1: Â 1 Curriculum 2016
[explanation page?]
September THEME :: CARNIVAL
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Feed the Lion Materials: Sheet or Butcher Paper, Scissors, Markers or Paint, Crumpled Paper Balls Instructions: 1. Draw or create a large lion face on a sheet or large piece of butcher paper before rEcess night. 2. Cut a large slit in place of the lion’s roaring mouth. 3. At rEcess, have the large group leader play the role of “Larry the Lion Tamer” following the script below: - “ My lion, Leo, sure is hungry! Can you help me? Let’s feed him quick before he lets out an earth shattering roar!” 4. Set a timer for 30 seconds. 5. Have kids throw paper balls from their spot in the room and see how many items they can feed the lion in 30 seconds. 6. Repeat 3 times and try to have the kids feed the lion more and more! Environment: Play Carnival Music & find sound-effect clips of roaring lions to enhance the atmosphere!
Materials: 14 Paper Plates, 6 Paper Towel Rolls, Large Sheet or Butcher Paper, Painters tape, Paper, Tape, Markers, 5 Buckets or large bowls, 5 tennis balls (or similar kind), Face Paint
September
small rEcess :: Carnival Night!
Station Suggestions: 1. Ring Toss: Use 6 paper plates cut to rings & 6 paper towel rolls. Have kids stand behind the line and toss rings to see how many they can ring around the roll. 2. Tic Tac Toe: Use painters tape to create a Tic Tac Toe board on a large sheet or piece of butcher paper. Draw 4 Xs and 4 Os on paper plates and use as the board pieces. Have kids play a giant game of tic-tac-toe! 3. Ball Toss: Tape or draw numbers 10-50 on 5 different buckets or large bowls. Line them up starting with the smallest number closest to you. Each player gets 5 balls to toss to try and get their highest score! 4. Face Paint: Set up a face painting station and have a leadership team member paint faces during large group!
CRAFTS
1 :: Clown Masks Supplies: Paper Plate, Pom Poms, Red Pipe Cleaners, Construction paper, Googly Eyes, scissors, glue, markers Instructions: 1. Start with a plain paper plate 2. Make rainbow clown hair out of pom poms by gluing them around the top edge of the plate. 3. Next, glue on google eyes. 4. Glue on a red pom pom for a nose. 5. Use the pipe cleaner to make a big red clown mouth, then stick it on with glue. 6. Last, cut a large triangle out of construction paper create a party hat. 7. Decorate the party hat with polka dots, stripes, or other designs. 8. Tape the edge of hat to the top back edge of paper plate to stick out over pompom hair.
Supplies: Construction paper, Red & white strips of construction paper, Cotton balls, Glue, Yellow markers
September
2 :: Cotton Ball Popcorn Buckets
Instructions: 1. Begin with a piece of construction paper and 3 red and 3 white strips. 2. Glue the red and white strips onto your construction paper to look like a popcorn bucket. 3. Glue cotton balls to look as if they are coming out of the bucket. 4. Using markers, Color on the cotton balls with yellow marker to resemble butter. 5. Have kids add any details they want to include!
ADAPTIVE IDEAS For Large Group, be cognizant to gross motor abilities of all children. Kids can kick or roll the balls, or stand/sit as close to the lion’s mouth, ball toss and ring toss carnival games as they need. Provide hand-over hand support to help with these gross motor movements when necessary.
SENSORY AREA Carnival Sensory Bin Supplies: Large plastic bin, Popcorn kernels, Plastic scoops, Animal figures, Red and white striped straws, Empty soda bottles. Instructions: 1. Fill a large plastic bin with popcorn kernals. 2. Add plastic scoops, circus animal figures, and cut up pieces of red and white striped straws. 3. Add empty soda bottles and another other small dumping & scooping materials to finish off the bin!
PRINTABLES Circus Bingo www..........
Circus Coloring Pages www..........
Dumbo, A Bug’s Life, Madagascar 3
September
MOVIES
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-carnival
ABOVE & BEYOND Invite a professional juggler to rEcess! (or have someone with the talent on your leadership team play the part.) Have them travel around rEcess for the night teaching kids to juggle, or set up a juggling station for kids to check out during the evening.
