Toddlers shift from hearts to ladybugs

Ms. Sara holds a ladybug on her finger for one of her toddlers during the class’ ladybug release.

This is a particularly exciting time of year because we study ladybugs. We had live ladybugs to observe in the classroom for a few days, and then we had lots of fun releasing them! All of the children wanted a turn having a ladybug crawl on a hand before flying away. We waved goodbye and wished them all the best.

Themes

We began February with hearts, love and valentines, and now we’ve transitioned to ladybugs.

Hearts and ladybugs are everywhere! There were large hearts hanging from the ceiling. Heart-shape Valentine’s notes fit perfectly into the opening of a tiny mailbox. It’s fun to read the message and let the children decide who they’d like to send a valentine to as they slip each one into the mailbox!

To improve fine-motor skills, a child can choose the pom-pom transfer work. The pom-poms are in a small closed box, and tongs are available to pick them out of the box and place into the heart molds of an ice cube tray, one at a time.

They also can glue small hearts onto a wreath design or a doily, one with liquid glue and the other a glue stick. A sandpaper heart rubbing also is available for the children to rub a crayon on their paper to see if they start to see the shape coming through.

After Valentine’s Day, we brought in lots of ladybugs. There are small ladybug bean bags as a sensory and posting work. We have plastic eggs that look like ladybugs to open to see what’s inside. They can paint the shape of a ladybug or glue black spots on a ladybug cutout in the art area. The ladybug life cycle (eggs, larva, pupa and adult ladybug) is available to inspect, match object to picture and discuss.

All of these were even more interesting because the activities could be compared with the live ladybugs we have had in the classroom for the children to observe!
Red, pink, white and purple are used to go along with these themes, while the color of the month is purple. There is a soft and fluffy purple sensory bag containing items of various shades of purple, including the translucent eye cover that makes everything look purple.

The dough on the art shelf is ready to be molded, rolled and shaped with heart-shape cookie cutters. We have been painting with red and blue to make purple, as well as straight purple and various painting tools. A ladybug stamp is available for the children, too.

Being the sixth full month of the school year, the number six is in the drop box, as well as the peg work, which are both tactile pre-math activities.

Ms. Sara holds a cloth with ladybugs on it so her toddlers could better view the ladybugs before they released them.

Songs and Fingerplays

Love is something, and you give it away,
you give it away, you give it away.
Love is something, and you give it away,
you end up having more!

(Tune: “Do You Know the Muffin Man”)
Will you be my valentine, my valentine, my valentine?
Will you be my valentine, and hold my big red heart.
(Pass out felt hearts.)
I will be your valentine, your valentine, your valentine.
I will be your valentine, and hold your big red heart!

Love somebody… Yes I do!
Love somebody… Yes I do!
Love somebody… Yes I do!
Love somebody… But I won't say who.
Love somebody… Yes I do!
Love somebody… Yes I do!
Love somebody… Yes I do!
Love somebody… I love you, you, you!

(Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
You’re a special friend of mine,
friend of mine, friend of mine.
You’re a special friend of mine,
be my Valentine!

Skidamarink kadink kadink, skidamarink adoo…. I love you.
Skidamarink kadink kadink, skidamarink adoo…. I love you.
I love you in the morning and in the afternoon.
I love you in the evening and underneath the moon!
Skidamarink kadink kadink, skidamarink adoo…. I love you.

(Tune: “This Old Man”)
Ladybug show your spots.
You have red wings and black dots.
We will count those dots on your shiny shell.
Ladybug, your spots are swell.

Ladybug, ladybug,
Landed on my thumb.
Crawled onto my palm, and onto my wrist.
Ladybug, ladybug,
Crawled up my arm … and then it flew away!