What an exciting day the Owls enjoyed! We had a parade, enjoyed some fine motor work, and ended the day with a very special lunch party. Everyone enjoyed dressing up and parading around gathering treats from all of the parents. Back in the room we enjoyed a little snack before getting busy with our day. We spent some time working on our scissor skills and painting with water colors. After motor skills we took some time to work with play dough. We finished our day with the perfect little party. The children got to make their own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peeled their own oranges, and listened to a fun story or two. Thank you to our party hosts! It was a perfect celebration for this sweet class. They loved it ! Thank you to everyone who helped make today so special for our kiddos. It went very well for a day so out of the ordinary. Our party hosts hit it out of the park and everyone had a great time. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend how every you choose to celebrate! Next week we will be learning about space!
This week is all about Pumpkins! We have our very own pumpkin patch in our room and lots of new pumpkin activities to explore! The children enjoyed using a scale to weigh pumpkins and hammers and golf tees to pound into a pumpkin. Such a great hand-eye coordination activity! This morning we also visited with Mrs. Kunkel for some chapel time because Friday is going to be jam packed with extras. For snack time we enjoyed some applesauce and the cutest little pumpkin goldfish treats! They were a hit with everyone! During our science exploration we each got to experiment a bit with melting ice. Over the weekend I had made several large pumpkin shaped ice blocks. I tossed a few pumpkin and candy shaped mini erasers in before freezing. My challenge to the children today was to use some water, table salt, and rock salt to melt the ice and free their treasures. We worked with the pipettes again to help us transfer the water. It was like being in a laboratory full "Mad Scientists". The kids had a blast pouring water, mixing in the salt, and watching the salt create channels in the melting block of ice. After about 15 minutes of effort the first bits of treasure began to break free. There was so much excitement! Overheard while working.... "Look Ms. Kristen! It sparkles." "Oh boy, this is a big ice pumpkin!" "How do I do it? Mine won't come out. They are stuck!" "Can I dump it on the ice?" "I got one out!!!!" I was so impressed at how long the boys and girls stuck with it! This activity, although lots of fun, requires patience. They really had to work and not give up. As a reward they all brought home a treasure of mini erasers in their totes. While we enjoyed a little more center time, the children had an opportunity to come to the easel to paint a pumpkin. We are all excited about our Fall Parade on Friday morning just after drop off. Our first class party will be held during lunch time and lunch will be provided. Look forward to seeing you there! Let me know if you have any questions.
This morning we enjoyed centers, Chapel Time, outdoor Motor Skills, scribble art, and blowing up monsters! As you can see, each morning the children have center time where they can make choices about what they are interested in exploring. They move from one center to the next in their own time. If something is particularly challenging or fun they may try the activity over and over again. Each center is displayed on a tray to define their personal space. The children are getting really good at using the activity and then resetting it for the next friend. During Chapel Mrs. Kunkel reviewed the story of Paul and we learned about ways we can be good Christians. We can share God's Word with others. We can help others in need by sharing our money, time, or talents. When we have a friend over we can share our toys. If we have outgrown our clothes we can share them with younger brothers or sisters, cousins, or friends. And one of the most powerful things we can share is a smile. We can always be kind to others. That is what God wants us to do. As soon as we returned to the classroom we gathered around the big table for an exciting experiment! I told the boys and girls we were going to blow up balloons today without using our mouths! One friend asked, "How?" I explained that we were going to mix baking soda and vinegar. When those ingredients mix together they create bubbles. When the bubbles pop they help inflate the balloon. Everyone was very patient waiting their turn. It was exciting to see