I and J are for...

I decided to combine letters i and j because I just couldn't find enough "i" activities, books, and songs that focused on the short /i/...there are only so many words that begin with short /i/.

Books

Rhino's Great Big Itch  by Natalie Chivers

 

Jump! by Scott M. Fischer

Songs/Fingerplays/Rhymes/Flannel Board

Iggy Iguana (chant)
Iggy Iguana, come out and play
What color house are you in today?

I copied a simple house template I found on the Internet onto colored pieces of cardstock and cut them out.  I printed out an outline of an iguana onto green cardstock.  I used a magnet board for this activity, so I put a small magnet at the top and bottom of each house.  I just used tape for the iguana (so it wouldn't bulge out and give away the hiding place!)

Before storytime I taped Iggy to the magnet board and put all the houses up, covering Iggy with one.  The children had a ball guessing colors until we found Iggy.  After they found him I "hid" him again...and again and again.  We could have played it a l-o-n-g time! 

Jingle Bells
(sing softly and shake bells slowly)
Dashing through the snow; On a one horse open sleigh
Over the fields we go; Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring; Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing; A sleighing song tonight
Ooooohhhhhhh!

(sing loud and shake bells fast)
Jingle bells, jingle bells; Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride on a one horse open sleigh-a
Jingle bells, jingle bless; Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it it to ride on a one horse open sleigh!

Jack and Jill
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down
And broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.

Enrichment Activities

Jack and Jill Maze from Everything Nursery Rhymes (published by The Mailbox)
Bug (insect) counters to sort and count
Play with the jingle bells
Jellyfish craft from Family.com