For some classrooms, transitioning to the next activity can be hectic and disorganized! It’s great to have a routine or recurring activity to introduce a new part of the day. Nutkin is a great fall transition that will help children calm down and focus so they can hear Nutkin in his tree!

Words to Use:
Nuts
Squirrel
Gray, brown

Materials:
Potato chip canister
Brown and gray construction paper
Assorted nuts
Popsicle stick
Scissors markers
Tape

What to do:

• Cover the can with brown paper to resemble a tree trunk.
• Put a handful of nuts in the can.
• Draw and cut out a squirrel from the gray construction paper and tape it to the Popsicle stick (or print and cut out a squirrel)
• Place the squirrel puppet in the can with the nuts.
• As the children sit down for circle or story, take the can and say, “I wonder if Nutkin is at home. If you are quiet you may hear him rattling his nuts.”  Shake the can.
• When the children are focused, quietly take out the squirrel and let it introduce a new activity or tell the children a story.