Materials
none
Instructions
l Ask the children to wear colorful clothes on the day of the activity.
What To Do
1. At the start of the spring season, talk with the children about maypole dances.
Explain that maypole dancing is a celebration with its roots in England, and
that it marks the arrival of flowers in spring.
2. Unfurl all the ribbons. Tie the ends of the ribbons halfway up the pole. Ask the
children to name the colors of the ribbons they can see.
3. Start the music. Ask different children to hold the end of each ribbon and
dance around the pole, weaving in and out of each other. The rest of the
children then form a big circle, hold hands, and walk around the pole. As
the children in the center dance, the ribbons should begin tying and knotting
around the pole.
4. After a few minutes, stop the music and invite new children to hold the
ribbons and dance in the center. Continue the activity until all the children
have a chance to hold the ribbon and weave around the pole.
5. At the end of the activity, the pole will resemble the pattern of a woven basket.
Let the children look at the pattern on the pole and take turns undoing it.
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
l Can the children name the colors of the ribbons tied to the pole?
l Do the children understand that maypole dances are a traditional form of
welcoming the spring?
