Dreams, Imagination, and Make-Believe ThemeREAD: BOOKS
Imagine That: Let Your Mind Run Wild By Yasmeen IsmailHappy Dreamer By Pete H. Reynolds
Meeow Series By Sebastian Braun
Dot By Pete H. Reynolds
Ish By Pete H. Reynolds
Harold and the Purple Crayon By Crockett Johnson
Not a Stick By Antoinette Portis Not a Box By Antoinette PortisMy Book Box By Will Hillenbrand
Mimi Make- Believe By Claire Freedman
Pretend By Jennifer Plecas
Beautiful Oops! By Barney Saltzberg
Shorty and Clem By Michael Slack
Rosie Revere, Engineer By Andrea Beaty
The Most Magnificent Thing By Ashley Spires
Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon By Patty Lovell
What Do You Do with an Idea? By Kobi Yamada
Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building By Christy HaleHigher, Higher by Leslie Patricelli
I’m Me by Sara Sheridan
Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler
Something to Do by David LucasThat’s How by Christoph Niemann
It Looked Like Split Milk By Charles G. ShawArt By Patrick McDonnell
Sam And Eva By Debbie Ridpath Ohi
SONGS/ RHYMES IDEAS:
Musical Activities
Children love animals - the bigger and louder, the better! Why not use an animal theme along with music as a springboard for creative exploration. Invite the children to pretend that they are animals or insects and start this premise by showing pictures of animals in books or posters. Talk about these animals - how they move and the sounds they make.
Think about using music to enhance creative movement. As you help the children begin to dramatize the world of animals, play portions of the Carnival of Animals by Camille Saint-Saens. Each part of this musical score describes an animal. Discuss the characteristics of the music, how fast, slow, soft and loud it sounds. Can you guess the animal the music is describing? Ask the children to move with the music as if they were that animal.
Visual Imagery
This may sound technical, but it's truly simple. Start with real situations and then proceed gradually to imaginative ideas. Try some of these situations below and make sure you are pretending along with your group.
"It is raining very hard. You are a windshield wiper on the car. Go back and forth, faster and faster, so the driver can see the road."
"Who is brave enough to follow me? I'm going to walk this tightrope at the circus."
"We are floating up to the clouds. Try to walk on them. What does it feel like to walk on a cloud?"
"You are a tiny bug lost in the tall, tall grass. How can you find your home?"
Situations
Children think in concrete terms and their world is shaped through their five senses. In this exercise, begin pretend play by connecting make-believe with real sensory experiences. Try some of these situations and then create new ones with your class.
Pretend you are a baby just learning how to walk.
Your feet are stuck to the ground by a big wad of bubble gum.
You are walking outdoors and smell something wonderful! Something terrible!
You have just lost your mother in a big crowded store.
Credit Brighthubeducation.com
SING: or MUSIC:
If your happy and you know it – (clap hands, stomp feet, shout hooray)
# 2 Can’t wait to Celebrate –Blue Jim Gill (irrational anthem disc)-
• clap our hands,
• stamp feet,
• wave hello,
• bounce up and down,
• clap hands along with the song
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (use Egg Shakers)
Itsy Bitsy Spider (use egg shakers)
#2 Hands are clapping Yellow Jim Gill CD ( Hands are clapping, toes are tapping, fingers are snaping/wiggling, knees are for slapping, teeth are brushing, hands are for clapping
#8 Silly Dance Contest Jim Gill Yellow CD use with colorful scarves
PLAY/ CRAFT:
Harold and the Purple Crayon 3D Art
Garden Pretend Play
Sea Sand and Forest Imaginative Playmat
Garden Path Imaginative Playmat
Colorful Pom Pom Drop
Imaginative Play Ideas A-Z
Sensory Bin Ideas
More Sensory Bins
Pretend Play Ice Cream Shop
Pie Stand Printable Set Dramatic Play $5.oo
Post Office Dramatic Play
Dramatic Play Doctors Office
Pretend Play Free Printables