each balloon inflate. Once we tied the balloons off, we added a silly monster face to each one. After Motor Skills we returned to the room for some art time. I showed the children some fun new crayons. Rock crayons are great fine motor tools that encourage the pincer grasp necessary to hold a pencil correctly. Due to their small size and shape your fingers naturally grasp them properly. We also used some Finger Crayons. Both are great tools (Hint: Stocking Stuffers, links at the end of the blog). We used them to make unique Scribble Monsters. At the end we added some colorful wiggly eyes. We enjoyed the fresh outdoors, working on some balancing and relaxing in the shade. Our day came to a close with lunch but not before celebrating our latest Birthday Boy! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Next week our room will be transformed into a pumpkin patch as we begin to explore more dramatic play! Finger Crayons:
https://www.amazon.com/GiBot-Toddlers-Palm-Grip-Stackable-Non-Toxic/dp/B077D4Z9N1/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1BS0LQP0QWNKN&dchild=1&keywords=finger+crayons+for+toddlers&qid=1634936493&sprefix=finger+crayons%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-6 Rock Crayons: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EODQBA/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=906af920af3c2f5b6f5b350c18e2f593&hsa_cr_id=6013815740601&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=408a54ab-7d78-43bd-89d9-4895fdc18ccc&pd_rd_w=s0MVT&pd_rd_wg=Fr5cB&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_0_img We had an exciting day discussing feelings. The children explored new centers, painted symmetry monsters, worked on their scissor skills, and were introduced to Theraputty. We also had a surprise fire drill! At circle time, Tootsie brought us each a little monster finger puppet to wear as we read a fun story called, "There's a Monster in Your Book". We each got a turn to follow the directions on the page to try and get the monster out of the book. If you don't have this one in your personal collection yet, it would be a great addition! We also got to try on Ms. Kristen's monster headband. We make some pretty cute monsters! At the big table we got to work practicing our scissor skills. We snipped pieces of monster scrapbook paper. We are getting pretty good at picking up our scissors with correct finger placement. Some of us are still needing assistance to manage the scissors in one hand and hold the paper to be cut in the other. That will come with practice! We were so proud of our work we put all the scraps in an envelope and took them home to share. During art we made symmetry monsters! It was fun to squeeze the paint and smush it between the two halves of the paper. When we opened it we were amazed at how beautiful it was. Then we added some fun wiggly eyes to transform our painting into a monster. They will go home Friday. After music we returned to the room and were just about to work with Theraputty for the first time and the fire alarm sounded. We were pretty surprised but everyone did a great job staying safe. We dropped what we were doing and held on to our walking rope and headed outdoors to safety. I really wish I had some pictures but safety was the top priority so we focused on getting to our safe spot. Once there, the alarm stopped and we could return to the room. We had so many questions about the fire drill. "Why was it so loud?" "Will it start again?" "Ms. Kunkle made it stop, right?" I reassured everyone that they did a great job and that there is nothing to worry about when the fire alarm goes off. All they need to do is follow me and they will always be safe. We got back to work. I told everyone we were going to work with something that would really test our muscles. Theraputty is an amazing product used in occupational therapy to help strengthen fine motor muscles. I stumbled upon it a few years ago and it is really one of the best products I have ever seen. Not only does it provide great resistance for little hands but it is fun, engaging, and a real workout! You really have to throw some muscle into it! Just look a their faces. They really had to put in the effort. I bought mine on Amazon but you an also find it at Lakeshore down by the North Park Mall. Each color is a different resistance from light to very firm. It would be great to keep a container in your purse to keep little hands busy at restaurants and such. Looking forward to Friday! We will be blowing up balloons with a chemical reaction from baking soda and vinegar!