November THEME :: THANKSGIVING
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Turkey Hunt! Materials: Farmer Costume, Turkey Costumes, Paper or Craft Feathers, Small prizes Instructions: 1. Select 4-6 people to be Turkeys and dress in costume as well as the Large group leader to dress as “Old MacDonald” following the script below: - Old MacDonald: “My turkeys are on the loose! (Turkeys scatter throughout building to hide) Can you help me bring them home!? Thanksgiving just won’t be the same without them!” 2. Send the kids on a mission to find the lost birds and let the race begin! When the kids find a turkey, the Turkey will give them a feather. 3. Have small prizes that they can trade in their feathers for when they return back to the Farmer. 4. Make it a race by having a timer and seeing if they can find all the turkeys before the time runs out! Environment: Play upbeat, instrumental country music as the kids race to find the lost turkeys!
small rEcess :: Turkey Bowling Materials: Large brown plastic cups, Construction Paper “feathers” and Beaks, Googly Eyes, Glue, Tape, tennis balls, whiffle balls or pumpkins for bowling.
November
Instructions: 1. Begin by decorating your brown cups to look like turkeys. 2. Flip upside down, glue an orange triangle for the beak, google eyes, and a construction paper feather out the top. 3. Set up turkeys in a pyramid shape like bowling pins. 4. Set up several lanes, or just one depending on the size of your rEcess. 5. Have kids take turns bowling with pumpkins or balls!
CRAFTS 1 :: Toilet Paper Turkey Rolls Supplies: Toilet paper roll, Tissue paper of various colors, Paper plates, Googly eyes, Orange construction paper, Glue, Scissors Instructions: 1. Cut the paper plate in 1/2. 2. Either cut or tear tissue paper into small pieces and using a glue stick glue onto the plate. 3. Glue toilet paper roll to the center of the paper plate. I used a glue gun for this step. 4. Glue wiggly eyes to the toilet paper. 5. Fold orange paper in 1/2 and cut a small triangle to make the beak. Glue to the toilet paper roll. 6. Cut or tear a small piece of red tissue paper and glue next to the beak for the gobbler.
2 :: Leaf Rubbing Book Supplies: Printer paper, Construction Paper, Yarn, Hole Punch, Assorted Dried Leaves, Crayons Instructions: Be sure to collect assorted dried leaves before your rEcess night! (You can also use fake leaves from the craft store if easier)
November
1. Have kids create a cover for their book out of construction paper and crayons that says “My Leaf Book”, or “My Fall Leaves” 2. Place leaves under printer paper and rub over the top with the side of a crayon to create a leaf rubbing. 3. Repeat with different leaves and colors. 4. Hole punch the sides of the cover and leaf papers. 5. Tie together with yarn to form a book for kids to take home.
ADAPTIVE IDEAS When using glue for crafts, choose glue sticks over glue bottles. Glue sticks require less fine motor skills and can increase accessibility and participation.
SENSORY AREA “Thanksgiving Soup” Water Play Supplies: Large Plastic Bin, orange food coloring, thanksgiving confetti, fall-colored beads, fall foam shapes, whisks, scoops, spoons, cups. Instructions: 1. Create Thanksgiving Soup by filling a large bin with water colored with orange food coloring. 2. Sprinkle thanksgiving confetti, fall-colored beads and/or fall foam shapes throughout the bin. 3. Supply whisks, scoops, spoons and cups for kids to play in the soup with.
PRINTABLES Thanksgiving Mad Libs www..........
Thanksgiving Bingo www..........
MOVIES
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-thanksgiving/
November
Chicken Run, Chicken Little, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
ABOVE & BEYOND Create a “Gratitude Tree� out of brown butcher paper or paint one on a large sheet. Cut out construction paper fall leaves to match. Have kids come up with one thing they are grateful for, and have them or their buddy write it on the leaf and stick on the tree. As parents or guardians pick up, they can take their leaf home to remember.
