Celebrate the Color Yellow Theme and Activities


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Yellow is summertime. See it in the flowers, the tart lemonade or the blazing sun. There are plentiful resources for curriculum planning for these themes. Take on a new perspective and explore the color of the season with the preschool children; celebrate yellow!

Make Things Yellow

Cornstarch Finger Paint
3 tbsps. sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 cups cold water
Food coloring
Soap flakes or liquid dishwashing soap
Mix sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan over low heat. Add cold water and stir until mixture is thick. Remove from heat. Divide into four or five portions (in muffin tins or cups). Add a drop or two of food coloring to each portion and a pinch of soap flakes or soap. Stir and let cool. Store in airtight container.

Yellow Playdough
1 cup flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
Food coloring
Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly until ball forms. Cool and knead until smooth.

Sing About Yellow Things

Oh Mr. Sun
Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me
Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree...
These little children
Are asking you
To please come out
So we can play with you
Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on..
Please shine down on...
Please shine down on me!

6 Little Ducks 
Six little ducks that I once knew
Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones too
But the one little duck with the feather on his back
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack Quack, quack, quack, Quack, quack, quack
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack
Down to the river they would go
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble, to and fro

You Are My Sunshine 
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You never know dear
How much I love you
So please don't take my sunshine away

Yellow Stars (tune: I've been working on the railroad)
Yellow stars are shining brightly,
in the nighttime sky.
Yellow stars are shining brightly,
Just watch as they sail by.
You can make a wish upon them,
And it might come true.
Way up in the sky above us,
The stars shine for you.

Yellow Fingerplays

Five Yellow Polka Dots (Place 5 pre-cut yellow circles on floor, made from felt, paper, etc.)
Five yellow polka dots lay on the floor,
One sat up and then there were four.
Four yellow polka dots got on their knees,
One tipped over and then there were three.
Three yellow polka dots stood on one shoe,
One fell down and then there were two.
Two yellow polka dots started to run,
One stopped quickly and then there was one.
One yellow polka dot rolled toward the door,
When it disappeared there were no more.

Make Yellow Treats

Banana Pops
banana on a stick
yogurt
nuts, coconut or granola
Dip banana in yogurt, then roll in nuts, coconut, or granola and freeze.

Lemonade
4 lemons(juiced)
3 cups water
1/2 cups sugar
ice cubes

Pineapple Cheese Squares
bread
margarine
cheese
pineapple rings
Layer the margarine, cheese and pinapple on the bread slices. Bake at 350 until cheese melts.

Read About Yellow

  • Big Yellow Taxi by Ken Wilson-Max
  • Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue? by Tana Hoban
  • Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
  • Blue and Little Yellow: A Story for Pippo and Ann and Other Children by Leo Lionni

Fun With Yellow

Lemon Prints
Cut lemons if half and let dry slightly. Provide a pan of yellow paint for the children to dip the lemons in. Let them make lemon prints on white paper or other painting surface.

Sand and Water Table
Color uncooked rice with yellow food coloring for a change in the sand table. Add dried corn kernels or yellow craft feathers for variety.

Go on a Yellow Walk
Take a walk around your building or home and look for any yellow things.

Sun Craft
Let children glue yellow tissue paper pieces all over a circle cutout to cover it. Then yellow sprinkle glitter over circle. Finish by attaching the yellow streamers to the edges to create a sun.