*Wee Friends will be closed Monday Dec. 24-Friday January 4. We will re-open Monday January 7.

Our friends have developed an on-going interest in puzzles.

We decided to create our own puzzles using the front picture of our recycled holiday cards.

Mel led a Mystery Box game in which friends had to put their hand in the box and guess what object they were touching.

Next, friends played Kids Onstage-a charades game for young children.

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Cheerios and apple slices. Lunch: Whole grain cous cous with chicken, mixed veggies and orange slices. Snack: Yogurt and pear slices.

Happy Wednesday!

Good Afternoon!

I’ve gotten a couple inquiries about my wedding that was over the weekend so I figured I’d just share a photo. Thanks for all of the well wishes within the last week! It is greatly appreciated.

*Wee Wee Friends will be closed for Winter Break Monday, Dec. 24-Friday Jan. 4. We will re-open Monday, January 7th.

It felt so good to get back to work!

We started off our Tuesday with gross motor time. Friends jumped on the jungle gym and watched as cars drove by. We’re becoming very aware of our surroundings!

Fine motor work came next where we built tall towers with blocks. When the towers got too tall, they fell over!

Children headed outside after we bundled up!

P.K. heard a doggie bark and walked to the gate to see if he could see the pup.

We spent a long time on the phone with family today. Mommy, Pa Pa, and Daddy were called many times throughout the day.

Trains went speeding throughout the house today. “Choo-choo!”

Clara made some delicious pancakes with syrup and wonderful ‘foffee’ or coffee.

“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!”

P.K. let us know that the babies were sleeping so he told us to “shhhh”.

P.K.’s word of the day was yellow. Anything that he saw that was yellow, he let his friends and teachers know!

Breakfast was Chex and raisins. AM snack was corn. Lunch consisted of soy butter on whole grain bread, banana, and green peas. PM snack was string cheese and oranges.

Have a great night!

-Mindy

Back at school……

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Corn Chex and bananas. Lunch: Peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread, peas and bananas. Snack: Cottage cheese and pineapple.

Have a great day!

*Wee Friends will be closed for Winter Break Monday, Dec. 24-Friday Jan. 4. We will re-open Monday, January 7th.

Today began with peanut butter on whole wheat toast, bananas and a good game of Candy Land. Afterwards, friends decided to create their own versions of the game.

Lisa worked with a rotating group of friends on a flower petal counting game.

We read Jan Brett’s The Night Before Christmas and The Wild Christmas Reindeer. We learned a song about reindeer, “Clip, Clip, Clop, Clop” and headed to the music rug to create our own sleigh and great music.

We realized that Santa’s sleigh had no gifts so we got busy wrapping more presents.

Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with cheese and marinara, pear slices and corn. Snack: Cheddar cheese and apple slices.

Have a great day!

Today we celebrated a big milestone! Ada completed the entire Bob Book cycle, Books 1-5! She is a fantastic reader and is excited about moving on to chapter books! Congratulations, Ada!

Another celebration was created at the art table, but it’s a surprise..for you!

We have puzzles for every developmental stage. We have daily celebrations for friends who have either mastered challenging ones or just plain finished one!

Have you noticed our rocker? Perfect for friends who want to snuggle, or a good book.

The habitrail….pure Gross Motor celebration.

Outside today’s fort, Beach Boys Max, Nate and Finn were surfing.

Then it morphed into a train. We added music “The Cheesehead Special” and other friends jumped on board.

The boys disappeared and I heard Marta announce: “I am the chef, do you want pizza?” Arleigh put on a backpack ( 2×4 boards) and said “We’re going on a trip, remember?” To that Marta replied “Ok, I’ll make sandwiches for the trip.” They also turned the choo-choo into a living room. Ada experimented with the pole and how to make it vibrate. Jada read to the whole gang.

After some time had passed the surf boards became guitars and Marta and Finn belted out “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Sophie inspired rhythm stick work starting with The Nutcracker. We counted 1,2,3,4 and explored different tempos with several different songs. It turned into an exploration on how many different ways to use our rhythm sticks. Holiday Celebration is in the air as Wee Friends created reindeer antlers.

Macy, Jane, Arleigh and Ada sorted like colored stones. They decorated their tree and then counted the number of stones they used.

Wee Celebrate Good Times.

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Scrambled egg sandwiches on whole wheat toast and bananas. Lunch: Melted turkey and cheddar on whole grain flatbread, fresh pineapple and mixed veggies. Snack: Pretzels and orange slices.

Enjoy your day.

This morning a small group of friends asked to hear The Polar Express read aloud. After we finished, we moved to the sensory table to find bells, like the one in the story. Friends found and sorted red and green bells. Then they filled three different containers with bells: a tin box, a cardboard box and a mitten. We explored how the bells sounded different in each container.

Several friends spent time at the art table wrapping presents. We used more empty containers to practice wrapping paper and using tape. Some friends chose to create art with their container before wrapping it up.

Lisa set out felt Christmas trees and jewels. Friends adorned their tree with jewels, counting and patterning as they went. They charted how many jewels they used.

