Spring Brings Pussy Willows!

One of the first signs of spring is a furry bush called a pussy willow. Children love being able to touch these soft kitty cat feeling flower buds called catkins. 

There are several fun ways to create the pussy willow as a craft.

One is to make them by cutting off the ends of Q-tips! 

The children draw a stem stick with crayon or marker on paper. Have them notice that pussy willow buds alternate as they go up the stem. Simply make a little line on the stem where the Q-tip bud is to be glued on. Then color the bottom end of the Q-tip bud to look like the bud covering.

Another way is to do the same as above, but use clumps of cotton instead of Q-tips.

This third way is cheaper, but is messier to create! Again the child draws the stem stick, but this time the catkins are made by them pushing their pointer finger into a black ink pad, then pressing down on the paper in the spots where they should go.

The ink should be washable!

 It is always fun to bring a little spring inside to share!

My May Days!

 May 1st, often called May Day, just might have more holidays than any other day of the year. It's a celebration of spring. It's a day of political protests. It's a saint's feast day and a day for organized labor. In many countries, it is a national holiday.

As a little girl, I would hang small baskets of flowers on the doors of family and friends in my neighborhood, bringing in May to celebrate the return of spring.

We continued this tradition when our daughters were toddlers. My husband and I were lucky enough to live just down the road from my husband's parents. The day before May Day, we made little homemade baskets with colored papers.

 Simply trace a half circle using a plate to create the little cone baskets and cut it out. Then cut a strip of paper from one side to make a handle. Curve the straight edge of the paper in half over itself to form the cone shape needed to make the basket.

Glue or staple the edges of the basket together, plus add the handle by fastening it to 

each side of the basket. Ribbons or bows can be added, but are not necessary.
This project is so easy peasy to do!

The girls were always so excited waiting for May 1 morning to arrive! They picked whatever small flower bouquet they wanted from dandelions to lilac flowers. We would sneak down to Grandma's house hoping she wouldn't see us. The girls would tiptoe up to the door, hang their baskets of love, ring the doorbell and run to hide.

Of course, Grandma was always excited to see those adorable little baskets! She would play like she didn't know the two special little people that placed them on her door. This only lasted for a few seconds because the girls were too excited to stay in their hiding places. Every year Grandma would be totally surprised and there would be lots of hugs and kisses!

 I also used this activity with my little learners, making little baskets the day of May 1 or the day before, then sending them home. They tended to fill their baskets with lots and lots of dandelions! They came to school with delightful stories of how they shared their May Day baskets with family, friends or neighbors. Occasionally a little one would forget, then rush home after school to do it!

The stories they created while writing down what happened were full of happiness and a joy to hear being shared with the class! Every year it was a treasured teaching project!

 Wishing you a very special May Day!