Musical Chairs and other funny things at our Halloween Party

The kids had a "mostly" fun day at the Halloween Party. I say "mostly" because I have some funny stories to share.

I thought musical chairs would be a fun game to play with the kids. I put on the Halloween CD of music and begin the game. We start with Megan, Tanner and Keaton. Megan and Keaton got the chairs the first, second AND third times. By now, Tanner is crying because he couldn't get on a chair. So, I take Megan out and have just Tanner and Keaton play. Tanner tiptoes around the chairs, because he realizes now that if he goes too fast, he'll completely miss the chair. Tip toe, tip toe, and he still misses the chair. Keaton beat him to it. Tanner is throwing himself on the floor crying. So, I decide to take Keaton out of the game too. This means Tanner is going around the chairs by himself. Wouldn't you know, he had the biggest smile on his face! He says: "I WON!"

I also have this little "daycare kid". It 's a piece of wood with jeans, shoes and an orange cape around the body. Eyes, nose and smile are painted on the head. I call it my little daycare kid. And I tell the kids to be nice to him! Anyway, I decided to hide it around the house today. I thought it would be fun for them--kind of like a scavenger hunt. I hid it in the corner and Megan found it. Then I hid it in the kitchen and she found it again. Then Tanner starts crying that it is his day and he wants to find it. So, I tell him that he and the other kids can hide it. He hides it, then Megan and Keaton. It was funny. Because everytime Keaton or Tanner found it, the other one would cry. They had wanted to find it! Sometimes when they would hide it, Lili would find it and then they really cried! I didn't think that this was such a hard game. But, evidently in the minds of 2 and 3 years old, it was!

I also played pin the nose on the pumpkin. I put on a bandana around their eyes. Tanner went first. I spun him around three times and he put the nose on the wall. Megan spun three times and got it on the pumpkin. Keaton spun three times and put it right in the center of the pumpkin! I was so happily suprised for him. Then I looked at him and the bandana wasn't even covering his eyes! It was on his forehead! Even though he won by default, Keaton did have a very winning day!

Halloween Party is this Wednesday!

The Halloween Party is this Wednesday. I have some games planned for the preschoolers in the morning. But, the real exchanging of candy or "trick or treating" will be around 2:45pm. Once the big kids (a.k.a. Big Megan and CeCe) arrive, then we'll get all the costumes on (again!) and take more pictures and "trick or treat" .... After the "trick or treating", we'll have our snack.

I will post another blog on Wednesday night---after the party! Unless, of course, the children do something unbelievable cute...and then I have to write about it!

Dancing to Chewy Chewy Bubble Gum

Have you all heard of Dr. Jean and her CD's? She has this song called "Bubble Gum." It starts off very slowly :
Bubble gum, bubble gum,
chewy, chewy, chewy, chewy bubble gum
I love it , I love it,
chewy, chewy, chewy, chewy, bubble gum
It continues on getting faster and faster.

You should see Keaton on this song! He just runs or rather likes to gallop around. He always wears a big grin on his face too! Megan and Tanner were going around in circles laughing! Lili was just standing, kind of rocking from one leg to the other. They were all so happy!

There's a lot of other fun songs on that CD too. The name of the song is "Bubble Gum." The CD title is Dr. Jean Sings Silly Songs.

Drumming with Megan and Tanner

Drumming is a fun way for kids to express themselves through rhythm and storytelling. I have a drum and two rhythm sticks. How does this work? Well, I first ask the child what their song or story is about. They ask the other kids what they would like to hear about too. For example: Today Tanner wants a "bad guy" and Megan wants a ballerina and it's Megan's turn to tell her story. Megan: "Once upon a time there was a bad guy who saw a castle. And the princess was dancing around. drum drum drum, and then she looked out the window and the bad guy turned into a prince. He said, I have come to rescue you, my princess. And she had long pretty hair and she was dancing around her room and opened up the door. She let the prince in and a giant came. The giant saw them and the princess and prince married and ate cake. Then they lived happily ever after."
Tanner's drumming song about "Race Cars." "A race car turned around. (Tanner stops then asks Megan what she would like for part of the story. She says just tell me about your race cars.) So he begins again. A race car turned around.. .It stopped. It goes. Then it turned around and went fast. It won."
Lili, who is 15 months just took the drumsticks and hit two times. Then she was ready to throw the rhythm sticks! So, she was done!
As you can see, the stories are very simple but you can see the difference in story telling between the two. Tanner is 3 1/2 and Megan is 4 1/2. I can't wait to see how their story telling improves one year from now!

Itsy Bitsy Spider and Clap Your Hands

Every day I either sing with the kids, drum or dance with them. When we're singing, I have a couple of books I use. The first book is titled WeeSing Children's Songs and Fingerplays. The other one is a Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems, Fingerplays and Chants. We start with the "EEntsy Weentsy Spider." And both Martin and Megan tell me it is the "Itsy Bitsy Spider." So, then I have to stop singing and sing it the way they are singing it. You would think I would remember this every time we sing. But, No! Now that I've posted this, I probably will remember it!

There is one Fingerplay the kids especially like: "Clap Your Hands"
Clap your hands as slowly as you can. Clap your hands quickly
Shake your hands as slowly, etc.....
Roll, rub, wiggle your fingers and pound your fists, etc....
This particular fingerplay has evolved to our feet and ankles! It's fun!