Wind/Kites

Book Ideas: The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
The wind blew, and blew, and blew! It blew so hard, it took everything with it: Mr. White's umbrella, Priscilla's balloon, the twins' scarves, even the wig on the judge's head. But just when the wind was about to carry everything out to sea, it changed its mind!

Someone Bigger by Jonathan Emmett
Sam's dad says that he is too small to fly their new kite, but when Dad, the postman, a bank robber, and some zoo animals get pulled up into the sky, only Sam can save them.



One windy Wednesday by Phyllis Root
When the wind blows so hard that it blows the quack right out of the duck, the oink out of the pig and so on, Bonnie Bumble works hard to get each animal's sound back where it belongs.

Elmer Takes Off by David McKee
On a very, very windy day Elmer, the patchwork elephant, assures all the other animals and birds that nothing could ever blow him away.

Kite Flying by Grace Lin
A girl describes how her family makes and flies a kite.

The Kite Festival by Leyla Torres
One Sunday morning, Fernando Flórez, his parents, grandparents, and sister head to a random destination for an outing--San Vicente. When they arrive in the center of the town, they see many people preparing for a kite festival. The Flórez family waste no time joining in the fun. Unfortunately, all the stores are closed, so buying a kite's out. But by using their ingenuity--along with found objects--they successfully put one together.

Activity Ideas:

Idea #1: Blow Art

Read one of the stories and talk about how we can't see the wind, but we can see it move things. Then pretend to be the wind and paint a picture using your breath and a straw.

Water down some tempera paint until it is really runny. Then drop some of the watered down paint on a piece of paper.

Give your child a straw and let them make designs and mix the colors by blowing the paint with their breath. If you worried about them accidentally sucking up the paint, you can make a small hole in the side of the straw that will make it hard to suck up the paint, but will still allow them to blow the paint.




Idea #2: Cotton Ball Race

Read one of the stories and talk about how we can't actually see the wind, but we can see the effects of the wind move things. Pretend to be the wind and have a race to move a cotton ball with your breath, using a straw.

Build a maze with some blocks or legos. Create a start and finish line and have your child blow a cotton ball through the maze using their breath and a straw. Another variation of the game is to set the cotton ball on the floor and see who can blow the cotton ball the farthest with one breath, or see who can blow the cotton ball from one side of the kitchen table to the other first.




Idea #3: Kite Roll and Color Game

Read one of the stories and then play this dice and coloring game.

You will need to print-off the kite coloring sheet, first. Then roll the dice and color the corresponding number on your game sheet. Whoever gets their whole kite colored first wins.





Idea #4: Kite Math Matching

Read one of the stories and then play this number matching game.

First, you will need to print-off the kite matching cards. Then cut them out and have your child match the numerals at the top with the correct number of kite tail bows.

Idea #5: Fly a kite

Read one of the books and then go fly a kite together. If you don't have one and want to make one together, here is a good tutorial on how to make a simple home-made kite that your child can decorate.

Idea #6: Wind Observational Drawings

Read one of the books and discuss how you can't actually see the wind but that you can see it move things. Go outside with some paper and a pencil and observe signs of the wind moving things. Draw the objects you see moving in the wind. Make sure to help label your child's drawings.