Awesome A
Parents and caregivers, extend Discovery Time into your home. Share these fingerplays
and activities with young children. The letter for this theme is A.
The Apple Tree
(Tune: “Mulberry Bush”)
(Perform actions as described)
Here we go round the apple tree,
The apple tree, the apple tree.
Here we go round the apple tree,
On a frosty morning.
Additional Verses:
This is the way we:
Climb the ladder.
Pick the apples.
Wash the apples.
Peel the apples.
Cook the apples.
Eat the apples.
Acrobat
One little acrobat swinging through the air.
(Hold index finger up and swing side to side)
He flips and he flops as we stare.
(Make index finger bend up and down)
And suddenly he’s caught by another with flare!
(Excitement in voice, lock both index fingers together)
He didn’t even know that he gave me a scare!
(Shake head and wipe brow)
One little acrobat swinging through the air.
(Hold index finger up and swing side to side)
He lands and bows with the greatest of care!
(With left palm facing up, place right hand with index
finger up on left palm and bend it as if to bow)
Airplanes
Airplanes fly in the sky, zoom zoom!
(Zoom hand around)
Airplanes fly in the sky, zoom zoom!
(Zoom hand around)
‘Round and ‘round the airplanes go,
(Arm circles around)
Flying high, flying low.
(Arm circles up high, then down low)
Shhh... I think I hear one.
(Finger to lips, then cup ear)
ZOOM!
(Zoom arm from one side to the other)
The Alligator Chant
Old Mr. Alligator looking all around,
(Put hands together and slowly move them
back and forth)
Floating in the water without making a sound.
(Put finger up to lips)
But don’t go swimming,
If you hear this sound…SNAP!
(Shake head, then clap when you say “snap”)
See ya later, Alligator,
I prefer the ground.
(Wave goodbye)
Sing Hurray for A!
(Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)
Let’s sing hurray for A,
Let’s sing hurray for A.
Let’s sing hurray for A today,
Let’s sing hurray for A.
Apricot starts with A,
Apple starts the same way.
Let’s sing hurray for A today,
Let’s sing hurray for A.
Help your child get ready to read with these simple activities.

Talking: Don't simplify your speech for toddlers. The more complex sentences they hear,
the more complex sentences they'll be able to speak.

Singing: Read or sing nursery rhymes, or say rhymes you remember from your
childhood. Help your child learn them. Point out the parts that rhyme or have words you
like to say or hear.

Reading: Tell your child how much you enjoy reading with him or her. Look forward to
this time you spend together. Talk about "story time" as the favorite part of your day.

Writing: Draw your child's attention to the way writing works. When looking at a book
together, point out how we read from left to right and how words are separated by
spaces.

Playing: Play games that involve naming or pointing to objects. Say things like, "Where's
your nose?" Or touch your child's nose and say, "What's this?"
Sometimes it seems that books have lost their appeal to children (and to adults), but
this may be simply competition between traditional forms of learning and new
electronics that appear compelling. Children need to read from books, hear stories
read aloud, and also draw, write creatively, and play with many different kinds of
products (paper, clay, art supplies, puzzles, blocks, dolls, soft toys like puppets,
musical instruments, and many others) for optimal learning and for their own
enjoyment. Electronic toys, regardless of how many bells and whistles and gadgetry,
should not ever replace the experience of reading a book, enjoying a story, playing
with real objects, and creating with their hands, whether finger painting or building a
tower of blocks.
Auerbach, Stevanne. “Why This Toy?” NAEYC for Families. NAEYC, 2012. Web.
19 Nov. 2014.