This morning started off with some sensory exploration: play dough! Friends made a variety of creations, from people and pie to hearts and cookies. Play dough is an excellent open-ended material for learning because it can be used in so many different ways.

Magna-tiles were a popular option as friends built both towers and garage-type structures for cars. The square tiles are definitely a hot commodity right now.

Other friends worked the alphabet blocks and wooden blocks. Here we see how blocks allow children to use their imagination and creativity. There is no “correct” way to play with blocks, as they can be used in an almost infinite amount of ways! We really get to see the WFers ingenunity when the blocks are out.

Today Melinda also led friends in a game: Mystery Box. She put a secret object in the box and friends took turns reaching in and trying to guess what the object is. This game challenges children’s critical thinking skills and helps them connect their sense of touch to their other senses. It also helps us practice taking turns!

Kindergarten: Today’s kindergarten work was presented to our older friends during large group—it was Poetry Day! Every child had a chance to pick out a poem from Shel Silverstein’s A Light in the Attic. After carefully listening to the poem, we picked out the rhyming words pairs we heard. Many rhyming words were quite funny to friends, such as the combo belly/jelly. Before we ended large group we had to read our favorite poem from this collection, “The Babysitter”. It’s all about a babysitter who thinks it is her job to SIT on the BABY!

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Brown rice cakes with cream cheese and fresh pears. Lunch: Whole grain brown rice with chicken and cheddar cheese, tomatoes/carrots and bananas/oranges. Snack: Mozzarella cheese sticks and wheat crackers.

Link to the photo album: WF 1/22/2016

Have a wonderful weekend! –Jessica