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Nursery Rhymes, Songs, and Fingerplays for Kids

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Caterpillar to Butterfly Songs

April 18, 2016 by ajpassey Leave a Comment

We went to the butterfly house at the zoo this past weekend. Oh my! Such beautiful butterflies. We had fun standing still and watching them flutter around us. We each held out a finger silently hoping a butterfly would land on one of us. Our favorite part of the butterfly house is looking through the window and seeing the caterpillar to butterfly process. All the cocoons of different sizes hung in rows; the newly emerged butterflies trying wings for the first time.

Caterpillar to Butterfly songs for kids

The process of caterpillar to butterfly is a great spring theme for toddlers and preschoolers. Spring brings so many changes to the world around our little ones. Butterflies are just one beautiful example of how spring transforms something plain into something colorful.

I love this list of songs because they all teach the caterpillar to butterfly cycle. Each song captures the beauty of this process in a unique way. These songs are a great way to reinforce the concepts taught in books, poems or activities. They would make a great soundtrack for a crafting session, a butterfly hunt, or free play time. They can also take front stage by letting kids explore instruments while listening.

Caterpillar to Butterfly Songs

  • Katy Caterpillar by Key Wilde and Mr Clarke on Animal Tales
  • Butterfly by Laura Doherty on In a Heartbeat
  • Flutter by Butterfly by Fun O’Clock on In the Nick of Time
  • Butterfly by Bari Koral on Anna and the Cupcakes
  • Butterfly Away by the Harmonica Pocket on Sundrops
  • Wooly Wooly Bear by Laura Doherty on In a Heartbeat

Caterpillar to Butterfly Life Cycle

Butterflies begin as an egg. When the egg hatches, a caterpillar emerges. The caterpillar grows, eating leaves. Then the caterpillar spins itself into a cocoon. Inside the cocoon, the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. Once the transformation is complete, the butterfly breaks out of the cocoon. At first the butterfly’s wings are still damp. The butterfly cannot fly until the wings have dried off. Once the wings have dried, the caterpillar to butterfly transformation is complete and the butterfly takes to the sky.

Caterpillar to butterfly life cycle

Find this and more caterpillar to butterfly coloring pages at Super Coloring.

Bari Koral: Anna and the Cupcakes     The Harmonica Pocket: Sundrops     Animal Tales from Key Wilde and Mr Clarke

in-a-heartbeat      in-the-nick-of-time

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: animals, Bari Koral, Fun O'Clock, infants, Key Wilde & Mr Clarke, Laura Doherty, spring, STEAM, the Harmonica Pocket

April Showers Poems and Songs

April 8, 2016 by ajpassey Leave a Comment

“April showers bring May flowers”

This old adage has always had special meaning for me. My mom’s birthday is in April and my birthday is in May. I imagined this phrase was coined just for me that my mom, represented by April showers, brought me, represented by May flowers, into the world. Such is the innocence and simple understanding of a young child.

April Showers Poems and SongsIt is probably also the main reason why I love April showers so much. Rain, storms, thunder and lightning have always filled me with awe and appreciation for nature. I love the sound of rain dripping, dropping and tapping on my windows and roof.

So it’s no surprise that I’ve amassed quite a list of songs and poems about April showers. I’m excited to share this treasured collection with you today. I hope it will help in filling out your storytime program centered on your favorite book about rain. Side note: my all-time favorite book to read aloud about rain is Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault.

April Showers Poems

Just click on the title of the poem and you’ll be taken to the page with the full lyrics.

  • Pitter-Patter, Pitter-Pat
  • I Hear Thunder
  • Rain, Rain Go Away
  • It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
  • One Misty, Moisty Morning
  • Dr Foster Went to Gloucester
  • Eensy, Weensy Spider

 

April Showers Songs

Raindrops by The Harmonica Pocket on the album Sundrops

Thunder & Lightning by Recess Monkey on the album Hot Air

Rainy Day Dance Party by Milkshake on the album Got a Minute?

