Songs
I made up a cute song that my preschool kids had fun singing.
I have a Friend...
The Name Song There is a school that has a boy/girl and _____ is his/her name. I like _____, you like _____, we all like _____. Stand up and take a bow. (the child named stands up and takes a bow)
A little song to welcome everyone to group time.
Everyone sits in a circle, the teacher holds a ball and repeats this song as she rolls the ball to each member of the circle.
Here is a song we sing at the beginning of the year and when a new child comes into our classroom.
A Bilingual Preschool Song, that teaches children about friendship and name recognition
FRIENDS-AMIGOS SONG
This is a song I made up to introduce a new group of children to each other. Each child comes to sit on teacher's lap to sing if they wish. We sing it every morning until the children learn each others names. We also sing it if we have a new student in our class, or someone just comes to visit.
Sung to the tune Mary had a little lamb
Sung to the tune of BINGO
The More We Get Together
Let's Be Friends With One Another
Hand In Hand
Friends
Five Friends
Good Morning, Friends - sung to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Good-Bye, Friends - sung to "Are You Sleeping?"
This is a traditional Girl scout song:
Friend of Mine
Let's Find a Friend
If You're Friendly
Different Friends Song
Do You Know?
Friend Of Mine
Friends
A Circle of Friends
Friends
If You're Friendly and You Know It
Friend of Mine
Different Friends Song
Make a *Friends Can Be Different* Book
With a Friend
At night when sunshine goes away,
You cannot give a smile away
I have a friend
I had a box of crayons,
Good Morning, Friends
Good-Bye, Friends
Different Friends Song
"Do You Know This Friend of Mine"?
"The More We Are Together"
"Beth Met A Friend"
If You're Friendly and You Know It
Friend of Mine
Welcome, Welcome
Welcome To Circle
Come And Join Us
Let's Find A Friend
Friend of Mine
Name Pantomime
Jump Song
Special Song
The More We Get Together
Jump Jim Joe
1, 2, 3 Good Friends
Who is here today?
Share Your Toys
Let's Be Friends Today
Friends
Friends
Five Little Friends
Good Friends
Good Day!
Two Little Friends
We Can Jump
Hand In Hand
Friends
Five Friends
Rhythm Friends
Playmate Song
I Have a Friend-
A Friend-
I like you , I like you
Yes , I do , Yes , I do
Friends are for sharing
Friends are for caring
I like you , I like you!
After singing this song a couple of times I have the children sit in pairs looking at one another. When we sing the ending part I like you , I like you the kids then shake each others hands and say : My name is -------- what can I call you. This song really helps the kids to learn to introduce themselves , and to get to know their new school friends.
Everyone sits in a circle and sings...
I have a friend named ________, __________is his/her name.
Get up and dance ____________, Get up and dance___________,
Get up and dance____________, __________may sit down.
The children usually jump around but I encourage any kind of movement. For the shy guys, I let them choose a friend to dance with them.
We have used this as the close to the musical portion of our preschool graduation as well as dismissing children from group to another activity.
Hello friends, kiora friends, how are you today,
Hello _ _ _ _, kiora_ _ _ _ , how are you today
Roll the ball to you
Roll it back again
What's your name?
We're very glad you came.
Friends friends 1 2 3
all my friends are here with me.
You're my friend You're my friend You're my friend
Friends Friends 1 2 3
all my friends are here with me.
Amigos Amigos todos mis amigos estan aqui.
tu eres mi amigo tu eres mi amiga tu eres mi amigo
Amigos amigos uno dos tres todos mis amigos estan aqui.
During circle time we start by greeting each other with this song. (child's name) is mi amigo,
(child's name) is mi amigo,
(child's name) is mi amigo,
(child's name) is my FRIEND.
Go around circle so that all children greet each other; to extend this song to movement each child call can either clap, jump) as the entire group sings their name.
We later talk about what do friends do: Children respond, We don't fight, we share our toys and computer. We talk things out.
My name is _______, How do you do?
I'll be you friend, You'll be mine too!
I also use Polaroid photos of each child, hold each photo up and ask the class, "who is this little boy/girl?" Later in the year, I use the photos to take attendance. I ask, "Is Cody here today?",etc. and make two piles of photos, those who are here and those who are not. Then we count together to see how many are here.
Will you meet a friend of mine? Friend of mine? Friend of mine? Will you meet a friend of mine? This is my friend _____________.
I have a very special friend and Can you guess her name-o
J_U_L_I_E
J_U_L_I_E_
J_U_L_I_E_
And Julie is her name-o
Insert each child's name as you sing this song. This is also a great transition song for going outside or leaving group time..
The more we get together,
together, together.
The more we get together,
The happier we'll be.
'Cause your friends are my friends
And my friends are your friends.
The more we get together,
the happier we'll be!
Can be expanded on by children making up more things to do together
Ket's be friend with one another (3x's)
Let's be friend today.
You can sing with a friend
you can shout with a friend
you can hum with a friend
let's be friends today!
You can jump with a friend
you can clap with a friend
you can jump with a friend
let's be friends today
let's be friend with one another (3x's)
let's be friends today
Let's be friends
Can be expanded on by children making up more things to do together
Let's be friends you and me together we will
La la la - do do do - do do doddley do
Let's hold hands you and me and together we will
La la la - do do do - do do doddley do
Let's swing arms you and me and together we will
La la la - do do do - do do doddley do
Children go through motions with a partner
By myself I'm good, but together we're much better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
By myself I can sing, but together we're better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
Oh Big hands, little hands, clapping hand and waving hands
All different kinds of hand together hand in hand
By myself I can clap, but together we're much better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
By myself. I can jump but together we're much better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
Oh brown hands, pink hands, yellow hands and tan hands
All different kinds of hands together hand in hand
I have two friends, (hold up 2 fingers on left hand)
And they have me; (hold up 1 finger on right hand)
Two friends and me, (bend each from left to right)
That's one, two, three (hold up whle saying 1,2 3)
Five good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day,
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were four friends left to play.
Four good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day,
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were three friends left to play.
Three good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day.
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were two friends left to play.
Two good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day.
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there was one friend left to play.
One good friend went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day.
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were no friends left to play.
Hi! Good morning, friends.
How are you today?
Let's each try to be a friend
To everyone today!
Good-bye, friends. Goodbye, friends.
Time to go. Time to go.
Thank you, friends, for helping.
Thank you, friends, for sharing.
Love you so! Love you so!
Make new Friends, but keep the old
One is silver and the others gold.
Sung to: " Mary had a little lamb"
Will you meet a friend of mine?
Friend of mine?
Friend of mine?
Will you meet a friend of mine?
This is my friend _____________. (Fill in Name)
Sung to: "The farmer in the Dell"
Play Like you play Farmer in the Dell!
Let's find a friend,
Oh let's find a friend
Heigh Ho the Derry-O!
Let's find a friend!
Pick a Child to start in the center
(______) find a friend,
(______) find a friend,
Heigh Ho The derry-o!
(______) find a friend.
Have the adults stand on the outside to make up the remainder of the circle so all the children get to be inside. Then Sing:
We all found a friend,
We all found a friend,
Heigh Ho! The derry-o!
We all found a friend.
Sung to: "If you're happy and you know it"
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're friendly and you know it,
and you really want to show it,
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands!
Sung to: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Love, love, love your friends,
Different as they seem.
Playing, laughing, joking, helping,
True friends are like a dream!
Sung to: "Muffin Man"
Do you know this friend of mine,
this friend of mine, this friend of mine?
Do you know this friend of mine,
At (your school's name) today?
