Count down to Mother’s Day!

The older Wee Friends had a chance, this morning, to create three dimensional art with salt, chalk and a jelly jar! At the risk of giving the surprise away-here are a few pictures of their work! F.5.2 Follow steps in a simple routine. F.6.19 See a task through to completion. F.4.2 Identify attributes or characteristics for comparison (e.g., color, size, gender, shape).

“Look at my Ouchie!!!!

Our exploration of ouchies continued today with our toddlers! We started with the question: “Does anyone have a new ouchie to share?” We examined cotton balls and Q-Tips and talked about where friends have seen them and what they are used for. Using pretend medicine (kid friendly lotion) we used the cotton balls and Q-Tips to apply medicine to our ouchies. Some friends were very eager to help others, others wanted to tend to themselves only and, ok….some friends just wanted a pedicure/manicure using the Q-Tip. It led to a conversation about the ways in which we take care of one another. We then moved to the art table and used the cotton balls and Q-Tips to create art with tempera paints. F.4.2 Role play different types of occupations. F.5.9 Use interpersonal skills of sharing and taking turns in interactions with others.

We sang and acted out “Five Little Monkeys” and friends loved falling down and getting pretend hurt!

The second day of our new mealtime routine went very well with a few older kids reminding teachers “Hey-Addi is my buddy!”, reminding us that he/she was supposed to serve the food. We ate chicken and rice, green peas and apple slices.

Tami has moved our plastic basketball hoop outdoors to support our goal of making our playground a rich environment for play and exercise. She also added medium sized plastic balls which have generated lots of excitement! F.1.3 Manipulate objects by throwing, catching large balls with two hands, striking, swinging, and pulling at a basic level. (e.g., throws an object at a target with an overhand motion and trunk rotation, throws something upward and catches it, and jumps over a stationary object).

Have a great day!

Swimming Tuesday!

While the older kids were swimming a small group of toddlers began talking about and sharing their ouchies. We quickly got our doctor’s kit and began listening to each other’s hearts and further discussing ouchies and how friends got them. To the tune of “Are You Sleeping” we sang “Ouchie, ouchie, ouchie, ouchie….wah! wah! wah!…” The toddlers thought pretend crying was super fun! We moved to the art table and friends drew their ouchies on a stick figure sketch, placing a masking tape band aid over the sore spot. We jumped into math by counting the number of band aids! We worked in another math lesson when a friend counted 5 squares out as she used the potty!

We have started a new lunch time routine. In the past, we’ve had a big kid table and a toddler table. Today, Tami assigned lunch buddies (an older and younger child) and sat them next to one another. The older friend helped his/her buddy wash hands and then, after sitting down, with serving food and drink. They also began putting their plate/utensil/glass into the dishwasher. The kids were excited about their new roles and it went very smoothly.

For lunch, we served farm fresh scrambled eggs (on sale at WF for $3.50 a dozen!), whole wheat toast, carrots and bananas/mandarin oranges.

Yesterday, Tami added two baskets filled with plates and cups to the cottage climber. She moved a table and two chairs inside it. Our outside time has been filled with imaginative play using only plastic/aluminum dishes and pea gravel!

Have a great day!

FARM TODAY!

The older children had a great morning at Prairie Winds Farm. We started our trip by helping Ms. Charlotte water her garden starts and pot some plants that had been transplanted.

When that was done, Ms. Charlotte asked us to help thin out a bunch of overgrown Day Lily plants by the house. We were able to dig up and take 4 large boxes of Day Lilies to add by the slide and the upper bicycle ring at our WF playground!

While doing the gardening, the kids worked cooperatively at digging, sorting plants from weeds, and investigating the many different earth worms. F.1.8 Engage in a scientific experiment with a peer or with small groups of children using sharing/turn taking skills. F.4.2 Identify attributes or characteristics for comparison. F.4.3 Classify objects by an attribute (characteristic) and share their thinking with another. F.4.4 Participate in discussions related to their findings.

After our gardening, we took the WF scraps back and fed the pigs.  Then we helped move the chicken coops to fresh pasture, and fed and watered the chickens.

