Today we celebrated Banon's birthday with a special birthday story, a birthday book made by everyone, songs on the grass, and bug, flower, and fairy catching!
Thanks to Banon's mom, Meredith, for bringing over the bug nets...the children had a magical and fun time with these!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
HELPING
There has been a new recent interest in helping each other here.
Someone may get stuck on a bike across the yard and another child runs to help. We are learning how to be a good friend. Good friends help each other.
Cooperative play is a growing concept happening as well. Pushing and pulling each other in wagons, riding together on a bike, driving cars respectfully behind one another, and taking turns with the basketball and hoop are all new pursuits.
We have also been talking about good manners, especially at meal times. When we see good manners being displayed, we acknowledge it.
Someone may get stuck on a bike across the yard and another child runs to help. We are learning how to be a good friend. Good friends help each other.
Cooperative play is a growing concept happening as well. Pushing and pulling each other in wagons, riding together on a bike, driving cars respectfully behind one another, and taking turns with the basketball and hoop are all new pursuits.
We have also been talking about good manners, especially at meal times. When we see good manners being displayed, we acknowledge it.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Washing Day
Today was washing day!
Did you know that there is a specific domestic activity happening here based on the day of the week?
Each day has its own "job" that we do with love and care.
For example we may do dusting on Monday, washing outside toys/clothes on Tuesday, bread making on Wednesday, woodworking and sweeping on Thursday, and inside toy cleaning on Friday.
This type of work for a child helps them connect with the natural rhythms of the days of the week in a tangible way. They may not understand that today is Wednesday, but they know that it is bread making day and that the next day will be a time of woodworking.
Therefore, young children have a framework of time and feel a security and peace in knowing what will happen and what to expect.
The car washing today was wonderful fun and everyone earnestly helped to get many vehicles shiny and clean!
Did you know that there is a specific domestic activity happening here based on the day of the week?
Each day has its own "job" that we do with love and care.
For example we may do dusting on Monday, washing outside toys/clothes on Tuesday, bread making on Wednesday, woodworking and sweeping on Thursday, and inside toy cleaning on Friday.
This type of work for a child helps them connect with the natural rhythms of the days of the week in a tangible way. They may not understand that today is Wednesday, but they know that it is bread making day and that the next day will be a time of woodworking.
Therefore, young children have a framework of time and feel a security and peace in knowing what will happen and what to expect.
The car washing today was wonderful fun and everyone earnestly helped to get many vehicles shiny and clean!
Projects
You may be wondering where all the artwork is going that your child is creating here.
There are always lots of projects happening and we have decided to do a few different things with them.
First, we are in the process of making our own books based on the stories we hear and read together. We read or hear a story for usually two to three weeks to let the ideas fully internalize. Then we will act out the story and do a variety of related projects based on the themes we are learning.Then we also draw a special picture as a reminder and this is what we are using for each "book". The collected drawings and projects will be sent home during the last week of May.
There are always lots of projects happening and we have decided to do a few different things with them.
First, we are in the process of making our own books based on the stories we hear and read together. We read or hear a story for usually two to three weeks to let the ideas fully internalize. Then we will act out the story and do a variety of related projects based on the themes we are learning.Then we also draw a special picture as a reminder and this is what we are using for each "book". The collected drawings and projects will be sent home during the last week of May.
Preschool Evaluations
Preschool evaluations will be ready during the first two weeks of June.
This is a fun time of meeting with you and discussing your child's development here and specific things they are learning individually.
You will get an evaluation form with helpful checklists for a handy way of keeping track of learning and development at home and there will also be forms filled out by me that you may keep in your personal files.
We will start setting up the parent appointments during the last week of May.
This is a fun time of meeting with you and discussing your child's development here and specific things they are learning individually.
You will get an evaluation form with helpful checklists for a handy way of keeping track of learning and development at home and there will also be forms filled out by me that you may keep in your personal files.
We will start setting up the parent appointments during the last week of May.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Spring days
We have been delighted with the weather of this past week.
It's time to include sunscreen and a sun hat in your child's bag for these sunny and warm days!
There are baby kittens here and the timing worked well with our story of Papa Piccolo.
Geography studies have taken us to Venice, Italy, where the story takes place. We have located Italy on a map, colored pictures of cats, gondolas, flags, and canals, and acted out the story with many great "cats".
New words we have learned: bambini, caro mia, (my precious dear), Buon giorno (good morning).
Talking about fatherhood has been fun as we have discussed the many ways that fathers are able to care for little ones. We are also focusing on how we can each take care of our friends and those around us who are smaller.
Occupations on the water we have learned include laundry barges that carry fresh linens to the hotels, garbage barges, police motor boats, and water taxis.
Many new words have been introduced as well such as:
canal, trinket, sardine, ledge, signora, situation, chime, carnival, regatta, skiff, gondola, persistent, forlorn, glum, and gilded.
We have also used language to match descriptions. For example, on p. 8 of Papa Piccolo it says "And then Papa Piccolo sang a little song he remembered from long ago about stardust and moonbeams and goldfish". Papa sang a lullaby. Together we thought of some phrases that would put a dog to sleep like "I'll sing of bones and treats, slippers and silver-lighted dog houses" Then we discussed what we could sing to put a butterfly to sleep, a tree, or an eagle, etc.
There have been many mud cakes, stick, and rock collections forming, and new interest in basketball, soccer, and balls in general.
Our spring circle time is going along nicely and in the next few weeks our focus will be on planting seeds.
We have designed many creative "ball runs" with long cardboard tubes and blocks to direct the paths of little balls, cars, and anything else we can find to roll down the tunnels.
It has been another fun and inspiring week with this lovely group of children and we wish you a happy and peaceful weekend!
It's time to include sunscreen and a sun hat in your child's bag for these sunny and warm days!
There are baby kittens here and the timing worked well with our story of Papa Piccolo.
Geography studies have taken us to Venice, Italy, where the story takes place. We have located Italy on a map, colored pictures of cats, gondolas, flags, and canals, and acted out the story with many great "cats".
New words we have learned: bambini, caro mia, (my precious dear), Buon giorno (good morning).
Talking about fatherhood has been fun as we have discussed the many ways that fathers are able to care for little ones. We are also focusing on how we can each take care of our friends and those around us who are smaller.
Occupations on the water we have learned include laundry barges that carry fresh linens to the hotels, garbage barges, police motor boats, and water taxis.
Many new words have been introduced as well such as:
canal, trinket, sardine, ledge, signora, situation, chime, carnival, regatta, skiff, gondola, persistent, forlorn, glum, and gilded.
We have also used language to match descriptions. For example, on p. 8 of Papa Piccolo it says "And then Papa Piccolo sang a little song he remembered from long ago about stardust and moonbeams and goldfish". Papa sang a lullaby. Together we thought of some phrases that would put a dog to sleep like "I'll sing of bones and treats, slippers and silver-lighted dog houses" Then we discussed what we could sing to put a butterfly to sleep, a tree, or an eagle, etc.
There have been many mud cakes, stick, and rock collections forming, and new interest in basketball, soccer, and balls in general.
Our spring circle time is going along nicely and in the next few weeks our focus will be on planting seeds.
We have designed many creative "ball runs" with long cardboard tubes and blocks to direct the paths of little balls, cars, and anything else we can find to roll down the tunnels.
It has been another fun and inspiring week with this lovely group of children and we wish you a happy and peaceful weekend!
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