Sung to: " Mary Had A Little Lamb"
Will you be a friend of mine,
Friend of mine, friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine
and (choose an action) around with me?
Friends at school
Are big and small.
Friends at school
Are best of all!
We've joined together as classmates
as the new year begins,
A year full of learning
while we become friends.
We'll share and be kind
as we work and we play.
And our friendship will grow
with each passing day.
Friends care.
Friends share.
We need friends
Everywhere
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're friendly and you know it,
and you really want to show it,
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands!
(tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Will you be a friend of mine,
a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine
and (insert an action) around with me?
_______ is a friend of mine,
friend of mine, friend of mine,
_______ is a friend of mine,
who (insert same action) around with me.
(tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Love, love, love your friends,
Different as they seem.
Playing, laughing, joking, helping,
True friends are like a dream!
_______ likes to _______ but I don't,
and we are still friends.
_______ likes to _______ but I don't,
and we are still friends.
_______ likes to _______ but I don't,
and we are still friends.
I like to _______ but _______ doesn't,
and we are still friends.
With a friend I can slide.
With a friend I can hide.
With a friend I can walk.
With a friend I can talk.
I like my friend an awful lot.
And it's too dark for me to play,
I like to come inside, and look
For new friends in a story book.
No matter what you do.
Every time you give me one
I'll give it back to you!
Whose name is _____
And we have fun together.
We laugh and play
And sing all day
In any kind of weather.
All shiny, straight and new.
I lent a friend the red one,
And -- oops -- it broke in two!
My friend said she was sorry,
But I said "I don't care,
'Cause now we both can color
With one crayon -- we can share!"
(Sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat')
Hi! Good morning, friends.
How are you today?
Let's each try to be a friend
To everyone today!
(Sung to the tune of 'Are You Sleeping?')
Good-bye, friends. Good-bye, friends.
Time to go. Time to go.
Thank you, friends, for helping.
Thank you, friends, for sharing.
Love you so! Love you so!
(Sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Love, love, love your friends,
Different as they seem.
Playing, laughing, joking, helping,
True friends are like a dream!
(Sing to the tune of "The Muffin Man")
Do you know this friend of mine,
This friend of mine,
This friend of mine?
Do you know this friend of mine?
His name is ____________.
Yes, we know this friend of yours,
This friend of yours,
This friend of yours.
Yes, we know this friend of yours.
His name is ____________.
(Sing to the tune of "Have you Ever Seen a Lassie?")
The more we are together, together, together,
The more we are together, the happier we'll be.
For your friends are my friends
and my friends are your friends.
The more we are together, the happier we'll be.
We're all in school together, together, together,
We're all in school together, and happy we'll be.
There's Mary and Peter and Janet and Joshua
There's _________ and _________ and __________ and __________
We're all in school together and happy we'll be.
Insert names of children in your classroom (daycare).
(Sing to the tune of "The Farmer In The Dell").
Beth met a friend,
Beth met a friend,
When she came to school today,
Beth met a friend.
Insert the names of the children in your classroom (daycare) for each verse.
(Sung to If Your Happy and You Know It)
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands.
If you're friendly and you know it,
and you really want to show it,
If you're friendly and you know it,
clap your hands!
(Sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Will you be a friend of mine,
a friend of mine, a friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine
and (insert an action) around with me?
_______ is a friend of mine,
friend of mine, friend of mine,
_______ is a friend of mine,
who (insert same action) around with me.
(Sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")
Welcome, welcome All my friends
We'll learn your name
Through this game
______, _________ it's your turn
Find your name, and then return.
The children sit in a circle. Put the children's name tags in the center of the circle. They should find their names when called upon and then return to their place in the circle. At the end of the song, when everyone has his/her name, he/she can trade it back to you for a prize--sticker, stamp, etc.
(Tune: Where is Thumbkin?)
Where is ______? Where is _______?
Here he is! Here he is!
How are you today, sir?
Very well I thank you.
(child response)
Sit right here! Sit right here!
(Tune: Clementine)
Come and join us in the circle
For a fun and happy time.
We will learn and play together
In our circle, yours and mine.
Listen carefully and look closely
Have good manners and be kind
We will learn and play together
In our circle, yours and mine.
(Tune: The farmer in the Dell)
(I begin by walking around the room while the kids are sitting
and we all sing. Once they know the game I let the kids begin.)
Let's find a friend,
Oh let's find a friend
Heigh Ho the Derry-O!
Let's find a friend!
(At this point, call a child, they hold your hand and continue walking around the room and singing:)
(Cameron) find a friend,
(Cameron) find a friend,
Heigh Ho The derry-o!
(Cameron) find a friend.
(Now Cameron chooses a friend and we sing that child's name. The game continues until the entire class is walking around the room. When the last child is called to make it a "fun" spot to be, we reverse direction so that instead of being the "end" the last person gets to be the leader! and sing:)
We all found a friend,
We all found a friend,
Heigh Ho! The derry-o!
We all found a friend.
(Sung to the tune of Mary Had A Little Lamb)
Will you be a friend of mine,
Friend of mine, friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine
And (choose an action) around with me?
One child is chosen to be "it." The kids chant the following:
"Hello my friends,
How do you do?
My name is ___________.
Watch what I do!"
The child that is "It" begins a motion.
The group copies it and chants:
"Hello ___________!
We'll do it too!"
Original and variations here!
Pick a child, and have them pick a friend to jump with.
Let's say you are singing for Sarah and Mike
Sarah and Mike, Jump up and Down,
Jump up and Down, Jump up and Down,
Sarah and Mike Jump up and Down,
Now sit back down.
(Sung to "Where is Thumbkin?")
(Child's Name) is Special,
(Child's Name) is Special,
Yes (he/she) is,
Yes (he/she) is,
(Child's Name) is Special,
(Child's Name) is Special,
Yes (he/she) is,
Yes (he/she) is,
This song works really well when you have the children sit in a circle, and allow the named child to stand/dance in the middle while the other children sing, and/or clap along. They really like it.
(Another Version)
The more we get together, together, together
The more we get together the happier we'll be.
'Cuz your friends are my friends
and my friends are your friends The more we get together the happier we'll be.
With child's name, and child's name,
and child's name, and child's name
The more we get together the happier we'll be.
With child's name, and child's name,
and child's name, and child's name
The more we get together the happier we'll be.
(Sung to "Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck")
Have the children sit in a circle before lunch. Pick one child, have that child pick a friend, then have the two children hold hands and follow the directions as you sing:
Jump, Jump, Jump Jim Joe,
Shake your head,
Nod your head,
Tap your toe,
Round and round,
And round we go,
Go and wash your hands
WITH SOAP
Sung to "10 little Indians"
1, 2, 3 good friends,
4, 5, 6 good friends,
7, 8, 9 good friends,
10 good friends are we!
You can also sing it in Spanish
Uno, dos, tres amigos,
Cuatro, cinco seis amigos
Siete, ocho, nueve amigos
Diez amigos son!
(Sung to "the Farmer in the Dell")
Who is here today?
Who is here today?
Everybody clap your hands,
Who is here today?
Jill is here today!
Jill is here today!
Everybody clap your hands,
Jill is here today!
Substitute Jill for the names of the children in your class. Great circle time song where the children can dance or jump while you sing their name.
(Sung to row, row, row your boat)
Share, Share, share your toys,
share them with your friends
It's so much fun to share your toys,
sharing has no end.
Let's all share our toys,
Let's share them with our friends,
It's so much fun to share our toys,
Sharing has no end.
Let's be friends with one another
Let's be friends with one another
Let's be friends with one another
Let's be friends today.
You can sing with a friend
you can shout with a friend
you can hum with a friend
Let's be friends today!
