Let you light Shine

On Christmas Eve My Church has a candlelight service every year and I thought this craft from the FunShine Express would go well will advertising and getting as many people to hear the Good News.
I started out by introducing the candle vocabulary card. I love how these cards just get the bumbles talking and giving them new thoughts and ideas .

we talked about candles and why they are used. We also sang the song that came in the kit

I brought out the gingerbreads and talked about how they are holding hands and showing the care and when we show we care we care sharing the light of Jesus. we then talked about other ways we can share Jesus through our words and songs and stories. I then gave them the materials to make their own candle are. ( note I did change it up a bit)

Materials

Construction paper
red and green crayons
glue
candles

each child colored their paper as much or little as the wanted with red and green crayons. I then gave them a tray of glue and small pain brushes. Once they had enough glue on their paper they were able to add the candles. On the top of their paper I added ______ is shining bright for Jesus

While making this craft I played Let your light shine by hill song kids

Starry Night

This Fun Craft came from My FunShine curriculum box they gave me everything I needed for this craft

Before doing the craft I showed them the vocabulary card of decorate

we talked about what was in the picture, what the child was doing and then went on who had a tree and their favorite ornament on the tree.

Black construction paper
Christmas tree
star stickers

My bumbles still have trouble knowing their space so I like giving them cookie trays for their art it helps keeps them focused on their work and not going into someone else's space.

I stared out with their Black construction paper and a white crayon. I let them color as much as they wanted then gave them a tree. Though I added the glue to these trees I let them place them on their paper. They were then given stars to add on the black part of the paper which of course some wanted to put on the tree or their hands. :) which I happily allow :)
On the top I labeled it _____'s Starry Night. I played O Christmas tree as the bumbles enjoyed decoration their art.

Christmas Present

One thing I fill all preschool teachers need are ideas for Christmas gifts. I love making something with the child that the parents can use throughout the year.
This year we made dessert tins, coaters and a cookies for santa plate.

The picture shows mostly the dessert tin but I will give instructions on how to make all three.

Cookies plate

chinet plate (hard cardboard not wax) 2.99 for 14large at Stater Brothers

I copied this picture

I got of an internet search and when I was done I covered with 2 layers of decoupage

For the Dessert tin I bought tins at the dollar tree one for each kid. I then decoupage their Christmas phot on the lid. Inside we filled with goodies we decorated during our Christmas party.
When adding the phot make sure you print these ones on phot paper regular printing paper with bubble on the tins to much.

coasters
.16 at home depot.
on one tile I place there Christmas picture with decoupage
on the other their hand print and the third I wrote Merry Christmas in Sharpie then surrounded it with there fingerprints then drew lines to turn their fingerprints into Christmas light.
all three tiles got 2 cots of decoupage once they sat out for a day for the paint and marker to dry.

Christmas Door

Super excited our door won the door contest again this year. :) 

This year we did the candy cane story. Each child painted a candy cane. We then took their pictures and put them in between candy canes making a heart shape

Gingerbread

This week we are starting out Gingerbread theme I am so excited for this theme. I love when the kids get to experience Christmas in a hands on way.

The FunShine Express sent me some amazing material to  experiment with my Bumbles. We will be singing, playing, and introducing so many new things to these littles.

I am mostly excited about the gingerbread men they sent. Of course I will be using them to repeat the Buster Buddy song at  Circle. Our morning is not complete without giving each bumble the spotlite as they move there object and say hello. I have adapted for Christmas by giving them a gingerbread man and changing the lyric

Gingerbread goes high
Gingerbread goes low
Gingerbread wants to meet _____ here he goes

we also introduce them by singing this song

In The 2016/2017 CD they also have a gingerbread song that we have played during art and as a freeze Dance even if you don't own the CD its fun to sing as they play with Gingerbread playdoh or at circle

Thank you note

To work on our language development we talked about things we are thankful for. Family, friend , Jesus, toys ect. We decided to make Mr. Ron a thank you card ( Mr. Ron leads worship for us every week)

We colored the front of the card and added stickers

On the inside we painted our hands to look like turkeys 

When it was dry we walked around singing Gobble Gobble Thank You by:Tammy Ziegler

Sung to "skip to my Lou"

Gobble, gobble, gobble we say thank you

Gobble, gobble, gobble we say thank you

Gobble, gobble, gobble we say thank you

Thank you for all you do!

Thank you streamers

The Funshine Curriculm came with this great art idea.

To start I cut out the pieces like this.

This way I was able to keep the pieces together till I was ready to attach them to the streamers. We then let the bumbles color and add the stickers provided. 

I then attached them to the streamers provided the bumbles love their banners.

Please and Thank You

With Thanksgiving just around the corner this was a great theme to introduce to the Bumbles. I held up the Dinner a vocabulary card as we talked about what the picture was. I had some bumbles say waiting family and yummy.

We talked about our favorite foods and I showed them how to say please and thank you in sign language.

Music and movement:

I'm not sure where I got these but I've had them for years. They are maracas shaped like fruits and vegetables. We used these instead of the manners felt board. 

We shook them as we sang this song

Sung to" Did you ever see a lassie"

Oh when I want (an apple). 

