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Buzzword Talk & Play Activities for the Week

Mon, Mar 23, 2020

Written by: Teaching Artists at BuzzwordPGH

Attention families! While you are spending more time at home, the Buzzword Pittsburgh collaborative wanted to share some great activities from our programs to add a little fun in your day.

A Buzzword Pittsburgh program always starts with the Buzzword Song before we introduce the word of the day. Take a listen to the song, and by the end of the week, we hope everyone is singing along.

 

 

We’ve picked out a word of the day all this week, with some suggested activities and great books to read with your child! Don’t own the book? We’ve included some readaloud videos that we found on YouTube - you can listen along, or mute the videos and look at the pictures.

MONDAY

And the Buzzword of the Day is... MEASURE

Activity

Find your measuring cups and spoons and mix up a favorite family recipe, or something you’ve never tried before! 

Not hungry? Try making play dough with our recipe.

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 tsp cream of tartar (optional, but helps it stick together)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Measure and mix all the ingredients, then an adult will cook on the stove until the play dough is solid. Wait for it to cool before playing! Store in a plastic bag in your fridge. 

Don’t have the right ingredients or tools? Who needs them! 

Use your bodies to measure your house! Measure the length of a room with your feet by walking heel to toe. Which of the rooms in your house is biggest? Smallest? 

Then, grab five toys or stuffed animals. Can you put them in order from smallest to largest? 

Related book

Pancakes, Pancakes

TUESDAY

And the Buzzword of the Day is... MELODY

Activity

Create a drum out of recycled materials found at home. Find something in your house with a cylinder shape which has a cap on it to close it, such as a coffee can, an ice cream tub, or a tin can. Clean the inside. Seal the lid with tape or glue. Then, decorate the instrument. When you're done, take the melody from your favorite song, or something like Row Row Row Your Boat, and add some rhythm and music to it.

Did you see the video of people in Italy making music together from their balconies?

This can be YOU in your home, or with some of your children’s friends and families. Start a video chat, grab your instruments, and play along to one of your favorite songs! Make sure to share the happiness with your loved one!

Related Book

I Got The Rhythm

WEDNESDAY

The Buzzword of the Day is… GARDEN

Activity

Buzzy the Bee LOVES flower gardens. Make your own Buzzy the Bee puppet out of paper and recycled materials.

Do you have extra toilet paper rolls around the house? Here’s a talking bee puppet that will put those rolls to use!

Limited on supplies? No problem! This tutorial on a paper bee puppet is a perfect fit.

After you make bee puppets, take them on an adventure. It’s good to get out of the house a little bit and explore the neighborhood! Take a walk through your neighborhood and find a garden. What different colors do you see in the garden and on your walk? Are there more bright colors or more dull colors?

Related Book

The Litte Gardener

THURSDAY

The Buzzword of the Day is... ASSEMBLE

Activity

Can you assemble the tallest tower you’ve ever made? One that’s even taller than you? Try building with blocks, plastic leftover containers, or cardboard boxes. 

Let’s make some more music! Assemble a kazoo with items in your house. 

Gather the materials together with your child: a paper towel roll, wax paper, a rubber band and a pencil. Cover the end of the paper towel roll with the wax paper and secure it with the rubber band. Use a pencil to poke holes into the side of the tube. You may like to decorate or paint your kazoo. Then, blow into the open end and make some music!

Related book

Crash! Boom! A Math Tale

FRIDAY

Word of the Day: TRANSFORM

Activity

In the spring, some insects transform from larvae (larvae are like baby insects) to adults. You can pretend to transform from a caterpillar to a butterfly! Ask someone to wrap you up in a big beach towel or blanket. Now burst out of your chrysalis and use the towel as wings to fly around the room!

Get artistic and make your own butterfly with a fun marbling technique. 

First, take a paper plate and marble the backside of the plate (you can follow these instructions on marbling). Then, cut your paper plate in half, then each half into a butterfly wing. Glue the wings to either side of a large craft stick or piece of cardboard for the body. Then, finish decorating with pipe cleaners or paper for antenae, and markers to make your butterfly beautiful!

Can you have a butterfly dance party afterwards? Just put on some music and dance it out!

Related book

Are you a Butterfly, Waiting for Wings

Looking for more words and ideas? Download our Buzzword Activity Book or find more words on our Buzzword Playlist

The Buzzword Pittsburgh Collaborative is comprised of seven non-profit organizations in the Pittsburgh region, including Carnegie Science Center, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.

 

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