Allow the students to taste pure coconut milk.
Organize a luau party or thematic unit in your preschool classroom and integrate activities centered around the typical characteristics of a luau and the cultural traditions of Hawaii. Explain to the class where the luau originated and show the group a mapped image of Hawaii. Compare the distance from your town to Hawaii and incorporate enjoyable games to make the thematic unit entertaining for the entire class. Consider inviting parents to the classroom to share in a luau celebration with games, art activities and crafts to take home.
Hawaiian-Themed Art Projects
Luaus can be celebrated with Hawaiian-themed artistic crafts. Form a salt dough volcano around the mouth of a small plastic bottle such as drinkable yogurt bottles. Salt dough can be made by combining 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of flour, then mixing in 1/2 cup of water to reach the consistency of play dough. Funnel baking soda into the bottle and pour vinegar into it until the volcano erupts to combine art with science and math. Dip different shaped, size and ridge-designed seashells into paint and roll or press them on to a piece of paper for a sensory painting activity.
Wearable Crafts
Cut colorful straws into 1-inch pieces and punch holes in the center of flower-shaped foam pieces. Alternate stringing the straws and flowers onto a 30-inch string to create a luau lei. This craft from the Making Friends website can be altered by using buttons or paper flower shapes. In a separate craft idea, cut a length of mural paper to fit around each preschooler's waist and fold the top edge over a piece of yarn. Glue or staple the yarn to create a "drawstring" waistband. Instruct each student to use her learned cutting skills to make strips from the bottom edge to 4 inches from the waistband to make her own hula skirt. Teach students basic hula steps to engage the class.
Hawaiian Luau Games
Play some beach games with the students to integrate enjoyment into your luau theme unit. Stretch a piece of yarn or a streamer across the room by taping ends of the yarn to the wall or tying it around preschool classroom furniture and allow the students to play an indoor game of beach ball volleyball. Adapt the activity to an outdoor game by tying the yarn around trees or playground equipment. Paint six 2-liter soda bottles with acrylic paint to look like pineapples and stage a bowling game using a coconut or a small beach ball.
Gift-Giving Crafts
Paint glue over a rectangular foam picture frame and sprinkle play sand onto the glue. Allow it to dry before pasting small seashells from the discount store onto one corner. With parent permission, photograph each student in a lei and grass skirt to paste behind the foam frame. Add a magnet to create a refrigerator frame gift. Create a handheld fan to beat the heat during the luau by folding a piece of paper back and forth after decorating it with drawn hibiscus flowers and Hawaiian decor. Hold one end of the folded paper, secure around the folds with clear tape and let go of the other end to complete the fan.
Tags: beach ball, each student, piece paper, piece yarn, preschool classroom