Monday, March 26, 2007

Waiting for fireflies


“On soft Spring nights I’ll stand in the yard under the stars - Something good will come of things yet - And it will be golden and eternal just like that - There’s no need to say another word.” Jack Kerouac, Big Sur

Music Night
It's still too early for fireflies, or crickets, or cicadas, but they're coming. One listening game you can play with the little ones might be, "Who can hear the first cricket, frog, or cicada" of the summer. Even better, who can spot the first firefly.

When you do finally hear those sounds, you'll have this activity in your back pocket, ready to go.

Sit outside and listen to the night sounds, then your big kid can make these homemade instruments for a "summer night's symphony."

Fireflies—Fill different colored glasses or bottles with varying levels of water and strike it gently.

Baritone bull frogs—Wrap rubber bands of different widths around an empty shoe box or rectangle-shaped plastic food container. Pluck the rubber bands, one at a time.

Rain—Fill one paper or plastic plate with rice. Tape the other plate to the top and seal the sides with tape. Roll the rice around slowly for rain sounds.

Cricket—Wrap pipe cleaner around one pencil and leave about a half an inch between ridges. Take another pencil and run it back and forth across the pipe cleaner ridges to make a chirping sound. Or, turn the dial on a ratchet wrench for a cricket sound.

Any other ideas?

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