Art Music Drama

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpacks and Kerplunks

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On the weekend at a regional Baby Fair, the award-winning children’s band The Kerplunks performed to an appreciative audience of little kids and big ones, from very new baby bumps all the way to accompanying grandparents. Since my book table was right across from the main stage I got to hear them all 4 times. And now the song” I’ve got my gumboots on, I’ve got my gumboots one, From dusk to dawn with my my gumboots on,” is stuck in my head! Of course, it’s a rainy day song and our weather is very wet but it’s been there for 2 days! To vary the lyrics, I’ve substituted the word backpack. Now the song has another verse:

I’ve got my backpack on, I’ve got my backpack on, From dusk to dawn, I’ve got my backpack on.

The Kerplunks not only sing but they play lots of different instruments. The Backpacks could be the name of a new musical group and the instruments could be made from things around the house. How about a tissue box with elastic bands to strum, or a plastic container with some dry macaroni as a shaker? Pots or pans and a wooden spoon make great drums. Put on some favorite songs that won’t get stuck in your head and let your child move, dance and play along.

Music is an awesome activity for all kinds of readiness for kindergarten concepts including listening, rhythm, body awareness, etc. Both math and music have a similar system of ascending and descending order, notes with spaces and numbers with spaces, etc. so music prepares brain pathways and connections for learning math. Music is very powerful not just for kindergarten readiness but for all kinds of brain development. Help your little one find a crazy costume, strap a backpack on the back, create an instrument for the front and a 1-2-3 we’ve got some learning fun, we’ve got some learning fun…!

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack Rainy Day Fun

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Today, “…the rain rain rain came down down down,” to quote Winnie the Pooh. For kids of all ages it was an inside day. Even when little ones can’t go outside they need to wear off some energy. Finding enough things to do in a space that seems to get smaller as the day gets longer can be a challenge. Here’s an idea to give your little one some physical activity and readiness for kindergarten fun.

Starting with a backpack, of course, send your little one off on a hunt. For example, “Let’s see, your backpack would like you to go to your room and find something red. Put red in your backpack and come back to the kitchen.” Once back, take out the item, check that it’s red, make a few enthusiastic comments and send your child for a different color. After 2 or 3 color trips, you can ‘ask’ the backpack what it would like next and ‘listen’ as it suggests your child go to a different room and find some shapes. Circles are easy enough for little ones; older ones may like the challenge of finding a triangle and may have to look for a long time.

Young children may only manage 3 or 4 trips but if your munchkin really likes this hunt idea, try sending the hunter off for numbers of things, such as putting 4 somethings in the backpack. How about a very big number like 10? Colors, shapes, and numbers are basic skills that kids work on for kindergarten readiness and during the kindergarten year. As with many other concepts, lots of practice is needed to help kids learn. Your child may like to think of something for you to find, or maybe the backpack could mention it would like a book. It may be time to sit and have a rest. What story would your backpack like to hear?

Reading and Writing

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack with a Name

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What’s in a name?  For anybody who doesn’t know the answer to that just check out the size of the lost and found box at any facility with little ones. Boxes are usually overflowing with items that have no names. To help keep backpacks from wandering away–and to have some kindergarten readiness practice– kids might like to make a nametag to attach to their packs.

Young children may be interested in printing their names around the age of 3. As with many other readiness for kindergarten activities, skills are learned best with an ingredient of fun. Here are some fun ideas for practicing names. Kids may want to pick out the letters in their names from a selection of precut paper or foam ones and glue them onto a thick paper. Adults can outline the letters and let kids fill in them using practically anything from buttons to pasta to playdough to bingo dabbers, although pasta and playdough are not good choices for a nametag that gets lots of travel time. Older preschool kids might like to find the letters needed in magazines.

Printing names is often one of children’s early attempts at independent writing.  Adult help will be needed over the long-term to help children with learning their names using lots of different ways and a variety of materials. Fine motor control is still developing and is certainly more challenging for some children than for others. The name tags in this photo were made with plain paper and a plain, black marker by a very proud 5-year old who still had a lot of fun making them. Oh, oh, did I hear someone say that their backpacks wanted their own names? 2 nametags = 2 x the fun. What name does your backpack want? (After all, some adults name their cars….)

Science Activities

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack Treasure Hunt

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Where do pirates put their treasure? In pirate chests. Where do kids put their treasures? In backpacks. Now, if there isn’t any treasure in the backpacks at your house, it’s time to go find some. For many families, the weekend has better opportunities to spend time outdoors than the weekdays. This weekend, your family may … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack Treasure Hunt →

Art Music Drama

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack Monster Craft

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Remember reading and talking about the monster in the backpack last week? That was so much fun, here’s a kindergarten readiness craft activity to create a backpack monster. Materials needed are any wonderful odd bits and treasures from the recycling. Monsters can be made from practically anything and put together in lots of different ways. … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack Monster Craft →

Art Music Drama

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack Masterpiece

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Pablo Picasso once said “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” Paintbrushes and colors are often favorites of children and painting activities develop many readiness for kindergarten skills. Besides drawing about a backpack, your child may enjoy painting about it. One of the most important … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack Masterpiece →

Art Music Drama

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpacks in Pictures

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Did you hear the news that doodle art is making a comeback? No wonder–it’s terrific exercise for the brain. Often we forget to encourage the creative and artistic interests of children. To extend the imagination activity from yesterday, have your child draw a picture about the backpack in your story. Drawing helps develop readiness for … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpacks in Pictures →

Kindergarten Readiness

Readiness for Kindergarten – Once Upon a Backpack

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Did you know that the human brain is hard-wired for story? George Lakoff, a university scientist, wrote in his book Metaphors We Live By that our minds crave stories and are part of the structure of our brains. What does this mean for kindergarten readiness? That stories are a powerful teaching and learning tool! To … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Once Upon a Backpack →

Reading and Writing

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack on Track

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Backpacks are on on track for the kindergarten readiness skill of rhyming. What words sound like back and pack? Yak,track, black, tack, jack, quack, crack, etc. Children will learn to rhyme about the age of 4, but in the meantime, they need to hear lots of rhyming words. One way to do this is with books … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack on Track →

Physical Development

Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack to Go

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With some of the backpack monster snack we made yesterday, a hat for the sun, a jacket, and of course a backpack, your child is ready to go…to the playground. A playground has all kinds of opportunities to practice and develop readiness for kindergarten. Time at the playground is more than working off energy. Whether … Continue reading Readiness for Kindergarten – Backpack to Go →