You can jump with a friend
you can clap with a friend
you can jump with a friend
Let's be friends today
Let's be friends with one another
Let's be friend with one another
Let's be friends with one another
Let's be friends today
Let's be friends can be expanded on by children
making up more things to do together
Friends care.
Friends share.
We need friends
Everywhere!
I like my friends.
So when we are at play
I try to be very kind
And nice in every way.
(hold up five fingers; subtract one with each action)
Five little friends playing on the floor,
One got tired and then there were four.
Four little friends climbing in a tree,
One jumped down, and then there were three.
Three little friends skipping to the zoo,
One went for lunch, and then there were two.
Two little friends swimming in the sun,
One went home, and then there was one.
One little friend going for a run,
One decided to take a nap, and then there were none
To help children understand what kinds of behaviors make someone a good friend, teach your youngsters this poem. Later your little friendship experts may want to add some new stanzas of their own.
Good Friends
Good friends are so nice to have
When we work and play.
Good friends are awfully kind.
They help along the way.
Good friends say, "Hello," or "Hi!"
When they meet each day.
Good friends can take your coat
Or put your boots away.
Good friends like to help with blocks
When you have too many.
Good friends share their crayons, too,
When you don't have any!
Good friends help clean a mess
That's spilled upon the floor.
Good friends like to let you in
When you are at the door.
Good friends play a game of catch
Or make a jump rope turn.
Good friends show you how to play
If you want to learn.
Good friends say, "Thanks for your help!"
And say, "I'm sorry," too.
Good friends say, "I'm so glad
To have a friend like you!"
Good day, everybody!
Good day, everybody!
Good day! Good day! Good day!
Smile everybody!
Smile everybody!
Let's chase the blues away.
Shake hands everybody!
Shake hands everybody!
Let's make new friends today.
Two little friends are better than one,
And three are better than two;
And four are much better still.
Just think!
What four little friends can do.
We can jump, jump, jump.
We can hop, hop, hop.
We can clap, clap, clap.
We can stop, stop, stop.
We can shake our heads "yes".
We can shake our heads "no".
We can bend our knees a little bit,
And sit down slow.
Children go through motions with a partner
By myself I'm good, but together we're much better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
By myself I can sing, but together we're better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
Oh Big hands, little hands, clapping hand and waving hands
All different kinds of hand together hand in hand
By myself I can clap, but together we're much better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
By myself. I can jump but together we're much better
Together we're much better, hand in hand
Oh brown hands, pink hands, yellow hands and tan hands
All different kinds of hands together hand in hand
I have two friends,
(hold up 2 fingers on left hand)
And they have me;
(hold up 1 finger on right hand)
Two friends and me,
(bend each from left to right)
That's one, two, three
(hold up whle saying 1,2 3)
Five good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day,
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were four friends left to play.
Four good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day,
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were three friends left to play.
Three good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day.
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were two friends left to play.
Two good friends went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day.
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there was one friend left to play.
One good friend went out to play.
It was a bright and sunny day.
One good friend said, "I can't stay."
Then there were no friends left to play.
I have two friends
(hold up two fingers)
And they have me (
hold up one more)
Two friends and me, makes 1, 2, 3 !
Hello my playmate.
Come out and play with me.
Slide down the cellar door.
Climb up the apple tree.
Hello my playmate.
Come out and play with me.
And we'll be jolly friends.
Forever more.
I have a friend
Whose name is ________________
And we have fun together.
We laugh and play
And sing all day
In any kind of weather.
A friend is
A special thing to be.
I like you and
You like me.
We like each other
But we don’t always agree,
As you are you
And I am me.
Games & Activities
This game helps children learn to identify their names and their classmates names. Put every child's name in a box. Sing: Here we go round the friendship circle, the friendship circle, the friendship circle. Here we go round the friendship circle with my friend_______. Then pull out a name from the box. Don't say anything and let the child who's name it is say it's me. The other's will learn to identify the other children's names too. Do this until every name is called.
I use this for circle time. We sing the song "He's got the whole world in His hands"...But we use a a friends name...He got Jacob in His hand...He got Jacob in His hand ...so on and so on. Go around the circle till you sing all the children's names.
Using a beanbag, toss it from hand to hand while singing this tune; I have a good friend a good friend a good friend, I have a good friend and their name is ________. Then toss the beanbag to that child. Have the child toss it back to you. Do this until every child has had their name called. You could then have the children who catch the beanbag sing the song and toss it to a friend.
This helps children form friendships early in the year-works well for transitions. Have the children in a circle and give each child a SOCK, on their turn a child has to go and look for their friend who has the matching sock.
On a fine day take four or five children and a stand in a circle that is not too large and using a football get them to throw it to their opposite number and say the receiving child's name each time the ball is passed . This is good for language skills , hand and eye coordination and interpersonal skills.
Each day when the children arrive put a sticker, shape, or whatever on shirt or blouse. At group time they must find the person with the matching item on their clothing. they will spend all day doing everything with that child. The next day they will do it all over with a different child.
Friendship Letters
We read the story Rainbow Fish which is very much much a story about friendship. I made flannel board fish to go along with the story which made it more real. At the end of the story I gave everyone their own scale.
The Veggie Tales has a video called "Are You My Neighbor?" In that video the lesson is even though people are all different, they can be friends. The theme song is "I Can Be Your Friend."
For our two year old class we made a book titled " Friend, Friend, What do you see? " Each page contained a photocopied picture of each child with (I see ______ looking at me) at the top and (_____, ______, What do you see) at the bottom. In this way each child has only one page with their name on it and you can remove as children move out of your class and add for new friends. The last page is a picture of teachers with the words (I see my teachers looking at me). All of our two year olds can mock read the book and are delighted to see their picture in the book. Photocopied pictures of children also make an attractive wall border or frame with construction paper and put in the backs of cubbies.
Friendship Trees
Friendship Talk
Musical Hugs
Do Not Topple The Tower
Musical Shares
Hand Hugs
Bowling Game:
Outdoor Obstacle Course:
Put Ups
I Spy
Team Towers
Dealing With Emotions
Puppet Play
Fun On The Run
A Friendship Game:
Divide your group into pairs. Invite the children to introduce themselves to each other by saying " Hello, my name is (Susan) and I am happy to be your friend." Explain to the children that when you ring a bell, they should switch partners and meet someone new. Then encourage the children to draw pictures of their new friends on sheets of white paper. Print the children's names on name cards to place beside the drawings. Display the drawings on a bulletin board labeled "Marking New Fall Friends." Then invite the children to take their drawings home to share with family members.
Do As I Say Game:
Getting To Know You
Name Game:
What time is it My New Friend?
My Friend May I?
Red Rover
Name Ball Game
Friendship Tables
Friend Memory
Who is missing?
Hello My Friend!
Follow my Friend
Hand Hugs
Musical Hugs
Jigsaw Puzzle Pair-Ups
Fishing For Friends
Find A Friend
Do Not Topple The Tower
Cooperative Hugs
Make A New Friend
Make A Circle
The Friendship Train
Wear A Shirt
Buddy Crawl
Move A Hoop
Make A Shape
Musical Names
Have parents provide addressed and stamped envelope to a friend and have the children dictate a letter to them.
Make a classroom tree by painting and planting a large branch (tree). Let each child decorate a leaf and write his/her name on it (or pictures for younger kids). Make individual trees by letting each child color a tree pattern and gluing on leaves with classmates names on them. This is a great Sept. project to help kids learn each other's names!
