Curious Kitties: The Great Outdoors

1. Opening Song: Building Blocks Song

Tune: Hello Ladies
Hello __________ (first child in the circle)
Hello __________(second child in the circle)
Hello __________(third child in the circle)
Come build something with your blocks!

2. Importance of scientific observation—make predictions, test, discuss

3. Intro to outdoor science: Picture a Tree by Barbara Reid–This is a fantastic book with rich images made of Plasticine clay. If I were a teacher, I would love to incorporate this book in a duel science/art class. That being said, the text is nothing extraordinary and the vocabulary is about average. Still an excellent choice for storytimes. We had a lot to talk about during the reading!

4. Fingerplay: Dig Dig Dig (tune: Row Row Row Your Boat)

Dig, dig, dig the earth,

Plant your seeds below

A gentle rain

And bright sunshine

Will help your flowers grow.

5. Prop Activity with song above: Give children scarves for their seeds. Have them plant them inside their hands on the ground. Water them with a watering can and pass over them with sunshine and the kids will throw up the scarves when they’re ready.
(need scarves, watering can, and sun cutout)
Note: Children loved the real watering can. I feel like any time there is an opportunity to bring in a real prop, the preschool crowd goes wild.

6. Book: Seeds by Ken Robbins

7. Book: Clouds by Alice K. Flanagan

Activities

Station 1: Outdoor Color Match with color swatches
Supplies: Color swatches, binder rings, hole punches
Note: You’ll need to plan in advance to go to your local paint store (I used Sherwin-Williams) and ask for free color swatches. Once I said that it was for an educational storytime, they seemed quite enthusiastic to donate them. The sturdiness of the swatches and the binder rings gives this simple craft a boost up in usability.
Station 2: Cloud identification windows
Supplies: printed and pre-cut cloud pictures, popsicle sticks, tape
Note: Because of the preschool crowd I pretty much had these pre-made for them so the kids didn’t have much to do with them except after they left. I spent a decent amount of time cutting out the middles with an exacto knife so beware. Although I didn’t, I would suggest laminating these in advance.
Station 4: Seed Sorting
Supplies: 2 cookie trays, ice cube tray, seeds
Note: This is such an open ended play idea that some kids spent a long time here, eventually laying out the seeds on the cookie tray and creating pictures or patterns. Perfect opportunities for talking!