Love to Laugh and Learn

Fun and interesting learning activities to do with the children in your life

Police Officers: Love to Learn About Community Helpers

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Police Officers: Love to Learn About Community Helpers
with free printables




It’s time to have fun learning about police officers. Police officers are there to protect and take care of us. Children need to learn this early because you never know when they might need a police officer’s help.

I like to start learning activities with a book. You can find several books about police officers in the Story Time section, below. Pick a couple out and share them with your child.

Content:

Playtime
Fun Sheet
Craft
Story Time
Related Posts
Acknowledgements

Playtime

There are many wonderful toys out there that can encourage imaginative play, while learning about police officers. Lego and Playmobil both have police themed sets. Your child might have a simple police car that they like to play with. We used to have a community helper doll set that we used in our preschool classes. I plan to get some for my home so my grandson and great-nephew will have them to play with.

I love the use of dress-up clothes. When I was teaching preschool, the boys loved to dress-up as much as the girls did. I pick up inexpensive costumes once Halloween is over. I picked up a play set with handcuffs, a walkie talkie and a toy gun at the Dollar Tree. You can read my post, “Let’s Play with Toy Guns”, to see why I believe that was a good addition to our dress-up bin.

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Fun Sheet

Police Officer Fun Sheet - Help the officer find the equipment she needs to do her job.
Police Officer Fun Sheet – Help the officer find the equipment she needs to do her job.

I have created a fun sheet to do with your child. Have your child color the police officer and then color only the items that the police officer would use. Don’t color the items that the police officer would not use. Click on the picture to get the downloadable fun sheet.

The fun sheet is a great way for your child to develop their fine motor skills, as they color. They will learn to follow directions and will also reinforce what they have learned about police officers.

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Craft

Police Car Craft

Learn About Police Officers using this free printable.

Materials Needed

Police Car template
markers, crayons or paints

Instructions

  1. Print the police car template.
  2. Do a Google search for your local police cars. (We have several different styles here in Indianapolis)
  3. Let your child color or paint the police car to match their favorite one. My favorite police cars are the black and white ones.
Police Car Craft – Do a Google search for your local police cars. Then let your child color or paint the police car to match their favorite one. There is a free printable included in this post.

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Story Time

A Day in the Life of a Police Officer (Kids’ Career Library) by Mary Bowman-Kruhm and Claudine G. Wirths

Reading Level: Ages 5 and up
If your child is looking for a little more information about police officers and not just a simple introduction, this would be the book to go to. This book explains the responsibilities of police officers and the equipment they need but with a little more detail than some of the other books. If you have an inquisitive child that loves to sit and listen, I would recommend this book.

A Day with Police Officers by Jan Kottke

Reading Level: Ages 2 – 6 yrs old
This is a great book to introduce your little one to the responsibilities of police officers. It has very simple text but covers the basic information your child will need. The illustrations are actual pictures of police officers on the job.

On another note, I was surprised when I picked up this book at the library. It came in a plastic bag with some paperwork and a DVD. I thought it was a movie of the book but that’s not what it was as all. It was actually a video of someone using American Sign Language to share the book with deaf children. It turns out there is an organization called The Shared Reading Project. The video is to help parents be able to effectively share books with their deaf child so they can become lifelong readers. You can search your library’s website for The Shared Reading Project and you will find several titles to choose from.

I’m Going to Be a Police Officer by Edith Kunhardt

Reading Level: Ages 4 and up
This story is about a little girl and boy whose daddy is a police officer. They get to go to work with him one day and they share all the things that their daddy does on the job. You will see some of the tools he uses and the many different aspects of his job. The illustrations are actual photographs of the police officer at work and with his family. This is a fun way to learn about police officers.

Police Officer (Benchmark Rebus: Jobs in Town) by Dana Meachen Rau

Reading Level: 3 – 6 yrs old
I love the books by Dana Meachen Rau that are put out by Benchmark Rebus. They are so simple and easy to understand. I like the fact that they use pictures instead of words as part of the text. It will make your little one proud that they are helping with the story. In this book we learn about the many things that police officers do and the equipment they use. This is a very cute book to introduce the job of police officers to your child.

