Hello my dear kids,
How is your summer going so far? I’m spending a couple of weeks in England, in a very nice town called York.
The weather here is not as nice as it is in Spain, in fact it is quite chilly and wet. But I’m having a great experience anyway.
Here is a video of the town. Hope you like it.
The kids are out of school and they have the long lazy days of July and August ahead. They could spend their summer days in front of the TV or your children could be using their imaginations to create projects that are a reflection of their own unique talents.
Does it matter what kids do on their summer vacation? After all, they are in school 10 months of the year and most do take some art classes. Don’t they get enough art classes in school?
Creative and artistic are not the same thing. Creativity is an approach to life. Creative thinkers know that problems have many different solutions. When they encounter an obstacle, they find a way around rather than giving up. They have to be willing to take risks as they learn new skills. These are important life skills that need to be encouraged in children.
Summer activities, childrens crafts and science projects give children the opportunity to learn and practice these skills. Even if they follow a project guide exactly, they will still to make decisions about shades of colors and where to place items. Once they are familiar with the project, most children will want to make it again. That is when they get really creative. First the colors change, then the shapes, and suddenly it is a new project from their own imagination.
Creative projects encourage children to find the resources to make what they want, rather than opening up a box that has all the supplies in one place. The first project in the weekly project list (see below) uses an old knee-hi or pair of pantyhose. What if none are available? Should the children wait until someone else finds all the ‘right’ materials. No, have them start thinking about what they could substitute. Would an old sock work? How about a dish cloth? It is fun to sit back and watch children solve their own problems.
These Summer Activities encourage children to work with a wide variety of materials. One of the best things about summer projects is that they can be done outside. Less mess to clean up!
See the list of Summer Kids Activities for specific project ideas and step by step directions.
By the end of the summer, the kids will have completed lots of great projects. More importantly they will have spent time thinking creatively.
School’s out for summer and that means free time to do what you want: go to bed later, sleep in, play more games, hang out with friends, and explore the world outside.
In case you run out of fun ideas and before you say the dreaded, "I’m bored," to an adult, click on the following links to find activities to enjoy your free time while learning and practicing English.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
all through the town.
(Roll hands over each other)
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep -
beep, beep, beep - beep, beep, beep".
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep"
all through the town.
(Pretend to honk horn)
The wipers on the bus go "swish, swish, swish -
swish, swish, swish - swish, swish, swish".
The wipers on the bus go "Swish, swish, swish",
all through the town.
(Put arms together in front of you and ’swish’ like windshield wipers)
The driver on the bus says "move on back,
move on back, move on back".
The driver on the bus says "move on back",
all through the town.
(Move your right hand pointing at the back)
The children on the bus go up and down,
up and down, up and down.
The children on the bus go up and down,
all through the town.
(Stand up and sit down)
The babies on the bus go, "waa, waa, waa -
waa, waa, waa - waa, waa, waa".
The babies on the bus go "waa, waa, waa",
all through the town.
(Pretend to cry in silence)
The parents on the bus go, "shh, shh, shh -
shh, shh, shh - shh, shh, shh"
The parents on the bus go, "shh, shh, shh"
all through the town.
(Put pointer finger to mouth to `shhh’)
I love you, I love you"
The daddy on the bus says, "I love you, too"
All through the town.
(Point to self on ’I’, right hand over heart on ’love’, and point to other on ’you’)
Little Jack Horner
Little Jack Horner sat in the corner
Eating his Christmas pie,
He put in his thumb and pulled out a plum
And said "What a good boy am I!"
Nursery Rhyme & History
16th Century History origin of the Little Jack Horner story?
Little Jack Horner was reputed to have been the Steward to Richard Whiting (1461 - 1539) the Bishop of Glastonbury. The Steward had an important role and was responsible for managing the household, collecting taxes and keeping accounts.
We are extremely proud of the effort and work you have done on the Trinity exams.
U R THE BEST!!!
There was a Crooked Man poem
There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
Nursery Rhyme & History
The origin of the Nursery rhyme "There was a crooked man" is in British history
The content of "There was a crooked man" poem have a basis in history. The origin of this poem originates from the English Stuart history of King Charles 1. The crooked man is reputed to be the Scottish General Sir Alexander Leslie. The General signed a Covenant securing religious and political freedom for Scotland. The ’crooked stile’ referred to in "There was a crooked man" being the border between England and Scotland. ’They all lived together in a little crooked house’ refers to the fact that the English and Scots had at last come to an agreement. The words reflect the times when there was great animosity between the English and the Scots. The word crooked is pronounced as ’crookED’ the emphasis being placed upon the ’ED’ in the word. This was common in olde England and many references can be found in this type of pronunciation in the
works of William Shakespeare (1564-1616).
I love this great song sung by Grover (known as Coco in Spain) made in 1990.
See if you can sing it along.
Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!
One for the master, one for the dame,
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.
