Arbor Day | Preschool Theme

Videos	Finger Plays: • Climbing Up A Tree • A Funny Kids' Poem About Trees • Planting A Tree Fun Songs To Sing: • The Tree Dream Preschool Learning Videos: • Missing The Letter 'T' • What Shape Is That? • Counting Seeds
Activities	• Practice Cutting A Tree Picture • Painting A Tree • Painting Trees • Coloring And Counting!
Super Helpful Videos for Daily Use	Clean Up Time: • Clean It Up Crew! (complete with a 2 minute pre-cleanup warning!) Story Time: • Come And Read A Book Transition Songs: • Come Here If You're Happy • Can You? (The Animal Song) • Just Playing Around • Where Is Your Nose?

Planting A Tree | Fingerplay Song For Kids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQZ4Dsw6sCUendofvid[starttext]

First you take a seed and you plant it in the ground
The ground, the ground - you plant it in the ground
Then you get some water and you pour it all around
Around, around - you pour it all around
Then you give it air
And then you give it time
Then a tree will start to grow
Hey ain't it fine

Thanks for watching!

[endtext]

Counting Seeds | Arbor Day Game for Kids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_1ok5zxkiAendofvid[starttext]

Betty asked her friend, a dragon, drop down seeds for us to count. See what happens when those seeds start to grow!

Thanks for watching!

[endtext]

Coloring And Counting! (with modifications)

Continuing our Arbor Day chats, here is a fun activity that

combines talking about trees with counting and 1:1 correspondence. Your child is being asked, on this worksheet, to color in 10 apples on the tree. So, grab yourself a copy of the page and then check out some thoughts that I had to help your kiddo be successful at this activity.

Color The Apples

MODIFICATIONS: Sometimes, doing things like coloring at the same time as she is trying to count something can be difficult for a little one. If you think that your kiddo might be in this position, try drawing 10 little apples (or circles) on the side of the page. Then, have your child check make a mark on the apples on the side of the page for each one she colors. Don't let the counting aspect drop, though. Be sure to tall about how she is going to color 10 apples both before and after the activity. And have fun!

A Very Funny Kids' Poem About Trees

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rxzPmkC2-Iendofvid[starttext]

Betty had a really funny poem that she wanted to share with us! This video is the second in the Free Online Preschool Series for 4/25/2013. Check out the other here:
Part 1: Let's Say Hello!
Part 3: The Letter K Song (phonics song)
Part 4: Goodbye... See You Soon!


The leaves on my tree are green,
The flowers that grow are pink.
I'm glad it's my tree  in my yard,
And not my bathroom sink.
I would not want to brush my teeth outside -
That would make me laugh.
And I would not want a bird to live,
In the room where I take a bath.
Trees outside.
Sinks stay in.
That's the way it should stay.
I brush my teeth in the morning and the night.
And I climb and swing during the day.

Thanks for watching!

[endtext]

Painting Trees (with modifications)

We're going to make some trees and work on some fine motor skills while we do it. You can probably get a pretty good idea of what the steps to this one are, just by looking at the picture. If you'd like to see the specific instructions, go ahead and do that and, then, make sure you read below for some thoughts that could help your little one.

Tree Hands

MODIFICATIONS: Right off the bat, if your kiddo is not one to enjoy painting on his arm and hand in the name of art, don't try to force the issue - trace your little ones arm and hand instead. Then, have him go ahead and paint inside the traced area. He can even use something like a cut piece of potato to paint with. It'll give the tree some texture and provide the opportunity for additional awesome benefits. What benefits are those? I'm glad you asked. I go into more detail on those benefits in on that in this Get More Out Of Painting Article. Now that the trunk is done, it's time for the tree leaves. Try the eraser side of a pencil, making sure to remind your kiddo to dot, as described in the, "Get More Out Of Painting," piece. Have fun!

