by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

This week I shared songs and rhymes about springtime and bunnies! 

Hello Song:

Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!

Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray! 

Open Them/Shut Them (action song)

Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap

Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap

Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin
Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in! 

Hurry, Scurry, Little Bunny (action rhyme/tickle)

Hurry, scurry, little bunny
Starts down at your toes…

Hurry, scurry, little bunny
Past your knees he goes... 

Hurry, scurry, little bunny
Past where your tummy is…

Hurry, scurry, little bunny…
Gives you a bunny kiss!

Splash! Fall the raindrops (action rhyme)

Splash fall the raindrops (clap hands together softly)

To the ground they go (tap on the floor)

We need raindrops (wiggle fingers down from the “sky”)

To help the flowers grow! (stretch up high!)

I bounce you here! (bounce)

I bounce you here, 
I bounce you there,
I bounce you, bounce you everywhere!

I hug you here,
I hug you there,
I hug you, hug you everywhere!

I tickle you here,
I tickle you there,
I tickle you, tickle you everywhere!

Little Bunny, Little Bunny (action song)

Little bunny, little bunny, turn around
Little bunny, little bunny, touch the ground!

Little bunny, little bunny, reach up high
Little bunny, little bunny, touch the sky!

Little bunny, little bunny, show your shoe
Little bunny, little bunny, I love you!

Little bunny, little bunny, slap your knees
Little bunny, little bunny, sit down please! 

Everyone can shake! (prop song)

Everyone can shake shake shake
Everyone can shake shake shake
Everyone can shake shake shake
And now it’s time to stop!

Everyone can tap tap tap
Everyone can tap tap tap
Everyone can tap tap tap
And now it’s time to stop!

Everyone can clap clap clap
Everyone can clap clap clap
Everyone can clap clap clap
And now it’s time to stop!

Everyone can wave, wave, wave
Everyone can wave, wave, wave
Everyone can wave, wave, wave
And now it’s time to stop!

Put a shaker in your hand! (prop song)

C’mon everybody put a shaker in your hand,
A shaker in your hand, a shaker in your hand!
C’mon everybody put a shaker in your hand,
Let’s see how we shake, shake, shake!

C’mon everybody shake your shaker way up high
C’mon everybody shake your shaker way up high,
C’mon everybody shake your shaker way down loooowwwww
Let’s see how we shake, shake, shake!

Shaker...fast/slow

Shaker...loud/soft

Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)

This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small

This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!

This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow

This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no

This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye! 

by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

Sorting:

• Place a variety of colors of plastic eggs in a container
• Place pieces of colored paper, or paper with a color drawn on them, around the container
• Invite little ones to sort them by color!
• Want an extra challenge? Try making some plastic egg patterns! 

Cause & Effect:

• Find something to make a ramp
  • I used a 3-ring binder, but you could find a piece of wood, cookie sheet, or piece of flat cardboard
• Collect a few books to add to the ramp and give it some additional height
• Find a car or two
  • I tied a tiny bunny stuffed animal to my car--this is fun, but not necessary!
• Gather a variety of different textured materials
  • Tin foil, bubble wrap, felt, sandpaper, etc. 
• Invite little ones to experiment with the ramp! 
  • Try racing the car down the ramp without any texture on it
  • Add different textures and see how the movement of the car changes
  • Add some height to the ramp and try again with the different textures
• Ask questions!
  • What is happening?
  • How does the movement of the car change?
  • Why do you think it changes?
  • What else could we add/change?

Sensory:

• Gather a bunch of plastic eggs
• Fill up the eggs with a variety of materials 
  • Unpopped popcorn, coins, buttons, paper clips, etc
  • As an extra precaution, you could put a small piece of tape to keep the eggs closed during investigation! 
• Make sure each egg has a sound match, aka two eggs of each sound
• Invite little ones to try and match the sounds!

Art:

• Find a paper towel tube
• Cut it into three pieces
  • Leave one piece a circle
  • Smoosh the other two pieces to make ovals
• Use the paper pieces to make a bunny stamp! 