Police Officers Help (Our Community Helpers) by Dee Ready

Reading Level: Ages 4 and up
This is a great book to introduce your child to the responsibilities of a police officer. The illustrations are actual pictures of police officers doing their many jobs. The text is simple; just a few clear sentences to each illustration. Once you share this book with your child, they will have a better understanding of what police officers do and the things they need to perform their jobs.

Police Officers, A to Z (Community Helpers (Walker) by Jean Johnson

Reading Level: Ages 5 to 8 yrs old
Every letter of the alphabet represents something a police officer uses or does. There are a lot of wonderful pictures of police officers at work. The illustrations are in black and white but they are still very interesting. There is quite a bit of information about police officers including an extra section in the back called “More About Police Officers”. I would recommend this book whether learning about police officers or just wanting to reinforce alphabet recognition.

We Need Police Officers (Helpers in Our Community) by Lola M. Schaefer

Reading Level: Ages 3 and up
This is a simple little book that makes a great introduction to police officers. There is just one sentence per page. Each page shows a picture and explains something about police officers. You get information about the jobs they do and the things they need to carry out their work.

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Related Posts

Community Helpers – Overview
Doctors: Love to Learn About Community Helpers
Dentists: Love to Learn About Community Helpers
Firefighters: Love to Learn About Community Helpers

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Acknowledgements

Cara's Clips Credit Button
Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Cara’s Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Cara-Taylor-8656

Charlotte's Clips and Kindergarten Kids

Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Charlotte’s Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Charlottes-Clips-4150

Polliwog Place

Images for Doctor’s Bag Craft and part of Fun Sheet created by Polliwog Place
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Polliwog-Place

whimsy-clips-by-laura-strickland-square
Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Whimsy Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whimsy-Clips
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Dentists: Love to Learn about Community Helpers

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Dentists: Love to Learn about Community Helpers
with free downloadable activity sheets





Do you know when your child should have his or her first dentist appointment? I thought it was around ages 3 or 4 years old but I recently found out that it’s supposed to be by the age of 1, or within 6 months after his or her first tooth comes in. With that in mind, you should help your child learn about the dentist so they will be more comfortable when they go for their appointment.

I always like to start my learning activities with a book. There are a several listed in the Story Time section below. If you know of another great book please share it with me.

Below you will also find a craft and some ideas for pretend play. Be sure to enjoy this time of exploration and learning with your child.

Content:

Playtime
Craft
Fun Sheet
Snacks
Story Time
Related Posts
Acknowledgements

Playtime

Dress up is a fun way to explore the world of dentists. The same lab coat your child used for doctors can also be used for the dentist. Dress up is fun for boys and girls alike. I like to look for costumes after Halloween. You can find them really cheap.

I found a couple of blogs that had some really cute creative ideas. I love the the activity I found on Preschool Playbook. They used play dough and white navy beans to represent a child’s gums and teeth.

There are a couple of great activities on Sense of Wonder: Let’s Play Dentist. My favorite is making a set of teeth out of a cardboard egg carton and using green tissue paper as the “food” caught between the teeth. The children get to use dental floss to remove the “food”.

What other activities do you and your children enjoy?

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Craft

Dentists: Love to Learn about Community Helpers – Materials Needed for Tooth Craft

Materials Needed:

Tooth template
Cream colored construction paper or cardstock
White paint
White glitter
Inexpensive toothbrushes
Plate to put paint on

Instructions:

1. Print off the tooth template onto a cream colored cardstock or use the template as a pattern to trace onto a cream colored piece of construction paper. The reason I am suggesting cream colored paper is so that the child can see the difference between the cream colored “dirty” tooth and the sparkling white tooth after it gets “brushed”.
2. Pour some white paint onto a paper plate.
3. Mix some of the white glitter into the paint.
4. Use the toothbrush to “brush” the tooth with the white paint and glitter.

