Friends Are Gifts From God

     This week I decided to focus on the next important thing to a child's life after God and family, and that is friendship. God made us social beings. He made us want to part of a group to help us not feel so alone. Friendship seems to come so easily for young kids. They see someone around thwir age at a park and next thing you know they are chasing eachother around as though they have known eachother for awhile instead of meeting for the first time. Their relationships are not deep like the relationships they will have as they get older, but still important.
     Along with friendship being the theme for this week we worked on the letter Dd and dark vs. light.

Monday- What Is A Friend? Intro Uppercase "D"
Books: My "d" Soundbox by Jane Belk Moncure
Corduroy by Don Freeman
My First Dictionary by Betty Root (D words only

Songs: The More We Get Together
Tingaleyo by Raffi

Activities: "D" Coloring Page
Pots and pans drum set fun day. Basically find all the pots and pans you do not plan on ising for cooking. Pull them out along with some spoons and let the child habe at it.
Duplo blocks playtime
Explain what a friend is and talk about how Jesus is our friend. Talk about how Jesus had needed his friends, the Apostles, while he was here. Read a Bible story showing the importance of Jesus' friendship with His appstles.
Friend play date at the park

Tuesday- Kindness To Friends; Dark/Light
Books: A Friend Like You by Tanja Askani
Pooh and the Dragon by Ann Braybrooks
My First Dictionary, Dd words only

Songs: Make New Friends
Puff the Magic Dragon

Activities:  Glow in the dark necklace fun in his room with his lights off and curtains shut.
Make gloop together... 2 parts corn starch, 1  part water, and food coloring.
Dramatic play with his doctor set and his stuffed bears
Play with dry black beans
Talk together about fun and kind things friends do together.

Wednesday- Friend Role Playing; Lowercase d
Books: My Friend Isabelle by Eliza Woloson
What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night by Refe and Susan Tuma
Skippy Jones in the Dog House by Judy Schachner (book with cd)
My First Dictionary, Dd words only

Songs: Sharing Song by Raffi
Friends (tune of Are You Sleeping Brother John)
I like you, I like you
Yes, I do. Yes, I do
Friends are sharing
Friends are caring
I like you. Yes, I do.

Activities: "d" coloring page
Friend role playing
Play dough fun
Duplo block fun
Mr. Potato head time

Thursday: Anti-Bullying Day; Light/Dark
Books: Dumbo by the walt disney books
The Ugly Duckling  by Polona Lovsin
My First Dictionary, "Dd" words only
Down by the Bay by Kim Mitzo Thompson and Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand (book with cd)

Songs: Five Little Ducks by Raffi
Down by the Bay

Activities: Talk about what bullying is and why it is not ok to be part of bullying. Introduce one of the Great Commandments. Do unto others how you want to be done unto you, in pre-k terms.
Build a blanket tent in living room for kids to play in for dark and enjoy glow in the dark necklaces and/flashlight
Free coloring
Practice scissors and working on straight lines
Zoo day- look for animals that use d... we saw dromedary camels and komodo dragons, ducks and played on some drums.

Friday- Choosing Good Friends/Dd vocab work
Books: Dragon Was Terrible by Kelly DiPycchio
Clifford's Pals by
My First Dictionary, Dd words only

Songs: B-I-N-G-O
Oh, It's Great to Be A Dinosaur (glory glory hallelujia)
Oh I love to romp and stomp and chomp thtpughout the land.
Oh I love to romp and stomp and chomp throughout the land
Oh I love to romp and stomp and chomp throughout the land.
Oh it's great to be a dinosaur

Oh how I love to be a dinosaur
Oh how I love to be a dinosaur
Oh how I love to be a dinosaur
I romp and stomp and chomp all throughout the land.

Activities:
Talk about importance of finding good friends that love God too so they can stay out of trouble.
Dinosaur water paint pages
Free painting
Sand fun
Dd vocab work page

 D is for dirty! Boys will be boys.

Additional dvd's for when needed:
Dumbo
Veggie Tales: King George and the Rubber Ducky
Daniel Tiger: Daniel's New Friend episode
Daniel Tiger's Daniel's Friends Say No episode

What ways or activities can you think of that can help an almost 3 yr old understand more about friendship?