Make-It Topic: Pockets

Imaginative Play:

• Place out aprons with pockets, place small animals in it with vet materials for a pocket pal care center 
• Place out overalls for children to dress up in and become carriers
  

Language: 

• Read the book “A Pocket for Corduroy”
• Read the book “Fish in his Pocket”
• Have an alphabet pocket, each pocket has a letter and something to match (A = apple)
• Make a story up about what is in your pocket, use the children’s pockets as a guide
• What is the sound in the pocket place, bells, whistles and rattles in a pocket to make the noise, see who can guess it

Art:

• Cut a pocket shape from colored paper, leave out stickers, crayons and encourage the children to make their own pockets
• Place out scissors and have the children make their own pockets
• Have the children make aprons for their kitchens
• Make pocket puppets, make a shape of a kangaroo with a hole for a finger, encourage the children to color their kangaroo
• Pocket of kisses, use an old pair of pants, cut out the full pocket, allow the children to decorate the pocket then fill with kisses chocolates to give to a friend or parent

Water/Sand:

• Place small plastic zip lock bags, some with large or small holes, some with none, into the water table (choking hazard, supervision required)
• Make material pockets to wash
• Place small containers into the sand, add different materials that can be put inside

Gross Motor:

• Fill a pocket race, have all the children put on coats with pockets, encourage them to fill them as fast as they can
• Place pockets on the ground, have the children walk, jump or crawl around them

Science/Curiosity:

• Place small and large objects out, allow the children to discover what can fit into the pocket
• Graph where pockets are found i.e. cars, purse, clothes
• Predict how many objects can fit in a pocket, weigh them for fun
• Show the children marsupials, explain where the baby stays

Blocks:

• Place out materials that have small pockets to build in

Conceptual/Tabeltop/Fine Motor:

• Lacing pockets, place out a couple, encourage the children to sew them together 
• Count the items in the pocket, place a pocket on the table with items to count 
• Match the pocket colors 
• Order the pockets from small to large
  

Music:

• Sing the song Pockets, Pockets
• Pockets, pockets everywhere
  What things do you keep in there?
  Pennies, gumballs, keys and notes;
  crayons, combs and tiny boats.
  Pockets, pockets everywhere
  Aren’t you glad you have a pair!

Quiet:

• Using a flannel board, place out pockets and small things for the children to make a story with
• Have a pocket story

Cooking:

• Make Pita Pockets with the children
• Place out pre-cut pita pockets with cheese, ham, tomato and have the children stuff their pockets, microwave for a few seconds and enjoy.

Field Trips:

• Have the children wear a big coat, go for a walk and collect rocks 
• Go to the store and look at different pockets that you find