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Nursery rhymes · Action words and turn-taking

Polly Put the Kettle On action-word activity for preschool

Use paper puppets and a pretend kettle to act out “put on” and “take off” as you say the rhyme.

Try the activity

Can you put the kettle on and take it off?

Prep · About 5 minutes   Play · About 10 minutes

Gather · Polly and Suki puppets or quick paper sketches, a paper kettle, and a paper stove. Use pretend props for the whole activity.

  1. Show on and off. Place the paper kettle on the stove picture, then lift it off. Say each action out loud.
  2. Act out the rhyme. Move Polly and put the kettle on during her verse. Switch to Suki and lift it off during hers.
  3. Trade jobs. Let one child move the puppets and another give the action cue. Switch so each child gets a turn to speak and move the props.

Try saying · “Who puts it on? Who takes it off? Show me with the kettle.”

Make it easier · Use just the kettle and stove picture while you say the two action phrases.

Keep it going · Use a paper cup and a drawn table to practice “on,” “off,” and “beside.”

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Storytime Club · Annual library

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