Rain Dance by Rachel Coleman and the TreeSchoolers on the album Plants & Flowers

In Belgian Rain by Hot Peas ‘n Butter on the album Catchin’ Some Peazzz, The Lullabies

Milkshake: Got a Minute?      Recess Monkey: Hot Air      The Harmonica Pocket: Sundrops

Hot Peas 'N Butter: Catchin' Some Peazzz      Rachel and the TreeSchoolers: Plants and Flowers

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Hot Peas 'n Butter, Milkshake, Rachel Coleman, Recess Monkey, spring, STEAM, the Harmonica Pocket, weather

6 Albums with Spring Songs for Preschool

March 31, 2016 by ajpassey Leave a Comment

Today I’ve gathered 6 spring songs for preschool from some of my favorite musicians. These musicians are part of the Kindie Music world which focuses on creating quality music with lyrics and melodies that are relatable to little ones and enjoyed by listeners of all ages.

6 Spring Songs for PreschoolSpring is such a fun time for me because everything seems to come alive again after the stillness of winter. Just as plants turn green, shoots spring up, and birds build nests, preschoolers seem to explode in growth during the spring. The sunshine, rain and warmer weather is good for physical growth as well as all areas of a child’s development. The spring songs for preschool I chose for this list celebrate the sun, the rain, rainbows, and the tender feelings and bursting energy of little ones.

6 Spring Songs for Preschool

  1. Let’s Get Together by Bari Koral found on Anna and the Cupcakes
  2. Sunshine by Vered found on Good Morning My Love
  3. Sundrops by The Harmonica Pocket found on Sundrops
  4.  Thunder & Lightning by Recess Monkey found on Hot Air
  5. Rainbow by Milkshake found on Got a Minute?
  6. Bye Bye Song by Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys found on Bubble Ride

Suggested Activities

These spring songs for preschool make a great playlist to accompany a variety of activities to explore spring. Below are just a few possible activities that pair well with this playlist.

Make a Rainbow

Using a flashlight and an old CD, little ones can explore rainbows. Lemon Lime Adventures gives a great tutorial on how to make this activity easy for little ones to create their own rainbow.

Spring Scavenger HuntA spring scavenger hunt for kids would be a great activity to accompany this playlist of spring songs for preschool. KC Edventures offers a free printable scavenger hunt list.

Featured Albums with Spring Songs for Preschool

Anna and the Cupcakes from Bari Koral and the Family Rock BandBari Koral: Anna and the Cupcakes

Good Morning My Love from Vered

Vered: Good Morning My Love

Sundrops by The Harmonica Pocket

The Harmonica Pocket: Sundrops

Hot Air by Recess Monkey

Recess Monkey: Hot Air

Got a Minute? by Milkshake

Milkshake: Got a Minute?

Bubble Ride by Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys

Vanessa Trien: Bubble Ride

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Bari Koral, Milkshake, Recess Monkey, spring, the Harmonica Pocket, Vanessa Trien, Vered

5 Spring Songs for Toddlers

March 28, 2016 by ajpassey Leave a Comment

Toddlers and spring are a perfect match! Watching a toddler discover the newness of spring growth is so inspiring. To help little ones connect to the world around them and build literacy skills, these spring songs for toddlers will get you started.

5 Spring Songs for Toddlers

Toddlers, an all young children, learn best through repetition. The more you sing these spring songs for toddlers, the more they will learn about spring, about music, and about language. Don’t be afraid to repeat the same song several times in a row. Even when adults begin to tire of a song or think it might be getting boring for a toddler, toddlers are usually just figuring it out and ready to participate themselves.

These Spring songs for toddlers are all action songs. Toddlers love actions and usually learn them faster than the words. I love seeing toddlers at play spontaneously remember actions to a song and incorporate the song and the actions into their play.

5 Spring Songs for Toddlers

  1. Five Green and Speckled Frogs
  2. Rain, Rain, Go Away
  3. Here Is the Beehive
  4. Five Little Ducks
  5. I’m a Puff of Wind

Click on each song for the full lyrics and ideas for actions to do with these spring songs for toddlers. Below you will find some resources to accompany these songs.

Featured Albums

These albums contain songs that are a great fit for spring and the above spring songs for toddlers.

Sundrops by Harmonica Pocket includes the song Raindrops and is a perfect partner for Rain, Rain Go Away.

Rock and Roll Garden by Bari Koral includes the song Hey Ducky and is a darling companion to 5 Little Ducks.

Featured Crafts

Handprint frog craft

This easy to make recycled CD frog craft from Fun Handprint Art pairs well with 5 Green and Speckled Frogs.

Spring Showers Umbrella Craft

This spring showers umbrella craft from No Time For Flashcards is a great choice to go with Rain, Rain, Go Away.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: actions, animals, Bari Koral, counting, infants, spring, the Harmonica Pocket

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