Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

Gathering: Shape Bus 

Materials Needed: construction paper and glue sticks

1-We used the pattern found here on the All Kids Network site.

2-Cut out the pieces for the activity before class.
3-Allow the children to assemble the bus using the pieces provided.

CircleTime


Read Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

If you have followed my blog for long,you know that I LOVE Mo Willems!  And this is a perfect read aloud for Twos and Threes!  Pigeon begs the reader to allow him to drive the bus. He pleads,he bargains, and he demands.  The children had so much fun telling the Piegon "NO!" after each page! 

Of course we had to  sing “The Wheels on the Bus.” We added a verse  to the end, and we let the Pigeon drive the bus.  "The Pigeon on the bus, he drives, drives, drives..."


Art:  Handprint Pigeon

Materials Needed:Light Blue paint, large google eyes,yellow paper beaks,white construction paper collar, and orange crayons

1-Make a handprint with the blue paint.

2-Add a google eye,beak, and collar.

3-Draw two legs.

We found this great craft idea here on Creating and Teaching.  



Snack: Pigeon Rice Krispie Treats and Cheese Buses




These were so easy and so cute! Make your favorite rice krispie recipe and add just a couple of drops of blue food coloring. Shape into balls to make the pigeons' heads.  Add candy corn beaks and chocolate chip eyes!  

We used a bus cookie cutter to cut yellow cheese buses.

Activity: Let the Pigeons Drive the Bus

Create a 2 sided traffic sign (one side red for stop and one side green for go)

We let the children play a modified Red Light, Green Light.  We let them pretend to drive the bus when it was green and had them stop when the sign was red.  No one was sent back to the start.  They just had fun running.   They also took turns holding the sign.

Are You My Mother?

Our Mommy and Me Class enjoyed the book Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman this week.    

Gathering Activity: Bird Seed Sensory Table 

We played together outside in our sand table that I had filled with bird seed, toy birds, feathers, plastic bugs, measuring cups, and magnifying glasses.  The children enjoyed pretending to be birds.  And any that fell on the ground would be safe for our little animal friends to enjoy.  We ended a few minutes early and the children were able to come back outside and enjoy the activity again.  It was a favorite and no one was happy when it was time to go home.  



Circle Time:  Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman 

We open circle each week by singing “Here We Are Together.”  


BEFORE I READ: I gave each child and all of the mothers a plastic bird  figurine to hold during the story.  We used these during the story and finger plays.  The moms were able to model how to act out the story with their own birds. 

Are You My Mother? is a pretty lengthy read a loud for two year olds.  I invited the children to participate with the story while I read.  So when the baby bird looked up, they made their birds look up.  When the baby bird fell down out of the nest, their birds fell down to the ground (over and over and over again).  When the baby bird asked if the cat was his mommy, the children all asked the same question.

We sang two bird songs:  “In the Leafy Tree Tops” and “We will find a little nest”
 

We did the finger play "Two Little Blackbirds."


Two little blackbirds
Sitting on a wall;
One named Peter,
The other named Paul.
Fly away Peter!
Fly away Paul!
Come back Peter!
Come back Paul! 

Art: Paint with Feathers 

Materials Needed: Poster board, bird feathers, red, brown, and yellow paint.

We cut out a large bird outline/silhouette on a quarter sheet of poster board  for each child.  We gave the children feathers to use as paintbrushes.  We provided red, brown and yellow paint, like the colors in the book.

Snack: Jello Jigglers Eggs

One of our moms had the Jello egg mold and made Jello Jiggler Eggs for the kids.  We also ate cheese cubes and apple slices.  

Activity: Musical Nests

We played Musical Nests.  One Mom made 7 large brown nests out of vinyl she found at the fabric shop.  Construction paper would work, as well.  But these will last longer and can be used throughout the year.  We  played bird themed music she downloaded to her iPod. .  While the music was playing, we all pretended to fly around the room together.  When it stopped, we flew to a nest and sat down.   (or put the next on our heads).  Never take any nests away.  There should always be enough for everyone. 

"There Is a Bird on Your Head!"

Gathering Activity:   Bird Seed Sensory Table

We filled the sand and water table with bird seed, feathers, scoops, and plastic birds.  The children had a great time scooping, pouring, and pretending.  And the birds in our yard happily helped clean up any that accidentally found its way out of the table.

Circle Time: There Is A Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems 

I discovered Mo Willems' Piggie and Elephant series about a year ago.   My son was learning to read and these were perfect.  They were the perfect length, the perfect reading level, well written and illustrated, and each one had a simple lesson.  But most importantly, they are HILARIOUS!   I have been waiting all year for spring to arrive so that I could share There Is a Bird on Your Head! with my mommy and me friends.  In the book, two birds build a nest on Elephant's head and lays three little eggs.  Then chicks are born on his head.  In the end, Elephant simply asks the birds to move, and they do (onto Piggie's head).   It is a cute lesson on using our words to express our desires.  

After we read the book we sang two songs/fingerplays.

