After the "Holidaze"

At next weeks Discovery Hour (Tuesday, January 10th) we will:

• Learn the animal signs for bear, rabbit, bird, mouse and sleep.
• Read "Bear Snores On" by Karma Wilson, while practicing signs and acting out animals.
• Play "Bears are Sleeping."
• Play "Where are the shapes" game.
• Make paper bears.

 Ideas for Home:

• Play “Who Stole the Honey From the sleeping Bear?” sung to the tune of “Who Stole the Cookie?”
• Hide a honey pot or other bear foods (printed from your computer) around the house and go hunting.
• Use a stuffed bear to practice position words. Have children place their bear on their head, on their shoulder, under their arm, beside their face, behind their back, in their hand and so on.
• Puffy Paint Bear Pictures: Make homemade puffy paint by adding the desired watercolor paint color to shaving cream and glue. We have not tried this yet, but love the idea!
• Sing Bears Are Sleeping (to the tune of Brother John)

Bears are sleeping, bears are sleeping,

In their lairs, in their lairs,

Springtime will be here soon, springtime will be here soon,

Wake up bears, wake up bears!

            We like to pretend we are sleeping with blankets and pillows and then jump up at the end of the song!

• Teddy Bear Hide-n-Seek: hide stuffed bears (or any animal) around the house and have children find them. Children could use binoculars (real or homemade with a paper towel roll) to help them “look for bears.”
• Have a Teddy Bear Picnic. Use a blanket, stuffed bears, plates, cups and basket with real or fake food.
• Make a cave with blankets and pillows. Bring a flashlight into the cave and read stories.
• Counting Bears: Mark paper plates with the numbers 1 thru 10 and have children count out the correct number of bears on each plate. If you don’t have counting bears, you could print out small bear pictures and make bear cards to count.
• Beginning Sound Game: Use food picture cards (made from grocery fliers or print from computer) Ask child to find a food that begins with the ___ sound…

Enjoy playing and pretending at home, let your little ones be your guide!!