"Baa, baa black sheep" Nursery Rhyme History
Educational reasons for the poem "Baa, baa black sheep"poem
The reason to the words and history to this song were to associate wool and wool products with the animal that produces it, not to mention the sound that a sheep would make! The first grasp of language for a child or baby is to imitate the sounds or noises that animals make - onomatopoeia (words sound like their meaning e.g. baa baa in "Baa, baa black sheep"). In some of the earlier versions of "Baa, baa black sheep" the title is actually given as "Ba, ba black sheep" - it is difficult to spell sounds!
The earliest publication date for the "Baa, baa black sheep" rhyme or poem is dated 1744. Music was first published for "Baa, baa black sheep" was in the early nineteenth century making it into a song for children.
As we know you all love books and nice stories here is a link in which you can hear on line stories.
Click on the following link to find your digital library in English and Spanish.
Wee Willie Winkie rhyme poem
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,
Tapping at the window and crying through the lock,
Are all the children in their beds, it’s past eight o’clock?
The origin of the Wee Willie Winkie rhyme
The explanation of the words to Wee Willie Winkie was to teach children to associate every day tasks with their own lives. Before the days of the wireless, television and the Internet great reliance was put upon the Town Crier to pass on the latest news and information. ’Wee Willie Winkie’ was the children’s version of the Town Crier! The author of the poem was William Miller (1810 - 1872) and the first publication date of the words to Wee Willie Winkie was in 1841.
We have just made a new link to a website in which you would be able to translate your texts into lots of different languages and to listen how they sound.
Hope you find it helpful!
Acabamos de crear un nuevo enlace a una página web en la que podréis traducir vuestros textos a un montón de idiomas y escuchar cómo suenan.
Esperamos que os parezca útil.
Mary Mary Quite Contrary
Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.
Nursery Rhyme Origins & History
The origins are steeped in history... Bloody Mary!
The Mary alluded to in this traditional English nursery rhyme is reputed to be Mary Tudor, or Bloody Mary, who was the daughter of King Henry VIII. Queen Mary was a staunch Catholic and the garden referred to is an allusion to graveyards which were increasing in size with those who dared to continue to adhere to the Protestant faith - Protestant martyrs.
Here you have a few activities to review the concepts and the vocabulary you already know, and to improve your listening skills.
Hope you enjoy them!
When is Mother’s Day 2009?
Mother’s Day was celebrated on 22nd March in the UK, it is celebrated on 3rd May in Spain and will be celebrated on 10th May in the USA.
Use this poem to make a card for Mother’s Day in case you haven’t got one already.
"Every mouse
and bumblebee
Every bird
up in a tree,
Every caterpillar
and ladybug,
Love’s to feel
his mother’s hug.
Every bear
so fat and funny
Loves his mother
More than honey.
Just as woodland creatures do
I love my mother
Oh yes I do!"
Cackle, Cackle, Mother Goose
Cackle, cackle, Mother Goose,
Have you any feathers loose?
Truly have I, pretty fellow,
Half enough to fill a pillow.
Here are quills, take one or two,
And down to make a bed for you.
Nursery Rhyme origins and history
The old nursery rhyme ’Cackle, cackle, Mother Goose’ clearly describes to a child the various usage that a goose has to offer - but why Mother Goose? The Origins of Mother Goose and the Identity of Mother Goose gives some answers to this question! The phrase ’ Mother Goose ’ probably originates from the 1600’s - which coincides with the era of the great witch hunts. Comparisons can be made between Mother Goose the popular conception of a witch during this period! The old illustration below of Mother Goose depicts an old crone, or witch, flying on a goose (instead of a broomstick). The first line of the Nursery Rhyme is ’Cackle, cackle, Mother Goose’ - descriptions of witches generally include reference to her ’cackle’. This word originally described the noise that a goose would make. More interesting information regarding the connection between Mother Goose and the witch can be via the above links.
Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey,
Along came a spider,
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
Nursery Rhyme & History
Story of the Little Miss Muffet Rhyme
Little Miss Muffet was a small girl whose name was Patience Muffet. Her stepfather, Dr. Muffet (1553-1604) was a famous entomologist who wrote the first scientific catalogue of British Insects. Whilst eating her breakfast of curds and whey Little Miss Muffet was frightened by one of his spiders and ran away! This particular Nursery Rhyme of Little Miss Muffet reputedly dates back to the late 16th century as indicated by the birth date of Dr Muffet! Unlikely story about Patience Muffet!
Hickory Dickory Dock rhyme
Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one
The mouse ran down
Hickory dickory dock
Nursery Rhyme & History
Action Rhyme reflected in the words of "Hickory, Dickory Dock"
A nonsense poem which uses alliteration where children mimic the sound of a clock chiming at the relevant point in the song. Hickory, dickory dock is intended to introduce children to the fundamentals of telling the time. Hickory, dickory dock is also known by another title "Hickory, dickory doc" inevitable perhaps due to the nonsensical nature of the words of Hickory, dickory dock! The first publication date for the "Hickory, dickory dock" rhyme is 1744. Investigation into the meanings of the words used in the rhyme lead us to believe that it has its origins in America.