Materials Needed:

• Olivia forms a band by Ian Falconer {seriously cool website btw, totally check it out}
• small empty containers (we used old vitamin containers)
• something to put in your containers (we used lentils, white beans, pine cones, and plastic beads)
• small spoons
• glue
• paint, paint brushes, paint shirts, lining for spills

Targeted learning areas: fine motor skills, science, visual arts, kinetics

The kiddos are way into Ian Falconer’s Olivia.  There is much in her adventures that they understand.  Her forming a band is no different.  As we read the book, we talked about the builder’s memories of fireworks this summer, making instruments, and changing their clothes (Olivia is always trying on new outfits).

Afterwards, they explored the beans, beads, and pine cones I’d set up.  They enjoyed putting them in the small containers and dumping them out again.  We eventually used some spoons to facilitate the filling.   Thank goodness the grower was having his morning nap.

The beads and beans spilled onto the table and floor.  A great opportunity to refine those fine motor skills, as they picked up the tiny lentils and beads.  They were so busy investigating the materials, shaking them in their containers, listening to the different sounds made, deciding how many objects to place in the containers, making noise with their spoons, stirring the beans and beads.

I began to glue shut the containers.  Out came the paint shirts, brushes, and paint.  Soon, they were mixing colors to use on the containers and explaining as they went.   After the containers had dryed, the band or parade began.  Can’t wait to use our new instruments as we sing songs together and during preschool.

What are your favorite band-related activities?