Good afternoon families!
I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the sunshine! A great day to play outside and get some fresh air!
I am including a variety of activities that you could do with your child over the week if you’d like. Here is a link that will take you to our playgroup’s private YouTube account. There is a video posted of myself reading a book to the kids about rainbows. All videos will be available for you to view at your convenience, as many times as you’d like. There are links to other read aloud as well.
A Mini Lesson on Rainbows: A video of me reading the book Rainbow by Marion Dance Bauer:
Private YouTube Account Link: http://rebrand.ly/ccp-playgroup
Activities:
Make Your Own Personal Rainbow!
Stand with your back to the sun and spray a mist of water from either a host or spray bottle. Move the water around until you see a rainbow! You could try to identify the colors. The true colors of a rainbow are identified as ROY G BIV even though people tend to leave off indigo and violet. You could also talk about that in order to see a rainbow, the sun needs to be at your back and the rain in front of you.
Find a compact disc and flip it over. Move the shiny side around and around and study the rainbow on the disc itself. If it is sunny, position the shiny side of the disc to project the sunlight from the disc onto a wall. Look at how the colors separate and form a rainbow!
https://buggyandbuddy.com/rainbow-science-create-light-patterns-with-a-cd/
Magic Milk Experiment:
I thought this looked pretty fun and simple with a big wow factor.
Here’s the link: https://funlearningforkids.com/magic-milk-science-experiment-kids/
Rock Painting:
If you have access to rocks, find enough to paint each one a color of the rainbow. If you do not have paint, you could use stickers, markers, or anything that will adhere to the rock. Once the are dry, practice lining them up in the order of the colors in a rainbow, saying each color as you pick up the rock. You could also practice stacking and counting them. If they keep falling over, brainstorm ways you could get them to stack and stay stable.
https://happyhooligans.ca/rainbow-stacking-stones-a-balancing-activity-for-preschoolers/
Exploding Rainbow: Materials:
6 small bowls or cups
red, yellow and blue food dye
baking soda
vinegar
medicine dropper or small spoon
thinking caps! :)
Let’s become scientists! Tell your child that you are going to make a science experiment. As you bring the materials out, talk about how you’ll be using a powder called baking soda and a liquid called vinegar and that by mixing them, they’ll create chemical reaction. Locate 6 small bowls or cups. Add about a tablespoon or so of baking soda into each. Next, gently squeeze one drop of the red into one bowl, yellow in a different bowl and blue in a third. Talk about those colors having “powers” to make new colors. Now use 2 drops of yellow and a small drop of red into a separate bowl to make the color orange. To make green, use 2 drops of yellow and one small drop of blue. To make purple, use 2 drops of red and one small drop of blue. Finally, use a medicine dropper or a small spoon to add a bit of vinegar to each bowl. Now watch the magic happen! Discuss what is happening to the bowls that you added two colors to. If you do not have food dye, you can always leave that part out and just have fun with baking soda and vinegar!
Paint a Rainbow: Materials:
red, yellow and blue paint
paper cut into the shape of a rainbow
paint brushes, q-tips, spoons, or toothbrushes
Encourage your child to mix the red and yellow paint together. As the new color appears, ask them what color they just created. Do the same to make green and purple. Once all the colors are ready, place the rainbow shaped paper in front of them and let them have at it! They may notice that they make even more colors if the paints mix!
Go on a Color Hunt:
Grab a paper bag and draw 6 small squares or any shape. Using the colors of the rainbow, color in each square a separate color. Talk about each color. Then challenge your child to hunt around the house or outside to find something to represent each color. Once he or she is finished, dump the bag out and put them in rainbow colors order. Look to see if there are ways that you could sort the things into like item groups such as by size, shape, texture, etc. You could also hold each color and discuss feelings that can be associated with each one and talk through those emotions. Have fun during your hunt!
Color a Rainbow: I found this printable that you can print at home and use as you wish.
https://www.bigactivities.com/coloring/nature/rainbows/rainbow_clouds2.php
Sensory:
Put two colors into a zip lock bag and squish them around to make a new color.
Make rainbow rice- Pour some rice into a ziplock bag. Add drops of red dye and a bit of vinegar. Squish it all around to color the rice. Pour the rice out on a cookie sheet and let it dry. Wipe out the bag or use a new bag for a new color and repeat until you have all the colors of the rainbow. You could add scoops, teaspoons, measuring cups for pouring. Add cups, jars, pales or bowls to hold the rice. You also could add glitter, gold coins or puff balls to spice it up if you wanted!
Read Alouds About Rainbows and Colors: (Click the title)
A Rainbow of My Own By Don Freeman
Mix It Up by Herve’ Tullet
Read Alouds About Colors and the Feelings They Represent: (Click the title)
Fiona Flamingo By Rachael Urrutia Chu
I Am a Rainbow by Dolly Parton
Time To Dance!! (Click the title)
"Color Freeze Dance Music That Stops" by The Kiboomers
“I Am a Rainbow” by Dolly Parton
"Colors Song" By Jack Hartmann
"Colors! Colors!"
We have been trying our best to enjoy this time at home, but there been times where it has been difficult for my kids not being able
to see their friends. So I did something spontaneous today that I probably wouldn't have done prior to this quarantine. We decided
yesterday to get 2 kittens a gal was giving away! I figured that since we are all home for a while that the timing could be perfect. I picked
them up this morning and surprised my kids! They were in shock and I am too! Can’t believe we did this! I’ll have to send you some pictures to
show your child. I also took a video yesterday of our neighbor’s baby cows that have been born over the last week and a half and will send it
your way. One of them was born just two days ago! They are so cute! All this new life surrounding us is so precious.
Please know that I am thinking of you all during this time and wish you well. I am counting down the days until we can see each other again safely. Miss you all!
Warmly,
Rosalie