Stuffed Animals (Forest)
Cookie Cutters (Forest)
Stamps (Forest)
Books about forest animals
Plastic Forest Animals
Birds Nest
Twigs
Leaves
Bark
Green and brown playdough
Cardboard box (cave)
Pictures of different forests and forest animals
Round tree disks
Puppets (forest)
Fake leaves
In a sealed container have small items you might find in the forest
Forest animal dress up clothes
Water table: plastic forest animals, green water, fake leaves, etc
Sensory table: green moon sand, round tree disks, plastic forest animals, etc
1. Look at pictures of a forest and what you can find in the forest.
2. Look at pictures of forest animals have stuffed forest animals or puppets available
3. Look at pictures of where forest animals might live (trees, caves, nests, etc)
4. Birds Can Fly (Learn Every Day vol. 2 pg. 389)
5. Color or paint a squirrel cut out then glue leaves on the squirrels tail
6. Make a playdough forest (children will stick twigs in green playdough then add green playdough to the top for the top of the tree)
7. Make a playdough snake
8. Pretend play with cardboard boxes (pretend to be a bears in their cave)
9. Make a forest collage of things or pictures of things found in the forest
10. Discuss the sounds the forest animals make and have children make the sound as you talk about it
11. Talk about and show pictures or examples(plastic food) of the types of foods forest animals eat
12. Look at pictures of forest animals that we might not be safe around
1. Animal hunt (hide plastic animals throughout the playground, then let the children find them)
2. Animal parade
3. Nature walk/crawl
4. Animal track exploration (look for animal tracks around playground using magnifying glasses, can also place pictures of animal tracks around playground for children to explore)
1. Gray Squirrel
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel (stand with hands on hips)
Swish your bushy tail (sway hips)
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel (stand with hands on hips)
Wrinkle up your little nose (wrinkling nose)
Hold a nut between your toes (make fists with thumbs between index and middle fingers)
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel (stand with hands on hips)
Swish your bushy tail (sway hips)
2. Bear Went Over The Mountain
The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
The bear went over the mountain,
To see what he could see.
And all that he could see,
And all that he could see,
Was the other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain,
Was all that he could see.
3. Five Baby Owls
Five baby owls learning to say “who”
They flap thier wings and then say ___
No, no, mama cried. Don’t say ___
Please oh please say: “who, who, who!”
Replace the ___ with words that rhyme with “who,” shoe, glue, boo, moo, etc. This kids love to think of funny things for the baby owls to say!
4. Chipmunk, Chipmunk
Chipmunk, chipmunk, turn twice around.
Chipmunk, chipmunk, touch the ground.
Chipmunk, chipmunk, climb a tree so high.
Chipmunk, chipmunk, wave good-bye!
5. I Can Soar Like An Eagle (tune: I’ve got peace like a river)
Can you soar like an eagle,
Can you soar like an eagle,
Can you soar like an eagle,
All around?
I can soar like an eagle,
I can soar like an eagle,
I can soar like an eagle,
All around.
6. Little Bear (tune: Frere Jacques)
Are you sleepy, Are you sleepy
Little bear, little bear?
Wintertime is coming,
Wintertime is coming,
Very soon, very soon.
Find a cave, Find a cave,
Little bear, little bear
Wintertime is here,
Wintertime is here,
Go to sleep, go to sleep.
Are you sleepy, Are you sleepy
Little bear, little bear?
You will wake in springtime
In the warm, warm springtime
Little bear, little bear
Time to wake up, Time to wake up
Little bear, little bear
Springtime is here, springtime is here
Wake up now, wake up now!
7. In The Forest (tune: The Farmer In The Dell)
Trees grow in the forest.
Trees grow in the forest.
With bark and roots and sap and cones,
Trees grow in the forest.
Animals live in the forest.
Animals live in the forest.
In logs and nests and hollow trees,
Animals live in the forest.