October THEME :: MONSTER MASH
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Create-a-Monster Materials: Streamers, Boas, Tulle, Toilet paper, Construction paper, Scissors, Any other Do-it-yourself dress up materials. Instructions: 1. Split the group into 5-7 smaller, even groups. 2. Have each group designate one person to dress up like a monster! 3. Buddies and children can dress this person into a Create-AMonster with streamers, boas, tulle, toilet paper, construction paper, or any other materials you can think of! 4. Have the large group winner award each group with a certain category such as Most Creative, Scariest, Most Colorful, etc.
small rEcess :: Pin the Eye on the Monster
Instructions: 1. Before rEcess, draw or create a (or 2-3) large monster face on poster board or large piece(s) of butcher paper. 2. Cut large eyeballs out of construction paper or cardstock. 3. Back with tape. 4. At rEcess, blindfold or have their buddy cover their eyes safely as they attempt to pin the eye on the monster. You can also have the child’s buddy blindfolded and the child try to tell, sway or direct their buddy where to pin the eyeball.
CRAFTS 1:: Paper Bag Monster Puppets Materials: Paper lunch bag, Acrylic paints, Colored construction paper, Scissors, Markers, Construction paper eyeballs, Glue Instructions: 1. Paint the front and bottom of your paper bag with the color of your choice. Let it dry completely. 2. Use construction paper, scissors, circle eyes and markers to design a unique monster with spiky teeth, a crazy tongue, ears, stripes, polka dots, etc!
October
Materials: Poster boards, Butcher paper, Tape, Markers or Paint, Blindfold
CRAFTS 2 :: Monster Headband Supplies: Construction paper, Pipe cleaners, Googly eyes, Scissors, Markers, Construction paper eyeballs, Glue or tape Instructions: 1. Create a headband by taping two strips of construction paper together and fitting to child’s head. 2. Glue or tape googly eyes and big construction paper eyeballs to headband. 3. Glue or tape pipe cleaners, zig zag folded paper, ribbons to inside of headband coming out of the top of headband.
ADAPTIVE IDEAS
SENSORY AREA
October
Have a visual task schedule, or ordered picture cards, laying out each step of the game or craft in order to increase understanding and accessibility.
Sensory  Googly-eyed  Goo-bags Supplies: Light corn syrup, Food coloring, Ziplock bags, Packing tape Instructions: 1. Fill a plastic bag 1/4 full of clear, light corn syrup. 2. Add 1-2 drops of green food coloring and squish together until mixed. 3. Add several large googly eyes 4. Zip the bag closed, and tape shut with packing tape to prevent explosions! 5. Kids can destress & have fun smooshing the eyeballs around in the bags within your sensory area.
PRINTABLES Monster Play Dough Mats www..........
Coloring Pages www..........
Monster Note Cards www..........
Monster Coloring Wallpaper www..........
MOVIES
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-monster-mash
October
Monsters Inc, Monsters University
December THEME :: CHRISTMAS
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Christmas Tree Ornaments Materials: Popsicle Sticks, Green paint or markers, Buttons, PomPoms, Sticks, Yarn, Glue, Tape Instructions: 1. Paint your Popsicle sticks green and let them dry. 2. Cut the Popsicle stick, each one longer than the one before. The last stick (bottom of the tree) should be a full-length Popsicle stick. 3. Line up the stick pieces horizontally so they make a triangular tree shape. 4. Line the sides of the sticks with glue, and stick together to form a tree. 5. Use one stick as the trunk (glue it vertically and leave the end poking out at the bottom.) 6. Tape a piece of yarn onto the back of the popsicle sticks and tie at the top to form the tree into an ornament. 7. Decorate the tree with buttons, stickers or pompoms.
small rEcess :: Jingle Bell Toss Materials: Buckets, Bowls, Cups or hula hoops, Jingle bells Instructions: 1. Set up christmas colored buckets, bowls, cups or hula oops around the room with different point values. 2. Give each child a handful of jingle bells and let them move around the room at their own pace to score as many points as they can. Have their buddies add up their points as they go 3. Let them turn in their points for a small prize at the end of Large group!
CRAFTS 1:: Coffee-Filter Snowflakes
Instructions: 1. Fold a coffee filter in half a few times. 2. Get to work cutting! Don't worry about making anything specific — unique patterns will show when you unfold the snowflake after cutting!
