by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

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
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
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! 

Wise Old Owl (action rhyme)

There is a wise old owl,
With a pointed nose,
He has pointed ears,
And claws for toes!

He sits in a tree,
And looks at you,
Then he flaps his wings and says:
Whoooooo! Whoooooo!

Puppy Dog (bounce)

Did you ever see a puppy dog,
A puppy dog, a puppy dog
Did you ever see a puppy dog
Go this way and that?!

Go this way...and that way...and this way..and that way!
Did you ever see a puppy dog,
Go this way and that?!

(It’s fun to use any and all animals in this song! Did you ever see a kitty cat? A bunny rabbit? A great big elephant?!)

Sleepy Bunnies (song/movement)

See the little bunnies sleeping ‘til it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
They’re so still...are they ill?!

No! Wake up bunnies!

Hop little bunnies hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies hop, hop, hop
Hop little bunnies hop, hop, hop
Hop, hop, hop aaaaaaaand...stop!

“  “

Jump little bunnies!

“  “

Dance little bunnies!

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! 

Colors in the Air (prop song)

Colors, colors
Colors, colors
Floating in the air!
Floating in the air!

Red, Orange, Yellow
Green, Blue, Purple
Floating in the air!
Floating in the air!

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

I love this art activity. It’s easy to do with items you probably already have at home. It’s such an interesting and fun process-art activity that your young artists will probably want to try it again and again and again!

Materials:

• White basket coffee filters
• Washable markers
• A binder clip 
• A pencil/straw/craft stick
• Clothespin
• Small pieces of colorful paper or pipe cleaners

Directions:

• Give each young artist a coffee filter and invite them to create a circular design on it using washable markers
• Once finished, fold the coffee into a triangle
  • Attach a binder clip to the top/wide end of the triangle
  • Slide a pencil through the top of the binder clip
• Put a tiny bit of water into a glass or jar
• Place the triangle in the jar
  • The pencil will help to hold the triangle in place across the top of the cup or jar so that it does not fall in
  • There should be JUST enough water that the tip of the triangle is barely touching

• Watch closely as the water climbs up the coffee filter triangle!
  • What happens to the designs?! 

• When the water has climbed all the way up, carefully remove the pencil and binder clip and unfold your triangle
• Place it on a drying rack and let it to dry fully
  • This should take about 20 minutes

Assemble your butterflies!

• Scrunch the coffee filter up to make wings
• Clip a clothespin in the middle to make the bod
• Add small pieces of colorful paper to the top to make some antennae 
• Draw a happy face on your butterfly! 

By Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

I was THRILLED to find this invisible ink recipe. Many invisible ink recipes involve holding dried lemon juice messages over a candle and almost setting pieces of paper on fire. Luckily, this recipe doesn’t require any heat and is totally safe---besides the slightly strong scent of rubbing alcohol. However, with it warming up outside--this would be a great outside project!

Here’s how to make your own heat-free invisible ink:

Materials needed:

• 2 medium-size glass containers (I used Pyrex liquid measuring cups)
• Q-tips
• Paintbrushes
• Paper (white paper works best, you could also use cardstock!)
• Table covering
• Cookie sheet/craft tray
• 1 tsp powdered tumeric
• ½ cup rubbing alcohol
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• ½ water

Directions (prep):

• Set up your experiment area, whether inside or outside, by protecting the area with some kind of covering. This could be a plastic tablecloth, trashbag, or some other non-absorbent material. 
• Place a cookie tray in the experiment area
• Gather all other materials and have them on hand. 

Directions (activity):

• Tell little ones that today you will be experimenting with invisible ink! 
• Invite them to help you mix 1 Tbsp of baking soda into ½ water in one of your glass containers
  • Mix until it is mostly dissolved and keep mixing throughout your experimenting--it doesn’t dissolve all that quickly. 
• Have little ones draw on their paper with the baking soda solution using q-tips
  • It will be hard to see what they are drawing! They can try writing words or just doing abstract doodles. Anything will be fun to find using the invisible ink decoder!
• Put aside the drawings to dry

• While they are drying, make your “decoding” solution
• Mix 1 tsp turmeric powder into ½ cup of rubbing alcohol 
  • The turmeric solution will stain hands and surfaces--so be careful while mixing and using this solution. At least it won’t set your house on fire, right?! 

• Once your papers are completely dry, place them on the cookie sheet and paint over them using the tumeric decoding solution. What happens?!?!
• Watch your paper change color more as they completely dry. 

The Science: 

(For younger scientists):

• Explain that the baking soda “ink” is changing color because it reacts or changes when it meets the turmeric solution. There is an ingredient in the turmeric that changes the baking soda to that very deep purple color when they meet! 

(For older scientists):

• Turmeric is a ph indicator. This means that it will change the color of different substances when it interacts with them to show us what their ph is. 
  • Ph tells us the acidity or basicity of items. 
  • Basically, substances go through a chemical reaction when they “meet” a ph indicator and that causes them to change color. 
  • Think about a traditional baking soda and vinegar experiment - they combine and erupt! That is because baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid. If we tested the ph of vinegar it would be a very different color than the ph of baking soda. 
• When you paint over the baking soda papers with turmeric, we are seeing that deep purple appear because that is the color that baking soda changes when it interacts with a ph indicator. 

This week our theme for First Friends was the great outdoors! This theme was inspired by the Museum’s week full of Earth Day programming!

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

Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play

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! 

Bumble Bee (action song, tune: Jingle Bells)

Move wiggly fingers around baby as you gently touch the different body parts the song mentions. If your little one is a toddler--help them find their body parts that the song mentions using their hands! 

