Castle themes for Preschool

hi all! the children would like to do something on 'castles' after easter, anyone got any ideas? would like to feel this is 'child-led' with a 'little help'! would also need to put it into the 'lovely e.l.g's'!:idea:

[Ruthierhyme]

Hiya ..

We had a fantastic time when we did this, although it was within a Kings & Queens theme.

anyway hope these help .. child led & guided activities lol

PSED
Understanding roles~
Kings, Queens, princes, princess
Court Jester, Chamber maid. Page boy.
Court yard men, Kitchen , Stable boy.

CLL
Key words
Names - Castle, Palace, Fortress,
Transport ~ boats, carriages, horseback.
Circle time activity could be used to talk about what function castles originally served and how times have changed.
An all time favourite book is Castle Tales from Usborne.

Math
Cut lots of different sized squares from paper & leave in a tray for the children to glue, mosiac style to pieces of paper ~ build towers & walls.
Use numbered (graph paper could be interesting !) squared paper to match and count off squares.

KUW
Castles around the world
This is Pierrefonds Castle ~ France.. copyright free from Wikipedia.


Castles.org~ kids section has a nice 'Castle Parts' picture.

PD
Look at some traditional games of the period.

Hoopla throwing.
Hoola Hoops.
Skipping ropes
Juggling balls.
Follow my leader
Hobby Horse riding

Creative
Sand castles, moats + role play figures.
Capes & cloakes for 'regal dress up
Pillowcases cut open & a strip of fur sewn/glued to an edge is good ~ use a couple short pieces of ribbon for ties.
Musical intruments from 1509 ~ Reign of King Henry 8th
(need to look further into this !! )

Some songs to use ~

Old King Cole ~ wikipedia has lots of information on the history of this rhyme.

Old King Cole was a merry old soul
and a merry old soul was he;
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl
and he called for his fiddlers three.
Every fiddler he had a fiddle,
and a very fine fiddle had he;
Oh there's none so rare, as can compare
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.

I had a little nut tree ~ link has a music song sheet
I had a little nut tree,
Nothing would it bear
But a silver nutmeg
And a golden pear.

The King of Spain’s daughter
Came to visit me,
And all for the sake
Of my little nut tree.

I skipped over the ocean,
I danced over the sea,
And all the birds in the air
Couldn’t catch me.


The Queen of Hearts ~ Nice printable Rebus rhyme from Enchanted Learning.

The Queen of Hearts
she made some tarts all on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts
he stole the tarts and took them clean away.
The King of Hearts
called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore
The Knave of Hearts
brought back the tarts and
vowed he'd steal no more.

Grand Old Duke of York.


Have fun ..

thanks ruthierhyme for the great ideas! my brain has just gone into overload lately! but great news! nearly finihed n.v.q.3! (can't wait!)