Camping

Koolstuffs Silicone Bread Sling for Dutch Oven

A camping theme is a perfect follow-up to the Forest Adventure unit! It takes the "woods" setting and adds the excitement of a home-away-from-home adventure. Since you have a tent, flashlights, sleeping bags, and a toy campfire, you are already set for an immersive experience.

• Here is a 3-day "Campsite" curriculum.

  Day 1: Setting Up Camp

  Focus: Cooperation, basic needs, and building the "campsite."

  • The Big Activity: Tent Pitching & Nesting

    • Work together to set up the tent. Let children help carry the "poles" (if safe) or "stake" the corners with pretend hammers.

    • Inside the tent, have everyone unroll their sleeping bags. (Pieces of fabric sewn into small pillow case like sleeping bags)

    • Literacy Link: Read a story like Llama Llama Goes Camping by Anna Dewdney while everyone sits inside the tent with the flap open.

  • Song: "A-Camping We Will Go"

    • (Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)

    • "A-camping we will go, a-camping we will go, / Heigh-ho the dairy-o, a-camping we will go!"

    • "We’ll sleep inside a tent..." / "We’ll cook over the fire..."

  • Snack: "Trail Mix" Sorting

    • Provide small bowls of Cheerios, pretzels, and raisins. Have the children "sort" their trail mix into their own small cups to fuel up for their adventure.

  Day 2: Under the Stars

  Focus: Light vs. Dark, shadows, and night-time forest sounds.

  • The Big Activity: Flashlight Scavenger Hunt

    • Close the blinds to make the room dim. Give children flashlights and have them search for "nocturnal animals" (stuffed animals or printed pictures) hidden around the room.

    • Shadow Puppets: Use the flashlights against the tent wall or a bedsheet to make "rabbit ears" or "bird wings" with your hands.

  • Song: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

    • Sing this while laying flat on your backs in the sleeping bags, looking up at the "sky."

  • Snack: "Campsite Fire" (Non-cook)

    • A round cracker for the "dirt," a small dollop of hummus or orange cheese spread for the "flame," and pretzel sticks placed on top as "kindling logs."

  Day 3: Around the Campfire

  Focus: Storytelling, heat/safety, and traditional camping treats.

  • The Big Activity: The "Hot" Fire & Storytelling Circle

    • Gather everyone in a circle around the toy campfire.

    • The Game: "What’s in my Backpack?" Pass a small backpack around. Each child pulls out a pretend item (a compass, a map, a water bottle) and explains why a camper needs it.

    • Practice "Fire Safety": Teach the children to walk around the fire circle and never through it.

  • Song: "On Top of My Sleeping Bag"

    • (Tune: On Top of Old Smoky)

    • On top of my sleeping bag, All covered with fuzz, I saw a big beetle, I wondered what he was?

      He crawled on my zipper, He sat on my toe, I whispered, "Dear beetle, It’s time you should go!"

      He wiggled his feelers, And gave a small bite, Then tucked himself in For a long winter’s night.

      So if you go camping, And sleep in a tent, Be sure that your zipper Is closed on your tent!

      Activity Ideas for the Song:

      • The "Zipper" Sound: Have the children mimic zipping up their sleeping bags by making a "Zzzzzzzip!" sound with their mouths every time you mention the zipper.

      • Fuzzy Feelings: Have the children pat the "fuzz" on their actual sleeping bags or blankets while singing the first verse.

      • The Beetle Crawl: Use your fingers to "crawl" up your arm like a beetle during the second verse.

      Quick Teaching Tip:Since this tune (On Top of Old Smoky) has a bit of a slower, swaying rhythm, it's a great song to use right before transition time or nap time to help the "campers" settle down.

  • Snack: Indoor S'mores

    • Graham cracker squares with a marshmallow fluff spread and a few chocolate chips. No heat required, but all the flavor!

  The "Campers' Log" (Take-Home Craft)

  Give each child a piece of paper folded into a book. On Day 1, they draw their tent. On Day 2, they use a white crayon to draw "stars" on dark paper. On Day 3, they use orange and red tissue paper to glue "flames" onto the last page.

  More

  Songs: A-Camping We Will Go

  (Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)

  A-camping we will go, A-camping we will go, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, A-camping we will go!

  Verse 2: We’ll sleep inside a tent, We’ll sleep inside a tent, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, We’ll sleep inside a tent!

  Verse 3: We’ll cook over the fire, We’ll cook over the fire, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, We’ll cook over the fire!

  Verse 4: We’ll bring our flashlights too, We’ll bring our flashlights too, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, We’ll bring our flashlights too!

  (Do you have enough flashlights that all of the kids can hold a flashlight and turn it on during this verse?)

  Verse 5: We’ll watch the twinkling stars, We’ll watch the twinkling stars, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, We’ll watch the twinkling stars!