Bumble bee. Bumble bee
Landing on my nose

Bumble bee, bumble bee
Now it’s on my toes!

On my arms, on my legs
On my elbows

Bumble bee, bumble bee
It lands and then it goes! 

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!

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!)

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!

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

These bubble blowers are a BLAST and can be made with upcycled items easily found at home! This craft is perfect for Earth Day week. What else could you upcycle to make into something new and fun?!

Materials Needed:

• Plastic bottle
  • You can use a plastic cup as well
• Piece of a mesh vegetable bag
• Duct tape
• Bubble solution (store bought or DIY)

Directions:

• Find a plastic bottle for each bubble blower
• Cut off the non-drinking-end of the plastic bottle
  • Cutting about an inch off the end is plenty
  • If using a plastic cup - cut a small opening on the bottom of the cup. This will be the spot where little ones put their mouths to blow their bubbles.
• Fit your piece of mesh vegetable bag over the cut end of your plastic bottle and secure to the bottle using duct tape
  • If using a plastic cup, put the mesh over the wide end of the cup (where you would normally drink!)
• Put some bubble solution inside a container
  • To make your own you will need:
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 Tbsp light corn starch
    • 4 Tbsp dish soap
      • Mix all ingredients together!
      • There are a lot of recipes for bubble solution - I used this one because I had these materials at home!
• Invite bubble blowers to dip their plastic bottles into the bubble solution and then try blowing bubbles!
  • Big bubble snakes will appear!

Thank you to our Earth Day week sponsor, D. F. Richard!

by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

This week’s Tinker Time was inspired by Earth Day! These activities are all easy to do with materials that you probably have in your household recycling bin or trash can. Try out one or two and let us know what you think! 

Sensory: Cork Boats

• Gather your materials: three wine corks, two rubber bands or hair ties (or duct tape!), a straw or craft stick, a piece of paper, scissors. 

• Assemble your boat! 
  • Rubber band the three corks together so they form a raft-like structure
  • Wiggle the straw or craft stick between two of the corks
  • Cut your piece of paper into a triangle and decorate
  • Cut two slits on your triangle so you can slide it onto the straw or craft stick to become a sail!
• Have some sensory fun playing with the boat in the water! 

Building: Egg carton building blocks

• Cut egg cartons into small sections (the parts that hold the eggs!)
• Optional: color or paint the egg carton pieces
• Explore using the egg carton pieces as building blocks! 

Sorting: Old crayons become new!

• Place liners in mini or regular muffin tin
  • You can also use silicone shape molds, if you have them! 
• Sort old broken crayons by color into the different sections of the tin
• Bake the crayons for ~12 minutes at 250 degrees
  • Don’t go too far away--keep an eye on them and make sure to take them out if they start smoking!
• Let your “new” crayons cool completely and then gently ease them out of their cupcake liners
• Use your new & improved giant crayons! 

Art: Jar lid banjo

• Find a jar lid
• Place some rubber bands around the lid
• Tape a handle of some kind--a craft stick, paint stirrer, or piece of paper towel tube
• Decorate!
• Play your jar lid banjo! 

Thank you to our Earth Day week sponsor, D. F. Richard! 

by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

This is such an easy and fun project and is a perfect one to do during Earth Day week! 

Materials Needed:

• Magazines or other scrap paper
• Pencils
• A glue stick
• String
• Mod Podge or DIY Mod Podge (white glue mixed with water)
  • This is optional!

Directions:

• Prep this activity by cutting magazines or other scrap paper into long skinny triangles
  • Cut the paper vertically to make the longest triangles possible!
• Starting with the wide end of one of your triangles, start rolling it tightly around a pencil
  • Sometimes little ones need help with this beginning step!
• Keep rolling until you are about 2” from the end of the triangle--it should just be a skinny little strip left
• Cover that strip with glue and continue rolling to complete your bead
• Wiggle the bead off your pencil
• Make more beads!
• String your beads to make a necklace or bracelet. 

If you’d like, when you’re finished with your beads--you can paint them with Mod Podge and let them dry. This will make your beads more secure and sturdy and also make them shiny!

by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

This week, all of our online programming will focus on the earth and being environmentally friendly! 

Try making seed flyers this week. These are fun to make and fun to throw or plant! Plus, the wildflower seeds that you use to create them will be helpful to your neighborhood pollinators. 

Materials Needed:

• Newspaper or construction paper (torn into small pieces)
• Water
• A blender or food processor
• Wildflower seeds
• Mini muffin tin (optional)

Directions:

• Start by tearing up your paper into small pieces
• Put the pieces in a bowl or a couple different bowls
• Pour water over your paper pieces and allow them to soak
  • This will take about 20 minutes with construction paper and less time with newspaper
• Once your paper is soaked, add it to your food processor or blender
  • Process or blend until the paper is fully broken down
• Now it’s time to make your seed bombs!
  • Smush the paper into your muffin tin or use your hands to smush the paper into spheres
  • If using the muffin tin, put a layer of paper and then sprinkle some seeds on top, then add another layer of paper on top of that and smush it all down
  • If using your hands, put some paper and seeds into your hands and then roll into balls
• Let your seed flyers dry
  • Let them dry for a few hours in the muffin tin (if you used one)
  • Once they’re a bit dry, transfer them to a drying rack and let them fully dry overnight

Now what do you do?!

• When seed planting season starts...plant your seed flyers! Or, as the name implies, THROW THEM and see them fly through the air! They will land and start to work their way into the soil. 

Thank you to our Earth Day week sponsor, D. F. Richard!