Hey Diddle Diddle Adventures: The Dish Ran Away!

An interactive and fun lesson for a young learner exploring the classic nursery rhyme 'Hey Diddle Diddle,' focusing on the characters, silliness, and creative expression.

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Hey Diddle Diddle Adventures!

Materials Needed:

  • Copy of "Hey Diddle Diddle" rhyme (book or printout)
  • Paper plates (sturdy ones work best)
  • Plastic spoons
  • Craft supplies: Crayons, markers, construction paper, googly eyes, yarn, pipe cleaners, glue stick, child-safe scissors (with supervision)
  • Optional: Small toy figures (cat, dog, cow)
  • Optional: Small ball (for the moon)

Lesson Activities:

1. Rhyme Time Warm-Up (10 minutes):

  • Read or sing the nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle" together a few times.
  • Use funny voices for different characters.
  • Encourage the student to join in with words or actions (e.g., pretending to play a fiddle, laughing like the dog, jumping like the cow).
  • Ask simple questions: "What did the cat play?" "What did the cow jump over?" "Who laughed?" "Who ran away together?"

2. Focus on the Runaways: Dish & Spoon Craft (15-20 minutes):

  • Talk about the line: "The dish ran away with the spoon." Ask: "Can dishes and spoons really run?" "Isn't that silly?"
  • Introduce the craft: "Let's make our own dish and spoon characters that *look* like they could run away!"
  • Provide a paper plate (the dish) and a plastic spoon.
  • Let the student decorate the plate and spoon using crayons, markers, googly eyes, and construction paper scraps. They can give them faces, arms (pipe cleaners?), legs, etc.
  • Help glue or tape the spoon onto the edge or back of the plate, maybe holding 'hands' with a piece of yarn or pipe cleaner.

3. Jump Over the Moon! (5-10 minutes):

  • Talk about the cow jumping over the moon. "Wow! That's a high jump!"
  • If using a toy cow and ball, act it out. Can the cow *really* jump that high? Discuss how high things can jump.
  • Optional: Try jumping! How high can the student jump? Can they jump over a small object on the floor?

4. Put it all Together: Story Retelling (10 minutes):

  • Gather the crafted dish and spoon, and any optional toy props (cat, dog, cow, moon-ball).
  • Recite the rhyme again, this time using the crafts and props to act out the story.
  • Let the student take the lead in moving the characters as you recite or sing. Encourage them to make the dish and spoon 'run' away.

5. Wrap-up & Display (5 minutes):

  • Talk about what part of the rhyme or activity was the funniest or most fun.
  • Sing the rhyme one last time.
  • Find a place to display the runaway dish and spoon craft.