First-School.ws
May Day | Daisy Crown and Pole Craft
Preschool Lesson Plan Printable Activities

We are going to celebrate May Day and that spring is here in all its splendor. Read to the children how grown ups and children celebrated May Day long ago - visit First-School's May Day feature page.

We can also enjoy our May Day just as much, and we don't have to carry that heavy tree all the way from the woods. Instead lets make an easy daisy crown, an easy May Day pole craft and dance around it singing a May Day song. Select and practice letter C is for Crown, D is for Daisy or Q is Queen and we will practice the concepts of left and right.

Materials:

• printer
• paper, construction paper or card stock
• coloring tools for B&W template
• scissors
• glue stick
• Review crafts for additional materials needed

Daisy Flower Pattern
color - B & W

1. Print the happy daisy template twice in color or black and white.
2. Fold a piece of construction paper or card stock in thirds lengthwise and cut along the folds and you will obtain three equal strips. Tape to form a long band. This will be the head band for the crown. Measure band around the child head and cut excess paper.
3. The children can color or paint the daisies any colors they like. They will need assistance with cutting the flowers.
4. Place the band flat and have the children glue the daisies from the center until most of the band is covered.
5. Adjust the band around the children's head and make a marking where it is comfortable, and then tape.

Activity: DLTK's May Day Pole Craft @ dltk-kids.com
This activity can be done as a team activity. Every child can contribute by coloring and/or gluing some of the materials to the pole or each can make their own.

Choose a King or Queen for the celebration by placing all the names of the children in a basket and pulling a name, or all the children can be Queens and Kings of May Day. Also, you can cut up some tissue, toilet paper or any paper scraps to simulate flower petals the children can fling around as they dance around the pole in the activity described below.

Activity > Practice Right and Left with the May Day Song:

• The short May Day song give us the opportunity to practice the concepts of left and right.


Dance Around the Maypole Song

In and out, in and out,
Weave the ribbons tight;
'Round the Maypole we will dance
To the left and to the right.


• At this point the children should have their crowns on and the "pole" should be placed somewhere where the children can move and dance around it.
  
  
• Have the children hold the letter D Daisy Puppet in their right hand, a piece of paper, or cut a template of a daisy -- this is going to remind them that hand is the right hand. Leave the left hand empty.
  
  
• The adult/s sings the song to any tune very slowly at first to give time to the children to listen to words right and left. Ask the children to stop and raise their right hand when the word right is mentioned and then raise their left arm when the word left is mentioned and continue walking or dancing around the pole.
  
  
• This is going to create some confusion at first, but after a while the children will get the hang of it.
  
  
• When the children feel comfortable with raising their hand to left and right they will start joining in the tune.

Complementary activities > Alphabet >

Letter C Crown

Letter D Daisy

Letter Q Queen

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