We began our day in centers. The girls got really into building a tower with the math pegs. They wanted to build it bigger then they were. They quickly figured out that they had to work together as a team to keep the tower steady. It was fun watching them give direction to each other and praise as the peg count grew! In Chapel we sang our songs for the month and listened to the story of the conversion of Paul. Another cute bat themed snack today, grapes and chocolate graham crackers. These were a big hit! For art today we decided to head outside to do some spray painting. We loaded spray bottles with liquid watercolors and sprayed a fun background on our papers. Later we added a bat to the artwork. Using these spray bottles is another great fine motor exercise. The pressure needed to squeeze these bottles really works those hand muscles. If you happen to have a spray bottle at home, fill it with water and encourage your child to water the plants. The plants will be happy and your child will be working out those hand muscles in a fun way. Back inside we broke out the play dough. We added some little bats and everyone was encouraged to hide their bats in the play dough and then dig them out. Some even made their play dough look like a cave for their bats to sleep in. After some more center time and Motor skills we all gathered around the large table to do some "big kid" work. I told the children that our job was going to be to move water from one glass to another using a science tool called a pipette. I began by sharing the materials we would need, water, two glasses (yes, real glass), a tray and a pipette. I told the children we would need to be extra careful because we were using real glasses and we didn't want to break one. I believe if you give a child responsibilities they will rise to the occasion and learn to respect the materials we are using. Everyone did a great job and really felt proud that I could trust them with fragile materials. Next, we needed to learn how to use a pipette. As adults, we use one on autopilot. But for young learners this multi-step process and be quite challenging the first time out. So I demonstrated how you need to squeeze the bulb in the air, place it in the water while still squeezing it, release the bulb so that water will travel up the pipe, then move the full pipette to the other glass and squeeze again to release the liquid. That is a lot to remember! Some of us struggled at first but no one gave up! By the end of our work everyone had figured out the process. There were squeals of, "Look Ms .Kristen, I did it!" We also discussed spills. Spills are going to happen. It is part of the learning process. No one would be upset if there was an accident, that is why we use the trays, to help contain any messes. We weren't using a lot of water so the messes (even times 8!) were contained and I even showed the children how to use their pipette to clean up any spills. I just love how you can really see the focus and attention on everyone's faces! Every time I do this activity someone inevitably wants to try to pour the water directly from one cup to another. I always have to chuckle because the first child to try it always looks at me like they are up to no good and are quite relived when I encourage them to keep going. I am so glad they feel comfortable challenging themselves and leading others to try. It comes so naturally. Before long everyone was trying to transfer water from one glass to the other. Another great skill to work on! To have steady hands and to switch from their dominant hand to the less dominant hand is a natural bonus and a very valuable skill! And all spills are contained on the tray! Next week we will be discussing feelings with the theme of "Happy Monsters". It is one of our favorite themes all year.
We sure fit a lot into our time together this morning. The children got right to work. We had a bunch of new centers out to try. One of our favorites was squeezing water filled sponges with a lemon press! What a fun workout! We also counted bats, worked on our numbers and played with a fire truck puzzle. Our snack this morning was a perfect compliment to our day! Bat pudding cups and red strawberries just like the fire truck! At story time we learned about bats. Bats are mammals that can fly! Tootsie brought us some cool bat glasses to try on and a little bat puppet to try. We learned that one of Tootsie's best friends is the bat because they are both nocturnal and fly at night. After story time, we all went to the big table to mix up some Bat Slime! Every one had an opportunity to add some glue, mix the concoction, and add some bat glitter. Then of course we got our hands dirty and played with our slime. Around 11 we went up to the entrance to visit with the fire fighters. Engine 47 did not disappoint! It was a great day and I can't wait to see what fun we get into on Friday! See you then.
This morning was full of fun! We enjoyed centers, Chapel Time, and our first Motor Skills class outdoors! Back in the classroom we had an amazing science and sensory experience. I have done this activity for several years and never have I had a class love it so much! They dove right in! We began with circle time and our spider song. Then Tootsie brought us a bunch of spider pictures. We discussed the various body parts of a spider. The children were fascinated to learn that spiders don't have bones! Next, we moved over to the big table. Tootsie brought us each a lab coat. We were going to be real scientists! We put on our lab coats and got to work dissecting spiders. I whipped up a batch of specimens yesterday (unflavored gelatin, pompoms, pipe cleaners and wiggly eyes). The children were instantly hooked! There were "ooh's and aah's" at the cool, slimy concoction. But that didn't stop our curious hands. Their job was simple. Pull all the spider parts out of the gelatin and build a spider. They had a blast!!! And so did Ms. Amanda and I as we watched them carefully work. I love the looks on their faces! Overheard today ... "This is cold!" "Look, I see an eye!" "Ooh, it's squishy!" "Ms. Kristen! I got a leg out!" "Look at me, I got one too!" "I think a spider has 8 legs. See, 1, 2, 3,4,5,6,7,8!" "Mine has 8 too!" We are certainly the cutest little scientist ever!!!!! During Art, we had the opportunity to paint legs on spiders. We finished our day with lunch together. The boys and girls are getting really good at opening their own lunch boxes and being responsible for their own trash. I'm so proud of all of their hard work! Next week we will be learning about bats! Have a restful weekend!