Make a paper chain of children. Explain that this is like our class - we are each individual people, but all together we are friends! A friend is someone to have fun with, to play with, to laugh with, to sing with, and to share with. A friend is a buddy, a pal - a friend! Who are your friends? What special things do you like to do with your friends? What things do you like to do by yourself?
Put on music and encourage children to move the way the music makes them feel. Tell them when the music stops, they need to look for a friend to hug. Continue with music, stop, hug another friend, etc.
Let each child pick block. Start the tower by putting one block in the middle of the circle and have each child add there block one at a time. Remind them to try to keep the tower from falling over. When the tower topples start over again. The kids love this one!
Need:
To start one chair for each child
A small group of children
Music
Play this game just like musical chairs, but with a twist. Each time the music stops and you take a chair out, do not have any children sit out. They have to share a chair with a friend instead (see musical SHARES). My kids love this game and ask to play everyday since I introduced it. It really helps with teaching sharing and is great for preschoolers because no one is a losers.
Sit the children in a circle holding hands. The teacher starts the chain of "hand hugs" by gently squeezing the hand of the child next to her. The child then passes on the hand hug to the next child, etc. around circle.
Double Balance Beam:
Place two balance beams side by side and encourage two children to hold hands and cross together.
Set up pins or plastic bottles. With a ball have the children take turns knocking down the pins.
Design an obstacle course outdoors that is specifically designed for two children to go through at one time. Use balance beams, climbers', slides, etc. Short and simple obstacle courses seem to work the best.
We go around the circle and ask each child if there is anyone they want to give a "put-up" to (Put UP instead of down). Has anyone done something especially nice for you? Shared?, Etc. The adult contributes too, so we make sure everyone hears his/her name mentioned. Sometimes I write the comments down and send them home for the parents to read. It does encourage the children to remember the "good" interactions they have with others.
Play "I SPY" game only give clues about a friend in our room. "I spy someone with long hair, yellow pants and blue sneakers. Who do I SPY?"
Provide plenty of blocks and a large area to build in. Let small groups of children use the area to work cooperatively on a team tower. When they agree that their tower is complete, take a picture of it. If you don't want that expense, suggest the group draw a picture of it, or measure it by alternating their hands the height and width of the tower, and/or dictating a description of their construction for you to print on paper.
Name emotions and ask the children to make their faces look like each one. Then you act like each emotion and have the children identify it. Switch roles and have the kids take turns acting out emotions for others. After identifying lots of emotions let the kids talk about what makes them feel these emotions. Finally, describe some daycare situations to emphasize and discuss feelings.
EXAMPLES: Today is Tyler's birthday and he's brought a treat for everyone. Alex came to daycare too late to have a snack. Meredith thought Gracia was her friend, but she doesn't want to play with her today.
Bring several puppets to circle time. Think of everyday situations where children will need to negotiate and compromise. Some examples: There's only one bike, but two kids want to ride it. Everybody playing house wants to be the baby. The provider is reading a book, and all the kids want to sit by her. Practices working out the situations by letting the children speak through their puppets.
Gather several pails, detergent boxes with handles, and plastic milk bottles with the tops cut off but the handles still intact. Have the kids use these containers to move dirt from one area to another or to move sand from a pile to the sandbox.
They may want to work out a cooperative system where some of the kids fill the containers, others load the containers on wagons and transport them to the new site, and still others dump the materials when they arrive. Then everybody builds/creates once the moving is done.
Do you know how to make friends? What do you say to someone when you want to be friends? Do you tell your new friend your name? Can you tell me the name of one of your friends?
Would you please stand up if your name is (Joe)? Would you please stand up if your hair is (brown)? Stand up if your eyes are (blue). Continue the game until all children have been included.
Can you stand on your tiptoes? Let's try it together. Can you clap your hands? Let's clap our hands three times. Can you twirl around? Let's see you twirl around.
What games to you like to play? Have you ever played "Simon Says"? Who knows how to play? Would you like to play "Simon Says"? Ask the children to follow several directions, such as "Touch your nose," "Touch your toes,", and Touch your mouth.". Challenge the children to follow more complex directions, such as " Touch your knees twice and them touch your head.". When children are ready, invite on child to be the leader and give the other children directions. Encourage the children to take turns being the leader and giving directions for their friends to follow. Make sure each child gets a chance to be the leader.
Pass out memory cards to each person. Then have them walk around and try to find their match. But, before they see if they have a match, they would have to say, "Hello, My name is Mark" and the other person would say, "Hello Mark, my name is Jane". "It's nice to meet you Jane". Then they can see if they have a match. The first group to find their match wins a small prize. Then, you would have them ask a few simple questions of their new friend. Name? Age? Favorite Color? Whatever...
Then you would go around the room and each person would introduce their new friend. Then... Ask children to name their new friends. Count how many they get right... and the people who remembered the most.. get a prize.
Ask each child to name all of the other students during circle time.
During Group Time Have the children count the number of children in the class. Every child can have a turn. Make a graph and make how many boys and girls are in the class. Extended version: continue to mark the graph each day.
This is a fun game to play outside. You can change the name to suit any theme. The children all line up against a wall or fence. And one child, (My New Friend) or the teacher faces away from the children, a good distance away from the children. The children yell, what time is it "My New Friend", My New Friend answers 1 o'clock, and the children all take one step toward My New Friend. The children yell again, what time is it "My New Friend", My New Friend answers (fill in the blank) o'clock, and the children all take same number of step toward My New Friend. This continues until all the children are very close to My New Friend then My New Friend will answer it's midnight, and My New Friend chases the children back to the fence or wall that they started at. The first person My New Friend touches will be the new My New Friend.
Played just like Mother May I? The child and parent stand at opposite sides of a room. The child asks if he/she may: take so may step forward. i.e. "Mother may I Please take 3 baby steps forward?" the answer would be either, "Yes you may", or "No you may not." The child wins when they reach you. Encourage the use of descriptive words, such as little, big, huge, tiny, and giant. You can also play this with a group of children. The winner would be the one who reaches you first.
Line the children up against one side of the room. Have one teacher on one side and one on the other. The teacher on the opposite side of the children calls out "Red Rover, Red Rover, let (child's name) come over." The child goes to the other side of the room. This continues until all the children have gone to the other side of the room, and then the other teacher calls out the names. Variation... call out "Red Rover, Red Rover, let children wearing red come over" and other colors, this allows more children to be active at one time.
Have the children sit in a circle and supply the children with a ball or bean bag. The child must say the child's name that they are going to pas the beanbag to or roll the ball to.
Set up a table for two children to play together, legos, blocks, crayons, and whatever. In order for the children to sit there they must cooperate in their activity and one must ask to other to join him/her in the activity before they go to the table.
Ask the parents to supply you with a picture of each child in the class. Make 2 black and white photo copies of each photo and glue the copies to the back of a blank index card. Now you have the cards to play memory.
Have all the children cover their eyes. I have found that when they lay on their bellies they tend to peek less. Tap one child on the shoulder. That child will hide. Then the other children have to guess who is missing.
Have one child sit in the middle of a circle on a chair. This child should cover his/her eyes. Then pick one child to go up to the child in the middle and say, "Hello my friend, can you guess who I am?" The child in the middle gets three guesses. Then the child who spoke sits in the middle and the child that was in the middle chooses another speaker. The children can use their normal voices, but if they are familiar with the person in the chair, silly voices can be more difficult and amusing.
Play "Follow my Friend", just like follow the leader.
Sit the children in a circle holding hands. The teacher starts the chain of "hand hugs" by gently squeezing the hand of the child next to her. The child then passes on the hand hug to the next child, etc. around circle.
Put on music and encourage children to move the way the music makes them feel. They can sway, twirl, jump, slide, etc. Tell them when the music stops, they need to look for a friend to hug. Continue with music, stop, hug another friend, etc.