By Colie Haahr, CMNH Educator

We were surprised by how excited kids got about cleaning pennies when we offered this experiment as a drop in STEAM activity at CMNH! It does seem like a magic trick when you first see the pennies getting shinier almost instantly. 

This experiment is a good way to practice making predictions and observations, and it’s an easy one to do with materials that are available at home! For kids learning about money and currency, this is a great way to practice counting and recognizing the different coins as well. 

Materials:

• Table cover of some kind (a trash bag works!)
• Several pennies
• Other coins- quarter, nickel, dime, coins from other countries if available 
• Vinegar 
• Salt
• Bowl of water
• Bowl for vinegar and salt mixture
• Q-tips
• Paper towels 
• Optional: lemon juice, soapy water, other liquids you would like to experiment with

Directions:

• One way to set this experiment up is to use a muffin tin or small bowls to offer several different liquids for kids to try. A small pallet for paint works well, too! 
• Put the coins on a surface you do not mind getting messy- plastic plate, paper towel, or directly on the table covering, but you will want some paper towels or dish towels nearby
• Allow kids to experiment with the materials to see what would work best to clean the different coins by dipping the coins in the liquid, and brushing them with a q-tip
•  Ask what they think will work best, and why?
• After some experimentation, guide them toward the vinegar or lemon juice mixed with salt. The salt works as a mild abrasive, and the acid in the vinegar and lemon juice react with the pennies to make them shiny and new looking
  • Important: rinse the pennies in water after cleaning them if you would like to keep them nice and shiny! They will oxidize and turn green otherwise. 
  • Fun fact: this is what happened to the statue of liberty, and why it looks green today! Kids did not dip it into a bowl of vinegar, but the statue is copper, and it turned green because of oxidation over time. 

• Ask why the acidic liquids cleaned the pennies, but not the other coins? What is different about them? The pennies are a different color because they are made of a different material: copper!

What’s Happening? 

 Pennies are made of copper, and copper is shiny, but over time it becomes tarnished and appears black or brown because of copper oxide, which is created when copper bonds with oxygen. Acids mixed with salt help break down the copper oxide on the penny. Vinegar may remove actual dirt from the pennies and other coins because it works well as a cleaner! 

Extensions: 

Science Bob offers a few more experiments you can try using the same materials.

Scientific American offers some ideas for different liquids to use, and a more in depth explanation and method for advanced experiment-ers.

Children’s Museum Encourages Families to #PlayTogether

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, like every museum across the country, has closed its doors for the good of the community during this pandemic. “Luckily ‘PLAY’ can happen anywhere,” said CMNH Director Jane Bard. “Our mission is to actively engage families in hands-on discovery, and there is no reason we can’t continue to do that, even with our exhibits being temporarily closed.”

In order to continue to fulfill their mission, Museum staff and educators are working hard to create online videos, blogs, social media challenges and more. “We continue to offer our Wee Ones Wednesday program Wednesday mornings at 8am through a recorded video on all of our social media channels including YouTube,” shared Bard. “So, fans of that program can tune in and say hello to their friend ‘Octopus’, do an activity or craft, pause for snack time, dance around to some silly songs, and even enjoy a story. If you’ve never joined us for a Wee Ones program, now is a great time to test it out! It’s perfect for ages 2 - 4.”

Another popular program is “First Friends and Baby Storytime.” “Ms. Meredith, one of our educators, has been recording First Friends videos to share with families at 8am on Friday mornings,” said Bard. “First Friends is a great program for babies and toddlers to watch together with their caregivers, because it has silly rhymes and active songs perfect for that age group.” Ms. Meredith also shares Tinker Time Tuesday videos as well, which are designed for parents who are looking for creative ways to help their toddlers practice skills like sorting, building, cause and effect and more. 

