1-2-3 Come Do An Itsy Bitsy-Eensy Weensy Nursery Rhyme Craft With Me

Do you teach your students “The Itsy Bitsy-Eensy Weensy Spider” nursery rhyme song? This is one of my students’ all time favorites.

The “finger plays” that I teach to go along with the song, are also a super-fun way to strengthen finger muscles and improve dexterity.

As another way to do that, I designed the aluminum foil, “spider & spout” craft, which is made out of an empty paper towel tube.

You can simply make one for yourself to introduce the rhyme, then put in a center, or do the craftivity as a whole group.

If your students are like mine, they will really enjoy making their own, and practicing the nursery rhyme using their “spider spout”. 

A note home at the beginning of the year, to "Please save empty paper towel tubes." will ensure you have enough.  Being an avid recycler, I personally save all sorts of things like this, with help from my family, so I always have a supply of "whatever" on hand.

So that teachers can quickly & easily make an example to share, patterns come in both color, as well as black and white for students.

Each child's will be a bit different, as there are 10, cute spider graphics to choose from, as well as 6 kinds of rain clouds, along with 4 different sun circles.

I set this up as an independent center; students come up and choose their “pieces & parts” then go back to their desks to complete.

Using a glue dot, or a piece of Scotch tape, attach the spider to the front of a cloth ponytail holder, and the rain cloud to the back. The sun is hinged at the top with a piece of Scotch tape.

As a whole group, slowly say each verse, as children manipulate the pieces to match what’s going on in the nursery rhyme.

Afterwards, partner kiddos up so they can take turns practicing once more. (Fun to do with a reading buddy too.)

As children become adept at moving the pieces easily and smoothly, repeat the rhyme one last time; going from super-slow to super-fast. 

Today's featured FREEBIE is a sweet "keepsake" craftivity. As a mom, I absolutely loved when my children would bring an art project home that was extra special. 

With that in mind, as a teacher, I tried to do one of these "paper love" crafts each month.

A personal favorite, is this butterfly; the wings are traced from the child's shoe. 

The paper heart says: "I made this card especially for you. The butterfly's wings were traced from my shoe."  A pipe cleaner and folded thorax, add 3D pizzazz.

This is a quick, easy & fun activity for spring, or use for a Mother's Day or Father's Day card.  There are templates for all 3 in the packet. 

Well that's it for today. The sky is threatening rain, so it's a good day to cut, color & play!

Crafting is one of my favorite things to do. 

Wishing you a happy & carefree day.

Poster: "I'm a craftaholic on the road to recovery. Just kidding; I'm on the road to a craft store." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some Nursery Rhyme Activities With Me

“Rhyme Time” story wheels, are a quick, easy & fun way to practice the “retelling & sequencing a story" standards.

Since "The 3 Little Kittens"  wheel was so popular, I decided to make one for "Humpty Dumpty" as well as "Itsy Bitsy-Eensy Weensy Spider"  and will continue to add to this collection.

I plug nursery rhymes in each month, when they fit in with whatever theme we're studying.

"Humpty Dumpty" is perfect for our spring egg unit, and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" goes well with our study of rainy spring weather.

All of the packets contains background information on the nursery rhyme, along with a colorful anchor chart poster of the poem.

I’ve included a BW version for students, to help practice reading and whatever other skills you are working on.

Since both “itsy bitsy” & “eensy weensy” are popular ways to describe the spider, I’ve included both versions on the anchor chart, as well as the wheel covers.

When everyone is done with their “Rhyme Time Story Wheel”, take a moment to retell the nursery rhyme as a whole group, by turning the wheels.
Can anyone recite it?

I also have my students pick a partner and take turns sharing their wheels with each other.

Sometimes we do this with our older, reading buddies.

This is a quick, easy & fun way to check comprehension too.

For writing practice, have students complete the writing prompt worksheet, then color it.

Afterwards, they can share their work with the class.

You can use the color copy as a whole group activity with little ones.

"Story Sliders" are another way to practice these standards. 

As with the wheels, I've also made a slider for "Humpty Dumpty" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider".

Both nursery rhymes have 2 slider (outside) pattern options to choose from. 

Pick your favorite or give children a choice. 

You could also do one as a whole group activity & use the other one as an independent center.

Adding wiggle eyes to the spider, or silver glitter to the spout, creates some extra 3D pizzazz for the "spider slider".

Students color the story elements on their “slider strip” then cut & glue it together.

As children pull on the end of the strip, the various pictures go through the “window”, which helps them retell the nursery rhyme. 

As with the wheel craftivity, "sliders” are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.

For 2 more ways to check comprehension, I've included a (color, cut & glue) “Let’s Sequence the Rhyme” worksheet, as well as a “What Happened?" writing prompt. 

Finally, I also made a collection of nursery rhyme writing prompt worksheets, with borders that match the nursery rhymes. 

There are blank patterns so you can dream up your own prompt, or have children use the "Here's What Happened" (first, next, then, & finally) writing prompt worksheets.

The packet includes color as well as black & white patterns, and covers 10 different nursery rhymes:

1. Baa Baa Black Sheep
2. Eensy Weensy Spider
3. Hey Diddle Diddle
4. Hickory Dickory Dock
5. Humpty Dumpty
6. Jack & Jill
7. Little Miss Muffet
8. Mary Had a Little Lamb
9. There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
10. Three Blind Mice 

Today's featured FREEBIE, is a "Sweet TWEET" versatile writing prompt craftivity. 

You can use it for an awesome Mother's Day card ("I have a terrific mom & that's worth tweeting about!") as well as for the end of the year, summer, or back to school. 

There are prompts for each. 

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. 

I'm watching 2 of my grandchildren this afternoon, so time to put my "Nana" hat on.

Wishing you a wonderfully relaxing, and love-filled day.

"I can't promise my grandchildren that I will be here for the rest of their lives; but I can promise them, that I will always love them for the rest of mine." -Unknown