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As children arrive, it's a good idea to have an "ice breaker" activity set up and ready to go that allows kids to interact with one another and begin to feel comfortable in the party atmosphere.
Activities:
What you need:
- Bunny Finger Puppet Template - cut out one or two finger puppets for each partygoer
- Washable paint in bright Bunnytown colors like pink, blue, yellow, and orange
- Large-sized cotton balls
- Glue sticks
- Clothespins - one for each partygoer
- A table with a plastic tablecloth
- Plastic dishes for paint
- Several old T-shirts, large enough to cover a child's clothing
- Optional: Simple costume "accessories," cut out of construction paper, that our favorite bunnies might wear: a red cape like Super Bunny's; a red beanie hat like Little Bad Bunny's; Fuzzy blue hair like Professor Doodlebunny's; or a cute sundress like Louise's. Don't forget round blue noses!
Instructions:
- Have a grown-up on hand at the craft table to give project instructions, help children put on an old T-shirt to protect their clothing, and write their name in marker on the back of their puppet.
- Help children choose some costumes to add to their bunnies using either construction paper or the supplied templates that they can color. Then attach them with a glue stick.
- Give each child a puppet and show them how to make a "bunny-tail paintbrush": Attach a cotton-ball in the grasp of a clothespin, dab it in paint, and then dab it onto their puppets in any pattern they choose.
- When they are done, place aside on newspaper to dry.
Louise and Melvin know that "Bunny School Rules," and they relish sharing stories, songs, poems, and special items (like Gwinchy the blankie) with their classmates during show-and-tell time. All preschoolers love the chance to share something near and dear to their hearts, and this activity is perfect to do when it's time to "quiet down" the party a bit.
Instructions:
- Gather the children in a circle and explain that it is show-and-tell time and that they need to have good listening ears while each child takes a turn and to keep their item in their bags until it is their turn.
- You can choose to let the children ask questions of the "presenter" and/or allow the kids to pass around their special item. When done, make sure the items get placed back inside their labeled bags, and place by the door so they are not left behind.
Bunnies know that it's important to take care of the Earth, to give back to it by planting seeds, and to nurture what grows there - after all, gardens are where their beloved carrots come from! A perfect springtime activity is to help children plant seeds that start to grow indoors and can later be transferred to an outdoor garden.
What you need:
- Small plastic flowerpots or sections of an egg carton made of recycled paper
- Potting soil
- A packet of easy-growing flower seeds, like pansies or marigolds. Green beans and carrot seeds work well, too.
- Water
Instructions:
- Place potting soil in container. If using an egg carton, carefully cut the lid off the egg carton and fill each "cavity" with soil.
- Bury two or three seeds right below the dirt surface.
- Set pot or egg carton in a sunny windowsill.
- Water the soil carefully.
- Watch for the flower plants to sprout and bloom.
Games:
Sports announcer Pinky Pinkerton keeps an eye on the silly antics in Peopletown, but everyone knows that preschoolers are the true pros when it comes to crazy-fun action. Create your own Super Silly Sports using everyday household items and have a grown-up take over Pinky's sportscasting duties. Download our Grin-Win Buttons in two colors to help designate teams.
What you need:
- A yard or a large room with large furniture moved aside
- Grin-Win Face Buttons
- Depending on games you choose, you will need large cloth sacks, "pop-up" nylon play tunnels, boxes, large pillows, etc.
Instructions:
- Divide group into two teams. You can choose to do relay-style, where two teams race against one another, or simply start with two children, allow them to complete the races/events, and then choose two new team members to begin again.
Some game ideas include:
- Tunnel race - children race through pop-up nylon tunnels (readily available at toy stores or online)
- Sack race - children get inside a large cloth sack and race to a finish line by hopping
- Hopping race - children hop over pillows that are placed a foot apart from each other
- Spoon-and-ball race - children try to balance a ping-pong ball or golf ball on a spoon while trying to make it to a finish line
- Pillow balance - children head from one end of the room/yard and back while trying to balance a pillow on their heads the entire time
The local band knows how to get little bunnies hop-hop-hippity-hoppin' to a kooky little place called Bunnytown with rockin' music. When your partygoers need to expel a little energy, turn up the music, get in line, and hop away!
What you need:
- Stereo or portable CD player
- Music that will get the kids hoppin'
- Large room or yard
Instructions:
- Play a song for the kids and teach them some lyrics. Try and choose a song that repeats certain words or phrases often. Keep it as simple as possible.
- Line children up into a "train" (hands on the waist of the person in front of them)
- Choose a grown-up to lead for the first round
- Instruct the children to watch the grown-up closely and follow his or her motions. The grown-up can kick out one leg, squat down, wiggle a foot, etc. and all participants must mirror the movements as the train dances/wiggles/moves around the room. This serves as the "warm-up stage."
- Then add a new twist: Tell kids that whenever they hear the word "hop" (or any word of your choosing), they have to hop forward.
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