  Five Little Bears

  (Tune: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed)

  Five little bears went out to play, In the deep, dark woods on a summer day. One fell down a hollow log, (Fold down one finger) And got his fur all wet in the fog!

  Chorus: Mama Bear called, and she started to growl, (Make a "claw" hand) "Be careful of the wolf and the big grey owl!"

  Four little bears went out to play, In the deep, dark woods on a summer day. One got stuck in a prickly bush, (Fold down one finger) And gave his brother a little push!

  Chorus: Mama Bear called, and she started to growl, "Be careful of the wolf and the big grey owl!"

  Three little bears went out to play, In the deep, dark woods on a summer day. One chased a bee right to the hive, (Fold down one finger) And did a very silly dive!

  Chorus: Mama Bear called, and she started to growl, "Be careful of the wolf and the big grey owl!"

  Two little bears went out to play, In the deep, dark woods on a summer day. One climbed up a tree so high, (Fold down one finger) To wave at the birds flying by!

  Chorus: Mama Bear called, and she started to growl, "Be careful of the wolf and the big grey owl!"

  One little bear went out to play, In the deep, dark woods on a summer day. He got lonely and started to weep, (Fold down the last finger) Then curled up small and went to sleep.

  Final Chorus: Mama Bear called, but she didn’t growl, She tucked them in with a soft, warm howl!

  Interactive Ideas for the "Campsite":

  • The "Log" Prop: If you have a rolled-up yoga mat or a long pillow, use it as the "hollow log" for the first verse.

  • The Sleeping Bag Finish: On the very last verse, have all the children "curl up small" on their actual sleeping bags to show the bears are ready for a nap.

  • Counting Skills: Encourage the kids to hold up their five fingers and "tuck one away" into their palm for each verse to practice subtraction.

  Here is a relaxing song to use when it is time to transition into nap time or a quiet rest period. You can sing this softly while the children are snuggled in their sleeping bags inside or around the tent.

  Goodnight Campers

  (Tune: The Farmer in the Dell)

  The sun is going down, The sun is going down, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, The sun is going down.

  We’re snug in sleeping bags, We’re snug in sleeping bags, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, We’re snug in sleeping bags.

  The forest is so still, The forest is so still, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, The forest is so still.

  Goodnight to all the bears, Goodnight to all the bears, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, Goodnight to all the bears.

  (Whisper the final verse) It’s time to close our eyes, It’s time to close our eyes, Heigh-ho the dairy-o, It’s time to close our eyes.

  Setting the Scene for Rest Time

  • The "Fire" Dimmer: Turn off your toy campfire or dim the classroom lights as you start the third verse ("The forest is so still").

  • Flashlight "Stars": If you want a truly magical atmosphere, you can leave one flashlight on, pointing it through a colander or at a single "star" on the ceiling, as a nightlight.

  • A Gentle Breeze: If you have a small fan, turn it on low to create a "forest breeze" sound.

  Interactive Ideas for the Classroom:

  • Prop Play: As you sing each verse, have a child hold up the item mentioned (the flashlight, a piece of the tent, or a "log" from your toy campfire).

  • Marching: This is a great "marching" song. Have the children march in a circle around your "campsite" while they sing.

  • Custom Verses: You can ask the kids, "What else should we bring to camp?" If they say "a backpack" or "a bear," you can instantly make a new verse: "We’ll bring a backpack too..."

  Since you have the sleeping bags ready, would you like a "Goodnight Campers" version to sing right before nap time?

  Storytelling:

  Sitting around the campfire is the perfect time to build "oral storytelling" skills. For preschoolers, this isn't about spooky stories; it's about using their imagination to describe adventures.

  Here are five "Campfire Tale" prompts to get the conversation moving while they sit around your toy fire:

  "The Helpful Forest Friend"

  • The Setup: "One morning, I stepped out of my tent and saw a [Animal] trying to reach a piece of fruit high in a tree. I decided to help! How did we get the fruit down?" (Remind the children about staying a safe distance from animals.)

  • The Goal: Encourages problem-solving.

  "The Mystery Sound"

  • The Setup: "Last night, I was snuggled in my sleeping bag and I heard a sound. It went Crinkle, Crinkle, Pop! What do you think was making that noise outside the tent?"

  • The Goal: Helps with auditory imagination and turns "scary" noises into something silly (like a squirrel eating a cracker).

  "The Magic Flashlight"

  • The Setup: "I found a special flashlight in my backpack. When I shine it on a rock, the rock turns into... [Child’s Name], what does the rock turn into?"

  • The Goal: Pure creative play.

  "The Giant S'more"

  • The Setup: "We decided to make the biggest s'more in the whole world! It was as tall as a house! What did we use for the graham crackers? What did we use for the giant marshmallow?"

