- Read “The Wind Blew” by Pat Hutchins
- I just discovered Pat Hutchins’ books this fall and love them. This is a cute story about the mischievous wind that blows away items one by one. I love how the illustrations makes it actually feel like the wind is blowing!
- Print the page above on lightweight paper and cut out. These are all of the items the wind blows away in the book.
- Turn on a fan and let the kids feel the wind. I always have to remind my kids to keep their fingers away from the fan blades!!
- As you read the story, let them find the item that matches what the wind is blowing in the story.
- Let them put it in front of the fan and watch the wind blow it away.
- Sing W-I-N-D-Y
- Sing to the tune of BINGO. Click here for the music.
- Continue each verse by substituting a clap, or blow a puff of wind for each letter. So … “puff”-I-N-D-Y, then “puff-puff”-N-D-Y.
- Windy Fan Experiment … if it’s windy enough, try this outside. If not, turn on a portable fan inside!
- Gather several items that will float with the wind and several that will not.
- a leaf
- a rock
- a balloon
- a ball
- a piece of paper
- a small scarf
- a shoe
- a pinwheel
- Choose one item and hold it in front of the fan. Let go!
- Does it float in the wind?! Does it not?
- Record your findings on a simple chart.
- Make a Windy Whirligig!
- Put a small blob of paint in the middle of the paper plate. Use a straw to blow the paint in all direction around the paper plate (like wind blowing!) Use a hair dryer (more wind) to help the paint dry faster.
- Starting from the outside edge, cut the paper plate in a spiral, about 1-2” wide.
- Punch a hole in the very center. You may want to reinforce the hole with tape.
- Tie a string to the hole.
- OPTIONAL: Tie the other end of the string to a short wooden dowel or unsharpened pencil.
- Take these out in the wind and watch them spin! Or make your own wind by running around with them!