Bright Hub Education

Counting Sheep

Materials Needed: 

Popsicle stick (one per child)

tempera paint

cut out of sheep (two per child)

white cotton balls (10 per child)

If you ever had difficulty falling asleep you might be familiar with the old adage of “try counting sheep." Well this craft is perfect for the job!

• Hand each child a Popsicle stick, the two sheep cutouts, and cotton balls.
• Ask the children to paint the stick the color of their choice and then set it aside to dry.
• While you are waiting for the sticks to dry begin working on the two sheep. Have the children glue cotton balls onto the sheep. Some children may need assistance with this step.
• Have a finished model available for reference. Once the sheep are complete, and the stick is dry, help the children glue the two sheep at both ends of the stick. Make sure the sheep end up facing each other.
• Show your students how to turn it, and how to count the sheep that pass by (right side up) at the same time. Now if they have difficulty sleeping they have a tool to help them count sheep!

Bah-Bah Black Sheep

Materials Needed:

pre-cut form of a sheep body/legs (one per child)

pre-cut form of a sheep head (one per child)

cotton balls (handful per child)

black tempera paint

This craft can be used along with the traditional nursery rhyme “Bah-Bah Black Sheep." Your students will get a kick out of creating their very own black sheep with black wool.

• Begin this craft by handing out the sheep body and head and asking the students to glue the head to the body. Again some children may need help with this step, so have a finished model for reference.
• Once the head is secure, begin the preparation of the "black wool." Have the children paint the white cotton balls black.
• Once dry, have your students glue the cotton balls to the sheep. The cotton balls may take some time to dry, so this second step may need to be completed on another day.
• Once the sheep is complete the children will now have their own black sheep when they recite the traditional children's nursery rhyme in class.

Sheep in the Meadow

Materials Needed:

choice of green construction paper or green painted grass on white construction paper (one per child)

pre-cut white sheep (three per child)

pre-cut black sheep (three per child)

This craft could be used when referencing the traditional nursery rhyme “Little Boy Blue." In this nursery rhyme the little boy loses the  sheep in the meadow when he falls asleep. Of course you could use this craft as a supplement to any farm themed unit lesson plan.

• Begin this craft by handing out the green or painted grass construction paper, and the pre-cut black and white sheep.
• Have the students glue the sheep onto the paper in a pattern of their choice.
• Have a finished model for reference. Watch your students create grazing sheep across a meadow with this simple craft!

Crafts Add Fun to Learning!

Crafts are an exciting way that young students can understand the material through hands-on learning. Think outside the box and enhance your sheep, farm, or nursery rhyme lesson plans with these sheep craft ideas, or come up with some of your own!