Cut apples out of tag-board. Then cut each one in half in a different way, so that they only match with one piece. Have the children move around the circle until they find their "Puzzle Pal". Then for the day, they can sit together in-group, sit next to each other for snack, line up together, etc. It's a good "ice breaker". This can be used for any season; cut pumpkins, hearts, eggs, flowers, etc.
Will need individual pictures of classmates, smooth metal juice can lids, fishing poles, magnets Allow children to glue photos of themselves onto metal juice can lids. They can decorate them with stickers etc. Attach magnets to fishing poles. Have the children sit in a circle. Scatter the juice lids in the center of the circle. Give one child a fishing pole and instruct her/him to "fish" for a friend by dangling her/his line over the center of the circle.
Once she/he has "caught" the friend, the child whose picture is on the lid receives the pole and takes her/his turn "fishing." The juice lid is returned to the center and the pole is passed from child to child according to the "catch." Once the game is understood, hand out several poles to be used at the same time. Extension: When a child "catches" a friend then that child can tell something nice about that friend. It is a great self-esteem booster.
Set up 1 chair at the front of the rug area. Everyone hides their eyes. When you are tapped you quietly rise and sit in the chair. When the adult says "OK" everyone looks and sings the song. At the end we take turns guessing the name of the person sitting in the chair. Later in the year, the people tapped go to the chair and hide behind a large piece of poster board....look around the circle....who is missing?....Can you tell who they are by their shoes? etc.
Give each child a block & have the children sit in a circle. Start by putting one block in the middle of the circle and have each child add his block, trying to keep the tower from falling over. When the tower topples start over again. So simple & the children really love this one!
Your classroom will be tilled with friendly vibrations when your youngsters play this cooperative game. Begin by having your youngsters spread out within a large, open space. For safety's sake, be sure to emphasize that this is a walking game with no running allowed. Play a recording of some moderately paced instrumental music to accompany the game, or play an upbeat song with friendly lyrics such as the classic "You've Got To Have Friends" by Bette Midler. Play the music while youngsters dance around in place. When you stop the music, instruct each child to find one person to hug. Play the music again and have each pair of youngsters dance together. Stop the music again. This time have each pair of youngsters find another pair to hug. Then these foursomes can dance together until the music stops and they join other foursomes for a big hug. Continue in this manner until all your youngsters join together for one big friendly hug.
Help your youngsters get to know each other with this simple cooperative activity. On white construction paper, reproduce the Puzzle Pals patterns (attached) so that there will be one puzzle piece for each student. Use markers to color each puzzle pair with a distinctly different pattern or color. Laminate the patterns; then cut along the bold lines to cut each pair apart. Punch a hole near the top of each puzzle piece and thread a long piece of yarn through the hole. Tie the ends of the yarn to form a necklace.
Before pre-school starts one morning, place a Puzzle Pal necklace in each child's cubby or at his seat. Encourage students to wear their necklaces. Give each youngster time to locate the wearer of the matching Puzzle Pal-his partner for the day. Ask each child to introduce his new friend to the class by saying, "This is my friend [insert child's name]." As this pair of students moves to a designated space (for forming a large circle), encourage everyone to sing "The More We Get Together." Repeat this entire cycle until every child has been introduced and all students are forming one large friendship circle
This cooperative game is lots of fun to play and provides youngsters with an opportunity to develop their listening skills as well as their imaginations. Have youngsters spread out within a large, open space. Have them walk around quietly, listening for your signal. When you are ready, stand still and call, 'Make a circle!" Your youngsters must move to where you are and join hands to make a circle around you. Do this several times always moving to a different spot in the room.
When your students have mastered the basic circle-forming skill, throw in some simple variations. When you signal them, call something different such as, "Tiptoe into a circle!" or Make a monkey circle!" (Students move like monkeys once they are in the circle). Remind students that the circle must be formed around you each time.
This game is easy, but it takes quite a bit of cooperation to keep a string of little bodies all moving in the same direction! Have your youngsters spread out within a large, open area. Try this game a few times with an adult leader (the engine). Play some instrumental music softly in the background. Have the leader move toward one youngster. As the leader passes him, the youngster "hooks" on by placing his hands on her hips. Continuing from child to child, children continue to join the Friendship Train. The last child, or caboose, may then become the engine for the next game. If desired, make the game a bit more difficult by asking that youngsters build a train in boy-girl-boy-girl sequence.
Gather a supply of long-sleeved, extra-large men's shirts. Ask for donations, or search yard sales and thrift shops for inexpensive castoffs. Make sure that you have enough shirts for every two youngsters. Group students in pairs and give one shirt to each pair. Explain that both people in each pair must wear" the shirt together! Encourage students to come up with several different ways of doing this. After a while, have students select new partners and repeat the activity.
Assign partners once again for this activity. Line up several sets of partners along one side of your play space. Instruct each pair to move to the opposite side of the play space together. Further explain that each person in each pair must be crawling and that the partners must remain in physical contact as they move. Youngsters can develop and try a number of different ways to accomplish this task. Some pairs may hold hands and crawl. Some may crawl side by side, keeping their torsos in contact. And some may crawl with one person leading while the other person crawls holding the leader's feet. Explain to students that this game is less of a race and more of a challenge to work together creatively.
Pair your students; then give each pair one plastic Hula-Hoop. Ask each pair to step inside the hoop. Then instruct the pairs of children to move to a specified location. Explain that youngsters may move in any way, but they must both remain inside the hoop. Repeat the task a second time with the same partners to allow each pair to refine its communication and movement techniques. Later direct partners to jump, hop, skip, or otherwise move together inside the hoop to reach their destination.
Provide each pair of children with a jump rope or six-foot length of heavy cord or rope. Hold up a sign bearing the outline of a square, circle, triangle, or rectangle. Have each pair work together to re-create the shape on the sign. Continue the activity, changing the outline to be copied. Later you may want to include signs with more complex shapes such as an oval, a diamond, or a heart. Or you may want signs showing numerals or letters of the alphabet.
Arrange chairs in a circle. Walk around them to music. Sit when the music stops. Take one chair away. If you don't find a chair to sit in ....stand behind someone who is seated. The standing child tries to name the seated child. Later when there are not enough chairs...stand behind someone who is seated --or in a line behind someone who is seated....try to name the person who is in front of you...(we'll always help if you don't know!) Continue until everyone is standing behind 1 seated person.
