Alice in Wonderland Movie: Educational Activities and Games for 2 to 5 Year Olds

Let's face it, kids love movies, but it's been proven that they should watch no more than 2 hours of TV a day. So why not combine their love of a movie and activities that will help them learn and grow? Following are suggestions for the movie Alice in Wonderland released in 1951. These activities would also work well for preschool classes and party games for this age group.

Watch the movie

Let your kids watch the show while you prepare the activities for the rest of the day or attend to other responsibilities.

Big and Small

In the movie Alice changes sizes several times. Talk to your child about big and small. Teach them the following rhymes:

I can make myself real big. (Stand up and reach your arms into the air)

By standing up straight and tall.

But when I'm tired of being big.

I can make my self get small. (crouch down on the ground)

Once There Was a Snowman

Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman

Once there was a snowman tall, tall, tall (make yourself as tall as you can)

In the sun he melted, melted, melted

In the sun he melted small, small, small (make yourself as small as possible)

Have an Unbirthday Party or a Tea Party

Make a small cake, wrap up a toy your child already has. Enjoy the cake and let your child open the present.

Learn about Caterpillars and Butterflies

If you have the ability to buy a chrysalis, they are available online. Set it up somewhere in the house or yard where your child can check on it daily. Read a book about a caterpillar turning into a butterfly or go online and find information with pictures.

Teach your child this rhyme to help them learn how caterpillars turn into butterflies:

A caterpillar crawled (have your fingers crawl up your arm)

To the top of the tree,

"I think I'll take a nap," says he. (pretend to take a nap)

Sunder a leaf he began to creep

To spin his cocoon,

And he fell asleep.

All winter long he slept in his bed,

'Til spring came along one day and said,

"Wake up, wake up little sleepyhead (pretend to be waking someone up)

Wake up, it's time to get out of bed.

So he opened his eyes that sunshiny day (make a butterfly by hooking your thumbs together and having your fingers be the wings)

Look! He was a butterfly and flew away (make the butterfly fly away)

Play Croquet

If you have a set, have your child help you set it up in the yard and play together. If you don't have a set, you can use a smaller ball, a bat and plastic cups to play.