Age Appropriate Chores for Children

A Good House

This is the roof of the house so good.

(Make roof with hands)

These are the walls that are made of wood.

(Hands straight, palms parallel)

These are the windows that let in the light.

(Thumbs and forefingers form windows)

This is the door that shuts so tight.

(Hands straight by side)

This is the chimney so straight and tall.

(Arms up straight)

Oh! What a good house for one and all.

Involving children in the work of daily living is so very important but often not so very easy. Younger children love to imitate what the adults in their life are doing and so you will often see a toddler or preschool aged child pretending to iron, sweep or tuck "baby" in just like mom or dad does. But, as children mature, it can become more of a struggle to get their involvement in daily living tasks. Whenever possible, rather than using sticker charts and reward systems, it is important to try to get children to be a part of the daily work as a way of life and of daily living, not to just earn something. As adults in this age, we tend to do everything for our children while they are very capable of doing some of the work around the home.

Here is a helpful chart of age appropriate chores for children that you may find useful:

Chinese Foil Snakes

I Am a Snake

I have no legs. I have no arms.

(arms down close to body)

I can take off my skin.

(pretend to pull off skin)

I wiggle my tongue.

(like this wiggle tongue)

I’m very, very thin.

(hands on ribs, slide them down)

I can open my mouth so wide.

(open mouth)

And eat my dinner whole.

(rub tummy)

I can curl up nice and tight,

(squat down low)

Or stretch out like a pole.

(stretch up tall)

 Happy Chinese New Year!

This year is the year of the snake so the girls and I spent time today creating these very easy and pretty foil snakes.  We had foil origami squares left over from another project but simple aluminum foil can be used also (the large snake above is made of it).

We experimented with different designs and cuttings:  Folding our pieces like an accordion, cutting with scissors first and then folding and our very favorite technique was wrapping the strips around a pencil resulting in coil-type snakes that we added faces and tongues to.

  

The Chinese New Year is also thought of as the Spring Festival.  I find this so fitting right now as I am currently working on our latest festival book focusing on Springtime.  Similar to our custom of spring cleaning, the Chinese New Year is traditionally a time to cleanse the house and make room for new luck.  It is also a time for honoring ancestors.

The Chinese New Year is actually celebrated for 15 day so you have plenty of time to share this special time with the children!  Regardless of the timing, never feel like you missed a special festival or holiday because life gets in the way, just bring the celebration into your home or school as time permits and enjoy it fully.

We are praying for health, love and happiness this new year and wish the same to you!

xoxo

Pumpkin Prints

The daycare children I have right now are very small so simple and fun activities are what I try to focus on.  Today we enjoyed the Five Little Pumpkin Fingerplay and making Pumpkin Prints.  

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.

The first one said, "oh my it's getting late."

The second one said, "there are witches in the air."

The third one said, "but we don't care!"

The fourth one said, "let's run and run and run."

The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!"

OOOhh OOOhh went the wind

And out went the lights

And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

 

We are also hoping to make something yummy out of the small pumpkin we grew in our garden this week as well... maybe pumpkin bread, muffins or pie?  

Five Little Easter Rabbits

Five little Easter rabbits

Hold up five fingers

Sitting by the door,

One hopped away, and then there were four.

Bend down one finger.

Hop, hop, hop, hop,

Clap on each hop.

See how they run!

Hop, hop, hop, hop,

Clap on each hop

They think it is great fun!

Four little Easter rabbits
Hold up four fingers
Under a tree,
One hopped away, and then there were three.
Bend down one finger

Hop, hop, hop, hop,
Clap on each hop.
See how they run!
Hop, hop, hop, hop,
Clap on each hop
They think it is great fun!

Three little Easter rabbits
Hold up three fingers
Looking at you,
One hopped away, and then there were two.
Bend down one finger

Hop, hop, hop, hop,
Clap on each hop.
See how they run!
Hop, hop, hop, hop,
Clap on each hop
They think it is great fun!

Two little Easter rabbits

Hold up two fingers.

Resting in the sun,

One hopped away, and there was one.

Bend down one finger.

Hop, hop, hop, hop,

Clap on each hop.

See how they run!

Hop, hop, hop, hop,

Clap on each hop

They think it is great fun!

One little Easter rabbit

Left all alone,

He hopped away, and there were none.

Hand behind back.

Hop, hop, hop, hop!

Clap on each hop.

All gone away!

Hop, hop, hop, hop!

Clap on each hop

They'll come back some day.

Tree Climbing Fingerplay

Climbing up the apple tree, (climb in place)

Swinging on a limb (pretend to swing with arms above head)

If I hear a robin, I may (cup hand over ear)

Sing along with him! (whistle)

'And Robin, if you fly away, (wave)

Here's what I think I'll do (Point with one finger)

I'll wish a pair of sparrow wings (flap arms)

And fly away with you (pretend to fly)

Fingerplay for Earth Day

Oak Trees Fingerplay

This is an acorn so smooth and so brown,
(Make small circle with fingers)

Which from a great oak tree came rattling down.
(tap fingers on desk or table)

Now it is hiding deep down in the grass,
(hide head into hands)

Waiting for ice-time and snow-time to pass.
Here are some baby oaks trying to grow,
(raise head up – point pointers up straight)

Here are young saplings all placed in a row,
(raise other fingers and arms up straight)

These are tall oak trees in red leaves and brown,
(stand up straight and extend arms like tree)

Hear how their acorns come rattling down.
(sit down and tap fingers briskly on desk or table)