Books & Reading
330-686-8714
Best Friends - Myra Berry Brown
Make a Best Friends Book
A Friend
*Friends Can Be Different* Book
A Good Book and a Related Activity
A Sharing Story
Every Buddy Counts:
Author Study P.K. Hallinan:
Other "Friends" Books
Make Our Own Books:
"With a Friend"
Dandelion - Don Freeman
Rainbow Fish - Marcus Pfister
Stellaluna - Janell Cannon
The Three Friends - Robert Kraus
Will I Have a Friend? - Miriam Cohen
The Best of Friends By: Josephine Haskell
Friends By: Helen Heine
Partners By: Betty Baker
Two is a Team By: Lorraine Beim
Every Buddy Counts By: Stuart J. Murphy
Shawn Goes to School By: Petronella Breinbrug
A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You By: Joan Walsh Anglund
That's What Friends Are For By: Mary Engelbreit
Do You Want to Be My Friend? By: Eric Carle
Three Friends By: Robert Fremlin
Ira Sleeps Over By: Bernard Wabe
My Buddy By: Audrey Oeofsky
My Best Friend By: Pat Hutchins
Will I have a friend By: Miriam Cohen
Best Friends By: Miriam Cohen
Many Books By: Annie Bananie
Making Friends By: Eleanor Schick
Sharing by Nanette Newman
Count on Your Friends by Becky Daniel
Playmates by Pam Adams
We Are Best Friends by Aliki
Bill and Pete by Tomie dePaola
Friends by Rachel Isadora
Two Good Friends by Margo Mason
Making Friends by Fred Rogers
Best Friends by Steven Kellogg
Let's be Friends Again by Hans Wilheim
The Best Friends Club by Elizabeth Winthrop
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
Partners by Betty Baker
Two Is A Team by Lorraine Beim
Shawn Goes To School by Petronella Breinbrug
Three Friends by Robert Fremlin
My Buddy by Audrey Oeokfsky
Making Friends by Eleanor Schick
Best Friends - Myra Berry Brown
Dandelion by Don Freeman
Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
The Three Friends by Robert Kraus
Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen
Every Buddy Counts by Stuart A Murphy
My Teacher, My Friend by P.K. Hallinan
Best Friends by Miriam Cohen
Frog & Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
My Best Friend by Pat Hutchins
A Rainbow of Friends by P.K. Hallinan
Do You Want To Be My Friend by Eric Carle
Bernstein Bears - The Trouble With Friends
_______ is my best friend because
she/he likes to _______.
She/he also likes to _______.
We both like to ________.
Sometimes we _______.
Our favorite thing to do together is _______.
A friend likes to _______.
A friend will _______.
A friend can _______.
A friend never _______.
But the most important thing about a friend is
that he/she likes me!
_______ likes to _______ but I don't,
and we are still friends.
_______ likes to _______ but I don't,
and we are still friends.
_______ likes to _______ but I don't,
and we are still friends.
I like to _______ but _______ doesn't,
and we are still friends.
The Doorbell Rang
This wonderful book, written and illustrated by Pat Hutchins, is just right for youngsters of different ages. The predictable format of the story is a magnet to budding readers, while the illustrations allude to the mechanics and mathematics of sharing. After reading aloud the story, set up a similar scene for all of your youngsters to role-play. Provide two youngsters with enough tag board cookie cutouts to equal one cutout for each child in your class-including yourself, if necessary, to keep the number of cookies even. Retell the story, making alterations as necessary, until there is one cookie per person.and the doorbell rings. If you wish to make this reenactment into a class book, photograph the students and their cookies as the retelling progresses. Later use the photos to illustrate your own version of the story. During the days that follow this dramatization, divide students into small groups at snack time. Then, for each group, provide a plate with twice as many crackers as people in the group. Have students work together to divide the snack evenly. On subsequent days, continue giving students opportunities to decide for themselves how to evenly divide the snack provided.
Make an "Every Buddy Counts" Bulletin Board. Take photos of children playing, counting, working, etc. On one photo have one child, on the next two children and so forth. Take photos of children holding a different number of objects. This is a great reinforcement of the counting concept. Children love to see themselves in pictures. When you take the bulletin board down, make a Big Book with the pictures and add it to your classroom library.
Author, P.K. Hallinan writes a series of books about friendship. Some of those books are; My Teacher, My Friend; My Dentist, My Friend; My Doctor, My Friend; That's What A Friend Is; A Rainbow of Friends; We're Very Good Friends My. Mother and I/Father and I/Brother and I/Sister and I/Grandma and I/Grandpa and I.
After reading each book, discuss the ways that the "star" of the book could be a friend, and make a chart of those traits.
For example, do you have a brother? Is your brother your friend? What things does your brother do that makes him your friend? This gets especially interesting when discussing grandparents and all the neat things kids and grandparents do together.
As you talk about all the different people who can be our friends, compare the charts and add to a separate chart that lists things that make kids friends with other kids. Your students will come up with lots of great ideas!
Keep a basket of yellow paper stars near a "Shining Stars" bulletin board. When someone feels that another student has done something special -- something that makes that student a good friend -- they take a star, write their friend's name on it, and staple it to the board. Younger children may need help doing this. Older children can add a few words about why that person is a good friend.
It's also very interesting to listen to the reasons the children give why their doctor or dentist is also their friend ("She helps me feel better when I'm sick," or "He makes sure my teeth are strong"). This discussion extends naturally into a discussion of why other adults are our friends -- police, firefighters, the principal, the man who drives the ice cream truck, etc.
Kids enjoy writing stories about their friends. The first story might be an illustration with a single sentence, telling who is in the picture and what the friends in the picture are doing. Make paper available for the kids to make as many single pages as they like about their friends, and staple them into construction paper folders. Display some of the stories on the walls.
Use a writing frame that says "________ is my friend because ________." Do the first page as a group activity, with each child making their own page about anyone they like. Then set paper out in the writing area for them to make additional pages during writing time and/or Literacy Centers. The kinderkids and some first graders will need help filling in the blanks. More accomplished writers can copy the sentence onto their papers and do their own writing.
Use the writing frame to make class books based on each of the friends' books we read. That way, we have our own books called My Teacher is My Friend, My Father is My Friend, etc. The kids enjoy reading these, and reading their friends' names
Make books where the children tell the important thing about themselves. For this book, we tell the important things about being a friend.
"A Friend"
A friend likes to _______.
A friend will _______.
A friend can _______.
A friend never _______.
But the most important thing about a friend is that he/she likes me!
With a friend I can slide.
With a friend I can hide.
With a friend I can walk.
With a friend I can talk.
I like my friend an awful lot
In The Kitchen
Pound Cake Brownies
Buddy Pudding
Friendship Salad
Friendship Pizza
We bake friendship cookies for snack plus one for each child to take home. Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, or buy sugar cookie dough at the supermarket. We make heart shaped cookies. Frost and decorate them. We talk about sharing, then we have each child cut their cookie in half (this makes 2 equal and identical halves) and share half with a friend. They can take a cookie home and share with mom, dad, or a sibling.
Make a special snack at circle time with your class. You will need: gold fish, m and m's, pretzels, fruit loops, raisins or whatever else you may want to mix together. I let every child pour one cup of one of the above ingredients into a large bowl. We do this until everyone has a chance and all of the ingredients are mixed up in a large bowl. We then eat our Friendly Crunches at snack time.
My 3's class makes a friendship salad. I write the names of pieces of fruit on paper and the children select one. They must bring in 2 pieces of the fruit that was named on the paper. I ask the parent to allow them to shop for it with them. Then they bring the fruit to class and each child is given a plastic knife to cut up their fruit. We discuss the different colors, texture, smell, etc of each individual fruit. We compare the seeds (if any) Then the children put their fruits into a large bowl and we mix it together. We discuss how all the fruits are great individually, however, they can be even better mixed together as one. We try to make this a lesson in friendship and how we all can work together
¾ cup butter margarine, softened,
1 cup sugar,
3 eggs,
2, 1ounce squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled,
1 teaspoon vanilla,
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour,
½ teaspoon baking powder,
¼ teaspoon salt,
½ cup chopped nuts
Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs. Blend in chocolate and vanilla. Stir fl our with baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread in a greased 9x9x2inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool. If desired, sift powdered sugar over the top. Cut into bars.
Yields 24 bars.
Box of Jell-O Instant Pudding,
Milk (follow directions on side of box),
and Large Zip-lock Bag:
Place Instant Pudding mix and milk into zip-lock bag. Seal bag tightly. You begin by telling the children something about yourself and as your speak you manipulate the pudding mixture with your hands. Each child then takes a turn to tell their new friends about themselves while continuing to manipulate the pudding mixture. When the pudding is complete place in small plastic cups and enjoy a great treat.
