Mouse Masks
1 pair of kids plastic sunglasses per child
gray construction paper
pink construction paper
red pompom
paper cup (cone shape - or white paper shaped into a cone)
velcro strip or rounds
black pipe cleaners

Cut out shape of a mouse's head (including ears) out of gray construction paper.  Cut openings for eyes (large enough for kids to see clearly).  With pink paper, cut out circle for inside of mouse's ears.   Glue red pompom to pointed end of paper cup and attach cup to bottom center of mask for snout (so that child's nose fits inside paper cup!).  Poke pipe cleaners into construction paper on either side of snout for whiskers (in one side - out the other).    Attach velcro piece to back of mask and to nose piece of sunglasses.

Watch Cinderella - the kids will love the little mice!

Lollipop Mouse
To make each mouse, cut a heart shape from red construction paper (it should measure about five inches at the widest point). Fold the heart in half to form the mouse's body, then staple or glue together the edges from the tip of the nose to the top of the back, but leave the tail end open. For ears, cut out a pair of small pink paper hearts, fold them in half, and then glue them onto the body. Draw on eyes with a colored marker.   Tuck a lollipop into the body, so that the stick becomes the mouse's tail. 

Walnut Mouse
half a walnut shell
gray or pink felt
black wool or heavy string
googly eyes
small black bead 
Cut ear shapes from felt and glue to shell (at the pointed end!)  Glue on googly eyes and black bead for nose.  Add black wool for whiskers.  (facial features could also be drawn on with a black marker)

The Mouse Trap Game
Players (the mice) form a ring. Two of the players are chosen to be a mousetrap. They face, take hold of both hands and hold their arms high. The rest of the mice march around in the ring -- either to march music or a familiar tune -- while going under the mousetrap made by the two players.  When the leader blows a whistle, all mice stop and the trap comes down and catches any mouse that happens to be under their arms. The mouse who is caught goes to the center of the ring and the game proceeds. When the next player is caught, these two make a new mousetrap at the opposite end of the circle from the original one. Game proceeds until all mice have become traps.

Songs, Finger Plays, Nursery Rhymes

Five Little Mice
Five little mice came out to play
Gathering crumbs along the way
Out came pussycat sleek and fat
Four little mice go scampering back.

Four little mice came out to play
Gathering crumbs along the way
Out came pussycat sleek and fat
Three little mice go scampering back.

Three little mice came out to play
Gathering crumbs along the way
Out came pussycat sleek and fat
Two little mice go scampering back.

Two little mice came out to play
Gathering crumbs along the way
Out came pussycat sleek and fat
One little mouse goes scampering back

One little mouse came out to play
Gathering crumbs along the way
Out came pussycat sleek and fat
No little mice go scampering back

Three Blind Mice
This is fun with three little finger puppets.  Read the story "Seven Blind Mice" by Ed Young

Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run.
They all ran after the farmer's wife
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a sight in your life
As three blind mice!

Six Little Mice
Use the fingers on one hand for mice and the other hand for the cat.  Or, use a cat puppet.

Six little mice sat down to spin;
Pussy passed by and she peeped in.
What are you doing, my little men?
Weaving coats for gentlemen.
Shall I come in and cut off your threads?
No, no, Mistress Pussy, you'd bit off our heads.
Oh, no, I'll not; I'll help you to spin.
That may be so, but you can't come in!

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat
Recite once through with a pussy cat puppet.  The second time around, let children play the pussy cat and provide the responses.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the Queen.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?
I frightened a little mouse under a chair.

Five Little Mice
Use five fingers or five mice finger puppets.

Five little mice came out to play,
Gathering crumbs up on their way;
Out came a pussy cat
Sleek and black,
Four little mice went scampering back.

Four little mice came out to play....
Play until all the little mice are gone.

Five Little Mice
Play this game on five fingers.

Five little mice on the pantry floor,
This little mouse peeked behind the door.
This little mouse nibbled at the cake,
This little mouse not a sound did make.
This little mouse heard the kitten sneeze.
"Ah Choo," sneezed the kitten,
And, "Squeak," they all cried,
And they found a hole and ran inside.

Little Mousie
Here's a little mousie
Peeking through a hole.  (Poke index finger of one hand through fist of the other hand.)
Peek to the left.  (Wiggle finger to the left.)
Peek to the right.  (Wiggle finger to the right.)
Pull your head back in, (Pull finger into fist.)
There's a cat in sight!

Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one, 
The mouse ran down,
Hickory dickory dock.

Wee Mousie
(great one-on-one game for little ones!)

Round about, round about, goes the wee mousie. (Circle a finger on the child's palm as you sing)
Up, Up, Up, Up, Up (quickly walk your fingers up the child's arm)
Into the wee housie!  (tickle the child under the chin!)

 

Recipes

Ice Cream Mouse
Put one scoop of ice cream in a muffin liner.  Add two vanilla or chocolate wafers for ears.   Add raisins for eyes.  Add a red candy for nose (m&m, smarties, or cinnamon candy).  Add a piece of string licorice for the tail.