Dentists: Love to Laugh and Learn about Community Helpers – Tooth Craft

5. Now you have a sparkling white tooth. I added a little more glitter after I painted it, to give it just a little extra sparkle.

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Fun Sheet

Dentist Fun Sheet
Dentist Fun Sheet

I have created a fun sheet to do with your child. Have your child color the dentist and then color only the items that the dentist would use. Don’t color the items that the doctor would not use. Click on the picture to get the downloadable fun sheet.

The fun sheet is a great way for your child to develop their fine motor skills, as they color. They will learn to follow directions and will also reinforce what they have learned about dentists.

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Snacks

Make snack time a fun lesson time. Have some snacks that will make healthy teeth and some items that aren’t good for the teeth. See if your child can tell you which ones are good and which ones are bad. Of course you child will probably want some of the “bad” snacks as well as the healthy ones. Just explain that a little “bad” food (on occasion) is okay but be sure to brush your teeth as soon as snack time is over.

I am including a happy tooth and a sad tooth template. You can use these as a hands-on activity and actually sort the foods that are healthy and unhealthy.

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Story Time

The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan & Jan Berenstain
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old
Sister Bear has her first loose tooth and, what luck, Brother Bear has a dentist appointment. Brother Bear like to tease Sister Bear so he tell her that she better wiggle that tooth until it comes out or the dentist will yank it out. Mama Bear assures Sister that the dentist is gentle. Sister gets to watch while Brother gets his teeth cleaned and a cavity filled. Then it’s Sister’s turn. The dentist takes a piece of cloth (not the “yanker”) and gently grasps Sister’s tooth; with a gentle tug it pops right out. The book gives a fun introduction to the dentist office.

Dentists (Community Helpers) by Dee Ready
Reading Level: Ages 4 and up
This is a great book to introduce your child to the responsibilities of a dentist. The illustrations are actual pictures of dentists doing their many jobs. The text is simple; just a few clear sentences to each illustration. Once you share this book with your child, they will have a better understanding of what dentists do and the things they need to perform their jobs.

Going to the Dentist by Helen Frost
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old
This wonderful little book will introduce your child to the dentist and his/her office. The text is simple and the illustrations are of things you will see in the dentist office. Your child can see the dentist using his different tools to look inside the mouth. I would use this book before a child’s first trip to the dentist.

Going to the Dentist (My First Time)
by Kate Petty, Lisa Kopper and Jim Pipe
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old
Sam and Jenny take their first trip to the dentist. Jenny is little enough that she sits in mom’s lap while the dentist counts her teeth and takes a good look at them. Sam is a little older and he gets to sit in the dentist’s special chair. The dentist cleans his teeth and takes pictures of them. Sam has a small cavity that the doctor fills without any problems. The majority of the illustrations are drawings but there are a few actual photos inlaid on some of the pages. This book is a fun way to introduce your child to the dentist.

  Just Going to the Dentist (Little Critter) by Mercer Mayer
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old
Little Critter gets to take a trip to the dentist. He describes what it’s like in the waiting room. He is big enough that he gets to go back and see the dentist all by himself. I like that Little Critter uses descriptions that children will relate to such as the room he goes too looks like a spaceship because of all the weird machines. Little Critter even has a cavity and it describes a bit of what it’s like to get a tooth filled. This is a fun light-hearted way for children to learn about the dentist.

Meet My Neighbor, the Dentist by Marc Crabtree
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old
This book has large simple text so it is good for an early reader or for a young child just learning about the dentist. I love that the illustrations are actual pictures of Doctor Meisels, both with his family and performing the duties of his job. Your child will get to see the dentist at work in someone’s mouth and the different tools he will be using. This would be a great book to share with a child before their first trip to the dentist.