Give a note to each parent and ask them to bring one piece of fruit. Then you take the fruit and cut it all up and make a salad. Kids like it because they have all contributed something.
Take sugar cookie dough and roll it out into a circle big enough to fit in a pizza pan. Bake at home to avoid a long waiting period. Bring to school and have children take turns spreading vanilla frosting on crust. Have sliced fresh fruit in different containers and let children add pieces of fruit to the crust. Explain to them that you must now cut the pizza so that everyone has a piece (sharing). I like to do this as a large group but have done it in small group.
Science
Friendship flower:
Compare friends fingerprints.
Comparing Heartbeats
Friends Voices:
Animal Friends:
Have each child pick a partner and they will be given one carnation per 2 children. Next, they will split the stem in half and each child will pick a color (food coloring) they would like for their side of the flower. Place the separate sides into their own Dixie cup and watch what happens! You might want to make two per partner so that each child will have one to take home.
You need ink pad, Paper and magnify glass!
Have child make finger prints on paper and look at them with a magnify glass also look at the other children's fingerprints?
Provide stethoscopes for the children to listen to their friends' heartbeats.
Take the children's voices through the course of the day. The following day, leave the tape recorder at the science table. The children can listen to the tape and try to guess which classmate is talking.
Prepare signs for the animal cages listing the animal's daily food intake and care.
Dramatic Play
Puppet Show:
A Tea Party:
DRAMATIC PLAY
Set up a puppet stage with various types of puppets. The children can share puppets and act out friendships using the puppets in various situations.
Provide dress up clothes, play dishes, and water in the dramatic play area.
Set up the play area to make a small house with several rooms, such as a kitchen, bedroom, and family room. Plan a scenario for every day, such as: a birthday party, taking care of a sick family member, getting ready to move to a new home, cleaning day, caring for a new baby, preparing for the start of school. You may want to read a book dealing with the chosen situation and then have the kids plan the needed additions.
Math Ideas
Group Pictures:
Friends Charts:
Take pictures of the children in groups of 2, 3, 4, etc. Make separate corresponding number cards. The children can then match the correct numeral to the picture card.
Take individual pictures of the children and chart them according to hair color, eye color, etc. Encourage the children to compare their looks to the characteristics of their friends.
Field Trips
The Nursing Home
Bulletin Board Ideas
Hands Of Friendship - bulletin board idea
Bulletin Board/Wall Display
Friendship Mural
Make an Every Buddy Counts Bulletin Board
Friends Bulletin Board
What Is A Friend?
Hands Of Friendship
Friendship Talk
I Am A Special Friend Because.....
Arts & Crafts Ideas
Friendship bracelet
Friendship Wreath
Friendship Quilt
Friendship Collage
Buddy Painting
Friend Collage
Friendship Mural
Friendship Bracelets
Friendship Chain
Friendship Collage
Friendship Exchange Art:
Let's Make New Friends:
Balloon Pals
Friendship Collage
Buddy Paintings
Cooperation Collages
Friendship Art 1:
Friendship Art 2:
Friendship Art 3:
Friendship Art 4:
Friendship Art 5:
Friends Holding Hands:
Friends Holding Hands 2:
Sensory table Ideas
Messy Table Fun Activities
The sensory table is an area where two to four children can make new friends and share. Materials that can be added to the sensory table include: Shaving cream Playdough Sand with toys Water with boats Wood shavings Silly putty (mix equal parts white glue and liquid starch. Food coloring can be added for color. Store in an airtight container.) Dry pasta with scoops and a balance scale. Goop (mix water and cornstarch. Add cornstarach to the water until you get the consistency that you want.)
Concepts To Learn
Theme Goals:
For many children, September means a new school year (day care) and new friends. With the ideas in this friendship unit, the children can get off to a great start by creating a climate of kindness, sharing and cooperation.
Through participating in the experiences provided by this theme, the children may learn:
Concepts for the Children to Learn:
Vocabulary:
Our Friendship Goals
Conflict Resolution
A Special Someone
Friendly Words
Visit a nursing home allowing the children to interact with elderly friends.
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With a fine-tip black marker, carefully trace around each youngster's hands on a sheet of white construction paper. Let each youngster color in his handprints with a skin-toned crayon or marker. Write each youngster's name above his pair of handprints. Arrange all the children's handprints on a bulletin board so that they make a circle. In the center of the circle, attach a photograph of the entire class. Title the display "A Circle Of Friends."
I Am A Special Friend Because.....
Prepare a circle shape for the head, cut out of construction paper, and attach it to a tongue depressor for the body (one per child). The children decorate the faces to look like themselves by adding yarn for hair and coloring in the features of the face. Write a short phrase on the tongue depressor that completes the sentence, "I am a Special Friend because. . ."
Need:
Large paper,
small paper plate,
crayons,
markers, etc…
Directions:
Take a long piece of bulletin board paper (white works best) and using a small paper plate trace enough circles so that each child and teacher can participate. Give each child a turn to select a circle and draw a picture of themselves.
Take photos of children playing, counting, working, etc.
On one photo have one child, on the next two children and so forth.
Take photos of children holding a different number of objects.
This is a great reinforcement of the counting concept.
Children love to see themselves in pictures.
When you take the bulletin board down, make a Big Book
with the pictures and add it to your classroom library.
Ask the children to bring pictures of their friends into the classroom/daycare. Set up a bulletin board in the classroom where these pictures can be hung for all to see. Remind the children that friends can be family members and animals too.
Help your youngsters think about what friendship means by asking them to brainstorm a list of descriptive words to complete the sentence, "A friend is...." Write the student-dictated words on cards, and display them on a wall or bulletin board. Using white construction-paper Friend Figures (pattern attached), have each youngster create a self-portrait. Instruct each youngster to cut out his figure; then arrange the figures near the word cards so that they appear to be holding hands.
With a fine-tip black marker, carefully trace around each youngster's hands on a sheet of white construction paper. Let each youngster color in his handprints with a skin-toned crayon or marker. Write each youngster's name above his pair of handprints. Arrange all the children's handprints on a bulletin board so that they make a circle. In the center of the circle, attach a photograph of the entire class. Title the display "A Circle Of Friends."
Make a paper chain of children. Explain that this is like our class - we are each individual people, but all together we are friends! A friend is someone to have fun with, to play with, to laugh with, to sing with, and to share with. A friend is a buddy, a pal - a friend! Who are your friends? What special things do you like to do with your friends? What things do you like to do by yourself?
Prepare a circle shape for the head, cut out of construction paper, and attach it to a tongue depressor for the body (one per child). The children decorate the faces to look like themselves by adding yarn for hair and coloring in the features of the face. Write a short phrase on the tongue depressor that completes the sentence, "I am a Special Friend because. . ."
Need:
Fruit loop type cereal,
string or yarn
Directions:
Give each child a piece of string and some fruit loops. Have the children string the fruit loops onto the string to make a bracelet. Then enough the children to trade with a friend. Explain that you make a friendship bracelet to show your friends you care for them etc...
Need:
Paint,
large paper,
ribbon
Directions:
Have the children place their handprints on a large piece of paper in a circular shape to create a friendship wreath. Then have the children decorate it with ribbons. Then display it on the wall. Talk about working together and friendship as you make the wreath.
Need:
Constructions paper,
Collage materials
Directions:
Give each child a large square piece of construction paper. Put out collage materials, and let them decorate the paper any way they want. Have them place their name on the paper. Hang it in a quilt pattern on your bulletin board or wall and label it, Make new friends and keep the old.
Need:
Poster board,
collage materials
Directions:
Get a large piece of poster board. Write the words "A Friendship Collage" on it. Have the children come to the table in small groups and place on items from
a collage box onto the poster board. When it is all done hang it up.
