Preschool Music & Active Movement: Butterflies!

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We're not meeting for out normal Preschool Music & Active Movement class this week because of the world-wide health situation,  but I decided I wanted to put together a list of music and a few printable activities in case any of my families wanted some themed activities for their preschoolers and toddlers.  Plus, my own kids have missed meeting, so we're going to have our own little Butterfly-themed Music Time and it's nice to have all the songs in one spot!


I target 3-4 year old kids when I put these lists together, but my almost-2 year old LOVES joining in too! When we meet in "real life" we have a couple 5-6 year olds join as well.  ;) 

1- Gathering time: play with musical instruments bin. This week I'm bringing out the ukuleles again to encourage the kids to make "butterfly wing" sounds on them.

2- Welcome Song.  This post has all the details on our welcome song and more background on the other regular songs too!

3- When I Sing LaLaLa by Janeen Brady. We do this and the welcome song with puppets:




4-  Butterfly Introduction Song:  The theme for this week is butterflies! Have you seen a butterfly before? Do you know what a "baby" butterfly looks like? This song covers the 4 stages of butterfly growth and is full of actions you and your kids can copy!



5- Butterfly!   The song starts at 50 seconds. Give each child a scarf, and sing the colors of the scarves you have (instead of yellow, orange, and purple).



6- Butterflies start life out as eggs, so...shaker egg song!  If you don't have shaker eggs, this is the perfect time of year to make them--put dry beans in plastic Easter eggs and tape or glue them closed!


7- Rhythm Sticks! Coordination practice! Tie a scarf around your kiddos so your children are butterflies! Give them rhythm sticks to clap while they fly around the room. If it's too easy, add in a simple obstacle course!

8- Butterfly Colors:  Print off colored butterflies, and as the song sings each color, move the correctly colored butterfly into the "sky!"


9- Parachute Butterflies: Put the colored butterflies on the parachute! Help them fly low, then high!

10- Butterfly Hibernators! Some butterflies hibernate! Make a parachute "mushroom," but let everyone jump inside it like hibernating butterflies. Then pretend it's spring and jump out!

11- Walk Around by Nancy Kopman. We walk around holding onto the parachute and doing the suggested actions in this song:




12- Goodbye Song.



I also have these fun butterfly activities that you can print and play with:

Preschool Butterfly Puzzles

My Butterfly Book

Butterfly 2 & 4 Piece Puzzles

Butterfly Face Masks


I hope you all stay well and we can start meeting together again soon! 



Happy Educating,
Carla


Have you seen HEEP? It is a preschool homeschool curriculum! Learn more here!




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