Diggin' Critters
By Anne Neidinger
Books to Share
Hedgehog Howdedo by Lynley Dodd
Milo Armadillo by Jan Fearnley
Nobody's Diggier Than a Dog by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Too Many Bunnies by Matt Novak
Books to Show or Booktalk
The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens
It's Moving Day! by Pamela Hickman
Mole's Hill by Lois Ehlert
Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell
Nametag
Dog
Use a dog die cut or the pattern provided at the end of this chapter to create nametags. Write the child's name on the dog's collar if you use the dog pattern.
Display
Animal Houses Underground
Display books about animals that dig and live underground. Make photo cards of animals and their homes from the "Underground and Burrowing Animal Printouts" on the Enchanted Learning website, http://www.enchantedlearning.com/coloring/Underground.shtml, and display them. Invite the children to match the animals and their homes.
Refreshments
Hedgehog Cupcakes
Bake the "H is for Hedgehog Cupcake" from FamilyFunMagazine at Disney's FamilyFun.com http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/h-is-for-hedgehog-cupcake-686068/. These delightful cupcakes are decorated to look like hedgehogs.
Fingerplays
Three Little Ants
(Adapted by Anne Neidinger from "Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree")
Three little ants marching happily. (Hold up three fingers of right hand upside down and make them march on palm of left hand)
Teasing Armadillo, (Hold up one finger and shake it as if teasing)
"You can't catch me." (Continue shaking finger and moving head left to right)
"You can't catch me." (Continue shaking finger and moving head left to right)
Armadillo raised her snout (Make right hand into four-legged creature using middle finger as a snout. Place pretend armadillo on palm of left hand)
And sniffed all around (Wiggle middle finger of armadillo as if sniffing)
And sniffed that ant right off the ground. (Cross hands and sweep outward to indicate all gone)
Two little ants marching on a leaf. (Hold up two fingers of right hand upside down and make them march on palm of left hand)
Teasing Armadillo (Hold up one finger and shake it as if teasing)
"You can't catch me." (Continue shaking finger and moving head left to right)
"You can't catch me." (Continue shaking finger and moving head left to right)
Armadillo and her claws (Use two hands in digging motion)
Began to dig, dig, dig (Continue digging motion)
And knocked that ant right off that twig. (Cross hands and sweep outward to indicate all gone)
One little ant crawling up a tree. (Hold up one finger of right hand and put left arm and hand up as if it is a tree. Make a crawling motion up the arm and hand)
Teasing Armadillo, (Hold up one finger and shake it as if teasing)
"You can't catch me." (Continue shaking finger and moving head left to right)
"You can't catch me." (Continue shaking finger and moving head left to right)
Armadillo put on specs (Make circles with your fingers and put them up to your eyes as if looking through glasses)
To see what she could see (Look right and left)
And snorted that ant right out of that tree. (Cross hands and sweep outward to indicate all gone while making a snorting sound)
Crafts
Bunny House
Materials
- White construction paper
- Small Styrofoam paper cups
- Craft sticks
- White cotton balls
- Pink pom poms
- Glue sticks
- Scotch tape
- Exacto knife
Directions
In advance, trace and cut a rabbit from white cardstock using the pattern provided at the end of this chapter for each child. Glue a pom pom on for a nose and a cotton ball for the tail. Tape the rabbit to a craft stick. Have an adult cut a slit in the bottom of each cup or precut them in advance. Help the children put their rabbits inside the cups to create burrows by pushing the craft stick through the slit. Show the children how to make the bunny pop up out of its burrow.
Games and Activities
Simon Says
(Play the classic game of Simon Says with the following instructions to children. Whatever Simon says, the children have to do. If they don't do what Simon says, they are out. Occasionally the leader should not have Simon say the instruction. Any child who does the action is out.)
Simon Says bark like a dog.
Simon Says dig like a mole.
Simon Says oink like a hedgehog (ask children if hedgehogs really oink).
Simon Says hop like a bunny.
(Add additional instructions using animals that live in the ground.)
Craft Materials
Dog Nametag pattern
Printer Friendly PDF Version (170 KB) (Full Page)
Bunny House Craft pattern
Printer Friendly PDF Version (166 KB) (Full Page)