The museum’s outreach efforts don’t exclude the older kids. “Much of the content we share can be modified for a wide range of ages,” said Bard. “We give tips and tricks on how to do that either within the videos or on our blog.” Other video topics have included art activities, storytimes, STEAM challenges, and simple science experiments. “Everything we share can also be utilized by educators, and we certainly hope they take advantage of them."

In addition to the online content, the Museum is offering a range of Museum Shop “Spring Fun Packs” and “Museum to Go Activity Boxes” for sale online. When ordering, people can choose from two pick-up dates, Thursday, April 9 from 4-6pm or Saturday, April 11, 10am-noon. The purchases will be available in front of the Museum for contactless pick-up. “These are great bundles of toys and activities, perfect for the upcoming holiday, or really any day,” said Bard. “After all, playing together can happen anywhere, anytime. And the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is here to be a community resource as we all try to parent through this pandemic.”

By Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

Even if it’s rainy and gross outside, we can PRETEND it’s Spring, right? That’s why I shared songs/rhymes about bugs & insects this week! 

Hello Song:

Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!

Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray! 

Open Them/Shut Them (action song)

Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap

Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap

Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin

Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in! 

Beehive (action rhyme)

Here is the beehive
But where are the bees?
Hiding inside where nobody sees!

Soon they’ll come buzzing out of the hive…
One! Two! Three! Four! Five!

Buzzzzzzzzzz!

I’m a little Beetle (bounce) 

I’m a little beetle and I wiggle all day
If you get too close to me I’ll FLY away!

I’m a little bumble bee and I wiggle all day
If you get too close to me I’ll FLY away!

I’m a little lady bug and I wiggle all day
If you get too close to me I’ll FLY away!

I’m a little dragon fly and I wiggle all day
If you get too close to me I’ll FLY away!

Sleepy Bumble Bees (song/movement)

See the little bumble bees sleeping ‘til it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
They’re so still...are they ill?!
No! Wake up bumble bees!

Hop little bumble bees hop, hop, hop
Hop little bumble bees hop, hop, hop
Hop little bumble bees hop, hop, hop
Hop, hop, hop aaaaaaaand...stop!

“  “

Jump little bumble bees!

“  “

Dance little bumble bees!

Popcorn (prop song)

Popcorn, popcorn (Wave your scarf!)
Popcorn, popcorn
In the pot, in the pot (Hide your scarf in your hands)

Shake them, shake them, shake them (shake shake shake!)
Shake them, shake them, shake them
‘Til they pop! ‘Til they pop! (Throw scarf in the air!)

Scarf Opposites (prop song)

Wave your scarf up high,
Wave your scarf up high,
Wave it up high! Wave it up high!

Wave your scarf down looowwwwww
Wave your scarf down looowwwwww

Wave your scarf! Wave your scarf! 

Wave your scarf fast/slow

Wave your scarf in front/behind

Wave your scarf a little/a lot! 

Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)

This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small

This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!

This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow

This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no

This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye! 

By Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

Materials Needed:

• Bowl(s) or container(s) that are freezer safe
• Fun items/trinkets to freeze (small plastic toys, rocks, coins, etc)
• Food coloring (optional, if you want colorful ice)
• Spray bottle
• Salt

Directions (prep):

• Collect small trinkets and items from around the house and place them in a bowl or container
• Fill the bowl or container with water
• Add food coloring, if desired
• Freeze at least overnight (depending on the size of your container)
• Fill a spray bottle with water & a few spoonfuls of salt, shake! 

Directions (activity):

• Take the container out of the freezer and turn it upside down on a cookie sheet, tray, or large dish
• Once the ice has unstuck from the container, remove the container and invite your young scientists to play!
• Direct them to spray the ice with the spray bottle. You can also have some other salt available that they can use to help melt the ice. 
• Try to free some of the trinkets! 

