Tuesday, February 28, 2017

* Rain Shakers *


I don't know about you, but I love the way the rain sounds against a roof top. I chose this activity to do with the children so they could create their own calming music.



What You Will Need

Colored construction paper, rubber bands, tape, scissors, paper towel roll, beads or rice, and stickers, markers, crayons, etc.



Start off by helping the child take the paper around the roll and then tape it. Take another colored construction paper an fold it over the bottom and wrap the rubber band around it for the child.



After you do that turn it back on its bottom. Give the child some of the beads and let them drop them into the tube until they are all in the tube.

















Fold another piece of paper over the top and wrap another rubber band around the tube for the child. Once that is done let them decorate the tube with stickers, crayons, markers, etc.






Once they are done decorating their rain shakers it is time to test them out. Some sounded like slow rain showers and others sounded like a heavy rain storm. There is nothing like an afternoon rain dance!!! 


This activity turned out really good. I wouldn't change anything about this activity but I would extend it by maybe making a lesson on musical instruments and making different types of instruments. The children stayed engaged from beginning to end. Some decorated theirs with marker, some with stickers, and some with both. They created their very own music instrument. They shook them as they danced in the rain. Making these rain shakers give the children creativity and imagination. Also it lets them build their fine motor skills.































Monday, February 27, 2017

* Skittle Experiment *

Who doesn't love the famous candy Skittles? Who doesn't love doing experiments? I have an activity that involves both skittles and an experiment and the kids love it!!!




What You Will Need

Two bags of Skittle candy, small white plates, warm water, and colored paper.




First you want to pour the skittles in a bowl or on a plate. After you do that have the children sort the colored skittle onto the piece of color paper that matches the skittle. As they do that have them say the color that they are sorting onto the paper.

















Then have the children put the same of one color all the way around the plate, helping if they need any assistance. Once they are placed around the outer side of the plate pour the warm water over them until the skittles are covered in water. Then watch as the color of the skittle starts blending in with the water.




We loved doing this experiment. The kids were making the ohhh an ahhh sounds as the colors were blending with the water and meeting up in the middle. This activity wasn't just an experiment of what would happen once the water was poured over the skittles, but it also was having the children practice their colors an on how to sort them by colors. This activity was definitely a success. We even took it a step farther and practiced different color patterns