December
Materials: Coffee Filters, Decorative Scissors or Plain Scissors
CRAFTS 2 :: Monster Headband Supplies: Construction paper, Pipe cleaners, Googly eyes, Scissors, Markers, Construction paper eyeballs, Glue or tape Instructions: 1. Create a headband by taping two strips of construction paper together and fitting to child’s head. 2. Glue or tape googly eyes and big construction paper eyeballs to headband. 3. Glue or tape pipe cleaners, zig zag folded paper, ribbons to inside of headband coming out of the top of headband.
ADAPTIVE IDEAS For crafts, use Loop Scissors, or Spring Loaded Scissors (both can be found on Amazon) to assist with fine motor skills.
Musical  Christmas  Shakers Supplies: Water bottles and lids, Jingle bells, Rice, Sparkly red and green pom poms, and Sparkly ribbon. Instructions: 1. Fill water bottles with jingle bells, rice, sparkly red and green pom poms, and sparkly ribbon. 2. Tape the tops shut to ensure everything stays in the bottle. 3. Have kids explore the shakers while in your sensory area.
December
SENSORY AREA
PRINTABLES Christmas Memory and Matching Game www..........
Christmas Word Search www..........
MOVIES The Santa Claus, The Grinch, The Polar Express
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-christmas/
ABOVE & BEYOND
December
Play Christmas Tunes throughout the night, and/or have Santa Claus visit rEcess! Have kids sit on santa’s lap, tell him their wish lists and have an opportunity for photos.
February THEME :: SUPER HEROES
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Super Hero Training Camp Materials: Soccer Cones, Butcher Paper, Tape, Tent or Tunnel, Plastic or Construction Paper Bats, Cardboard boxes or play bricks, small or foam weights Instructions: Set up an obstacle course for every superhero to navigate through! 1. Cone Weave Course: Set up soccer cones for kids to walk, run, crawl, or wheel through. 2. Walk through Fire: Crumple brown butcher paper to look like logs, and red & orange butcher paper on top to resemble fire. Station to the ground with tape. 3. Bat Cave/Tent Crawl: Set up a pop-up tent, tunnel, or sheet hanging over chairs. Hang paper bats inside with tape. Have kids crawl, wheel, or run through. 4. Brick Smash: Use large brick cardboard blocks or make your own out of cardboard boxes. Have kids hit them down any way they can! 5. Mighty Muscles: Have some small or foam weights for kids to lift 5 times. 6. Finish off the course by printing the Superhero Certificate from our Printable resources for the kids to receive after they finish Training Camp!
February small rEcess :: Web Shooting Extravaganza! Materials: Poster Board, Markers, Silly String, Tarps or large trash bags Instructions: 1. Print out or draw pictures of popular childhood villains on poster boards. 2. Set them up in an area of the room that can have tarps in the background. 3. Provide kids with silly string to “shoot their webs” at targets and villains!
CRAFTS
1 :: SuperHero Paper Plate Shield Supplies: Paper Plates, Washable Paint, 4” Construction paper circles, 6" construction paper circles. Instructions: 1. Paint your paper plate any color you choose 2. Glue 6" Paper circle onto center of plate. 3. Glue a 4" Paper circle onto center of the 6" circle. 4. Decorate the middle with a foam sticker shape, or cut out construction paper shape that resembles your Super Hero symbol!
Supplies: Toilet Paper Rolls, Foam Stickers, Markers Instructions: 1. Paint or Color with markers your toilet paper roll. 2. Cut a slit down the back of the roll to fit onto wrist 3. Decorate cuffs with foam stickers, designs, or anything that matches your super hero uniform!
ADAPTIVE IDEAS Ensure that all children and individuals can participate in Super Hero Training Camp by making width between activities wheelchair accessible (A standard wheelchair is between 24 and 27" wide, and therefore width should be 32-36" wide for accessibility).
September
2 :: Superhero Cuffs
SENSORY AREA Super Hero Sensory Bin Supplies: Large Plastic Bin, beans, cotton balls, superhero action figures, plastic bugs and/or trucks. Instructions: 1. Fill a large plastic bin with beans and cotton balls as the base. 2. Top with superhero action figures and add trucks or bugs. 3. Kids can pretend play with superheroes in the bin while feeling different textures as they play.
PRINTABLES Super Hero Training Camp www..........
All About Me SuperHero Sheet www..........
The Incredibles
September
MOVIES
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-superheroes/
ABOVE & BEYOND Have volunteers or community members dress like Super Heros and visit throughout the night!
