D is for

. . . dump! The kids filled a bucket choosing only items that started with the letter d and when it was full, they got to dump it out. For a more detailed post on how to create your own dumping activity, see the post here.

. . . dotted diamonds! We used bingo markers to make dots on a diamond. I have seen the bingo markers in the pen or kids craft section of the dollar store.  We read the book Lots of Dots by Craig Fraizer. It shows how dots can be used to make fun pictures. . . . dinosaur feet! We used cracker boxes to create dinosaur feet. I spray painted each one green. The kids painted them and added claws using double sided tape that I put on th edge of each box. 

Then we had a lot of fun stomping around the classroom and being dinosaurs. (This is a picture I took of Brandon later in the day for our family blog. The pictures I took during class were too blurry to use.)

We even sang "We are the Dinosaurs" by the Laurie Berkner band.

D is for . . .

 . . . dumping things that start with the letter D. Read more about this activity below. (Do you like Brandon's homemade Halloween decorations? There is Frankenstein, a ghost and he wrote "beware." So adorable!)

. . . drawing. Squiggle pages are the best!! If you want more information, click here.

 . . . dotted diamonds. We used Bingo markers to make dots on diamonds after we read the book: Lots of Dots.

Here's what we did for our letter D dump station.

I hung a bucket with the letter Dd written on it. To hang it I just put a small nail right above the door frame. You can't see it from the ground so it isn't noticeable after we were done.

Below the bucket I had a box with various items. Some started with the letter D (dolphin, diamond, dice, dinosaur, dragon, Dora, duck, etc.) and some didn't.

The kids sorted out the things that started with the letter D and put it in the bucket. After they found all the items, it was time to DUMP! Then they did it again.

D is for drawing

 

Here is an example of a fun squiggle page we did during letter d week. 

Want to know what a squiggle page is? Click here. 

You can learn about drawing prompts and squiggle pages as a great way to foster creativity and let the imagination run wild!

You can also download some free printable squiggle pages for your own use on that page.  

Dinosaur Stomp

 

We tried out a new activity this year that was pretty dang fun! I saw this idea somewhere, I think from Family Fun Magazine, and thought it would be fun to try. It also goes perfectly with the song we like to sing during letter D week.

So we decided to make some dinosaur feet so we can properly stomp around.

It took a couple of days because we painted one day and added claws the next.

Start with some small boxes like cracker or microwave popcorn boxes. Then spray paint them green and cut a hole out for the feet. 

Break out the paints and let your little dinosaurs paint them.

After the paint has dried, glue triangular shaped claws at the front. We used construction paper, but I would suggest card stock. 

Put them on . . .

. . . and have fun stomping around. . .

. . . as the fiercest dinosaur around!

D is for . . .

Goodness, where does the time go? I can't believe how quickly the weeks fly by!

. . . dump!

I hung a bucket in the doorway (To do this I put a nail above the door frame where you wouldn't see the hole when I pulled it out.)

I put a box of things out, some that started with the letter d and some that didn't. The kids and I identified which things made a "duh" sound at the beginning of the word and put them into the bucket.

Once the bucket was full, the kids dumped it out!

. . . dots & diamonds!

We read a really fun story about making pictures using dots. Then we made our own pictures with dots and diamonds. 

. . . drawing!

We played simon says, drawing style! The kids practiced drawing different shapes and identifying vocab words like above, under, next to, center, etc. I gave instructions of what and where they were to draw. The end picture ended up being a monster. (Of course since Halloween was right around the corner!)

D is for Dumping

 What little kid doesn't love to dump their box of toys onto the floor? And what mom isn't driven crazy by this behavior because I know I sure am! Here is an activity that will keep your kids busy for hours that allows them to dump their toys to their hearts content without driving you up the wall in the process.

Hang a sand bucket from the ceiling on a string or yarn. Under it, put a box full of toys. Make sure to add lots of toys that start with the letter d like: dolphin, dog, dice, domino, dragon, dinosaur, dragonfly, etc. Have your child find all the things that start with a letter d and put them in the bucket.

When they have found them all, dump it out and start over again. After you have found all the letter d toys a couple of times, you can do other searches like all the land animals or all the nonliving things or all the things that are blue, etc. At the end, just let your child fill and dump to their hearts content with what ever toys they want.

D is for Dots

 

We painted dots using things we found around the house - q-tips, pencil eraser, bottle caps, etc. We also read a great book called Lots of Dots. 