Need:
Use of an Easel,
paper,
tape,
paint,
paint brushes
Directions:
Tape two pieces of easel paper together. Have two children go to the table to work together on a painting. Call them "buddy paintings" because they are painted with our friends. When it is time to send them home simply un tape them and send a half home with each as a reminder of there friendship and sharing.
Need:
magazines,
paper,
glue
Directions:
Make a collage of pictures of things you like to do with your friends.
Need:
Paper,
paint,
glue
Directions:
You can make a mural with children's handprints becoming flowers. Paint on stems and some grass with their handprints for the flowers. Title it: "Friendships bloom in our classroom."
Need:
Tag board or white construction paper,
glue,
glitter,
markers
Directions:
Precut a strip of tag board or white construction paper. If students can cut their own that's even better. Once the strip is cut students add dots of glue , and then add glitter. Or color with markers. Let dry and wrap around a students wrist and staple.
Provide strips of paper for the older children to print their names on. For those children who are not interested or unable, print their names for them. When all the names are on the strips of paper, the children can connect them to make a chain. The chain should symbolize that everyone in the class is a friend.
Encourage the children to find magazine pictures of friends. These pictures can be pasted on a large sheet of paper for a collage. Later the paper can be used for decoration and discussion in the lobby or hallway.
Provide each child with a piece of construction paper with "To: __________" printed in the upper left corner and "From: ___________" on the bottom. The teacher assists the children in printing their names on the bottom and the name of the person to their right on the top of the paper. Using paper scraps, tissue paper squares, fabric scarps, and glue, each child will construct a picture for a friend. When finished, have each child pass the pa per to the friend it was made for.
Your will need construction paper patterns of children, white paper, scissors, crayons or ma king pens, and tape.
Before beginning this activity, cut several children shapes from construction paper. Then invite the children to trace around the construction paper pat terns on sheets of white paper. The children then cut out the patterns they t race, asking for help as needed. Divide the class into pairs. Encourage children to draw the features and details of their partners on the paper. Tape the patterns together at the hands to make a friendship chain to display in the classroom or on a friendship bulletin board.
You will need: 9-inch round balloons, precut feet shapes, one for each child; tag-board; yarn scraps, colored construction paper scraps; markers, glue; scissors.
Cut out feet shape and trace it onto tag-board. Cut out the shape including a slit. Slide the tied end of an inflated balloon along the slot to the center of the feet. Now the balloon can stand up while the children use the yarn to add hair, and the paper scraps and markers to add eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. After all the balloon pals are complete, form a group and ask each child to introduce her pal and describe what she/likes most about her/his new friend.
Have a large collage box and a piece of poster board with the words "A FRIENDSHIP COLLAGE -- We shared all that we used!" The children come two at a time to the table and chose 10 things out of the collage box to glue onto the poster board. When it's done you have a cooperative collage. (This activity enables you to see who can count and do 1-to-1 correspondences when counting to 10. It also pointed out children who had difficulty working on a project together.
Tape two pieces of large easel paper together. Talk about what a "buddy" is...(a friend). The children go to the table in groups of 3 to paint cooperatively on the easel paper. Call them "buddy paintings" because they are painted with our friends.
Gather magazines and catalogs, scissors, paste, glue, large squares or circles of white butcher paper, and circle stickers in several colors. Mix half paste and half glue to create a manageable mixture. Divide the kids into small groups, having them work at a small table or on the floor. Each group should have a piece of butcher paper, magazines, paste mixture, and scissors. Put the same color sticker on the back of each person's hand in the group. Have each group create a collage of items the color of the stickers on their hands by tearing or cutting out magazine/catalog pictures matching the color of their stickers. Let younger kids be less organized. Simply put the stickers on their hands and let them work together to make one large Cooperative Collage.
Have two children work on an art project together.
Have children draw a picture of their friend. Label the picture as such.
Have each child draw a picture for another child.
Have one child trace another child's hand, color it and cut it out.
On a very big piece of paper, have one child lay down, and the other child trace the first child. The children may color in their bodies and cut them out to hang around the class.
Have the children use non-toxic paints to paint their hands. Then have one child place their left hand on a piece of paper and another child places their right hand on the same paper. Label with the children's names.
Have the children place their hands along the outside of a large piece of paper. On the center of the paper write "Pre-school Friends Holding Hands" Change Pre-school to be more appropriate to your program. Say your class is the bluebird class... "Bluebird Friends Holding Hands"
Ask the parent to bring in pictures of the children with a friend to post in the classroom. Place a piece of contact paper over the picture to attach it to the wall at eye level. Talk to the children about their friends in the picture. If possible, take pictures throughout the week to post as well, of the children with their new friends:)
· Who friends are.
· Why we have friends.
· Activities we can do with our friends.
· Places we can make friends
· A friend is someone who I like and who likes me.
· My friends are special to me.
· We have friends at school/day care.
· Our brothers and sisters can be our friends.
· Friends can help us with our work.
· We play with our friends.
· We share and learn with friends.
· Friends talk and listen to us.
· A pet can be a friend.
· Friends can be boys or girls.
· Friend - a person we enjoy.
· Sharing - giving and taking turns.
· Like - feeling good about someone or something.
· Giving - sharing something of your own with others.
· Cooperating - working together to help someone.
· Togetherness - being with one another and sharing a good feeling.
· Pal or Buddy - another word for friend.
Foster a sense of cooperation, acceptance, and togetherness in your classroom by focusing on positive, friendly behaviors. Keep a camera handy so that you can photograph your youngsters when they are cooperating or working well together. Display these photos on a permanent bulletin board that you add to throughout the year. You may find that you'll have lots of youngsters who are quite proud to be caught in the act of being friends!
To aid in conflict resolution, select your youngsters' top three or four typical conflicts. Photograph your students in the midst of acting out each of these disagreements in turn. Then photograph them demonstrating several possible solutions to each of these conflicts. Display these photos on a bulletin board. Later, when similar conflicts arise, youngsters can refer to the photos for possible solutions. When they feel more competent at conflict resolution management, transfer the photos to an album titled "Our Friendship Guidebook." You may be surprised to see how many youngsters refer to the guidebook instead of opting for an unsuitable alternative.
After learning the "Good Friends" poem and seeing some of the behaviors in action, your students will be able to talk about what it means to be a friend. Take time each day to have youngsters tell you about friendly things they have seen people doing. Keep a list of these positive behaviors on chart paper and refer to them often. You can also review them as possible solutions to unresolved classroom conflicts.
Have your youngsters make a big book that features some of the friendly behaviors that they have seen or that they have performed. Ask each child to draw a picture that shows someone doing something "friendly." Write each youngster's description of her illustration in the remaining space on her paper. Staple all of the pages together beneath a construction-paper cover. Title this class booklet "Friends Do Special Things."
Involve your youngsters in the establishment of a positive classroom climate by having them brainstorm a list of friendly words to use every day. Before beginning, help them understand the difference between friendly and unfriendly words. Talk about how some words make people feel good or happy when people say them. Other words have the opposite effect. Write the brainstormed words on construction-paper cards and display them in a pocket chart. Use these words in the chant below.
(Some example words are; kind, happy, nice, friendly, helpful)
Friendly words, friendly words
Use them every day.
Friendly words, friendly words
Feel so good to say.
[Chant your list of brainstormed words.]
Do you like to make new friends? Why? What special things do you do with your friends?
Can you tell me the name of a friend who is wearing (blue) today?
What color are the eyes of the friend sitting next to you?
Ask the friend sitting next to you what his or her favorite food is.