Vocabulary Words
- Introduce the words furry, bushy, scamper, paws, and jaws. Ask the children: What does it mean to be furry? What does it mean to be busy? How do you scamper? Invite children to find items in the classroom which are furry or bushy or to bring in items from home that fit these adjectives. Give them the opportunity to see and touch the items to help them understand the words better. Invite children to practice “scampering” in a safe location.
Discussion Questions
- What do squirrels look like? What do squirrels do? Where do you see squirrels? Why do squirrels look for nuts?
Physical
- The second part of the song identifies body parts. Children can touch their body parts (nose, toes, head, paws, jaws) as they sing. They can pretend to sleep while singing the words “nuts in my bed.” Children can also try to balance nuts or other small items, such as beanbags, on their toes, noses, and heads.
- Squirrels in the Trees is a popular game for older preschoolers. To play, groups of two or three children hold hands to form the trees. One child stands in the middle of each circle and acts as the squirrel. One child, who is also a squirrel, begins without a tree. To start the game, the treeless squirrel says, “Squirrels scamper to find nuts.” All squirrels must leave then their tree and run around until a teacher calls, “Squirrels, go inside a tree.” Each squirrel must then find a tree. The squirrel who ends up without a tree then begins the next round. Be sure to switch roles so children have turns being active squirrels as well as trees.
Cognitive
- Bring several kinds of unshelled nuts to class, such as peanuts, pistachios, and walnuts. (Be sure to check in advance before doing this to make sure that none of the children have nut allergies.) Have the children sort the nuts by size, color, and shape. Talk about the names of the nuts, how they feel, and then, of course, help children shell and eat them. Shelling nuts is a good exercise in fine motor development.
Musical Listening
- This song has is a jazz piece which features a xylophone, piano, guitar, and drums. During the interlude with the squirrel jokes, point out to children to how the music changes to a different key.
- Children may also enjoy listening to music from other jazz musicians, such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, or Billie Holiday. This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt or Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka are both good books to read to children.