I honestly didn't know how we were going to cram all of this into one day but we were successful! The kids had a great time and learned a lot! We began our morning with some center time as the children were called to pictures one by one. I can't wait to see the proofs! Thank you for sending in family pictures. I can't tell you how many times a day the children go looking for their photos. They love to share their families with each other. They point out each family member by name. It really is a security blanket in a sense for the boys and girls. If there are ever tears the first place they seek comfort is with their family photo. This little piece of home means so much to them. We had a great time painting unique spider webs with marbles today. This simple art activity is so satisfying. The children placed their paper in a large box, dropped in a few marbles, squeezed some paint on the paper and shook the box back and forth. Every design is a one of a kind masterpiece! Then the children squeezed on some glue and topped their web off with a spider. Not only art but a great gross motor muscle activity too! We had the privilege of being the very first audience for the new traveling field trip project being put on by the Tobin Performing Arts Center. They are piloting a preschool arts program this year and Oak Hills is the first school they have visited. The theme of today's presentation was pretend play. Right up our alley! Ms. Trinket and her bag of tricks visited us and took us on a magical interactive journey. She had us put on our imagination hats and away we went. She pulled various objects out of her bag and took us to new places. First us we jumped in her boat and paddled across a pond. The kids needed no prompting. They jumped right in her imaginary boat and paddled away! Next, Ms. Trinket, took a stick out of her bag and we were transported to the woods. We pretended to see big trees and the wind blew and some of the leaves landed by our feet. We marched through them and listened to them crunch under our feet. The visuals Ms. Trinket provided were great and the kids followed along as if they really could see the big trees she was describing. Ms. Trinket took an egg out of her bag and before we knew it we were at the farm. She said she could hear the chickens clucking and as if on autopilot the children all started flapping their wings and clucking. Ms. Trinket said the mud was getting close and the children became pig, oinks and all. It was amazing to see how deeply invested they were in her play. So much fun to watch. We look forward to the Tobin's next visit. Over the course of the year they will visit 3 more times. Lucky us! Back in the room we sat down for story time. Tootsie brought a funny book about a boy who was afraid of spiders. We all had the opportunity to vote if we were afraid of spiders or not. We also got a simple spider puppet to sing, "There A Spider on the Floor" with. This is another great little follow directions song. With each verse the children move the spider from the floor, to their knee, back, nose and so on. The children also enjoyed some fresh air on the playground. The Race Car class had recess with us and they brought out some buckets to dig in the mulch and balls to share. Friday will be another exciting day. We will be "dissecting" spiders.
We began our day exploring some of the apple centers, followed by snack, and a visit to Chapel. We learned a few new songs for the month but it will take us a few days to really learn them. Once we were back in the classroom we broke out the apple play dough. Today we also added play dough scissors to the mix. This is another great medium to introduce scissor skills. We only have 4 pairs of play dough scissors so I'll be looking for more over the weekend. Everyone was eager to practice their cutting with these fun plastic scissors. For art today we had our first opportunity to paint at the easel. To say we were excited would be an understatement! The children were very patient waiting their turns. They painted an apple cut-out and were given red, green, and brown paint. They were free to paint their apple as they saw fit. I think they are beautiful and the children were very proud of their work. Once they are dry we will send them home. During our free center time some of the children discovered the dramatic play costumes. We had a great time trying them on, taking pictures of each other with our play camera, and building with magnetic blocks. We finished the day with some fun playground time. Next week we can look forward to picture day on Wed. This will be both individual and class photos. The Tobin Theater Arts Group will also visit us and we will begin our study of spiders. So much to look forward to in October!
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Why Blog?Here you will find little snippets of our days together. When my children were in preschool and would come home I would always ask, "So, what did you do today?". All they ever said was, "Played." That didn't tell me much. I hope this blog will be a place to share what we have done and help you ask more directed questions of your child. You will see first hand just what we do after you kiss your little one goodbye in the morning. It will also be a great place to visit and see just how much your child has grown and learned throughout the year. Archives
March 2024
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