The Science:

• There are so many angles that you can take for discussing the science of this project. 
• The water: it changes from a liquid to a solid when we put it in the freezer! While you melt the ice with the salt water, it changes back into a liquid again! That’s two states of matter, can it become a gas? (Yes! Water vapor!) 
• The melting: Salt lowers the freezing point of water. Ice melts faster when salt is added as the salt lowers the freezing point of the ice, this is known as freezing point depression. The more salt you add the lower the freezing point. This is why we use salt on roads in the winter to help melt the ice and make them safe! 

The following Wee Ones video is designed for preschoolers and is all about "Melting" and would make a good video to watch together while doing this experiment!

Materials Needed:

• Large mixing bowl or container (a casserole  pan would work!)
• Plastic bag (I recommend quart size) filled ¾ of the way with water
• A bunch of pencils or colored pencils--the sharper the better! 

Directions (prep):

• Fill your plastic bag ¾ of the way with water 
  • You may want to fill a few because this experiment is very fun!
• Sharpen your pencils
• Prep the activity area with the bowl or casserole pan

Directions (activity):

• Ask your young scientists if they think you can poke a pencil through a bag of water without spilling a drop (they will probably say “No way!”)
• Hold the bag up over the bowl or other container
• Carefully twist a pencil through one side of the plastic bag and then continue to twist through the other side
• No water will spill!
• Try it with the other pencils

Invite your young scientists to try on their own using bags of water and pencils

The Science:

• Plastic bags are made of something called a polymer
• Polymers have long strings of molecules that are flexible
• When you poke the pencil through the plastic bag, it wiggles in between these strings of molecules and the molecules seal up around the pencil so that no water is spilled!

Extend the learning:

• Spend some time looking on the internet for other household items that are polymers - you’ll be surprised by what you find! 

by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

This week, I shared some of my favorite songs and rhymes all about food! Here they are so you can follow along and keep singing all week long! 

Hello Song:

Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray! 

Open Them/Shut Them (action song)

Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap

Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap

Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin

Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in! 

Popcorn! (bounce)

Popcorn, popcorn, sizzling in the pan
Shake it up, shake it up
Bam! Bam! Bam!

Popcorn, popcorn, now it’s getting hot
Shake it up, shake it up
Pop! Pop! Pop! 

Sugar Babies (action rhyme) 

Roll, roll, sugar babies
Roll, roll, sugar babies
Push! Pull! Clap, clap, clap!

Roll, roll, sugar babies
Roll, roll, sugar babies
Hug! Kiss! Clap, clap, clap

Roll, roll, sugar babies
Roll, roll, sugar babies
Up! Down! Clap, clap, clap

NOTE: Feel free to add more opposites and keep this rhyme going for awhile!

SECOND NOTE: I realized (while recording this video) that Hug & Kiss are, in fact, NOT opposites, but it was too late to change them--this was a leftover edit from Valentine’s Day! 

Apple Tree (action rhyme)

Way up high in an apple tree,
Two little apples smiled at me!
I shook that tree as hard as I could,
Boom! Down came the apples…
Yum! They were good! 

NOTE: Feel free to change the words to this rhyme to reflect your child’s favorite foods! Way up high in a cupcake tree, anyone?! (Yes please!)

Shake Your Shaker! (prop song)

If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker--one time!
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker--two times!
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...three times!
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...four times!
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...five times!
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker!!!

NOTE: You can make your own shaker at home! I used an empty ibuprofen bottle and put some popcorn kernels inside - I like this option because it has the child safety lock top. You could also put popcorn kernels or beans inside a plastic egg and tape the egg shut! 

Give a Shake, Tap, Clap! (prop song)

If you’re happy and you know it...give a shake, shake, shake!
If you’re happy and you know it...give a shake, shake, shake!
If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it...give a shake, shake, shake!

If you’re happy and you know it...give a tap, tap, tap!
If you’re happy and you know it...give a tap, tap, tap!
If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it...give a tap, tap, tap!

If you’re happy and you know it...give a clap, clap, clap!
If you’re happy and you know it...give a clap, clap, clap!
If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it...give a clap, clap, clap!

Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)

This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small
This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!
This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow
This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no
This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye!