Chicken Dance

Library Program for ages 2 through 8 years old.

1. Gather the children at the center of the room and tell a chicken story. We told the story of the chicken and the library books.
2. Using poster board pieces, we used volunteers to show the pattern of "The Mack Chicken Dance" song from Big Fun by Greg & Steve (chicken dance slow, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Head-Shoulders-Knees-Toes, chicken dance fast). Then, of course, we actually did the chicken dance to the music.
3. Stations:

Math station: Use foam pattern blocks to create your own shapes and patterns.

Art station #1: Create a picture pie chicken/bird (found at EdEmberley.com). Papers were provided with and without the starting circle.

Art station #2: Decorate a silly mask with the materials provided.

Movement station: Go through the "egg-stacle" course. Grab a plastic "Easter" egg. Using only a special egg pusher (a.k.a. cardboard tube, gift wrap or paper towel size), try to move your egg all the way through the obstacle course mapped out by masking tape. The obstacle course went over and under different things around the room. No touching with your hands or feet permitted.

Notes: The egg-stacle course and the pattern blocks were the most popular. We actually needed more pattern blocks. The kids were very creative on using the obstacle course. I did not have a designated start and end spot for the obstacle course so it was good to see the problem solving that went on with this station. None of the picture pie chickens looked like they did on the web site, but that is okay! Must personally hand out the jingle bells, since some kids took more than their fare share of bells. Even though the instructions said no more than 3 bells, there were a few kids who took 10. We just barely had enough bells for everyone.