Show Me Your Smile!: A Visit to the Dentist (Dora the Explorer) by Christine Ricci
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old
Do your children love Dora? If so, they will enjoy making a visit to the dentist with Dora. Dora explains her appointment from the visiting room, through her exam, concluding with the special treats she receives at the end of her visit. The illustrations are bright and the text is easy to understand. A must for any child that loves Dora and is getting ready to visit the dentist.

The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss
Reading Level: Ages 2 – 7 yrs old
What is there to say? It’s Dr. Seuss! I love rhyming books so, of course, I love Dr. Seuss. In this fun rhyming book, we learn all about teeth. We see people and animals that have teeth; and some that do not. We will learn about things we should not do with our teeth, if we are going to keep them. And don’t forget to be nice to your dentist, because he is the one that takes care of your teeth.

We Need Dentists (Helpers in Our Community) by Lola M. Schaefer
Reading Level: Ages 3 – 7 yrs old
This is a simple little book that will introduce your child to the dentist. It talks about the different tools dentists use and the various things they might do to your teeth. I like the illustrations because they are actual pictures of children at the dentist. This would make a good book to read to your child before their first trip to the dentist.

What to Expect When You Go to the Dentist by Heidi Murkoff
Reading Level: Ages 4 – 8 yrs old
This book has some heavy duty reading, so it would be better for a little older child. I love the way it covers the things a child will see and experience while in the dentist office. The information is shared by, Angus, the Answer Dog. On each page there is even a game or idea to think about to prepare for a trip to the dentist. If your child is a little older and would like some more detailed information about the dentist and how to take care of his/her teeth, this will be an awesome book.

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Related Posts

Community Helpers – Overview
Doctors: Love to Learn About Community Helpers
Firefighters: Love to Learn About Community Helpers
Police Officers: Love to Learn About Community Helpers

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Acknowledgements

Cara's Clips Credit Button
Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Cara’s Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Cara-Taylor-8656

Charlotte's Clips and Kindergarten Kids

Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Charlotte’s Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Charlottes-Clips-4150

Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Lauren Thompson
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Lauren-Thompson

Whimsy Clips
Some of the images for the Fun Sheet were created by Whimsy Clips
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whimsy-Clips

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Triangles: Learning Activities for Shapes

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Triangles: Learning Activities for Shapes

It’s time for some fun learning activities with triangles. What type of triangles do you see around you? Maybe mom or dad cut your toast into triangles this morning. Do you have any toys that are triangle shaped? Take a walk down the street and count how many triangles you see. Do some of the roofs on the houses form a triangle shape? Have lots of fun with triangles today. Please stop by my facebook page, Love to Laugh and Learn, and share pictures of the triangle you see and create.

Content:

Toys
Craft:
Triangle Fish Craft
Snacks
Story Time
Related Posts

Toys

Trying to think of triangle shaped toys is a little hard. Maybe you can help me out. What type of triangle shaped toys do you have around your house? Please leave a comment and help me out.

You may have a shape sorter with a triangle shape in it. I would recommend the Discovery Toys: Playful Patterns (just use the triangle shapes today). There is a game called Tri*ominos that uses triangle shaped pieces. The “home bases” on Chinese checkers are triangle shaped. If you are into music you can play with a musical triangle today. I look forward to any suggestions you have.

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Craft

Create a cute fish while learning about triangles.
Create a cute fish while learning about triangles.

Triangle Fish Craft
Adapted from DLTK Crafts for Kids

Materials Needed:

Materials for Triangle Fish Craft
Materials for Triangle Fish Craft

Triangle Fish Template
Colored paper, crayons, markers or paints
Scissors
Glue Stick
White Glue
Wiggly Eyes

Instructions:

1. Print Triangle Fish Template
2. You can either use the template as a pattern to cut the triangles out of colored paper or have your child color or paint the pieces and then cut them out.
3. Use glue stick to glue the middle size triangle to the back of the large triangle for the tail.
4. Use glue stick to glue the small triangle to the big triangle as the fin.
5. Use white glue to glue on a wiggly eye (I love wiggly eyes) or draw an eye.
6. Draw a mouth.

Now you have a beautiful triangle fish!