April THEME :: GONE CAMPING!
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Capture the Flag Materials: 2 different colors flags Instructions: 1. Separate the group into 2 teams. 2. Get two flags (or similar objects) of different colors and hide them at opposite sides of the building. 4. Each team tries to find the other team’s flag and bring it back to the large group leader as quick as they can!
April
small rEcess :: Sleeping Bag Races Materials: Sleeping Bags
Instructions: 1. A twist on the traditional sack races, collect sleeping bags before rEcess night, and have a Sleeping Bag Race! 2. Separate the group into 2 teams and have each team form a line. 3. Have the first kid step into the sleeping bag, put the sleeping bag in their lap or put their arms in the bag. They can hop, run, crawl or wheel down and back to hand off the bag to the next team member in line. 4. The first team to have all their members go down and back wins!
CRAFTS 1 :: Handprint Campfire Supplies: White Printer Paper, Paint {red/orange/brown}, Paper Plate, Paint Brushes, Baby Wipes, Brown Construction Paper, Glue, Cotton Balls, Scissors Instructions: 1. First, paint your palm with red paint, and the other with orange paint. 2. Press your hand down on the white printer paper to make handprints that look like “flames.” 3. Grab the brown paint on a paintbrush and paint some “logs” underneath the frames. 4. To finish, cut out a “stick” from the brown construction paper and glue it onto your canvas/paper. 5. Glue the cotton balls on the stick to give it the look of roasting marshmallows on a stick. 6. Wipe hands with a baby wipe for easy clean up! 7. Let it all dry completely before bringing home.
2 :: Potato Stamp Ladybugs
Instructions: 1. Cut a few potatoes in half and let dry before the night of rEcess. 2. Dip potato in red paint and stamp on paper, let dry. 3. Draw a black line down the middle of each red oval with a permanent marker. 4. Dip a thumb in black paint and stamp on each red oval for the ladybug head and then use a finger dipped in black paint for the ladybug spots. 5. Wipe hands with a baby wipe for easy clean up! 6. Let dry before taking the project home!
April
Supplies: White paper, Black marker, Potatoes (cut in half), Red paint, Black paint, Baby wipes
ADAPTIVE IDEAS If kids are hesitant to paint their hands due to texture challenges, ease into the process by putting a tiny dab of paint on one finger, and then have them work their way up into painting each finger one by one until their entire palm is painted. If a handprint is not in the child’s sensory capacity, use paintbrushes to form hand shapes, or trace hands for the child and let them color or paint them in.
SENSORY AREA Sensory Bug Box! Supplies: Large Plastic Bin, beans, small rocks, sand, plastic bugs and worms, scoops, digging tools, tweezers Instructions: 1. Use beans, small rocks and sand as a base to fill a large plastic bin. 2. Fill with plastic bugs and worms. 3. Finish off with scoops, digging tools and tweezers for kids to play with.
PRINTABLES Nature Scavenger Hunt www..........
Nature Bingo www..........
The Parent Trap, Antz, Bambi
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-gone-camping
April
MOVIES
March THEME :: X MARKS THE SPOT
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Treasure Hunt Materials: Pirate Costume, stickers, pencils, gold coins, ziplock or brown paper bags. Instructions: 1. Hide bowls of small trinkets (stickers, pencils, gold coins, etc.) throughout the building. 2. Have the large group leader dress up as “Pirate Pete” and host a treasure hunt, following the script below. - Pirate Pete: “Ahoy Mateys! I heard there’s treasure hidden at rEcess, and I’ve come to seek it out! Who wants to give it a go and help me hunt for gold!?” 3. Give a guide to the volunteers that shows where the treasures are hidden, so that all the prizes can be found. 4. Send the kids out to find the treasures, and along the way, they will collect the small trinkets. When they bring them back to the Pirate, he/she can give them a decorated ziplock, brown bag or mesh bag to take all their treasures home! Environment: Play Pirate Music during large group!
small rEcess :: Cannonball Attack!
