[Childcare] Incorporate cloth play into childcare and introduce a variety of activities
Fabrics like scarves and towels can be imagined into many shapes and are easy for children to handle.
Many teachers probably want to incorporate fabric play into their childcare but aren’t sure what ideas to try.
So this time, we’re introducing play ideas that use fabric!
The possibilities are endless: you can use them with traditional children’s songs or for imaginative play, tailored to the children’s ages.
They’re easy to adapt, so feel free to develop them into a variety of activities.
Master fabric play and broaden the range of your activities.
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[Childcare] Incorporate fabric play into childcare and include a variety of activities (1–10)
Design T-shirt
Why not try making original T-shirts using paint? Apply paint to the children’s hands or feet and stamp—handprints and footprints make wonderful keepsakes of their growth.
Of course, they can also paint with brushes, and it’s fine to add color using sponges or dabbers.
Prepare a variety of materials so the kids can express themselves freely.
Be sure to use acrylic paint that works on fabric.
Once the T-shirts are finished, wearing them to group events like field trips or sports days is highly recommended.
Glove theater
A “glove theater” is where you treat a glove like a stage and enjoy telling stories or singing songs.
Basically, you attach characters, foods, animals, and other items that appear in the story or lyrics to the glove and play.
There are videos introducing various ways to play, such as “The Hungry Ghost,” “Mr.
Story Finger,” and “What Color Do You Like?”, so feel free to use them as references.
The glove can be any color, but it’s better to choose one that doesn’t blend in with the backing paper.
Try incorporating glove-theater-specific expressions and movements too, like opening and closing your hand or waving it side to side.
The Laundry Song
Why not try playing with the song “The Laundry Song,” which can spark an interest in helping out at home? Pretend a scarf or other light cloth is laundry, and wash and hang it to the rhythm of the song.
Since the actions include dipping the laundry in water to wash it, wringing it tightly to drain the water, and spreading it out to smooth the wrinkles, once children get good at this play, they’ll be all set to help at home too.
At the end of the song, the laundry gets blown away by the wind, so the children holding the cloths can pretend they’re pieces of laundry and run around energetically.
[Childcare] Incorporate fabric play into childcare and introduce a variety of activities (11–20)
Exercise play with towels
With just one towel, you can incorporate a variety of movement-based play activities.
Why not give it a try when the weather is bad or when it’s too hot or cold to play outside? Simply rubbing the body as in dry brushing, or swinging it like a jump rope and stepping through it can become a full-body workout.
You can also use a towel for one-on-one tug-of-war.
It’s a valuable experience for children to learn skills like bracing themselves and shifting their weight backward.
Another plus is that you can do it anywhere as long as you have a towel and some open space.
Be sure to enjoy all kinds of active play with towels together with the children.
Handkerchief rabbit
Did you know you can make a rabbit with just one handkerchief? You can whip it up during childcare activities, use it like a little puppet show, or enjoy it during short breaks in many different ways.
First, pinch two corners at the top of the handkerchief to make the ears, then roll it up and tuck the two ears inside before pulling them back out.
Next, tie the corners of the body section twice so they don’t come undone.
Slip your hand inside, and your movable rabbit is complete! It’s perfect for a small class-time treat.
[Children’s Song] From Above, From Below
![[Children's Song] From Above, From Below](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dzQN3NY4WDk/sddefault.jpg)
Perfect for infants, “Ue kara Shita kara” is sung at a gentle tempo while you sway a scarf.
Moving the scarf in time with the song will draw the children’s attention as they watch it sway.
At the end, softly drape the scarf over the child’s face, call the child’s name, and say “Peekaboo!” as you lift the scarf away.
Reactions vary depending on the child’s age in months and personality.
It’s also an activity teachers can enjoy, as they may see new responses that didn’t appear before.
Cloth play in Eurhythmics
Incorporating cloths or scarves into eurhythmics play makes for a different kind of activity.
Why not have several teachers divide roles between playing the piano and demonstrating, and include it in your eurhythmics sessions? You can hide your face with a scarf and reveal it with a playful “peek-a-boo” to the piano, move the scarf to the rhythm, and so on—bringing in not only the essential listening skills for eurhythmics, but also expressive elements.
The sight of the scarves swaying is beautiful, so children can enjoy eurhythmics while having fun.
They will also naturally learn to play in ways that avoid hitting the children around them.