After our work was done, we were able to meet the two new 4 day old baby goats.  Everyone enjoyed cuddling them!  Probably the highlight (as you can see from the expressions in the picture below!) was when an adult goat went pooh in front of the children.  With this group of mostly 4 year old children, potty processes and humor is a hot topic.  Hmmm, I wonder how we can tie this into our Life Lesson series on WF potty habits???

We also carefully observed both the baby goats and the cow with her calf nursing and had a discussion about the milk that is produced for the babies.  F.1.9 Ask and answer questions about the world. F.3.9 Observe and explore a variety of live plants and animals.

The next thing we did was take a walk through the prairie and woods.  We stopped along the way to notice and identify blooming flowers, evidence of woodpeckers, crawdad mud houses, and insects.

We took about 20 minutes and the children swung on vines, roamed the wooded area and added sticks to child built wood “houses”.  On the way back to the barn, the children took turns riding the 3 horses on a brief trail ride.

Finally, to end our day, I helped Ms. Charlotte apply first aid to a wounded turkey.  We discussed the wound and I applied an antiseptic spray while Ms. Charlotte held the turkey.  Afterword, the kids had a rare chance to pet and carefully examine the turkey up close.  Turkeys are generally not tame, but this one has become accustomed to being held because of his injury.

All in all, I couldn’t be more grateful for this NON-rainy Monday and the chance to enjoy our farm this week!

Goop!!!!!!!!  Today Tami set up three bins and filled them with corn starch and water. Kids mixed, squished and stretched the goop, experimenting with texture and consistency! F.4.1 Use vocabulary that indicates understanding of scientific principles (e.g., sink, float, melt, solid, liquid).

 

A stack of robot books arrived today, gathered and delivered by Wee Friends personal librarian, Carol Barbour. Thank you Carol!! Friends ate them up, spending a large amount of time studying the pictures. We will dive into them next week and see if a study emerges. F.1.3 Name objects from a picture book. F.1.4 Hold book right side up, looking at pages and pictures. F.1.5 Turn pages from front to back.

Our cottage climber has been a huge hit! Older friends climb up down and all around and many of our younger toddlers are able to climb up and down the east side of the log house. We ask our smaller friends to stay on the east side when climbing because the west side of the house has a drop off that their feet can’t reach as they descend. It doesn’t deter them, however, as the view from the top is exciting and they are victorious! F.1.2 Perform stability skills alone and/or with a partner. (e.g., transferring weight so as to rock, roll, stand on one foot for six seconds and walk up and down steps with alternating feet, tumbling skill of somersaults and log rolls, and walking on a balance beam forward and backward).

Beginning the Basics life skills program will continue working with potty and hand washing procedures next week. This week Melinda and I heard a few friends singing their ABC’s while washing their hands! F.4.2 Show a growing independence in hygiene, nutrition, and personal care when eating, dressing, washing hands, brushing teeth, and toile ting.

Enjoy this beautiful day!

Tumbling day! F.1.6 Show anticipation for regularly scheduled events.

Tami and Melinda brought the outdoors in by helping friends plant grass seeds. They filled one bin with seeds and another with soil. The kids explored the textures of the seeds and soil while measuring the seeds and planting them in plastic cups. They watered the cups with a squirt bottle. F.1.4 Make selections from the science objects and materials available. F.1.5 Use the five senses (touching, smelling, seeing, hearing, tasting) to investigate the environment and to gather information.

Melinda read The Secret Birthday Message by Eric Carle. They discussed the details of the story, including how they would act it out and what images they might recreate with paint at the art easel.  F.3.2 Actively look for or keep attending to things that an adult points to, shows, or talks about. F.3.5 Ask questions and make comments about a story being read.

Imaginative play was full force both in the Lego loft with dinosaurs and in housekeeping with dollies, scarves and food. A few friends built towers out of magnetic rods and spheres.

Our pirate study has officially phased out! While we are exploring ideas and activities related to spring, we are also listening intently to conversations and watching closely for any other interests the children express. If we hear/see something occurring repetitively over a few days (the robots!), we cultivate this interest to see if it will actually turn into a study. A study can last one day or one month! A child initiated study is our aim and it’s always exciting to see where Wee Friends are headed!

Have a great day!