Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 1 of 13

Changes

Early childhood is characterised by change as enormous growth and development occurs

within a short period of time - limbs lengthen, body shape changes, baby teeth disappear

and new teeth come through. These physical and developmental changes are significant for

young children and their families because they are the milestones of “growing up”. Young

children are also very interested in other types of change; changes in weather, the seasons,

plants and animals as well as transformative objects. They enjoy exploring and investigating

these changes using their senses and bodies. However, young children also benefit from the

sense of security that comes from familiarity and predictability. This week in Play School we

explore change but in the company of familiar toys and presenters that offer reassurance

and security.

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 2 of 13

Monday

PRESENTERS

Leah Vandenberg – Alex Papps

PIANIST

Peter Dasent

STORY

Listen, Listen

Author: Phillis Gershator

Illustrator: Alison Jay

Publisher: Barefoot Books

FILM

School Garden

(Play School, ABC)

ANIMATION

Sheep Choir

(Play School, ABC)

IDEAS FOR LATER

Dress up one of your favourite toys as a

dragon! Make a dragon cave to play in at

home using blankets and pillows.

Invite some friends over to watch a movie.

Make tickets and popcorn to sell and

paper money to buy them with.

Take a walk in a local park and look at the

trees – is it summer, winter, autumn or

spring?

SONGS

Dragon Song

Composer: Don Spencer

Five Little Ducks

Composer: Traditional

Publisher: Origin/ABC Music Publishing

The Dino Stomp

Composers: Judith Simpson & Max Lambert

Publisher: ABC Music Publishing

How Many People Live at Your House?

Composer: Lucille Wood

Publisher: Harrap Publishing, UK

In the Summertime

Composer: Peter Combe

Publisher: Control

Changes

Composers: Henrietta Clark & Don Spencer

Popcorn

Composer: Gershon Kingsley

Publisher: Bourne Co.

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 3 of 13

MAKE AND DO

How to Make Oobly Goobly

You will need:

A jug

Water

Food colouring

A large bowl

Cornflour

Mix a few drops of food colouring in a jug of

water. Watch how the water changes colour.

Pour some cornflour into a large bowl.

Gradually add the coloured water to the

cornflour and mix together with your hands.

Adjust the ratio of cornflour/water according to

your preferred consistency! Notice how the

white and powdery cornflour becomes sticky &

gooey.

Enjoy squeezing the mixture through your

fingers!

How to Make Popcorn

You will need:

1 tablespoon of oil

¼ cup corn kernels

A large saucepan with a lid

Ask a grown up to slowly heat oil in a large

saucepan.

Add corn kernels and put the lid on the

saucepan.

Shake saucepan carefully.

Listen for popping sounds. This is the sound of

the corn kernels turning into popcorn!

Remove from heat when popping sounds stop.

Allow to cool slightly, and then remove

popcorn from pan and enjoy! Be careful of any

un-popped corn kernels!

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 4 of 13

How to Make an Erupting Volcano

You will need:

Large plastic bottle (such as an old juice bottle)

If building volcano inside:

o Baking tray

o Cardboard

o Tape

o Safety scissors

A jug

1 tablespoon of bicarbonate soda

1 cup of vinegar

Red food colouring

If you are making the volcano inside, sit the plastic bottle in the middle of a baking tray to

avoid mess. Construct a volcano skirt from cardboard and tape it around the plastic bottle.

If you are making the volcano outside, dig a small hole in soil, sit the plastic bottle inside and

build up a volcano shape around the bottle with soil.

Pour the vinegar into a jug. Add a few drops of red food colouring and watch how the

colour of the vinegar changes!

Spoon the bicarbonate soda into the plastic bottle.

Ask a grown up to carefully pour the jug of vinegar into the plastic bottle.

Stand back and watch the volcano erupt!

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 5 of 13

Tuesday

PRESENTERS

Leah Vandenberg – Alex Papps

PIANIST

Peter Dasent

STORY

Edwina the Emu

Author: Sheena Knowles

Illustrator: Rod Clement

Publisher: Angus & Robertson

FILM

Dan’s House

(Play School, ABC)

ANIMATION

The Wheels on the Bus

(Play School, ABC)

IDEAS FOR LATER

Collect some cardboard boxes and have

fun painting them and drawing on windows

and doors to create your own city street.

Play a game of soccer in the backyard or

in your local park.

SONGS

You Can Stamp Your Feet

Composers: P. Whitfield & J. Reid

Publisher: Essex Music

Changes

Composers: Henrietta Clark & Don Spencer

Fun in the Sun

Composers: Chris Harriott & Simon Hopkinson

Publisher: ABC Music Publishing

The Wheels on the Bus

Composer: Traditional

Publisher: Origin/ABC Music Publishing

Three Cheeky Monkeys

Composer: Traditional

Publisher: Origin/ABC Music Publishing

Building Up My House

Composer: Peter Charlton

Our House

Composers: Carl Smyth & Chris Foreman

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 6 of 13

MAKE AND DO

How to Make Cardboard Dolls

You will need:

Thick cardboard

Pencil

Safety scissors

Marker

Wool

Tape

Paste

Coloured paper or fabric

Draw body shapes on a piece of cardboard and cut out.

Draw on faces with a marker.

Paste or tape on some wool for hair.

Draw some clothes on coloured paper of fabric. Cut out and paste to your cardboard

people!

Draw on shoes or boots with a marker.

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 7 of 13

Wednesday

PRESENTERS

Brooke Satchwell – Jay Laga’aia

PIANIST

Peter Dasent

STORY

Elmer and Rose

David McKee

Anderson Press Ltd. 2005

FILM

Chopsticks

(Play School, ABC)

ANIMATION

This Little Piggy

(Play School, ABC)

IDEAS FOR LATER

Go for an early morning walk. Come back

in time for a family breakfast.

