Let’s make a beautiful start to the new year. This newsletter focuses on resources that begin with the letter B: Babies, birds, and baths. Why?
Babies (like Baby New Year) are a wonderful beginning. Birds as Jan. 5th is National Bird Day. Baths as Jan. 8th is Bubble Bath Day.
Babies
Baby New Year has origins tracing back to Ancient Egypt. Often local hospitals share pictures of the first baby born in the new year. No matter the inspiration, babies can be fun to discuss.
Share baby pictures. Can the children identify who they are?
Sing lullabies including:
- Rock-a-bye Baby
- Hush Little Baby
Birds
While National Birds Day was established to recognize the challenges of birds in captivity, it still can be a day to explore a variety of bird.
Share bird whistles, slide whistles, canary sticks and gobble sticks to play as you sing “Let’s All Sing Like the Birdies Sing“.
Play a version of “Bluebird, Bluebird“. Have images of birds in different colors. Play the song game naming birds or a bird color as shown in the video link.
Dance “The Chicken Dance” and “Rockin’ Robin”.
Consider making bird feeders to hang in the trees.
Sing songs including:
- Six Little Ducks
- Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree
- I Know a Chicken (Laurie Berkner)
- Way Up in the Sky, the Little Birds Fly
Baths
People have enjoyed baths for thousands of years. The ancient Romans had public baths where people might take a dip in a hot tub, a break in a sauna and a refresh in a cold pool.
In the 1940’s the average American bathed once a week. Today, a daily shower is a common occurrence. Yet, a bath can still be enjoyed as a way to relax and cleanse.
- Enjoy singing some bath time songs.
- Review bathroom safety.
- Share some bath related stories. A few include:
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
Is It Time by Marilyn Janovitz
To the Tub by Peggy Perry Anderson