A fort was erected under the habitrail. The cast was 4 babies, a big brother and Mr. Fix It. I am told that Finn was Mr. Fix It.

Arleigh and Ada gift created and wrapped for 1/ 1/2.

Jane used one of the cardboard wrapping containers to create a person. On the back of the wrapping paper she drew a house for her 3-D character.

On the oval rug, Lisa guided a small group of friends in Musical Puppy.

Tami created an obstacle course in the habitrail. She strategically placed Little People and friends climbed up and down, encountering the Little People as they crawled through.

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Kashi and pear slices. Lunch: Whole grain rice with red beans, banana fruit salad and peas. Snack: Graham crackers and peanut butter.

Have a great day.

Good Afternoon!

**This will be the last blog of the week. I will be out the rest of the week including next Monday. See you back here next Tuesday!

A few of our friends completed their art projects this morning since they didn’t get to yesterday for one reason or another.

Emma loved using the sparkles in her paint. She pointed to the sparkles as she saw them.

Daniel was specific about his painting experience today. When he wanted a new color, he pushed the old one away and said, “all done”.

For Zoey’s art experience, a piece of colored construction paper was placed in a zip lock bag. Paint was squeezed into the bag along with glitter. Zoey took her hands and smashed the paint in the bag to make beautiful artwork! It was all her own and she loved being able to physically make the art .

Emma swayed back and forth as Miss Marty read our friends ‘Baby Beluga’. Most of our friends know the tune of the book so they hum along with us!

Smiles, smiles, smiles on this Tuesday!

For breakfast, friends had cheerios and pears. Lunch consisted of tortillas with melted cheese and refried beans, banana, and zucchini. PM snack was vanilla yogurt and animal crackers.

Have a terrific week!

-Mindy

Thank you so very much to all the parents who joined us for caroling yesterday! Your Wee Friends and Wee Staff were so happy to share that time with you!

Today, Tami reported that the swimmers are making great progress! Several friends have mastered putting their heads under water. Others, who wear flotation devices, have had layers of the bubble inserts removed, offering less support. They are slowly moving out of flotation help altogether!

While the swimmers were away, a small group of friends talked about the Grinch. We cut out large and small hearts and remembered how the Grinch’s heart started small (grouchy/mean or hitting friends) and by the end of the story, his heart grew and opened up (he liked to share and speak kindly to his friends). We taped hearts of all sizes to our tree collage. 

Elliott, Sloane and Lea had a discussion about dinner. Lea and Sloane imagined that the puzzles in the basket were their dinner. “Puzzles are not dinner.” replied Elliott. “Yes, they are.” responded Lea. “Uh-huh.” nodded Sloaners. “No. Only food is dinner.” insisted Elliot. This debate led to a discussion about how we use our imagination and how people see things in different ways.  It was a smooth conversation and gradually ended with each friend satisfied and ready to move on.

Wee Sprouts: Cucumber slices. Breakfast: Kix and pears slices. Lunch: Whole wheat tortillas with refried beans and cheese, romaine salad and bananas. Snack: Yogurt and apple slices.

Have a great day.

Good Afternoon!

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

We headed outside where we saw small snow flakes flying through the air. We bundled up because it was so cold! We stayed outside for a little while because our fingers and face started getting cold! If parents could make sure that their child comes with hats AND gloves everyday, that would be fabulous! Thanks!

Clara danced around using props such as circular rings!

We watched out the window as we saw big snow flakes come down! We loved looking at the snow as it stuck to the ground.

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Since the weather was cold and the flakes were flying ‘round, we took turns in the kitchen where friends painted using tempera paint as well as water colors.  The sensorial aspect of the paint was just what our friends needed this afternoon .

Friends P.K. and Eve lay down on the floor while reading books.

Our Wee Friends went around caroling to our neighbors. They sang special songs for us. We loved listening to their voices and getting some holiday cheer!

For breakfast, we had whole wheat toast with soy butter and pears. AM snack was green peas. Lunch consisted of whole grain pasta with tuna, mixed veggies, and oranges. PM snack was crackers and string cheese.

Have a great night.

-Mindy

• Wee Friends is closed for Winter Break Monday, December 24th – Friday, January 4th. We will re-open Monday, January 7th.
• Please remember our parking policy when you arrive today to carol. The church parking lot on the corner of 29th Street and Wall is available for you to park in for the extended period of time. Thank you!

Several of our friends have been studying author Jan Brett. A small group gathered this morning to read her Gingerbread Friends. Afterwards, we moved to the art table to create our own gingerbread friends.

 

Then onto salt dough. Friends measured 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt and 7 Tbls water, mixed it together, rolled it out and created sugar cookie ornaments!

Wee Sprouts: Cucumber slices. Breakfast: Whole wheat toast with cinnamon and pear slices. Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with tuna, mixed veggies and orange slices. Snack: Ritz crackers and string cheese.

See you all at 3:45 this afternoon for caroling, cookies and cocoa!