Looking for some fun and educational ways to celebrate Earth Day with your pre-K kids? Look no further! In this article, we’ve rounded up 8 exciting activities that will not only entertain your little ones but also help them develop a love and appreciation for our planet.

Alongside Mother Goose, these activities are designed to engage and inspire young minds. By participating in these interactive nursery rhyme experiences, your children will not only learn about the importance of taking care of the Earth but also gain a deeper understanding of the natural world around them.

So whether it’s studying spiders with Little Miss Muffet or learning where shadows come from with Jack B. Nimble, these Earth Day activities are the perfect way to teach your pre-K children about the earth while having a great time together.

Earth Day for Pre-K: Jack and Jill

In the traditional lyrics of this rhyme, Jack and Jill go up a hill to fetch a pail of water. In our version, Jack and Jill hike up a huge hill more like a mountain. They go high enough that they are not filling their pails with water but snow and ice. Returning down the mountain, they discover the ice has melted into water. Discovering that it is the temperature that changes the state of the water, they apply more heat, boil the liquid, and make steam.

As you celebrate Earth Day with pre-K students, take this opportunity to explore the states of matter using water. Take a hike to a nearby hill or a local park, and encourage your little ones to observe the temperatures at the bottom and top of the hills. Show them how water changes its form depending on the temperature.

Earth Day for Pre-K: Mary Had a Little Lamb

In the nursery rhyme, Mary had a Little Lamb; the wool is called fleece. Helping children learn about fleece and wool is a great start for them learning about different animal coverings. In our version, Mary has one lamb. Then she has two snakes and, finally, three birds. The book follows a sequential order of 1, 2, and 3 so that children will be inspired to continue the pattern with additional numbers and other animals. The three types of animals chosen (a lamb, snakes, and birds) were selected to illustrate fur, scales, and feathers. On Earth Day, Pre-K children discover that animals have different coverings to adapt to different habitats. This book pictures different landscapes to help children identify not just an animal’s body covering but the earth’s habitats as well.

To make the learning experience more interactive, you can organize a mini petting zoo at home or in your backyard. Set up different stations where your children can interact with toy animals and touch wool from sheep or feathers from birds. This hands-on approach will not only engage their senses but also deepen their understanding of the interconnectedness between animals, humans, and the earth.

Studying Spiders and Insects with Little Miss Muffet

We are sometimes afraid of the things we do not understand. Therefore, Little Miss Muffet must learn more about spiders to help her overcome her fear of them. In this version of the poem, she compares and contrasts a spider to an insect and learns the differences between them. Children learn about the specific number of body parts for each. They also learn the number of legs and eyes for spiders and insects.

Start by reading the nursery rhyme “Little Miss Muffet Learns About Spiders” to your pre-K kids. After reading, explain that spiders are fascinating creatures that play an important role in our ecosystem. Talk about how they catch insects in their webs and help control insect populations.

Next, gather some materials for a spider and insect exploration activity. You’ll need a magnifying glass, plastic spiders, insects, and pictures of different bugs. Spread the pictures and plastic bugs on a table or the floor. Encourage your children to use the magnifying glass to examine the bugs, comparing and contrasting spiders and insects. Discuss the different colors, shapes, and sizes of each.

To extend the activity, you can also create a simple spider web using yarn or string. Demonstrate how spiders build their webs and explain that their silk is incredibly strong. Encourage your children to try building their own webs using yarn or string. This hands-on activity will help them understand the process and appreciate the intricacies of spider webs.

Earth Day for Pre-K: Humpty Dumpty

In the traditional lyrics of Humpty Dumpty, an egg is sitting and falling off a wall. In our version, the egg is a baby eagle sitting on a very high ledge where an eagle nest is located. The eggs are baby eagles or eaglets. The new text teaches children positional words that are also opposites. Children need to understand and use these words in Science to describe the relationships that objects have with one another and the perspective of their observations. In the story, Humpty decides to go out of the nest and hang his feet over the edge, and the other eggs want Humpty to get back in the nest. But Humpty breaks out of his shell and flies above, under, and around. Not only does Humpty learn positional words, but he also motivates children to try their best.

Earth Day for Pre-K: Jack Be Nimble

Instead of jumping over a candlestick, Jack tries jumping over his shadow. Before Jack can understand if he can jump over his shadow, he must first learn the science of where shadows come from. The lyrics in our version of the nursery rhyme teach students what makes a shadow and that it must move with its source. A great Earth Day activity is to take Pre-K children outside and see if they can jump their shadows.

Earth Day for Pre-K: Jack Sprat

Jack Sprat ate no fat, and his wife would not eat lean. In our version, Jack helps his wife to understand the different food groups. In this text, children learn what a healthy diet includes. Mrs. Sprat prepares a well-balanced meal for Jack that includes meat, milk, cheese, fruit, vegetables, and bread. However, Mrs. Sprat will not eat the meat. Jack explains that she lacks important protein and offers her nuts and beans as substitutes. The new lyrics help children learn and understand that Earth Day is a time to eat a healthy and nutritious diet.

Earth Day for Pre-K: Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Peter Peter put his wife in a pumpkin shell? That is odd until you realize that in our version, Peter Peter is a squirrel who loves eating pumpkins so much that he wants his wife to live in one. However, pumpkins make terrible homes because they rot and decay. Peter Peter learns all about this process and how new pumpkins can grow. Pre-K children will learn how they can help the earth through the process of decay and growth, too.

Earth Day for Pre-K: Hickory Dickory Dock

In this Hickory Dickory Dock nursery rhyme, Hickory is a mouse who learns that his day follows a routine. In addition, his routine follows the hours of the clock. Therefore, he must learn to tell time. Pre-K children will learn that telling time is important because it helps us move through our day with purpose. The earth moves around the sun and spins to help us measure time.

Conclusion

Earth Day is a wonderful opportunity to teach your pre-K kids about the importance of caring for our planet. By engaging in these fun Nursery Rhymes with Mother Goose, your little ones will develop a love and appreciation for the Earth and all its creatures.

From studying spiders with Little Miss Muffet to creating shadows with Jack B. Nimble, these activities are designed to spark curiosity and inspire a sense of wonder in young minds. By exploring the natural world around them, your pre-K children will gain a deeper understanding of their place in the ecosystem and the importance of protecting our planet for future generations.

So, this Earth Day, grab your magnifying glasses and copies of these great Mother Goose Rhymes and embark on an adventure with your little ones. Together, you can celebrate the wonders of our Earth. Happy Earth Day!

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