Triangle Fish Craft
Triangle Fish Craft

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Foods for snack or meal time

A sandwich cut from corner to corner, some tortilla chips are triangle shaped, cut watermelon into triangle shapes, cut cheese in triangle shapes, Triscuit Thin Crisps

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Story Time

I See Triangles (All about Shapes) by D. H. Dilkes
Reading Level: Birth – 4 yrs old
D. H. Dilkes has a great series of little books that discuss different shapes. In this book you will learn about triangles. I like the fact that the illustrations are photographs of everyday items. The text is simple which is great for a young child that is just being introduced to shapes.

Triangles (Shapes) by Marybeth Lorbiecki
Reading Level: Birth – 4yrs old
A cute introduction to triangles. The rhyming storyline leads you through bright illustrations of a kitten and puppy as they explore triangles. They encourage your child to search out, count and have fun with triangles.

Triangles (The Shape of the World) by Dana Meachen Rau
Reading Level: Birth – 4 yrs old
Dana Meachen Rau has a great series of little books about shapes. In this book you will see several different triangles. You might find some right in your own house. The simple text and bright pictures will give you and your child a lot to talk about. This is a great little book for introducing triangles to your child.

What Is a Triangle? (Harper Growing Tree) by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Reading Level: Birth – 4 yrs old
You will find many different triangle shapes throughout this book. It is an easy read for young children with a lot of bright pictures. A few of the items are actually cones rather than triangles but I guess if you are just introducing your child to triangles that won’t really matter a lot. It’s written in rhyme, which I always love. The funniest part to me was that is says a triangle (the musical instrument) is a triangle.

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Related Posts

Shapes – Overview
The Lessons – Overview
Circles: Learning Activities for Shapes
Ovals: Learning Activities for Shapes
Squares: Learning Activities for Shapes
Rectangles: Learning Activities for Shapes
Diamonds: Learning Activities for Shapes
Stars: Learning Activities for Shapes
Hearts: Learning Activities for Shapes
Learning Should Be Fun
Colors – Overview

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Circles: Learning Activities for Shapes with Free Printable

by 14 Comments

Circles: Learning Activities for Shapes
with free printables

Are you ready to have fun with shapes? We are going to start out by having fun with learning activities for circles. There are so many circles all around you. The buttons on your shirt or coat may be circles. The wheels on the car or your bike are circles. What other circles do you see? Maybe you are eating something for dinner or a snack that is a circle shape. Have fun with theses activities and stories that are about circles.

Content:
Toys
Craft:
Circle Pizza
Snacks
Story Time
Music
Related Posts
Toys
What type of circle shaped toys can you find to play with today? Do you have some balls, a hula hoop, a slinky or a game of ring toss? You could play with marbles or a yo-yo (if your child is a little older). Look for circles on some of your other toys, like the wheels on your cars and trucks. A toy that I liked using with my children and with my preschool classes was Playful Patterns by Discovery Toys. When learning about circles I would just use the circles and the pictures that used circles for the children to play with. It is also a good toy for learning colors and sorting activities.

Craft
Circle Pizza Craft

Circle Pizza Craft

Materials Needed:

Materials Needed for Circle Pizza Craft
Materials Needed for Circle Pizza Craft

Circle Pizza craft page
Pepperoni craft page
White Paper
Light brown crayon
Brown crayon
Reddish brown crayon
Red paint
Paint brush or foam applicator
Hole punch
Scissors
White glue
Basil and oregano seasonings

Instructions:

1.  On white copy paper, print the circle pizza craft page and the pepperoni craft page. I printed the pizza on cardstock so it would hold up better with the paint and glue.

2.  Color the edge of the crust with the light brown crayon. (The Crayola color I used was actually called tan.)

Circle Pizza Craft: Coloring the crust.

3.  Color the pepperoni with the reddish brown crayon then cut them out. (The Crayola color was called Mahogany.)

Circle Pizza Craft: Creating the Pepperoni

4.  There is an empty area on the bottom of the pepperoni page. Use the brown crayon and color that area. Then use the hole punch to punch out sausage crumbles.

