Preschool summer activities

Hi there,

Hard to believe that the 4th of July is just days away.. Those winter months seem so far away when we couldn't wait to get outside.

Let's enjoy these days! Here are some ideas for the 4th of July to add to your files.

Discussion--The Bald Eagle

This is a good time to talk with your preschoolers about the Bald Eagle. Explain to them that it is a symbol for the US and was declared the national bird of the US in 1782. It is only found in the United States.

Get their ideas of what "bald" means when talking about the eagle. It doesn't mean that it has no feathers on its head (like a person who is bald has no hair). If comes from a Greek word "piebald" which means "marked with white".

GOOD NEWS!--is that as of June 28, 2007 it goes off the endangered species list because the population of birds has grown so large.

Patriotic Punch
Need:
2 ice cube trays
Red juice
Blue juice
Seltzer water or club soda

Simply fill one or more ice cube trays with a red and one or more trays with blue fruit-flavored beverage and let the cubes freeze solid.
Place 3-4 ice cubes in each glass, pour the seltzer over and watch the special effects. As the red and blue ice melts, colored bubbles swirl through the drink.

Parade
White Paper Plates
Red & Blue Paint
Gold Stars
Tissue Paper cut in strips for streamers
Beans

Let the children decorate the bottom side of the paper plates any way they wish. Once their creations are complete, fold the plate in half. Add the dried beans to the plate to make noise makers and staple the edges shut. Just before you get to the bottom, add the streamers and continue stapling until the plates are sealed.

Turn on some great music, grab the colorful noisemakers, Yankee Doodle Dandy is good, and lead a parade around the yard, playground or classrooms. Always fun to have a parade.

Hope you enjoy the ideas.

If you're looking for more ideas be sure to check out my Preschool Lesson Plans at:

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html

Bye for now,

Mary