What Shape Is That? (Learning Game For Children)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWJtyowfhu4endofvid[starttext]

Help Betty and Mr. Mike figure out what shape is on each one of the Shape Eggs! This video is the third in the Free Online Preschool series for 4/24/13. Check out the others here:
Part 1: Let's Say Hello!
Part 2: The Tree Dream (sing-along song)
Part 4: Goodbye... See You Soon!

Thanks for watching!

[endtext]

The Tree Dream (Arbor Day Song For Children)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xDua7NPqlQendofvid[starttext]

This video is the second in the Free Online Preschool series for 4/24/13. Check out the others here:
Part 1: Let's Say Hello!
Part 3: What Shape Is That? (learning game)
Part 4: Goodbye... See You Soon!

I had a dream that there were no trees,
And that would be very bad.
No homes for all the animals,
No air to breathe for me, mom, or dad.
But then I woke up and I looked outside,
And I was very glad.
My tree was there and much better than that,
I couldn't believe all the leaves it had!
My tree was there and much better than that,
I couldn't believe all the leaves it had!

Thanks for watching!

[endtext]

Painting A Tree (with modifications)

Here's a fun and fun and easy painting activity for your little one to do that ties into the Earth Day and Arbor Day time of year. It's a picture of a tree. The way that the craft is designed, kids go ahead and use their fingerprints to create the leaves on the tree as well as some little birds. That doesn't necessarily work for every kiddo as there are many, many children who do not want their fingers all painty. Here's the original link (and then check out my idea below it:

Painting Trees

MODIFICATIONS: So, what I was thinking is that your little one can actually go outside and search for something like a rock to use in place of their finger or paintbrush. It will avoid the problem of their finger getting all painty but, at the same time, keep their art different and interesting. Have fun!

Missing The Letter 'T' (Arbor Day Reading Game)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wvmT8WRnGwendofvid[starttext]

Oh no! Betty lost the letter T! Sound out some letters and words with us to help her find it again and save Arbor Day! This video is the third in the Free Online Preschool series for 4/23/13. Check out the others here:
Part 1: Let's Say Hello!
Part 2: Climbing Up A Tree (Arbor Day movement song)
Part 4: Goodbye... See You Soon!

Thanks for watching!

[endtext]

Climbing Up A Tree (Earth Day/Arbor Day Movement Song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Yp0V2Yw_Yendofvid[starttext]

Here's a brand new song, all about climbing a tree and some of the animals that you might meet up there. This video is the second in the Free Online Preschool series for 4/23/13. Check out the others here:
Part 1: Let's Say Hello!
Part 3: Missing The Letter T!
Part 4: Goodbye... See You Soon!

I'm climbing up my tree to see what I can see,
I think I see a squirrel grabbing nuts for him to eat.
I keep climbing up my tree t see what I can see,
I think i see a mother bird making a nest for her baby.
I keep climbing up my tree to see what I can see,
I think i hear my Mommy and she's calling up to me:
"Come Home!"
I'm climbing down my tree, going home to my family,
I say, "goodbye," to the mommy bird, who chirps a tune to me:
"Chirp Chirp! Tweet Tweet!"
I keep climbing down my tree, going home to my family,
I say, "goodbye," to the squirel with all the nuts in bis belly.
I'm as happy as can be! Im so glad I have my tree!
I'll come back and play another day, 'cause it'll be waiting just for me!

Thanks for watching!

[endtext]

Practice Cutting A Tree Picture (with modifications)

Kids like cutting stuff. With Arbor Day just around the corner, let's

give them a picture of a tree to cut out. Once your little one does that, she can decorate it, color it, whatever her heart desires. Nice, simple, and definitely something that kiddos will enjoy. Grab the page and then check out the modification.

Tree Tracing Template

MODIFICATIONS: Sometimes, when it seems like a kiddo is having a hard time cutting on the line, it's not only about the physical act of cutting. Sometimes, kids just find it tough to follow it along - yes, even when it's a thick black line on a solid white page. If your little one is having difficulty, go ahead and trace that outside line with a highlighter. Green and blue work great. It really can make a world of difference!