Since we’re continuing to celebrate all types of magical creatures this summer, let’s continue this week with fairies!
Let’s start with some questions:
- What does a fairy look like?
- Are fairies big or little?
- Are they kind?
- Can you name a fairy? What would you name a fairy?
READ
Read any book you may have that mentions fairies. If you don’t have one, try a digital title! Or, you can order a book from the library, such as Fairies Are Real! by Holly Hatam or Fairy Science by Ashley Spires. We’ll also make a fairy book at the end.
PLAY
Act out this simple rhyme, similar to “teddy bear, teddy bear turn around.”
Fairy, fairy turn around
Fairy, fairy touch the ground
Fairy, fairy reach up high
Fairy, fairy fly to the sky
Fairy, fairy reach down low
Fairy, fairy touch your toes
Fairy, fairy sit back down
Fairy, fairy shhh don’t make a sound!
Since fairies are very active, this is a great time to play “Fairy Says.” Just like Simon Says, have your child do what you say when you start with “fairy says.” But if you don’t say “fairy says,” they shouldn’t do it. Some examples:
- Fairy says fly
- Fairy says jump
- Fairy says sit
LEARN
Let’s discuss opposites! Using the nursery rhyme “Two Little Blackbirds,” you can use two toys to act as fairies and figure out what the rhyming opposites with your child. Here are some examples, but feel free to make up your own!
Two little fairies flying in the sky,
One went low and one went high.
Fly away low, fly away high. Come back low, come back high.
Two little fairies flew past a pole,
One went fast, one went slow
Fly away fast, fly away slow. Come back fast, come back slow.
Two little fairies flew past a cloud, One was quiet and one was loud.
Fly away quiet, fly away loud. Come back quiet, come back loud.
SCIENCE
Fairies fly, right? So, let’s make a zip line for a fairy! First, create your fairy (see craft below). Once done, tape about half an inch of a straw onto the fairy’s back. (If you do not have a straw, you can roll up paper very small and use that instead). Now, for the zip line, get a long piece of string/yarn. Tie one end to a doorknob (or anything else you can tie an end to) and hold the other end. Thread the straw through the string until the fairy is at the top / touching the doorknob. While one person holds the fairy up there, the other can hold the string on the ground. Then, let go of the fairy and watch it fly! Try it out many times. Change position of the string – are there other areas around your room where you can tie it? Then, ask questions: Why does the fairy fall to the ground? What happens if the string is flat and not on an incline? Try other toys on it, too!
CREATE
Make a simple popsicle stick fairy! Cut out four ovals out of construction paper (or normal paper). Glue them on the popsicle stick’s back to make fairy wings. Decorate the popsicle stick as you’d like! Add more construction paper for an outfit (or color your own). Add yarn for hair (or color your own). Make it however you’d like!
Last, make your own fairy book!
- Staple papers together and have each page represent different things fairies do.
- Write (or have your child write) “Fairies___” on each page. (e.g. Fairies fly. Fairies jump.)
- Illustrate! Draw or cut out pictures for each page.
