? Summertime Dance Activities About Bugs and Insects!

Happy Summer!











Here are some fun movement activities that are based on bugs and insects.*  Many of them can be done outside, and would work well for a school or day camp activity for young children.  They can be used as brain breaks, transitions, or a whole morning or afternoon's theme for creative play.

Materials:

Several lively musical selections, and/or songs about bugs

Paper and crayons 

Craft Project:   Plastic headbands, pipe cleaners, beads,  curling ribbon, and/or other items to decorate antennae
(See photo below)


1.  Bug Dance and Freeze

Play one of the musical selections

Ask the children to dance while the music is playing

Stop the music throughout the song.  Call out a different bug each time, and ask the children to freeze in the shape of that bug.

Finish the game by asking the children to freeze in the shape of their favorite bug.


2.  Warm Up

Sitting on the floor in a circle:

Curl in and out like a pill bug.  Then try it lying down.

Roll onto your back, and imagine you are a bug that is stuck.  Move your arms and legs as many ways as you can.

Imagine you are a bug that is stuck on its back!

Roll from side to side like a role-poly bug, then bring yourself back up to sitting.

Inch around the circle like a caterpillar, and end up back where you started

Imagine you are a spider, going up and down (from floor to standing) on your silver thread.  Do it several times, finishing standing.

Imagine you are a little cricket.  First do small bounces, then do little bouncy jumps.  Always bend your knees when you land from a jump!

3.  Large Motor Skills Practice

March like hard-working ants!

Tiptoe like a very quiet bug

Walk fast in a zigzag pattern like a spider

Turn around like a caterpillar spinning a cocoon

Hop and jump like a grasshopper as it goes from one blade of grass to another

Run and swoop like a moth as it flies around a bright light at night

Skip and gallop like a water bug skimming across a pond

Leap like a butterfly taking off and landing 


4.  Opposites

Play another musical selection.  Ask the children:

Can you dance slowly like a caterpillar?  Now can you dance fast like a bumblebee?

Can you dance smoothly and gracefully like a butterfly, then in a zigzag, herky-jerky way like a housefly?

Can you dance quietly like a spider, the loudly like a buzzing mosquito?

Can you glide like a centipede, then bounce and hop like a jumping water bug?

Can you move like you have little tiny legs like a small spider, and then as if you have great big legs like a daddy longlegs?

Can you hop like a small cricket?  Now can you hop like a giant grasshopper?

5.  Craft Project

Take a break from dancing to make colorful and fun antennae.  Use the materials described above.  Help each child to string beads on two pipe cleaners and then twist them onto the headband.  Use whatever other materials you have to add extra decorations.

Draw a Bug and Dance!

Ask the children to think about all of the bugs they have danced about.  Then, ask each child to draw an imaginary bug, with all of his or her favorite ideas combined into one bug!

Play a musical selection, and prompt the children to dance like their imaginary bug would move, while wearing the antennae they made.

Finish the activity by asking:  How would a bug bow?



I hope your little ones had fun dancing about bugs!


Keep on dancin'!

Connie

Moving is Learning!

http://www.scbwi.org/members/connie-dow/

*Ideas based on the 5-session unit called Busy Bugs: A Multilayered Movement Study, from my book One, Two, What Can I Do?  Dance and Music for the Whole Day, published by Redleaf Press.