Today feels like summer.
The sun shines warm. The wind blows hot. And the sky is deep blue.
So, it makes sense to do summer things with the kids like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and reading.
Yes, reading.
The first Tuesday of the month, we have a read aloud with Tracy Moore, the children’s services librarian from the Hawthorne Library. She usually reads two stories and then does an art project with the kids. Today she read, “One Stuck Duck” by Phyllis Root and did a felt board story about a pig going on a picnic.
Afterward, we went crazy with the sidewalk chalk. We made cats, butterflies and princesses, traced our bodies, played hop scotch, and made lots of scary faces and designs. The bubbles blew quickly through the air in the warm wind. It was magical and perfect day.
I love making connections between the outdoors, reading and art. Hopefully, this pattern will stick with the kids and leave them wanting more of all three. This summer, we’ll continue our library reading program to help keep them active with books and learning. We want our kids to enter the school year ready to learn.
I hope that you get creative with kids now that the weather has turned gorgeous. Try adding a book into the mix to add some literacy.
Diane Schwartz is a K1 teacher at the Goodman Community Center in Madison, WI. She specializes in getting kids outside. For a free 11-page Bubble Activity Guide, just go to the home page and subscribe to this blog.