Instructions: 1. Separate the group into 2 groups by dividing the room with painter’s tape. 2. Have each side set up their “ship” with large cardboard boxes, bean bags, or sheets as their blockade. 3. Give each side crumpled up paper to use as “cannonballs”, and set a timer. See how many cannonballs each side can blast (throw) onto the other’s’ ship in 30 seconds. 4. Repeat as many times as the kids wish! Environment: Play Pirate Music during large group!
CRAFTS 1:: Spyglass Telescopes! Materials: Paper towel rolls, sparkly/metallic washi/duct tape, paint or markers. Instructions: 1. Paint your paper towel roll any color you wish. 2. Put the sparkly/metallic washi/duct tape around the edges and middle of the paper towel roll. 3. Decorate with stickers or designs to make it your very own spyglass telescope.
March
Materials: Cardboard boxes, Sheets or bean bags, Crumpled paper balls, Timer, Painter’s tape
CRAFTS 2 :: Pirate Hook Supplies: Tin Foil, Plastic Solo Cups, Scissors Instructions: 1. Stack three pieces of tin foil. 2. Fold in the edges an inch or two (this takes care of any sharp foil and assists in holding the sheets together). 3. Starting on an edge, roll the tin foil into a snake-like roll; squeeze tightly so it becomes creased and sturdy. 4. Gently bend the foil into a candy cane shape, creating a hook with extra length on the straight portion to form the handle. 5. With the cup upside down, have an adult/volunteer use scissors to poke through the bottom of the cup. 6. Fold the rigid plastic pieces from the bottom of the cup down, then carefully slide the foil hook handle through. 7. Put your hand in a fist and slide the cup onto your hand to wear your pirate hook!
ADAPTIVE IDEAS
SENSORY AREA
March
Kids can kick, roll, or throw their “cannonballs” and stand/sit as close to the other team’s ship as they need. Have hand-over hand support to help with these gross motor movements when necessary.
Sensory Treasure Chest Supplies: Kinetic or regular sand, Plastic gemstones, Mardi Gras bead necklaces, Gold coins, Shells, Scoops, Buckets or shovels Instructions: 1. Begin with regular or kinetic sand as a base. 2. Add plastic gemstones, mardi gras bead necklaces, gold coins and/or shells. 3. Finish with scoops, buckets or shovels.
Aquatic Sensory Room Supplies: Blue Lightbulbs or light covers, Blue pillowcases, Sound machine Instructions: 1. Use blue lightbulbs in lamps, shine on the walls OR cover ceiling lights with blue pillowcases to resemble an Underwater feel. 2. Use a sound machine that plays bubble or ocean wave sounds to create a beach atmosphere.
PRINTABLES Pirate Map www..........
Design-A-Mermaid Coloring Pages www..........
MOVIES
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-x-marks-thespot/
March
The Little Mermaid, Jake & The Never Land Pirates: Yo Ho, Matey's Away
May THEME :: TALENT SHOW
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Have a Talent Show! Materials: Talents! Be sure to send an email to parents a month before rEcess informing them about the talent show. This will give kids plenty of time to prepare. Recruit a few volunteers to bring some talent of their own. Instructions: The rEcess talent show is a tradition where almost anything goes! Singing, dancing, magic tricks, and telling jokes are just a few suggestions! Environment: Have a few leadership team members play the part of MC for the evening, making up commercials & playing music in between each act.
small rEcess :: Karaoke! Materials: Playlist, iPod or iPhone, Sound System or Speakers Instructions: 1. Load popular songs onto a playlist and make sure sound is available. 2. Play a song and give kids the chance to shine karaoke-style in front of the group! It is best to play the actual song, not the karaoke version, in case the kids forget the words.
CRAFTS 1:: Make A Rockstar Puppet
Instructions: 1. Tape a Circle and tape the back to a craft stick. 2. Glue on googly eyes. 3. Glue Feathers to create rockstar hair 4. Draw a mouth with markers or glitter glue. 5. Use glitter glue to create sunglasses, tattoos or any other funky designs you can think of!
May
Materials: Skin-Toned Construction Paper circles, Googly Eyes, Glitter Glue, Feathers, Craft Sticks
CRAFTS 2 :: Rockstar Sunglasses Supplies: Dollar-Store Sunglasses, Small gems, Sequins, Curled ribbon, Hot Glue Instructions: 1. Choose a pair of sunglasses and get decorating! 2. Be sure to have a volunteer or leadership team member be in charge of the hot glue gun. 3. Wear your sunglasses around for the night!