Creating Sausage for Circle Pizza Craft

5.  Cut a white piece of paper into very thin strips; to resemble shredded mozzarella cheese.

Assembling the Circle Pizza

6.   Use the paint brush or foam applicator to paint the “tomato sauce” on the pizza.

7.  Lightly sprinkle the basil and oregano and the “shredded cheese” on the wet paint. (I didn’t use glue for this part. The wet paint held everything well. I did use the handle of the foam applicator to push the “mozzarella” into the paint so it would hold better.)

Seasonings and “Cheese” on Circle Pizza

8.  Glue the pepperoni and the sausage on the pizza.

Learn about circles while doing this fun Circle Pizza craft.

9.  Now you have a wonderful Circle Pizza.

* The above craft would also work well for a lesson on the sense of smell.

** You can also use the Grape craft from Learning Activities for the Color Purple or the Blueberry Pie craft from Learning Activities for the Color Blue.

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Foods for snack or meal time

Ritz crackers or any round cracker, cut cheese into circles, sliced banana, Cheerios, make some personal pizzas with English muffins, round cookies or slice an apple through the middle for some circle shaped slices.

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Story Time

(affiliates included)

Circles (The Shape of the World) by Dana Meachen Rau
Reading Level: Birth – 4 yrs old
This is a wonderful book to introduce circles to any age. The text is simple and there are great illustrations of circles that we see around us every day.

Circles (Shapes) by Marybeth Lorbiecki
Reading Level: Birth – 4yrs old
A cute introduction to circles. The rhyming storyline leads you through bright illustrations of a kitten’s birthday party. There are many circles on each page to be observed, counted and enjoyed.

I See Circles (All About Shapes) by D. H. Dilkes
Reading Level: Birth – 4 yrs old
D. H. Dilkes has a great series of little books that discuss different shapes. In this book you will find circles in many different places. I like the fact that the illustrations are photographs of every day items. The text is simple which is great for a young child that is just being introduced to shapes.

So Many Circles, So Many Squares by Tana Hoban (only covers circles and squares)
Reading Level: Birth to 2nd Grade
There is no storyline to this book. It is just pages and pages of pictures from the world around us. It concentrates on two shapes; circles and squares. This is a great book for introducing shapes to your child. This book could lead into a great game of finding circles right where you are.

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Music & Singing Time

Because of copyright laws I am not going to put links to songs (unless I have permission from the artist). I will give you the names of songs that I like to use and you can find them on a CD, video or YouTube to sing with your child.

Ring Around the Rosie

Mister Sun (Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun) I would always have the preschoolers make a big round circle with their arms for the sun.

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Related Posts

Shapes – Overview
Ovals: Learning Activities for Shapes
Squares: Learning Activities for Shapes
Rectangles: Learning Activities for Shapes
Triangles: Learning Activities for Shapes
Diamonds: Learning Activities for Shapes
Stars – Learning Activities for Shapes
Hearts: Learning Activities for Shapes
Learning Should Be Fun
When Do Children Start Learning
The Lessons – Overview

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Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments

by 45 Comments

Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments




This post, “Fun with Music: Brass Instruments”, is written in collaboration with Shannon Wijnker, who used to blog on Mamamusing. Shannon is a music teacher and mother of four.

What is your favorite woodwind instrument; flute, saxophone, recorder or some other? Are you aware of all the woodwind instruments available for your playing and listening pleasure. I would suggest reading either “Woodwind (Instruments and Music)” by Daniel Nunn (for the younger child) or “Wind Instruments (How the World Makes Music)” by Anita Ganeri (for older children). You will see more details about these books below in the Story Time section.

