Bubbles Boats & Floats Preschool Theme

Our May theme is Bubbles Boats & Floats by Mother Goose Time. This is just a quick peek at some of the ways we’ve been learning about water through play.

This is the activity calendar that Mother Goose Time provides in the Members Resources to subscribers, that I customize for my child care. I put special event dates and that my center is going to be closed. It’s a great way to communicate with families about what their child will be doing. We don’t get to do all of these things (unfortunately), but it’s an overview, or scope and sequence.

The theme web gives us – the educators, the parents, and the children – an overview of what we’ll be learning. It helps us plan and coordinate lessons. I love that Mother Goose Time themes cover such a range of topics. It’s a great way to learn. Sometimes by the end of the month of a theme, it gets boring and children and teachers lose interest – not with Mother Goose Time because each week/day we’re covering a new aspect of the main theme.

Your children will love splashing up their imagination in this water filled theme. Experiment with what will sink and float. Children will make a mini canoe and create a pretend river. Take building lessons from a beaver, then swim on down to the lake. Fish for letters, count ducks and then hurry home to get squeaky clean. Fill a bucket with soapy water. Wash your hands, dishes and even a dirty dog. Water is an important natural resource. Your children will learn how to preserve, appreciate and protect our water. 

Included in the teacher tools each month is a planning journal.  Make your notes here. Circle, cross out, write in your child goals or reminders here.

Here’s a closer look at Week One of the Bubbles, Boats & Floats Preschool Theme planning journal page.

Check out these awesome daily child projects for the month! So exciting to look forward to doing them with the group!

During free time, a child made a boat drawing, inspired by our new theme.

Day 7 Sailboats: made with soup containers, a straw and paper. They float!

The first day of the Bubbles, Boats & Floats Preschool Theme – rivers. Lovely river art in progress!

River Art Collages

Looking at rocks. Leaving out a tray of rocks offers the children time to explore them, inspect their differences and create beautiful sculptures! Hands-on learning at it’s best!

During our Chalk Rocks activity, a 2 year old counts his rocks:

Another water play idea that fits in with our theme: Alphabet Soup Sensory Play. The alphabet soup set is from Discount School Supply – unfortunately, it’s a discontinued set but you can certainly put together your own set with ladles, bowls, and foam alphabet letters.

Another sensory play set – little boat counters manipulatives sent with the Bubbles, Boats & Floats Preschool Theme kit. Also pictured is the Green Toys My First Tugboat and Green Toys Ferry Boat with Mini Cars. I soooo want the Rescue Boat with Helicopter and the Green Toys Submarine

More Bubbles Boats & Floats Preschool Theme Ideas from Mother Goose Time Bloggers

• Revisiting Rivers // Mom with a Dandelion in Her Hair
• Rocks // Tribe
• Sailboat – Day with Mother Goose Time // Pray Species
• Creating a Waterfall & The Science of Curiosity – Mother Goose Time Topic Post // Pray Species
• River – A Day with Mother Goose Time // Pray Species
• Gone Fishin’ // Teaching My Littles
• Beavers & Alligators  // Teaching My Littles
• Sailboats // Sweet Smiles Preschool
• Alligators // Sweet Smiles Preschool
• Fishing // Sweet Smiles Preschool
• Sailboats// Prarie Alphabet
• Bathtime with Mother Goose Time // Wife Then Mama
• Learning About Ducks & Rocks // Wife Then Mama
• The Water Cycle // A to Z Learning Adventures

And so many more here! Feedly Mother Goose Time Bloggers

Just announced! Mother Goose Time’s 2016/17 Themes!

Why themes? 

Themes help preschoolers build connections through authentic experiences. Instead of having a day of disjointed activities where children, for example, participate in a counting activity, color a letter B and listen to a random story, themes weave together the experiences around a cohesive experience.