Patterning with Picasso the Green Tree Frog

Earlier in the year we had the pleasure of raising some tadpoles and watching them grow and change into frogs. One of the stories we read during this process was Picasso the Green Tree Frog. This story is a favourite of mine not just because  its a full of fun but also because it demonstrates to children that life is full of changes and that changes can be for better or for worse depending on your perspective.

 

 

 

In the story Picasso has some fun with jelly beans and this can be a great stimulus for sorting and patterning, colour recognition and cutting skills. When I read this story I use  my frog puppet to discuss where green tree frogs live and the children like to make a tree for my puppet to live in and this is where the fun begins.

Once Picasso is in his tree the children love to make jelly beans for him. As a small group activity, the children choose some coloured jellybeans drawn on paper and cut them out. The children then make a pattern using 2 or 3 colours and repeat it, stapling them onto green crepe paper. These are then hung up, and before you know it, Picasso has a very colourful tree full of jelly beans and the children have practiced sorting colours and, creating and repeating patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To add to the fine motor practice the children can also cut out their own frogs and scrunch crepe paper into little balls to glue on, to make their own Picasso. We have also scrunched and glued coloured crepe paper onto coloured paddle pop sticks to make the caterpillar at the end of the story.

Learning Statements-

Early Maths Understandings

Fine Motor Skills

Thinking

Imagining and Responding