Cows, Milk & Butter

What a busy preschool day! My friend, Shelli, hosted preschool in her home last week and it was busy, noisy and lots of fun!

We continued learning about Farm Animals … this time COWS!

• Homemade Butter
  1. Label a clean pint jar (or even a baby food jar) with the kid’s names.
     • They could write their own name on a label
     • Or have them find their name on a sheet of label stickers.
  2. Pour heavy whipping cream (room temperature works best) into the jar … the more cream, the more butter you’ll have.
  3. Screw the lid on tightly and have the kids shake, shake, shake!
  4. We did this as all the kids were showing up and then they kept shaking any spare minute we had during preschool.

 

• Read “Snappy Little Farmyard” (or any of these farm pop-up books!)
  1. The kids loved this book. It’s a fun, simple farm pop-up book.
  2. As you read, have the kid’s make the different animal’s sounds.
• Show non-fiction book about cows
  1. Check out a few non-fiction books about farm animals, cows and milking. The kids love looking at pictures of real animals and farm life.
  2. Explain that we get milk and cream from cows.
  3. After cows are milked, the thicker cream floats to the top, the thinner milk stays at the bottom.
  4. We use the cream to make ice cream and butter!

• Make homemade ice cream! … a great lesson on liquids and measuring. The kids were totally intrigued.
  1. Take turns letting the kids help pour the whipping cream and evaporated milk into a large liquid measuring cup.
  2. Explain that these ingredients are “liquid”
  3. Show the kids how to crouch down with their eyes level with the cup to measure the liquids. Show them the marks on the measuring cup and have them decide if you have enough or not.
  4. Pour all the ingredients into an ice cream maker!
  5. NOTE: I forgot to get the recipe we used (it was delicious, so I’ll try to get it and add it). There is a simple recipe for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream here (great reviews!)

• Farm Animal Matching … use this great printable from Frogs in my Pocket.
  1. Print two matching pads for each preschooler.
  2. Cut the 2nd sheet apart to use for matching cards.
  3. Spread the animal cards on the table and let the kids choose a card and cover the match on their paper.
• Farm Animal BINGO
  1. Use could also use the same printables from above to play BINGO.
  2. Print one extra sheet, cut apart and put the pieces in a small bowl.
  3. Draw one card, name the animal (or just make the animal noise!) and have the kids find their matching card and cover the animal on their paper.

• Trace & Color … Print this great “milking” trace & color page from Twisty Noodle (love these! You can customize the text!)

Snack Idea: Eat your delicious homemade ice cream!

Thank you Shelli!

Over on the Farm

I am loving our combined preschool. We meet once a week and this week we met at my friend Shelli’s house. The kids loved it! She chose the book “Over on the Farm” and focused on counting and farm animals, especially chickens.

You will love her ideas! It was a fun preschool day.

 

• Read “Over on the Farm” by Christopher Gunson … You can read or sing the words as it counts the farm animal moms and their babies 1-10. Available here.
  1. Before you read, ask the kids what they see on the cover. What do they think the story will be about?
  2. Have the kids hold up 1-10 fingers as you read each page.

  

• Animal Pictures … click the images above to download!
  1. Print out several farm animal pictures and their products (eggs, milk, bacon…) Instead of clipart, my friend Shelli printed out actual photos. I think the kids loved seeing real pictures of the animals. I put together a few pages if you’d like to use them (all from Microsoft Clipart)!
  2. Ask the kids to name a farm animal & show them the matching picture.
  3. Ask them what we use from that animal & show them the product pictures.
     • Cow = milk, beef
     • Pigs = ham, bacon
     • Chicken = eggs, meat
     • Sheep = wool sweater, yarn

• Guess the Animal Sound!
  1. Use the animal sounds found here.
  2. This game plays a farm animal sound and gives you four pictures to choose from.
  3. Simple and perfect for preschoolers!

• Chicken Eggs … next we went to the kitchen to become little chefs!
  1. If you can, show the kids fresh chicken eggs.
  2. The kids were surprised to see that they don’t look exactly like the white store-bought eggs we’re used to.
  3. Crack an egg into a bowl (then use for snack recipe below)
  4. Show them the yellow yolk and the egg white.
  5. Did you know? … An egg yolk contains all of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need, except for one ….. vitamin C! I learned something new! See info here and here.

   

• Make Oven-Baked Chicken Toes … recipe here from Rachel Ray (delicious!)
  1. Have the kids wash their hands. It’s great to teach the kids that we wash our hands before cooking and how to do it!
  2. Tie on an apron. Shelli had kid-sized aprons for each of the kids with their names written on the front (great to teach them to recognize their names). So cute! And the kids were ready to cook. Found at Hobby Lobby, Michaels or here.
  3. Hands on! … The kids can make the breadcrumb coating while an adult gets the rest of the recipe ready.
     • Count as you measure out scoops of cornflakes.
     • Let the kids use their hands to crunch the cornflakes down to crumbs.
     • Add breadcrumbs and seasonings. Use hands to mix. They loved it!
     • Put the mixture in a ziploc baggie, have an adult add the raw chicken, zip it and let the kids shake!
  4. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
  5. NOTE: the kids loved being involved in the cooking, using their hands and helping. I loved how much counting and measuring and learning was going on without even realizing it!

Thanks Shelli!                         

Farm

• Clothespin animals
  1. Draw & cut out farm animal bodies (without the legs).
  2. Paint 2 clothespin legs to match the bodies (ex: 2 pink clothespins for the pink pig body).
  3. Let the kids snap the matching clothespin legs onto the animals.
• Sing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" Click the link for music!
• Sing "The Farmer in the Dell" Click the link for music!
• Visit a real farm!

      

• Play "Trouble on the Farm"
  1. Place several farm animal cards (clipart) in a bag.
  2. Wearing a straw hat and bandana, introduce yourself as a farmer.
  3. Tell the kids you have trouble with the animals not answering your call.
  4. Show the kids one card from the bag and say the animals name, replacing the first letter with a different letter (tig for pig, beep for sheep). The kids will probably want to correct you!