Shape Day: Lines

Form: two connected points, straight line, curved line

Movement
Imitate form: fingers, arms, hand stand, mountain pose

Imitate motion: move forward, move back, 

Music

Do as I'm doing (line type movements or following a line on ground)

Snail line song/movement
Conga Line
Country Line Dance
Climbing up a tree (line going up)
I am Growing (growing up)
Head, shoulders, knees toes (line of your body)
Those Bones (if you talk about straight bones)
I'm Going on a "Line" Hunt (tweak Lion Hunt version to do a singing scavenger hunt)

Games (or free play)

Active/play ground games: red rover, shark and minnows, fox in the snow, obstacle courses, scavenger hunt for lines, Red light green light (go, stop of line), Mother may I (variety of motion of a line), Chalk connect-the-dot

Toys: blocks or anything create lines with, geoboard (shapes)

Sports: bow and arrows, darts

Other: Dominoes, pickup sticks
I Spy (line....scavenger hunt) --the kids really get into this!

Art & Creation

Real Examples: recreate with lines or find lines in a piece
Paint: different thicknesses of brushes and types of tools

Draw: tracing, connect the dots (dot grids are awesome)

Paper: paper chain, weaving

Reuse: popsicle stick building (can do bone anatomy recreation)

Fabric/fiber: string pictures/line art, sewing, threading, weaving, etc.

Tools: 
string, Popsicle sticks (make shapes and letters), threading/sewing or geoboards (make shapes), chopsticks

Books & Stories

The Neat Line
Not a Stick
The Line that Bends

Shape Day: Circles

Circle: outline, solid, sphere

Movement

Imitate form: finger in air, arms over head, sign language letter o, group circle

Imitate motion: swing arms, roll wrists, shoulders, elbows, ankles, head/neck, somersault, cartwheel
Yoga: sun circle (make up a story about the sun rising and setting, using arms in big circle)

Music

Do as I'm doing (rolling hands, head, eyes)

Ring around the Rosie (move in circle)

Hokey pokey (turn around and group circle)

Games (or free play)

Active: Duck duck goose (group circle, run in circle), Helicopter Jump Rope Game/song

Toys: Cars, trains, 

Playground games: Hula hoops, Marbles, skip it, draw chalk circles (hopping connect-the-dots)

Sports: any ball game or frisbee
I Spy (circle style....scavenger hunt)

Art & Creation

Paint: circle form stamps, various size and color dots

Draw: various dots, concentric circles (pointalism: light and dark)

Paper: roll paper into tube (telescope)

Reuse: save tp rolls, cans, or lids to make something (wheels/car, etc.)

Fabric/fiber: roll yarn into balls, winter hats (circle loom)

Books & Stories

The Dot

Circles

Color Poems

I think it's important for kids to learn where colors come from. I wanted an easy way to remember, without rote words...so I made up a little rhyme for the mixing of colors and I introduce them to my kids during bath time with simple homemade fingerpaints by saying the rhyme, showing splashing for the story.

-----------------

GREEN: how it came to be

The great yellow sun shining up high

collided with the big blue sky,

Then what happened down below?

They caused the green grass to grow.

ORANGE: how it came to be

The great yellow sun reached down to touch a red flower,

But it's heat burnt the petals with orange fire power.

PURPLE: how it came to be

The blue of the waves tossed a boat of red,

Crash! A splash of purple. 

And beauty was bred.

PRIMARY COLORS: red, yellow, blue (from primary children's songbook)

The primary colors are one, two, three...

Red, yellow and blue.

Each has a message for you and me,

Each is a symbol too.

Red is for courage to do what is right. (Faith)

Yellow for service through day and through night. (Charity and love)

Blue is for truth in word and in deed. (Hope)

We will be happy if this is our creed.

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Rainbow Song (adaptation of original color song so they are in order of the rainbow)
Re-ed, or-ange, ye-llow, green,
Blue and pur-ple too....

I can sing the colors
of the rain-bow...
So I'll sing them for you

--
I use the same song above to sing/reinforce the color-making stories previously mentioned:
Green:
Yellow sun and blue sky form below
to make the green grass grow.
It grows over everything,
over everything...
Blue and yellow make green.

Orange:
Hot yellow sun touches red flower.
Ouch! orange fire power.
Orange starts with "O,"
and is made by...
colors Red and yellow.

Purple:
Red boat sailed on blu-ue sea,
CRASH! purple beauty!
Purple so true,
It's made by...
the colors red and blue.

Do-re-mi Hand Signs

Here is a handy chart to help assign sounds to certain notes. With sounds that are predictable it is easier for children to recognize patterns they hear.

Try singing a favorite song replacing the words with these sounds, according to associated notes/rhythm. You can also try marching to the beat and saying the accompanying rhythm sounds.


If you want to get more complicated....

Do -Re-Mi Scale Hand Signs

The octave using these words are actually called solfege. and there are accompanying Curwin/Glover hand signs. These are the signs to accompany notes while you sing. This way kids get a visual with the sound and better learn. You can use them with a song and then slowly eliminate certain words sung, while still making the signs. Try a simple folk song like Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Sing a Happy Song

Ducks in the pond quack a happy song (open and close thumb and fingers like a duck’s bill).

Mother hens cackle the whole day long (put hands under arms to make wings).

Birds in their nests (put hands in the shape of a nest) and wind in the treetops (wave hands above head like trees blowing in the wind)

All join in singing a happy song.