Playtime
Craft
Musical Outings
Story Time
Games Online
Related Posts

Playtime

When you were younger, did you ever make a whistle with a blade of grass? That blade of grass works like the reed in a woodwind instrument. When you blow over the blade of grass it vibrates which causes the air to vibrate and the result is a whistling sound. If you have never done this here is what you do. Take a wide piece of grass and place it between your thumbs. Place your mouth over your knuckles and blow. Were you able to make a whistling sound? Sometimes it takes practice, just keep working on it. This is a fun thing to teach your children, they will think you are amazing.

Shannon from Mamamusing shared that a recorder is great for children to experiment with (and it is a woodwind instrument). You can find them very inexpensively at the dollar store. She also says, “Remember that it’s not just about making a beautiful sound, but playing and exploring the concept of sound. Children learn best by constructing their own concepts and ideas, and by trial and error. They will learn how to create a variety of sounds. Some of which they will like and some they will decide they don’t. Your concept of what is acceptable sound may vary from theirs. But be patient and let them explore.”

“A great resource for teaching them music (and how to play the recorder) is a magazine called “The Recorder Classroom”. I believe there are 4 issues printed so far. You can download both the music and accompanying mp3s online. They are fun to play and I find my students are motivated to learn the music, when they have great accompaniments to play along with.”

“As a child, this toy (by Fisher Price) was a great way to experiment with sound. I don’t know if you can still buy it in stores, but if you find it at a garage sale, or used online – it is a great toy! Or the saxoflute is another great option, because the child can build their own instrument with the various plastic pieces of tube. The sound created (high or low) will depend on the pieces they choose to use.”

Fisher Price Crazy Horn Set
Fisher Price Crazy Horn Set

*** You can find the Fisher Price version on eBay, as it has been discontinued by Fisher Price. You can find a similar toy on Amazon.com  The Quercetti Saxoflute.

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Craft

Wind Instrument Made from Straws

Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments: Craft
Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments Craft

This craft is adapted  from Learning Ideas – Grades K -8


Materials Needed:

Drinking straws
Cardboard
Glue
Ruler
Scissors
Duct Tape

Instructions:

1. Cut 2 rectangular pieces of cardboard. (approx. 5 by 2 inches) I used scrap cardboard from an old box.
2. Cut the straws in varying lengths. I used 3”, 4”, 5”, 6” & 7”. You can use more straws and different lengths if you would like.

Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments Craft
Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments Craft

3. I didn’t trust simply trying to glue the straws into place because it has been my experience that plastic straws and glue are not long time friends so I glued down duct tape (sticky side up) to help secure the straws into place.

Adding Glue and Tape
Adding Glue and Tape

4. Let the glue dry completely then place the straws on the tape, in order of length.

Placing straws for woodwind craft
Placing straws for woodwind craft

5. Place the second piece of cardboard on top (having all ready glued the tape into place).

Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments Craft - Attaching other piece of cardboard
Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments Craft – Attaching other piece of cardboard

6. Since I used scrap cardboard I then added some brightly colored duct tape to decorate my wind instrument. Your child could color or paint it if you would like.
7. To hear the different sounds the instrument makes you need to blow across the top of the straws not straight into them.

Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments Craft
Fun with Music: Woodwind Instruments Craft

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Musical Outings

Take your children to any place that live music is being played. In Indianapolis, you can find many places that give free outdoor concerts during the summer. Maybe you have the same opportunities in your area. Outdoor concerts are a great way to introduce your children to live music because they can sit in their own lawn chair, on a blanket or even get up and dance around a little. Maybe you have older children or neighbors that participate in a school band. Take your children to see them. Expose your children to many types of music. Take the time to talk about what they are hearing, how it makes them feel and the different instruments they are seeing and hearing.

Shannon from Mamamusing wants you to know: “In London, there are several outdoor concerts and festivals in Victoria Park during the summer. One of the best is Sunfest (beginning of July). You can check out a video of my kids enjoying the multicultural music and dancing byclicking here.”

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Story Time

Below you will find books that discuss the many different types of woodwind instruments and some are devoted to one type of woodwind instrument. Have fun exploring and learning about woodwind instruments with your child.