ADAPTIVE IDEAS Provide noise-cancelling headphones during the talent show or karaoke game for those buddies who have auditory challenges.
SENSORY AREA Keep a selection of musical instruments in a separate area for kids to explore, such as kid guitars, tambourines, music sticks, shakers and drums. Explore Pinterest for DIY versions!
PRINTABLES
www..........
Rockstar Note Cards www..........
May
Rockstar Coloring Pages
MOVIES High School Musical
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-talent-show/
Bonus Month THEME :: SAFARI TIME
LARGE GROUP large rEcess :: Safari Simon Says! Materials: Safari Simon Leader! Instructions: 1. Play a twist on Simon Says by subbing animal sounds or movements for the traditional motions! 2. Have” Safari Simon” (A member of your leadership team) follow the script below: - Safari Simon: “Ever heard of Simon Says? I’m here to show you how we like to play in the Sahara….Safari Style!” - Shout instructions such as, Safari Simon Says… “Roar like a lion”, “stretch your neck like a giraffe”, “swing your trunk like an elephant” or “sound like a monkey”. 3. These are just a few examples. Feel free to get creative! Environment: Play songs from The Lion King Soundtrack during the game!
small rEcess :: Elephant Push! Materials: Styrofoam peanuts, Pool noodles Instructions: 1. Get styrofoam peanuts and pool noodles before rEcess night begins. 2. Cut the noodles in half. 3. Give each buddy a noodle to use as an elephant trunk, and have them line up at one end of the room. 4. Scatter peanuts around the room. 5. On the count of 3, have the kids use their “noodle elephant trunks” to push all the peanuts to the other side of the room as fast they can!
Bonus
CRAFTS
1 :: Safari Binoculars Supplies: Toilet paper rolls, metallic duct/washi tape, crayons/ markers, stickers, hole puncher, yarn, scissors Instructions: 1. Hold two toilet paper rolls together and carefully tape them together around each end. Wrap tightly so they do not fall apart. 2. Color designs on the rolls with tropical leaves or flowers, OR use stickers 3. Have a volunteer or a leadership team member hole punch one hole on the taped part of the left and right sides of the binoculars on the side that will rest on the face. 4. Measure out and trim yarn. You will want to leave the strings long enough that they comfortably fit around the head and neck like a necklace after they are tied. 5. Lace the yarn through the hole and tie the strings tightly onto the tubes so they do not come undone. 6. Wear your binoculars for the rest of the evening!
2 :: Elephant Mask Supplies: Paper plate, Pink construction paper, Gray construction paper, scissors, glue or tape. Instructions: 1. Draw two elephant ears on a piece of gray construction paper, and two smaller similar shapes on pink paper, then cut. 2. Cut a strip from gray construction paper and zig zag fold to form a trunk. 3. Color a paper plate gray. 4. Cut two eye-holes in the plate. 5. Tape or glue the trunk and ears in place to form an elephant mask!
ADAPTIVE IDEAS Pre-cut shapes for the crafts before the night begins. This decreases the fine motor demands and could in-turn increase participation at the arts and crafts table.
Bonus
SENSORY AREA Alligator  Bubbling  Swamp
Supplies: Soap foam, Liquid watercolors - Use a combination of blue, green, and black to create a swampy color, Baking soda, Squirt bottles filled with vinegar, Fake grass and plants, Alligator figures Instructions: 1. To make soap foam, use a foam hand soap dispenser. You can also make soap foam by mixing liquid soap and a splash of water by stirring vigorously. 2. Once there is enough soap foam to cover the bottom of a large plastic bin, add some liquid watercolors and a generous amount of baking soda. The amount of baking soda you use will depend on the amount of soap foam you make, but you will likely use about 1/2 cup. 3. Then mix all until well combined. 4. Next, I added two alligators and some fake grass. 5. Let kids play in the Alligator Swamp and have baby wipes on hand for easy clean up!
PRINTABLES Safari Notecards www..........
Safari Coloring Pages www..........
Safari “I Have, Who Has” www..........
MOVIES The Incredibles
PINTEREST IDEAS www.pinterest.com/99balloonsorg/recess-theme-superheroes/