Q is for Queens/quilts:Themed Activities

👑What can you learn about Queens and Quilts?👑

Queen Bees: We can have a science class to learn about queen bees. It is actually fascinating to discover about the workings of the colony and learning cool facts about bees in general helps children not to be afraid of them.  Did you know bees dance to help other bees know the direction to go to find pollen? Did you know there is only one queen? Perhaps you can sample different types of honey as a part of the study on the queen bee: honey fresh from a comb or processed, from bees that have access to wild flowers or dandelions or acacia and so forth.

The Queen's 70th year: At the time of this blog, the Queen of England is celebrating her 70th year on the throne. This is an incredible marker for her and makes for an intriguing social studies project. Learn about her reign and the events of history that she lived through and led her country through.  Perhaps make a poster project based on articles and media documentation of this momentous year.

Queen's crown: Connected to the queen, I was thinking of a trip to England and a tour that included seeing the crown jewels.  The display includes different crowns she wore for different occasions and the history behind their creation and significance. A project on her crowns or on a variety of crowns that exist in different cultures around the world would be interesting, especially for a child interested in jewels and crowns. Follow-up designing of a crown of their own would make for a fun art activity.

Queen/castle play: Many children have a toy castle with knights and princesses, horses and dragons to create imaginative fairytales of their own or as recreations of stories they have been told. The queen's castles can be drawn or recreated with blocks, lego, cardboard boxes and so forth. There are many projects relating to queens and castles for children to enjoy and so much to learn about architecture and design. It is a great STEM activity for kids.

Quilt making/design: This can be an actual sewing project or an art project. I once had great fun going through an Amish book of quilt designs, learning about the patterns and meanings of the various designs. It is a fun part of learning about the pioneer days too.  It is possible to make your own memories quilt using dresses or shirts that are from childhood or are personal favourites as part of your design. This is also a great way to recycle materials and give them a second life!

Quilt blanket games:  Your child can hide under a quilt during a game of hide and seek. They can use it for peek-a-boo or make a fort with quilts in which a variety of games can be played. The child can use it to cover dollies or snuggle under it on their own for a great sleep after a day filled with fun.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

W is for Water: Themed Activities

  Water: As a fundamental necessity for life, water is highly esteemed. Without it, we cannot survive. But more than a basic requirement, it is also the source of many fun activities that you may enjoy with the child(ren) in your life.  Here are a few suggestions but the list is extensive! Be creative! Add rice or beads or coloured water to a water bottle and seal it to make a sensory bottle or shaker. Bob for apples in a bucket of water. Saturate a sponge and wring it out in another bucket 20 feet away. Which relay team will reach a set limit first? (ie. fill a glass to the brim) Learn to swim. Add food colouring to glasses of water and add in white carnations and wait. Watch how they change colour. Practice a thorough hand-washing routine. You can use a GloGerm kit to find out if you managed to get rid of all the germs! Learn about the water cycle. Do a science experiment to test different paper towel brands. Which one is the most absorbent when placed on a spill of 1/4 cup ...
Read more

S is for The Snowy Day: Library Notes

Image
We have had a snowy winter so perhaps this book has already been well-read and loved by the child(ren) in your life!  I wanted to be sure you know it exists because it is a classic. It covers the winter season, clothing for cold weather, and it suggests things to do on a snowy day...all in one book! Not only that, but it also helps children know that snow melts too and as the boy goes through that disappointment they think through what to do when they face that scenario too. Ezra Jack Keats wrote and illustrated this picture book in 1962 about a boy named Peter. His illustrations won him the Caldecott Medal. He layered fabrics and decorative paper and then added to that to create his illustrations.  A great follow up activity for children would be to attempt a picture using various materials such as those used in this book. The scenario is simple and familiar.  What do you do on a snowy day? Crunch in the snow. Make patterns as you walk and leave footprints behind. Make s...
Read more

Library Notes: Clap Your Hands

Image
One book that has proven the test of time is called "Clap Your Hands" by Lorinda Cauley.  The sheer number of lessons that can be covered by reading this book are incredible.  You can find the book online to purchase and/or to listen to in a recorded storytelling  Here are some accompanying thoughts. Expression: With body and words this book helps you express ideas in a fun manner alone or in a group Engagement: It is an interactive book to entice reluctant readers and engage children in the class. Understanding Emotions:  Build on the phrase, "Show me a smile. Show me a frown." Connection to the world:  Connect to people ("Tell me your name.  How old are you?") and to the animal world by making animal sounds and copying their actions ("roar like a lion, growl like a bear") Language Skills:  Study verbs (action words) such as clap, stomp, shake, wiggle, wave. How many are in the book? Vocabulary: Label body parts ("clap your hands, stomp you...
Read more