Danny and the Dinosaur Hats

 Danny and the dinosaur is a classic book that never goes out of style! We made some brontosaurus hats to go with our Danny and the Dinosaur book reading.

Here's What You Need:

• 2 green constuction paper cut 6" tall
• 1 yellow construction paper 
• Googly eyes
• glue

Here's What You Do:

1. Draw the dinosaur legs, head and tail on the yellow construction paper. The legs were about 4 1/2" tall and the bottom was about 3" across. The head was about 10" long and the tail was about 9" long. I drew it like this:                                                                
2. Glue together 3 of the green papers that are 6" tall to make a tall headband. Fit it around your child's head and cut any extra length off. 
3. Have the kids cut out the pieces. On the head, glue two googly eyes and a mouth.
4. Glue the head on the inside of the band on the middle so that the head curls up and over the child's head. glue the feet on each side and the tail in the back. 
5. Glue the green paper together to make a headband.  

Letter D Songs

Here are some fun letter d activities involving music and movement.

Freeze Dance  - D is for Dance!
You can dance in many different ways, with many different things to celebrate the letter D. We like to freeze dance. We use The Freeze song by Greg and Steve, but you don't need this song to freeze dance. Just turn on your favorite tunes, pick someone to be a DJ and dance until the music stops then freeze! Start dancing when the music starts again.


"We are the Dinosaurs"
By: Laurie Berkner Band   

"Dinosaur Song"

(Sung to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It)
There are dinosaurs stomping all around.
There are dinosaurs stomping all around.
There are dinosaurs around, they are stomping all around.
There are dinosaurs stomping all around.

*You can replace stomping with other words like flying, swimming, roaring, etc.

5 Little Ducks
 

5 little ducks went out to play

Over the hills and far away

When mommy duck said, "Quack, quack, quack."

4 Little Ducks came waddling back

(Repeat, taking away one duck each time until you get to no little ducks . . .)

. . .When mommy duck said, "Quack, quack, quack."

No little ducks came waddling back.

But when daddy duck said, "QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!"

5 little ducks came waddling back.

Dinosaur Dioramas

To continue our focus on dinosaurs and the letter D we made dinosaur dioramas. The great thing about this project is that you can make it as simple or as complex as you want to. We kept it simple, but I was starting to think of all the things we could have added to it: eggs, nests, food, trees, etc. Anyway, simple or complex, this was definitely a student favorite.

Here's What You Need:

• Cracker or shoe boxes
• Spray paint
• Tempera paint 
• Duct tape
• Easter grass
• Rocks
• Fake leaves or vines
• Hot glue gun
• Plastic dinosaurs

 Here's What You Do:

1. Cut off the front of your box and reinforce the sides with duct tape. 
2. Spray paint the outside. (Tempera paint doesn't work well because of the glossy finish.)
3. Have the kids paint the inside.
4. Use the hot glue gun to glue down the easter grass on the bottom and the leaves or vines.
5. Hot glue some rocks down for the dinosaurs to climb on. (This is actually an important part because the rocks help weigh down and stabilize the front.)
6. Let the kids add their dinosaur and play!

D is for dig!

We had a great time focusing on dinosaurs this week. One of the things that was the most exciting for the kids was digging for dinosaur bones. We talked about how careful paleontologists are when they dig so we used brushes and our hands to unearth our bones. 

Here's What You Need:

• box of sand (you can get a bag for cheap at walmart or any hardware store)
• model  dinosaur set from a craft or hobby store

Here's What You Do:

1. As you are taking the pieces out, put a small number on matching pieces so that you don't have to look at the directions when you put it together in front of the kids
2. Practice putting it together! This is also important so the kids believe it's true.
3. Leave the vertebrates on and any other really small pieces attached and take apart the big pieces.
4. Bury your bones, but keep one out to show the kids what you found to get them excited about the dig.Remember how many pieces you bury so you know how many to have the kids find.
5. Dig away! When you've found all the pieces, put it together.

 

Each month, we have a music time taught by an awesome mom/teacher. She taught us a great dinosaur song to go with our dinosaur week. Here it is:
 

(Sung to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It)

There are dinosaurs stomping all around.

There are dinosaurs stomping all around.

There are dinosaurs around, they are stomping all around.

There are dinosaurs stomping all around.

*You can replace stomping with other words like flying, swimming, roaring, etc.