8. Mary Went Into The Forest (tune: The Bear Went Over The Mountain)
Mary went into the forest,
Mary went into the forest,
Mary went into the forest,
To see what she could see.
She saw a big black bear.
She saw a big black bear.
She saw a big black bear
Hiding behind a tree.
Johnny went into the forest,
Johnny went into the forest,
Johnny went into the forest,
To see what he could see.
He saw a feathery owl.
He saw a feathery owl.
He saw a feathery owl.
Sitting up in a tree.
(Continue with similar verses for each of your children.
For instance; “He saw a little squirrel – running around
A tree; or She saw a big raccoon –scampering up a tree.”)
Teaching Concepts for Fingerplays
1. Big Grizzly Bear
(whisper the first 4 lines)
Big grizzly bear (hold hands out as if showing claws)
Asleep in his den (place hands together under chin as if sleeping)
Let’s wake him up (cupping hands around mouth and whispering)
We’ll start with ten
(shouting) 10,9,8,7,6,5,4
(whispering) Do you hear his grizzly roar?
(shouting) 3,2,1
(whispering) Now cover your ears
(shouting) GROWL! GROWL!
He’s up, it appears (hold arms to side and shrug shoulders)
2. We’re Going On A Bear Hunt
3. Five Little Bears
Five little bears
Heard a loud roar
One ran away
Then there were four!
Four little bears
Climbing up a tree
One slid down
Then there were three!
Three little bears
Deciding what to do
One fell asleep
Then there were two!
Two little bears
Having lots of fun
One went home
Then there was one!
One little bear
Feeling all alone
Ran to his mother
Then there were none!
One little bear
Wondering what to do,
Along came another,
Then there were two.
Two little bears
Climbing up a tree,
Along came another.
Then there were three.
Three little bears,
Ate an apple core,
Along came another,
Then there were four.
Four little bears,
Found honey in a hive,
Along came another,
Then there were five.
4. Five Little Squirrels
Five little squirrels.
This squirrel said lets run let’s play.
This squirrel said let’s gather nuts today.
This squirrel said nuts are really good.
This squirrel said they’re our favorite food.
This squirrel said let’s run up into the tree.
And crack those nuts 1-2-3!
5. In the Forest I See
In the forest I see…
One chipmunk climbing up a tree,
Two raccoons asleep in the sun,
Three squirrels nibbling acorns,
Four porcupines digging in the dirt,
Five beavers swimming downstream,
Six hedgehogs hiding in a cave,
Seven foxes barking at the sun,
Eight rabbits hopping here and there,
Nine wolves howling and yowling,
And ten moles burrowing in a hole.
6. Little Bunny Foo-Foo
Little Bunny Foo-Foo hopping through the forest,
Scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head.
Down came the good fairy and she said:
“Little Bunny Foo-Foo I don’ t want to see you,
Scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head”
“Now I’m going to give you two more chances,
And then I’ll turn you into a goon.”
Repeat, 1 more chance.
Repeat, no more chances, turn into a goon (make a funny face).
7. I Saw A Little Rabbit
I saw a little rabbit go hop, hop, hop. (make rabbit ears with 2 fingers & hop on arm)
I saw his long ears go flop, flop, flop.(bend fingers when say “flop”)
I saw his little nose go twink, twink, twink.(point to nose)
I saw his little eyes go blink, blink, blink.(point to eyes)
I said, “Little rabbit won’t you stay?”
But he looked at me and hopped away! (hop fingers on arm again)
8. An Owl Sat Alone
An owl sat alone on the branch of a tree, (Use arm as branch; raise thumb for owl)
And she was as quiet as quiet could be.
‘Twas night and her eyes were wide open like this; (Circle eyes with fingers and look around)
She looked all around, not a thing did she miss.
Some little birds perched on the branch of the tree, (Fingers of other hand fly on tree)
And sat there as quiet as quiet could be.
The solemn old owl said “whoo-whoo-whoo,” And up jumped the birds and away they flew. (Wave hand away, fluttering fingers behind back)