Sunshine Band Hats | A Rainy Day Activity

Sometimes when it rains, children may feel cooped up and exhibit challenging behaviors. Teachers have to create their own sunshine inside by finding ways to keep children active and engaged indoors. Help children create their own sunshine band hats & form their own sunshine band to chase away the clouds and rain with this activity! The noise may wake up the whole school, but marching is a good way to stimulate the brain and have some active fun. For more ideas that make being stuck inside fun, get the book Rainy Day Activities by Dr. Jean Feldman. 

Materials

• Newspaper or Newsprint
• Markers or Crayons
• Paper Scraps
• Glue
• Musical Instruments
• Lively Music

What To Do

1. Make a paper hat for each child from newspaper or newsprint by folding the paper in half, then folding each top corner down, then folding up the bottom on both sides, and "fluffing" up both sides to create a hat. (See diagram below.)
2. To decorate the hats use crayons, markers, or art scraps and glue.
3. Next, have each child choose a musical instrument. (If you don't have enough to go around, give them blocks to tap, or two paper plates to use like cymbals.)
4. Let the children put on their hats and march around the room as you play some lively music or sing songs. You could eve March around the halls of your school to add a little novelty and bring hoy to the other classes. 

More to Do

Sing the Sunshine Band Song (to the tune of "Old MacDonald") below:

(Teacher's name) had a band.

E I E I O

And we are that Sunshine Band. 

E I E I O

So all join in, put on a grin

We're on our way, it's a happy day.

We are the Sunshine Band.

E I E I O

Instructions

* Ask the children to bring a large white sock and two buttons to class. (Have a
few extra of each in case a child forgets to bring some in.)
What to Do
1. Read one of the books about owls (see list on this page).
2. Discuss owls and how they live and eat. They sleep during the day and hunt
by night with "silent wings." There are many kinds of owls. Have the children
seen owls? What do they think about owls?
3. Ask the children to glue two buttons on a white sock for owl's eyes, then put
their hand in the "owl" and make hooting owl sounds. Encourage them to
take turns "flying" around the room with their puppets.
Poem
Five Little Owls by Shirley Anne Ramaley
Five little owls, wishing there were more, (hold up the five fingers of one hand)
One flew away and then there were four. (make flying motions with arms, then
hold up four fingers)
Four little owls, sitting in a tree,
One flew back home and then there were three. (hold up three fingers)
Three little owls, feeling kind of blue,
One up and left, and then there were two. (hold up two fingers)
Two little owls, not having any fun,
One flew away and then there was one. (hold up one finger)
One little owl, sitting all alone,
He flew away and went right back home! (close hand and say, "Hoot, hoot, hoot!")
Assessment
Consider the following:
* Ask the children to tell you about owls.
* When shown pictures of various birds, can the children pick out the owls?