Variations on a Game

Summer programs are winding down and planning has started for fall.

One of the most popular flannel board activities for toddlers and preschoolers is "Little Mouse, Little Mouse."  Unfortunately I did not write the source on my copy but numerous variations can be found online.  (I tend to think I won't forget something and I always do.)  Years ago I did my own version called "A Daisy for Maisy" which I used for spring:

A daisy for Maisy,

Where can it be?

Behind the rock, the bush,

The house or the tree?

I drew a very simple house, rock, bush and tree.  Maisy can be found in coloring sheets online.  Draw a simple daisy but make sure it is smaller than the objects it will hide behind.  I drew on craft pellon but simple objects can be made from felt as well.  I made a laminated paper version for my current library since we use a magnet board for our storytelling.  Hide the daisy and have the children guess where it is.  Do this a few times to give them more chances to get it right.  Often once they get the hang of it, I will hide it in the same place twice.  They rarely catch on.  With the "Little Mouse" version of this game, I will hide the mouse under the houses of the least popular colors (usually brown or orange) and avoid the most picked colors (usually purple, red and blue.)  Every once in a while I have a child who figures it out.

Now that fall is coming I have made a version featuring a squirrel:

Squirrel Found a Pretty Leaf

(A Flannel Board Rhyme for Finding a Hidden Object)

Squirrel found a pretty leaf,

But the wind blew it away.

Let’s help Squirrel find it

And then we all can play.

This rhyme does not limit the number or kinds of objects so that anything can be used.  As long as there is a squirrel and a leaf, the other objects can be logical (rock, log, bush, flower) or silly (beach ball, dinosaur, snake, hot dog).  More objects can be added for older children.

Squirrel figures (logical):