Two Little Blackbirds  
 Two Little Blackbirds, sitting on a wall,
One named Peter, the other named Paul.
Fly away Peter, Fly away Paul.
Come back Peter, Come back Paul.

and

Birds in the Tree
We will find a little nest (cup hands together)
In the branches of a tree (hold arms up rounded over head).
Let us count the eggs inside;
There are one, two, three (hold up one, two, and three fingers).
Mother bird sits on the nest (cup left hand, place right hand on top)
To hatch the eggs, all three (hold up three fingers).
Father bird flies round and round (move arms in a flying motion)
To guard his family.

We also enjoyed a fun Eggs in Nest counting game we adapted from Preschool Express.  We created 5 little nests from paper bags and filled them with shredded paper bags.  They were numbered 1-5.  The children took turns filling the nests with the corresponding number of eggs.

Art: Bird Nests and Eggs

This project was adapted from ideas found on Teach Preschool and Busy Bee Crafts.

Materials Needed: Shredded grocery bags, cardboard circle, glue, one plastic egg, two orange construction paper beaks, and 4 paper wings.

Directions:
1-Spread glue on the cardboard circle.

2-Press shredded paper into the glue to create a nest.

3-Glue beak in between the two holes in the bottom of each egg half.  The holes are the eyes.  Add the wings.  (This part was pretty tricky and needed lots of Mommy help).

4-Glue the birdies into the nest.

Snack: Welcome Spring Bird's Nest

We loved these adorable nests featured on Sun Scholars and just had to make them for Mommy and Me. Click the link for full directions.

Games:  Nest Building and "There's A Bird on Your Head" Relay

1-Nest Building
Using found materials in the backyard, the children worked together to create a large nest.  They loved playing birds and flew about the yard gathering sticks and twigs.  And of course it was a lot of fun to climb inside our nest.

2-"There's A Bird on Your Head" Relay

We used a coonskin hat with the tail tucked in as a nest.  Plastic bird toys were placed inside.  The children took turns wearing the nest and walking across the yard.  It was great balancing practice and a fun way to retell the story!

We will be participating in The Come Outside to Play Challenge in April.  I'd love for you to join us!

Stranger in the Woods

Gathering Activity: 
Newspaper Snowball Fight and Snowman Building

Materials Needed: Recycled Newspaper and Recycled Tissue Paper (leftover from the holidays). 2 white garbage bags, eyes, nose, buttons made from construction paper,tape, a hat and a scarf.

Directions:
1-As the children arrive, have them help you make "snowballs" with the paper.  This always leads to a fun indoors snowball fight with our mommies. 

2-When the snowball fight has died down, have the children help you fill two plastic garbage bags with the "snowballs."  These will make large "snowballs" for an indoor snowman.

3-Tie the two bags together.

4-Allow the children to add a face, buttons, and accessories.

5-Enjoy your snowman friend during circle time and other activities during Mommy and Me that day!

Circle Time:  
Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick

Stranger in the Woods is one of my favorite books.  It is beautifully illustrated with real photographs of wildlife in the snowy woods. The animals are pictured enjoying a special treat left by children:  a snowman decorated with yummy treats for the birds, deer, and squirrels to eat.  My son is currently obsessed with birds and so this is one of his favorites, as well.  It is a fun read aloud if you give different voices to each of the animals. 
 
After reading the book, we counted snowmen using flannel board snowmen. We sang 3 different songs and finger plays.  5 Little Snowmen Standing in a Row , Once There Was a Snowman, and A Chubby Little Snowman. 

Art: 
Pinecone Peanut Butter Birdfeeders

Materials Needed: Peanut Butter (or crisco, if you work at a peanut free school), 1 plastic knife and plate per child, 1 pine cone per child (rub edges on driveway to make the points dull and easier for small hands to handle), bird seed, string, garbage bag, and 1 plastic bag per child

Directions:
1-Tie the string around the top of the pine cone BEFORE you spread the peanut butter. 
2-Allow the children to cover their pinecones with peanut butter.  We scooped some on each child's plates so that they wouldn't have to share the jar.

3-Bring the pinecones outside.  Roll the pinecones in a pile of birdseed that has been poured into a plastic bag.  (Helps sooo much with clean up).

4-Place each completed bird feeder in a plastic bag to take home.

5-Hang your bird feeder in a place where your child can watch his animals friends enjoy.


Snack:
Rice Cake Snowmen and Snow Cones

Rice Cake Snowmen

Materials Needed: Each child will need: 3 mini rice cakes, cream cheese, 2 chocolate chip eyes, 1 carrot sliver,  3 raisin buttons.
Directions: Allow the children to assemble their snowmen anyway they choose and enjoy!

Snow Cones: One of the mommies had a snow cone machine.  We shaved the ice and allowed the children to scoop it into their cups and add their own flavoring.  It was a fun treat!

Activity: 
Shaving Cream Snow Art

Materials Needed: Shaving Cream with a mild scent, lots of water and cloths for clean up :)

Directions:  Pour 3 balls of shaving cream on the table in the form of a snowman for each child.  Allow them to "finger paint" in the shaving cream snow.  We drew letters and pictures with our children to encourage them to explore the shaving cream.  This activity was more enjoyable for some of our kids than others. Some are more tactile and enjoy the feeling of new textures, a couple were a little hesitant.