• Toddler • Pre-school

Click clack, quackity-quack : an alphabetical adventure by:Doreen Cronin

An assortment of animals gathers for a picnic.

Best Picnic Ever by:Clare Jarrett

While his mother prepares a picnic, Jack invites a giraffe, an elephant, and other animals to lunch and each eagerly agrees, as long as they can play first.

Pignic by:Anne Miranda

Pigs gather for their annual picnic in this rhyming alphabet book.

I am Going on a Picnic

I am going on a picnic,
My name is Joe (insert Child's Name) and ....
I am going to bring Ketchup (insert item)

Note: Go around Circle and name different items
http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/picnic/songs.htm

A Summer Fingerplay

Prepare for your Summer picnic with this fingerplay.

Materials: Plates, napkins etc.

These are my sun glasses.
(circle eyes with fingers)
This is my great sun hat.
(Hands over head)
This is the way I fold my hands
(Fold hands)
And rest them, just like that.
(Place hands into lap)
Pack the paper plates and napkins.
(Pretend to pack)
Don't forget the food and drink:
(Shake head no)
Hot dogs, potato salad, cake, and lemonade pink.
It's fun to go on a picnic.
I simply cannot wait
To eat and play, have fun all day,

http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-summer.htm

Watermelon

Watermelon, watermelon
How it drips, how it drips
Up and down your elbow, up and down your elbow
Spit the pits (POOEY!), Spit the pits (POOEY!)
http://www.punkyschildcare.com/preschool/water_melon_theme.htm

Picnic Time

Going on a picnic,
Gotta pack a lunch.
What should we bring to munch, munch, munch?

[list children's ideas of food for a picnic]

[You read from list. . .] Let's bring sandwiches,
[children echo. . .] sandwiches, sandwiches.

[continue with all the foods listed]

Ready for a picnic,
Ready with a lunch,
Now we're ready to munch, munch, munch!

Variations:

#1
Give each child a picture of a food item. Then, for the second verse, you say:
"Who'll bring [sandwiches]?" and the child with that food item answers, "I'll bring [sandwiches]".

#2
Hold up pictures of food items one at a time and, for the second verse, everyone say, "Let's bring [sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches]."

http://www.nncc.org/Literacy/fingplus.html

1-Watermelons
Need: one paper plate, a red crayon, a green crayon, glue, scissors, small black beans

Directions: Cut the paper plate in half. Have the children color the rim green, and the rest red. Then glue the black beans on as seeds. I did this as a listening exercise. We all colored green together. We all counted out 8 beans each.

http://www.nncc.org/Literacy/fingplus.html http://www.preschooleducation.com/awatermelon.shtml
2-Ant Thumbprints
Need: Black paint or ink pad, paper, marker

Directions: Make thumbprints and then add legs and faces if desired.

http://www.preschooleducation.com/apicnic.shtml

Indoor Picnic
content: collaboration/community
setting: snack or lunch

On a particularly cold and icky day, plan an indoor picnic for snack or lunch. Use your (and the children's) imagination and be as authentic as you like! Here are just a few suggestions for "props":

blankets to spread on the floor;
sunglasses;
lemonade;
electric fan (for a gentle breeze, of course!);
plastic ants;
sack lunches;

http://www.nncc.org/Literacy/fingplus.html