Ask someone to give you a piggy back

ride.

Play a game of “Animal Squiggles” with a

friend! Take turns drawing a squiggle and

turning it into an animal by adding feet,

ears, a nose and a tail.

SONGS

If I Were a Little Pig

Composer: Bohemian folk song

Publisher: Origin/ABC Music Publishing

Let Me See You Do the Monkey

Composer: Genevieve Jereb

Publisher: Gellybean Records

Changes

Composers: Henrietta Clark & Don Spencer

Eggs

Composer: Don Spencer

Publisher: MCA/Universal

Knees up Mother Brown

Composers: Bert Lee & Harris Weston

Publisher: Albert Music

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Composer: Traditional

Publisher: Origin/ABC Music Publishing

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 8 of 13

MAKE AND DO

How to Make French Toast

You will need:

2 eggs

½ cup of milk

2 slices of bread

Butter for frying

Maple syrup

Fresh fruit

Crack eggs carefully into a large bowl. Add milk and whisk together until well combined.

Gently heat a knob of butter in a frypan over medium heat.

Dip each slice of bread in the egg and milk mixture, coating each side.

Cook bread until golden brown – about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Carefully lift bread onto a serving plate and top with maple syrup and fresh fruit.

Eat and enjoy!

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 9 of 13

Thursday

PRESENTERS

Andrew McFarlane – Alex Papps

PIANIST

Franky Valentyn

STORY

The Prince’s Bedtime

Author: Joanne Oppenheim

Illustrator: Miriam Latimer

Publisher: Barefoot Books, USA

FILM

A New Kitten

(Play School, ABC)

IDEAS FOR LATER

Make a boat from clean, recycled plastic

materials and float it in your bath.

Play a miming game with a friend – take

turns to mime each other’s actions!

SONGS

I Like to Sing

Composers: Peter Dasent & Garth Frost

Publisher: Origin

Imagination Song

Composer: Jay Laga’aia

Publisher: ABC Music Publishing

You are a Pirate

Composer: Lazy Town

Publisher: Gut Records

Bumping & Jumping

Composers: Chris Harriott & Simon Hopkinson

Publisher: Mushroom Music/Music Sales

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 10 of 13

MAKE AND DO

How to Make Skittles

You will need:

Plastic water bottles with lids

Food colouring

A ball

Fill water bottles with tap water.

Add a few drops of different coloured food colouring to each bottle. Watch how the water

changes.

Screw on lids tightly.

Set up your skittles on the floor in a triangle formation. Now stand back and try and knock

them over with the ball!

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 11 of 13

Friday

PRESENTERS

Brooke Satchwell – Teo Gebert

PIANIST

Franky Valentyn

TOLD STORY

Can’t Make Up My Mind

(A story told by the Play School team)

FILM

Kung Fu

(Play School, ABC)

ANIMATION

Bananas in Pyjamas

(Play School, ABC)

IDEAS FOR LATER

Pack a picnic and take it to the park. Do

some exercises, such as sit-ups and

stretches.

Stand in front of a mirror. Watch your

mouth, eyebrows and eyes as you make

lots of different faces. Change from a

happy face to a sad face or an angry face

to a funny face. Draw the different faces

you see!

SONGS

I’m a Clock

Composers: Satis Coleman & Alice Thorn

Publisher: John Day

Toothbrush Song

Composer: Traditional

Publisher: ABC Music Publishing

Friends All Together (Friends, Friends, Friends)

Composers: Peter Dasent & Sophie Emtage

Publisher: Origin/Control

Bravo, Bravo!

Composer: Traditional

Publisher: ABC Music Publishing

I Can Tickle Myself

Composers: Peter Dasent, Arthur Baysting &

Justine Clarke

Publisher: Origin

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 12 of 13

MAKE AND DO

How to Make a Castle Clock

You will need:

A large box for a castle and a smaller

box for a watchtower

Paint or coloured paper

Coloured cardboard

Paste

Tape

Coloured markers and/or crayons

Safety scissors

A scrap of fabric for a flag

A straw

A split pin

Paint boxes in whatever colours you like, or

cover them in coloured paper.

Once the boxes are dry, attach the

watchtower to the top of the castle with tape.

Draw an arched castle door on a piece of

coloured cardboard and cut out. Paste or

tape to the front of the castle.

Cut a small triangle from a scrap of fabric for a

flag and tape to a straw. Ask an adult to poke

a small hole in the top of the watchtower to

stick your flag in.

Cut a large circle clock face from coloured

cardboard. Draw on numbers with a marker or

crayon.

Cut two clock hands from coloured

cardboard. Attach to the clock with a split pin,

so you can change the time whenever you

like! Tape to the front of your castle.

How to Make a Rocket Clock

You will need:

A rectangular cardboard box

Two short cardboard rolls

Paint or coloured paper

Coloured cardboard

Safety scissors

Paste

Cellophane

Tape

A plastic funnel

A split pin

Paint cardboard box and cardboard rolls or

cover in coloured paper.

Push cellophane into one end of each

cardboard roll to create rocket boosters.

Tape rocket boosters to either side of the box.

Tape plastic funnel to the top of the box for the

nose of the rocket.

Cut a large circle clock face from coloured

cardboard. Draw on numbers with a marker or

crayon.

Cut two clock hands from coloured

cardboard. Attach to the clock with a split pin.

Tape the clock to the front of your rocket.

Theme Notes

Series 245: Changes

Page 13 of 13

How to Play Blow Ball

You will need:

Small cardboard box

Safety scissors

A small ball

Straws

Create a goal post from a small cardboard box, as pictured.

Place goal post on a flat surface.

Use a straw to blow the ball towards the goal post. See if you can blow it through the goal

post and score a goal!