Grown-Up Goals. Kid-Sized Joy.
Learning in disguise.
"Amazing A"
Focusing on the short "A" sound (/a/ as in apple) and the physical shape of the letter. It emphasizes sensory play, fine motor skills, and phonemic awareness.
Day 1: A is for Apple
Focus: Introduction to the letter shape and the /a/ sound.
Lesson: Introduce the letter A. Show a capital A and a lowercase a. Explain that the capital A looks like a mountain with a bridge.
Craft: Apple Stamping. Cut apples in half. Dip them in red, green, and yellow paint to stamp "A" shapes onto paper.
Activity: Apple Sort. Provide a basket of real or plastic apples. Have children sort them by color or size.
Books to Read:
Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss.
Song: "Apple Tree" (Tune: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
"Way up high in the apple tree,
two little apples smiled at me. I
shook that tree as hard as I could;
down came the apples...
Mmm, they were good!"
Snack: Apple slices with a small dollop of almond butter or yogurt dip.
Day 2: A is for Ant
Focus: Identifying the letter in words and practicing the "short A" sound.
Lesson: Discuss how ants are tiny but very strong. Practice the "A-A-Ant" sound while "marching" fingers up your arm.
Craft: Fingerprint Ants. Use a black ink pad or paint to make three dots (head, thorax, abdomen). Use a fine-liner to add six legs and two antennae.
Activity: The Ant March. Create a "tunnel" out of boxes or blankets. Children "march" through like ants carrying "food" (small beanbags) to their colony.
Books to Read:
The Ants Go Marching by Kim Norman
Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose. (This is a favorite!)
Song: "The Ants Go Marching One by One."
Snack: "Ants on a Log" (Celery sticks with cream cheese or sunflower butter, topped with raisins).
Day 3: A is for Alligator
Focus: Fine motor skills and letter formation.
Lesson: Learn about alligators. Use your arms to make a "Big Chomp" like an alligator's jaws.
Craft: Clothespin Alligator. Paint a wooden clothespin green. Glue on googly eyes and small white paper triangles for teeth.
Activity: Alligator Snap. Lay a blue towel on the floor ("the river"). Place paper "A"s and other letters in the water. Children use "alligator grabbers" (kitchen tongs) to rescue only the "A" letters.
Books to Read:
There's an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer.
Song: "The Alligator Song"
"I'm a brave alligator,
swimming in the lake.
I'm looking for a letter that I can take! (Snap!)"
Sing these lyrics to the tune of "The Mulberry Bush" (also known as "This is the way we wash our hands").
How to Lead the Activity
Since the lyrics mention looking for a letter to "take," it’s most effective when used as a game:
Set the Stage: Scatter several foam or magnetic letters on the floor (or in a blue "river" cloth).
The Chant: Have the children walk in a circle around the letters while singing:
"I'm a brave alligator, swimming in the lake, I'm looking for a letter that I can take!"
The Snap: On the word "Snap!", everyone stops.
The Task: You call out a specific letter (like "A!"). The children have to "chomp" that letter using their hands like alligator jaws or by using a pair of kitchen tongs.
"Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree." This is a fantastic countdown song that helps children practice subtraction and rhythm.
Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree
Five little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, "You can't catch me!" "You can't catch me!" Along comes Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be... SNAP!
Four little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, "You can't catch me!" "You can't catch me!" Along comes Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be... SNAP!
Three little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, "You can't catch me!" "You can't catch me!" Along comes Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be... SNAP!
Two little monkeys swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, "You can't catch me!" "You can't catch me!" Along comes Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be... SNAP!
One little monkey swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, "You can't catch me!" "You can't catch me!" Along comes Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be... SNAP!
No little monkeys swinging in a tree, Away swims Mr. Alligator, full as can be!
How to Play (Hand Motions)
Swinging: Hold up five fingers and wiggle your hand back and forth.
Teasing: Put your thumbs in your ears and wiggle your fingers while chanting "You can't catch me!"
Quiet as can be: Press your palms together and slither your hands slowly through the air like an alligator swimming.
SNAP!: Clap your hands together loudly (the kids usually love this part!).
Full as can be: Pat your stomach at the very end.
Classroom Tip: If you want to make it even more interactive, you can use a puppet for the alligator and have five children pretend to be the monkeys.
Snack: Green grapes or cucumber rounds arranged in a zig-zag "alligator spine" shape.
Day 4: A is for Astronaut
Focus: Imagination and "Blast Off" gross motor play.
Lesson: Talk about space and astronauts. Explain that astronauts travel far A-A-Away in the sky.
Craft: Foil Moon & Rocket. Cut out a large "A" from cardboard. Wrap it in aluminum foil to make it look "space-age" and add a triangle "nose cone" to the top.
Activity: Astronaut Training. Set up an obstacle course where children have to move in "slow motion" (low gravity) and jump over "moon rocks" (pillows).
Books to Read:
Roaring Rockets by Tony Mitton.
Song: "Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon."
This is a popular preschool "circle time" song that is great for burning off energy before a nap or a transition. It usually includes a countdown at the end where the children crouch down and then jump up high!
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon. Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon.
If you want to take a trip, Climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon.
In 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... BLAST OFF!
Interactive Hand Motions
"Zoom, zoom, zoom": Rub your palms together quickly in a sliding motion.
"Climb aboard": Mimic climbing a ladder with your hands.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1": Count down using your fingers, crouching lower and lower to the floor with each number.
"Blast Off!": Jump as high as you can into the air!
Extra Verses
If the kids are having a great time, you can add these variations:
Far, far, far, we're going to the stars!
Fun, fun, fun, we're going to the sun!
Snack: "Rocket Fruit Kabobs" (Strawberry on top, banana slices in the middle, and a wedge of pineapple at the bottom).
Day 5: A is for Airplane & Adventure
Focus: Review and Celebration.
Lesson: Review all the "A" words from the week. Practice tracing the letter A in a sensory tray of sand or salt.
Craft: Paper Plate Airplanes. Decorate paper plates and attach cardboard "wings" to the sides.
Activity: The Great A-Adventure. Hide "A" objects around the room (plastic ant, toy airplane, red apple). Give the children a "map" to find all the hidden treasures.
Books to Read:
The Amazing Alphabet by Dr. Seuss (Focus on the 'A' page).
Song: "The Letter A Song" (Tune: The Wheels on the Bus)
"The letter A says /a/, /a/, /a/! /a/, /a/, /a/! /a/, /a/, /a/!
The letter A says /a/, /a/, /a/ all day long!"
Snack: Animal crackers (focusing on the A-A-Ape or A-A-Alligator) and apricot slices.
Teacher's Tip: The "A" Sensory Bin
Throughout the week, keep a bin filled with dried corn or beans. Hide magnetic letters, small plastic apples, toy ants and other "A" items inside. Encourage the children to dig through and find the items that start with the "A" sound!