( an apple, an apple)

Oh when I want (an apple). 

I always say please.

( an apple, an apple)

Please give me an (an apple). 

Oh when I want (an apple). 

I always say please.

Oh when I get (an apple). 

( an apple, an apple)

Oh when I get (an apple). 

It's thank you I say.

Oh thank you oh thank you

For giving me an (an apple). 

Oh when I get (an apple). 

It's thank you I say..

Fall ideas

Turkeys

We painted their feet brown then added feather a beak and gobbler to make these turkeys.

November books

These are all fabulous hands on books to read to two or three year olds. They hold their attention and are short but interactive.

Vegtable pick up

This was a great way to get the bumbles to familiarize themselves with different fruits and Vegtables. 

Give each child a food card

Have them sit in a circle as you sing this song while driving the truck around

When you song the child food have them load it in the truck. You can use any toy truck I used this wooden truck I got from the FunShine express.

Art:

Thankful Child pictures 

What you need:

Cornucopia pattern

Squared of plastic canvas, 

Stickers

Each child used the plastic square to paint a pattern on the cornucopia.

Once they dry stick child picture in the center then encourage them to stick stickers around their pictures. 

I turned them into placemats by gluing them to a larger piece of paper then writing what the are thankful around it.

Using the matrials provided in the FunShine Curriculm we made turkey 

.

Fall harvest week 2

This week we continued on our fall harvest theme. We brought out our basket of potato vocabulary card. we talked about how potato are grown.

We then played hot potato. We do not however get out when the song stops but clapped and continue on.

We sang the vegetable pick up song continued from last week.

Fall Harvest

Today we started our language development time using our Corn vocabulary card. We talked about the item in the picture, asked what type of food it was and who likes corn.

We then took out the November Object of the Month a wooden truck we talked about what the farmer does with his truck then continued on to the Vegtable Match

Halloween Fun

Last day of October and what a month we've had. Today we decided to go out with a bang and take the Bumbles Trick or Treating. we went around to the office and classrooms in our pajamas.

 we collected everything we needed for our snack, then picnicked together with the butterflies

I found these bats and cave patterns in an old mailbox magazine and colored them. We matched each bat to its cave.

Pumpkin seeds: we cut the top off a pumpkin and pulled out the seeds

October Review

WOW what an amazing month we had. The Bumbles are learning and growing so much. This past week I  had two Bumbles let me paint their feet who have said no in the past. One of them even put their hands in the pumpkin :) Sensory fun is a great learning tool for our little ones just remember never force. They will do it when they are ready.

October Sensory Ideas

Sensory Box.

Corn feed
colored pom poms
small plastic pumpkins tongs

The Bumbles used the tongs to add the pom poms into the pumpkins


Pumpkin carving

we cut the top off the pumpkin then encouraged the Bumbles to pull out the seeds. we also talked about the inside of the pumpkin.


Shaving Cream Pumpkins

we gave the Bumbles shaving cream and pumpkins and let them explore

We did a pumpkin toss (an idea I got from the FunShine Exporess and made a Pumpkin Picture.

Fall boards

Stuck on Jesus

We painted our hands to make the spiders. I got teachers tape(score they had some at the dollar tree) I used the tape and made a spiderweb shape then stuck on,y spiders.

Falling in love with Jesus

We colored a leaf patter I got from the scholastic web page then stuck them around these words.

Pumpkin Fun

Due to the season we have been spending a lot of time playing, paining, singing ect. about  pumpkins. To help with this I used the Buster Buckle song from the FunShine Curriculm I just replace buster for. Pumpkin.

Pumpkin goes up high

(Have child raise pumpkin high above their head)

Pumpkin goes down low

(Have child move the pumpkin low to the ground)

Pumpkin wants to meet a friend 

Here he goes 

(Pass pumpkin to the next friend till everyone has a turn)

Using these stuffed pumpkins we took turns counting tossing and playing them

We also changed up the here come Dino song to e roll the pumpkin song

Sung to "good night ladies"

Roll the pumpkin

Roll the pumpkin

Roll the pumpin

Roll it from you to me.

Dinosaur Fun

The Funshine a curriculm came with this great activity for circle time. The Bumblebees loves rolling the Dino car back and forth while singing the song. We also brought it out during free play because they loved it so much.

Dinosaur tails.

I love the small Pom poms that came it the kit today. Perfect for their tiny hands. We sipes our sponges in green paint then covered the long bags with they paint. I can't wait for them to dry so we can shake our dino-tails. As they painted I played dinosaur, dinosaur from the 2004 Funshine CD

Sensory

shaving cream  covered dinosaurs: we covered dinosaurs with shaving cream then let the class  encouraged the to trace the letter D on the table.

Music and Movement: We are the Dinosaurs By: Laurie Berkner
If you have never played this song with your littles I encourag you weather they are 2 or 4 the will love this song. You can play it during art or for music and movement they will catch on quickly  and it enspires creative play

Sensory.using shaving cream we covered dinosaurs and let the bumbles play.

