Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve

Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve

Friday, August 3, 2012

Squirrels

Squirrels!  What is NOT to love about squirrels?  I had so much fun this week putting together a great Toddler Tales about these playful creatures. 

Our touch box this week was an actual squirrel tail.  We learned that tree-living squirrels use their tails for shade, rain protection, a blanket and balance while running through tree limbs. 
We met the nature center’s resident flying squirrel named Cedar.  The kids loved his soft fur, big eyes and habit of trying to find a nice little burrow to hide. 

Next we read “Busy, Busy Squirrels” by Colleen Stanley Bare to learn about the real lives of all the different types a squirrels. 

Then we met Squirrely our squirrel puppet.  She told our nature friends that she hid all her acorns around our classroom but now she forgot where she hid them and she needed their help to find them.  The kids searched for the acorns and brought them back to her tree trunk home (two canisters taped together with a hole cut out and covered in felt) while Squirrely sang this song: 
The Lost Acorns
Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
My acorns are over in the meadow,
My acorns are behind the tree,
I’ve forgotten where I put my acorns-
Oh bring back my acorns to me!!
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back my acorns to me, to me-e-e
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back my acorns to me.




Once all the acorns were found we took them out of the hole and counted them while putting them on the trunk. 
Next we read a very cute story similar to Eric Carle’s “The Very Busy Spider” called “The Busy Little Squirrel” by Nancy Tafuri. 
Now it was our turn to be squirrels!  Each person got a dance scarf to act as a tail while we danced along to “Peep Squirrel.”  I have the Kindermusik version on the Wiggles and Giggles CD which is a lot of fun. 
We closed our story time with Lois Ehlert’s “Nuts to You!” 
Sources:  Lost Acorn Game (with printables)

Visit Mrs. D. at Putting Smiles on Faces for more Flannel Friday fun this week. 

6 comments:

  1. Adorable! I love squirrels! When I moved to FL, I was so surprised at how different the squirrels looked compared to the ones in OK. But when you think about the weather and conditions they each live in, it made more sense...

    Cute song and activity with the acorns! The tree trunk and acorns are going on my TBM pile for my Fall storytimes. :o) This will go perfectly with a craft that I like to make when we read my favorite squirrel book ~ Nuts to You!

    Thanks for sharing your ideas and the activity.
    I love it all!
    Nuts to you!
    ~ K ~

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    1. Thanks, K! I am honored to make your TBM pile! :o)

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  2. I didn't know I needed a felt tree trunk until today. Thanks Amanda, this is great!!!

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    1. I know! I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. The squirrel fits inside as does my owl. I now need a woodpecker! I'm thinking of adding a branch for my nest puppet. I will use this a lot!

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  3. I love the tree trunk idea. It's brilliant! It can be used for so many other themes, too!

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  4. Totally cool tree trunk. Who knew? Great job. thanks for posting this ~ jane

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