As seen in Little Learners
Many nursery rhymes dating back hundreds of years ago are passed down from generation to generation and loved by so many. And what's more, they can be used for more than just a sing-along; nursery rhymes can even help form the basis of a fun, interactive lesson!
Our Alphabet Rhyme Time book (307306) can be used to help you plan lessons around those nursery rhymes we've all grown to love. The book includes a nursery rhyme for each letter of the alphabet and a treasure trove of themed activities related to the song that you can recreate in your setting.
To give you a taste of what you can expect from the book, I've chosen one of my favourite nursery rhymes you’ll find inside and some of the activities that come with it.
I is for Incy Wincy Spider.
Incy Wincy spider climbed up the waterspout.
Alternately touch the thumb of one hand to the index finger of the other.
Down came the rain
Hold both hands up and wiggle the fingers as the hands are lowered.
and washed the spider out.
Sweep the hands from side to side.
Out came the sunshine
Raise both hands and sweep to the sides to form a semicircle like the sun.
and dried up all the rain
Wiggle fingers upwards (as for the first line).
so Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again.
Wiggle fingers upwards (as for the first line)
Spidertastic activities
1. Fine motor web threading
Give the children sturdy paper plates and ask them to punch holes in the rim of the plates with a small hole puncher. The children can thread string through the holes, creating a spider’s web. Afterwards, they could make a spider using Plasticine and pipe cleaners.
What you’ll need:
- 702150 - Rapesco Single Hole Punch
2. Creative play
Try making your own spider sculpture. Begin by sharing images of the incredible, nine-meter-tall spider statue created by Louise Bourgeois using metal. Then create your spiders using pipe cleaners, pom poms and googly eyes. You could attach them to an elastic string, fasten them firmly to your ceiling, and then have fun pinging them up and down!
What you’ll need:
3. Incy Wincy waterpark
Outside, gather all your water-play equipment, including pipes, stands, jugs, plastic spiders of various sizes, bottles with holes in the bottom, and watering cans for the children to create a ‘water park’ for Incy Wincy to explore. Using different-sized plastic spiders, the children can experiment with making Incy travel slowly or quickly down the water slides. Engage in active listening and model the use of new vocabulary. Encourage prediction and thoughtfully observe what the children do.
What you’ll need:
4. Hands-on experience
Invite a spider and insect expert handler into your setting so the children can experience and ask questions about looking after spiders and insects. If this isn’t possible, enjoy going on your own spider hunt around your setting inside and out, gently collecting them into observational tubs. If you have any magnifying tubs or glasses, use them to let the children take a closer look at the insects they find.
What you’ll need:
Enjoyed reading this blog? We've got loads more ideas and inspiration for early years teachers in our Little Learners magazine. This article has been taken from our latest issue. Click here to check it out.
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