Christopher Columbus

Today we introduced Christopher Columbus and though this subject may seem to go over the bumbles heads a bit they loved talking and singing about ships

Songs

Columbus Sailed the Ocean (Tune: Pop Goes the Weasel)
All around the great wide world,
Columbus sailed the ocean
To prove the world was big & round
That's real devotion!

I got his song from http://www.childcarelounge.com/season-theme/columbus-day.php

Art

We water colored the Nina, pints and Santa maria and glued them next to this fantastic poem about Christopher Columbus. That I got from this blog http://just4teachers.blogspot.com/2012/04/unit-5-week-3-columbus-explores-new.html

October Circle Time

Each month I introduce new concepts to go with our season

To say good morning this month we will be using Dino Dino a super cool rolling Dino I got from The FunShine Express. Each child takes turn rolling Dino Dino to each other as the sing this song.

Here Comes Dino

sung to " 

Here comes Dino,

here comes Dino, 

here comes Dino.

He rolls from me to you

Roll back Dino

Roll back Dino

Roll back Dino

He rolls from you to me.

Introducing orange. We added an orange circle to monkey this month. We will continue to sing our monkey song and shape song we just changed it from red to orange.

🎶 put the triangle on your foot on your foot 
    Put the triangle on your foot on your foot
    Oh, you have a foot it's true
    Other people have one too.
    Put the triangle on your foot on your foot. 🎶 

    sung to "If your happy and you Know it"

I love introuducing empotions during October. Whil all the costumes and scary things our it's a great time to let the kids know it's ok to be happy sad scared silly ect. A great way t to this is through this emotion rhyme.

Pumpkin, pupkins short and fat 

Change your feeling just like that

October

I just love fall. The weather is cooler and everything just feels cozier. I love pumpkin spice lattes, breads, scones and pumpkin play-doh. This month I will be filling my classroom with red brown orange and green as we talk about the change in the weather. To start off I used The vocabulary cards that came in the FunShine Curriculm. We looked at the picture of the girl and asked why they though she was wearing a coat. We then took out all of the jackets/sweaters we brought. We noticed some had Zippers, some had buttons and some pulled over our heads. We played a game and to see if we could pick the right coat with the right friend.

Circle Time: To introduce our friends today I used the same concept as Buster Buckle but instead of using Buster I used a mini pumpkin. We talked about its color and size.




Fall Art

Pumpkins:
what you need:
Brown Lunch Sack
Orange Paint
Sponges
Stuffing
Green Pipe cleaners

Have each child paint both sides of the brown sack. when done stuff it ( I use news paper) and twist the tip of the bag to look like a stem. Wrap stem green pipe cleaner.

Sun catcher leaves

What you need:

Leaf pattern (I got this one from the scholastic website)

Fall colored construction paper

Tissue paper

Contact paper

To prepare cut out leaf shape on the center of the paper. Stick contact ape rover leaf shape. Keep is edge till art.

Give each child  sticky leaf and let them stick tissue paper in the center. When done stick another piece on top.

Jack o lanterns

What you need :

Pumpkin pattern ( I got this one from the mailbox companion website) 

Orange paint 

Triangles 

Jack o lantern mouth

Have each child paint the pumpkin then glue the triangle eyes and mouth.

B is for...

This week we are introducing the letter Bb. Throughout the years I have collected what I feel is the best circle time letter introductory kit.

Each day we read sing and touch the letter of the week.

And of course we use Buster Buckle to introduce all of our friends

Activities for the letter Bb

Using large button die cut we sorted all the buttons.

We colored a capital B then glued  Bumble Bees on the letter Bb. On the bottom of the paper I added the children's definition for a Bee.

To help the kids I give them a small cup full of glue and a q-tip.

This activity I got off the abctwiggles website we turned a capital B into a beautiful butterfly. This site you do need to pay for but check pinterest do a simple Letter ___ art and tons will pop up or you can check out my pinterest where I have organized my class ideas through months

Balloon Painting: I love introducing new object for my Bumbles I tried water balloon but I do feel regular balloons stand up better(wont pop as easily) make sure when using balloons that if they do pop you get all the pieces THEY ARE A CHOKING HAZARD WHEN POPPED.

Fun with Friends

VWe are still learning to share but we are getting to know each other and recognizing  each one by name. Buster Buckle has been very helpful when teaching us our friends name as we pass him from one friend to the next. Its also been a great tool for teaching patience and that everyone gets a turn.

Today for circle-time  we shared pictures I've been taking throughout the last few weeks of our friends playing. We talked about what the were doing and who was in the pictures. 

For art we used crayons, dot-paint, stickers and the pictures from circle time to decorate a piece of paper that said ________'s Friends  as they created their masterpieces I played the welcome friends song from the Funshine CD.

Welcome Friends Track 1
 • Sung to “Skip to My Lou”
Welcome, welcome, welcome friends!
Welcome, welcome, welcome friends!
Welcome, welcome, welcome friends!
 Glad you are here today!
Say, “Hello” to my friends now.
Say, “Hello” to my friends now
 Say, “Hello” to my friends now.
 Glad you are here today!  I then repeact the song replace the word my friend with a child name.

Lyrics to all their songs can me found on the curriculum extras page.