Clarinets (Music Makers) by Pamela K. Harris
Reading Level: Ages 6 and up
Give your child the opportunity to learn about clarinets with this interesting book by Pamela K. Harris. The book covers many aspects of the clarinet; from the way it is made to how it is played. The illustrations are pictures of actual clarinets and people playing them. Enjoy learning about this special woodwind instrument; the clarinet.

Flutes (Musical Instruments of the World) by Barrie Carson Turner
Reading Level: Ages 6 and up
This book has a lot of information in it but it is laid out nicely. The book introduces you to 18 flutes from around the world. You will find some flutes that look familiar to you and there are others you may have never seen before. Each instrument has it’s own page so if you just want to cover the familiar ones or if you want to break the book up into different sessions it is laid out well for that. Although this book is for a little bit older child you could use it with a younger child by becoming familiar with the text and then simply point out and discuss the different instruments rather than reading it word for word.

Flutes (Music Makers) by Pamela K. Harris
Reading Level: Ages 6 and up
Give your child the opportunity to learn about flutes with this interesting book by Pamela K. Harris. The book covers many aspects of the flute; from the way they are played to how they are made. Your child will get to see flutes from several different countries. The illustrations are of flutes and people playing them. Enjoy learning about this special woodwind instrument; the flute.

Saxophones by Sharon Sharth
Reading Level: Ages 6 and up
Saxophones are a part of a group of instruments called woodwinds. This book will help you and your child learn a lot about saxophones. You will be able to see the different shapes and sizes they come in. You will find out how music is played on a saxophone. Did you know a saxophone can make many of the same sounds that we do with our voices? The illustrations in this book are actual photos of saxophones and people playing them. Share this book with your child so they can learn more about this popular instrument.

Wind Instruments (How the World Makes Music) by Anita Ganeri
Reading Level: Ages 6 and up
This book covers many different wind instruments from around the world. They are all played by blowing into them but that is about the only thing that is common to all of them. Some wind instruments have simple carved mouthpieces, some use a reed in their mouthpiece and some even use two reeds. Most wind instruments are played with the musicians mouth but there are a few that are played with the nose. Be sure to pick this book up to learn a lot about wind instruments. See how many you recognize.

Woodwind (Instruments and Music: Level I) by Daniel Nunn
Reading Level: Ages 4 to 8 yrs old
This is a great book to introduce your young one to woodwind instruments. It has simple text that will allow your child to understand and learn about these special instruments. There are wonderful pictures of musicians playing different woodwind instruments from around the world with just a couple of sentences per page. I can’t wait to share this with the little ones in my life.

Music Makers: Woodwind Instruments by Elizabeth Reid
Reading Level: Ages 6 and up
Give your child the opportunity to learn about woodwind instruments with this interesting book by Elizabeth Reid. Your child will get to learn about the many different types of woodwind instruments. They will see woodwinds from several different countries.They will learn how they are made and the different ways they are played. The illustrations are pictures of actual woodwind instruments and people playing them. Enjoy learning about woodwind instruments. Which one is your favorite?

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Games Online

Shannon from Mamamusing shares some fun online games:

Now that you have introduced your children to some of the various instrument families in the orchestra, you may want to visit the Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. This is a website created by Carnegie Hall which is a wonderfully FREE interactive online game for young children to explore and learn more about the various instruments of the orchestra. You will need to use a computer, because the game requires Adobe Flash, which you can download for free (if you don’t already have this utility installed on your computer).

There is also a wonderful set of books for children ages 4 to 8 years old that helps them learn different musical concepts. Along with the books the author, Sharon Burch, has a website with coloring pages and games for your child to enjoy and enhance their learning experience: Freddie the Frog Games and Coloring Pages

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Related Posts

Music at an Early Age by Shannon at Mamamusing
Fun with Music – Overview
Fun with Music – Percussion Instruments
Fun with Music: Brass Instruments
Fun with Music: Voices
Fun with Music: String Instruments
Fun with Music: Keyboards

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