  • The Goal: Practices descriptive language and scale.

  Campfire "Etiquette" Activity

  Since you have the toy campfire, you can also use this time to teach a few "Campfire Rules" in a fun way:

  • The Safety Circle: Use a jump rope or a circle of tape around the toy fire. Tell the kids it's the "Magic Heat Zone"—we only sit outside the circle so we stay safe.

  • The Talking Stick: Use a sturdy stick (or a flashlight). Only the person holding the "Forest Microphone" gets to tell their story. This is great for practicing patience and listening.

• Storytime Flashlight -Turn them on and point them at the ceiling to create "stars."

• Sleeping Bags - Have the kids sit on them around the fire like cushions.

• Tent - Keep the flap open so it feels like a cozy backdrop. Always closely supervise children while in the tent.

  • To make the "Stars" even more realistic, do you have any colanders or strainers in your kitchen? You can shine a flashlight through them to project "star patterns" onto the walls of your tent!

• The "Alphabet Backpack" (Phonics & Vocabulary)

  • The Game: Place a few camping items in a backpack (e.g., Sock, Map, Bowl).

  • The Play: Pull an item out halfway. Say, "I’m packing something for my trip that starts with the /m/ sound. What is it?"

  • The Goal: Letter-sound recognition.

• Play a Memory Game: I'm going on a camping trip and I took an A - Apple, B - Ball, C - Candle.....continue around the room with each child trying to remember all of the items that have been named before. How far into the alphabet can your preschoolers go without forgetting? (Let the children try without help for a short time and then invite the class to help remember the next item on the list.)

• Flashlight Letter Hunt (Letter Recognition)

  • The Game: Use large printed letters or masking tape to make large letters on the walls or floor of the darkened classroom (or inside the tent).

  • The Play: Call out a letter or a sound. The child has to find it and "shine" their flashlight on it.

  • The Goal: Visual tracking and letter identification.

  Sleeping Bag Rhymes (Phonemic Awareness)

  • The Game: Have all the children "hide" inside their sleeping bags (heads out and sitting in a line).

  • The Play: Say a word, like "Bear." If a child can think of a rhyming word ("Chair!", "Pear!"), they get to "hop" their sleeping bag forward once.

  • The Goal: Identifying rhyming sounds.

  Campsite Math Games

  S'more Patterning (Patterns & Sequencing)

  • The Game: Use brown construction paper squares (crackers), white cotton balls (marshmallows), and black felt rectangles (chocolate).

  • The Play: Start a pattern: Cracker, Marshmallow, Chocolate... Cracker, Marshmallow... and ask, "What comes next?"

  • The Goal: Logical sequencing.

  Pinecone Counting & Sorting (Quantities)

  • The Game: Use the pinecones you collected during your Forest week.

  • The Play: Label three "campsite buckets" with the numbers 1, 2, and 3. Have the children sort the correct number of pinecones into each bucket.

  • The Goal: One-to-one correspondence (matching the number to the object count).

  "How Many Sleepers?" (Addition/Subtraction)

  • The Game: Use your tent as the "math house."

  • The Play: Have 3 children crawl into the open tent. Ask the group, "How many campers are inside?" Then, have 1 child crawl out. "Now how many are left?"

  • The Goal: Basic concepts of adding and taking away.

    Sample Parent Letter:

  Adventure Log: Our Week at Camp

  Dear Families,

  Grab your gear and head for the woods! This week, our classroom transformed into a bustling campsite as we explored our Camping Theme. From pitching a tent to "roasting" marshmallows, your little explorers have been busy learning through play.

  What We Did This Week:

  • The Great Indoors: We set up a basecamp in our very own classroom tent! We practiced cooperation by working together to unroll sleeping bags and organize our "gear."

  • Flashlight Explorers: We dimmed the lights and used flashlights to go on a Nocturnal Animal Hunt. This was a big hit for building visual tracking skills and overcoming any "fear of the dark."

  • Campfire Stories: We gathered around our toy campfire to practice oral storytelling. We used a "Talking Stick" to take turns sharing adventures, which helped us work on patience and listening.

  • S’more Math: We used "crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows" (paper and cotton balls!) to create complex patterns and practice our counting.

  Songs We’re Singing:

  Ask your camper to sing "A-Camping We Will Go" or perform the "Five Little Bears" finger-play for you! They’ve become experts at the hand gestures and counting down from five.

  Ask Your Camper:

  • "What did you find with your flashlight?"

  • "What was the most important thing in your camping backpack?"

  • "What sound does a Mama Fox make when she calls her babies back to the den?"

  Home Connection:

  If you have a flashlight at home, try a "Shadow Puppet" show before bed tonight. It’s a wonderful way to continue the storytelling magic we started in class!

  Happy Trails,

  Teacher's Name