Give a Smile Away

Help the children do the following activity verse:

A smile is very catchy (push corners of mouth into a smile),

And so when I feel sad (push corners of mouth into a frown),

I try to give a smile away (push corners of mouth into a smile, then pretend to give it away)

And soon I’m feeling glad (place both hands over heart and smile very big,)

Dear Little Friend

I have the dearest little friend (hug self);

I see her [or him] every day.

I love my friendly little friend.

This is how we play:

We play with dolls (pretend to rock a doll in your arms);

We throw our balls (pretend to throw a ball);

We march like soldiers, too (march quietly in place).

We play in the swing (pretend to swing);

We talk and sing;

Like all good friends should do (fold arms and nod head).

Busy Little Fingers to Help

Busy little fingers (hold up a fist),

Who will help us to obey?

“I will.” “I will.” “I will.” “I will.” “I will” (raise a finger with each “I will” until all the fingers are extended),

The busy fingers say.

Be a Helper

Now that I am big and tall (stand on tiptoes and stretch arms up high),

A good helper I will be.

A helper to father (hold up first finger),

Who is kind and good;

I’ll do for my mother (hold up second finger)

The things that I should.

A helper to sister (hold up third finger),

To brother too (hold up fourth finger);

A helper to all my friends so true (hold up thumb).

And God’s helper I’ll try to be

By loving others as he loves me (fold arms).

I want to be a helper of all (sweep arms wide),

Now that I am big and tall (stand on tiptoes and stretch arms high).

Grandmother

You give me a kiss (put fingers to lips, then pull them away).

You give me a hug (wrap arms around self).

You smile when you see me, too (smile).

I wish every child in the whole wide world (spread arms out)

Had a grandmother just like you (point).

You read me a book (pretend to hold a book).

You sing me a song (open mouth wide as if singing).

You whisper you love me, too (cup hands around mouth).

I wish every child in the whole wide world (spread arms out)

Had a grandmother just like you (point).

My Family

Here is my pretty mother (point to index finger);

Here is my father tall (point to middle finger).

Here is my older sister (point to ring finger),

And that isn’t all.

Here is my baby brother (point to little finger),

As small as small can be.

Who is this other person (point to thumb)?

Of course you know it’s me.

One, two, three, four, five, you see (touch each finger as you count),

Make a very nice family!

Make Happy Days

Two eyes to see nice things to do (point to eyes),

Two lips to smile the whole day through (smile a large smile).

Two ears to hear what others say (cup hands around ears),

Two hands to put the toys away (pretend to pick up toys and put them away).

A tongue to speak kind words each day (point to mouth),

A loving heart to work and play (hold hands over heart).

Two feet that gladly run (point to feet)—

Make happy days for everyone.

Emotions

Sometimes when I’m very sad (make a sad face),

My mother hugs me. Then I’m glad (hug self and make a happy face).

Sometimes when I’m very mad (make an angry face),

I walk away and talk with Dad (walk in place and nod head, as if talking).

If something ever frightens me (make a frightened face),

I say a prayer to comfort me (fold arms).

Then when I go out to play,

I’ll be happy every day (make a happy face).

My Nose

I have a nose (point to nose).

It sits on my face (put hands on cheeks),

Right in the middle

In the very best place (use finger to draw an imaginary circle around nose).

My nose can sniff (sniff);

My nose can smell (take a deep breath through nose and let it out).

I thank Heavenly Father (fold arms)

That my nose works so well.

Count the Eggs

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.

Two Little Tweety Birds

Two little tweety birds sat upon a wall (place a finger on each shoulder),

One named Peter (raise the left finger)

And one named Paul (raise the right finger).

Fly away, Peter (place the left finger behind the back);

Fly away, Paul (place the right finger behind the back).

Come back, Peter (place the left finger on the shoulder again);

Come back, Paul (place the right finger on the shoulder again).

Butterfly Landed On You: fingerplay game

One little butterfly flew away

On a very bright, warm summer day.

It flew up in the sky so blue,

And when it landed, it landed on you!


---
You can use this to pick someone to do something or in a circle like duck duck goose, etc.

Little Goldfish

My darling little goldfish hasn’t any toes (touch toes).

He swims around without a sound and bumps his hungry nose(point to nose).

He can’t get out to play with me, nor I get in to swim (make swimming motions).

And when I say, “Come out and play,”

He seems to say, “Come in” (motion “come in” with hand).

Little Turtle

I have a little turtle.

It lives in a box (cup hands).

It swims in the river (make swimming motions),

And climbs on the rocks (move fingers upward in a climbing motion).

It snapped at a minnow (clap hands).

It snapped at a flea (clap hands).

It snapped at a mosquito (clap hands),

And it snapped at me (clap hands)!

It caught the minnow (clap hands);

It caught the flea (clap hands);

It caught the mosquito (clap hands);

But it didn’t catch me!

Day and Night Fingerplay

This little fellow is going to bed (raise one finger).

Down on the pillow he lays his head (lay finger on palm of other hand).

Wraps himself in the blankets tight (close fingers over first finger),

And this is the way he sleeps all night.

Morning comes and he opens his eyes.

Back with a toss the cover flies (open hand to show finger resting).

Soon he is up and dressed and away (raise finger up),

Ready to smile and work and play.

Once I was a Baby

Once I was a baby, baby, baby, Once I was a baby, small, small, small. Now I’m growing bigger, bigger, bigger, Now I’m growing bigger, tall, tall, tall!

God's Creation Fingerplay

God’s Creation

God made the moon (make a circle with hands)

And winking stars (open and close hands)

And put them in the sky (reach up).

He made the sun (make a circle with arms overhead)

And trees (hold arms straight up)

And flowers (cup hands)

And little birds that fly (wave arms).

(From Fascinating Finger Fun by Eleanor Doan. © 1951.)