A Windy Day

 

• Read “The Wind Blew” by Pat Hutchins
1. 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!
2. Print the page above on lightweight paper and cut out. These are all of the items the wind blows away in the book.
3. 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!!
4. As you read the story, let them find the item that matches what the wind is blowing in the story.
5. Let them put it in front of the fan and watch the wind blow it away.
• Sing W-I-N-D-Y
1. Sing to the tune of BINGO. Click here for the music.
2. 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!
1. 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

2. Choose one item and hold it in front of the fan. Let go!
3. Does it float in the wind?! Does it not?
4. Record your findings on a simple chart.

photo source                                                 photo source

• Make a Windy Whirligig!
1. 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.
2. Starting from the outside edge, cut the paper plate in a spiral, about 1-2” wide.
3. Punch a hole in the very center. You may want to reinforce the hole with tape.
4. Tie a string to the hole.
5. OPTIONAL: Tie the other end of the string to a short wooden dowel or unsharpened pencil.
6. Take these out in the wind and watch them spin! Or make your own wind by running around with them!