Thank you, Kellie, for the lily-of-valley bulbs and everyone for bringing in cereal boxes!

Today we transformed our Hopscotch Room into a pirate ship! We began with discussing several new pirate words (ex: rigging, prow, crow’s nest). As we learned the meaning of the word we hunted for the item in our house (ex: rigging) or determined where in Hopscotch that item might appear (ex: crow’s nest). We donned new pirate bandanas and hopped aboard the Wee Friend’s Junk. We used our new vocabulary as we sailed the seas in a musical improv. After seeing a snapping turtle at the farm yesterday, one friend exclaimed “I see snapping turtles!” We became ‘marooned’ on an island where the pirates found gold coins. This turned into a gold coin counting game for the bigger kids! It’s wonderful to see how our friends communicate, negotiate and problem solve while at sea! Not to mention the amazing (and hilarious!) stories that unfold. F.1.42 Pretend to do something or be someone. F.1.43 Use new vocabulary learned from experiences. F.6.15 Use trial and error to solve problems. F.6.16 Generalize a solution to a new situation.

While our older friends were at swimming, our toddlers counted and marched to “The Ants Go Marching” We turned a sheet into a parachute that we shook up and down and crawled under. F.1.1 Sing and dance to a number song. F.3.1 Exhibit self-confidence while participating in movement activities.

A small group of Wee Friends continued to explore how many syllables make up their name. Many friends wanted to include other loved ones: we counted El-mo (1-2!), Bun-ny (1-2!), and Dai-sey (1-2!) We’ve been working on this since last fall and the kids are mastering this musical rhythmic game!

Amy Crosson gave each Wee Friend an opportunity to plant tomato seeds in a flat, preparing them for our upcoming garden work! Thank you, Amy!! F.3.10 Take care of familiar plants and animals. F.3.13 Sort things by attribute or characteristic.