It was a busy day at Wee Friends!  With the wind-chill keeping us indoors, we had to get creative to for fill our gross motor needs!  First, we enjoyed moving our bodies in an obstacle course.  We experimented with moving our bodies in untraditional ways.  After walking across the balance beam we tried other ways of crossing it, slithering like a snake and scooting backward.  We tried bunny hopping and crab walking to move our bodies back to the beginning.  After the obstacle course, we danced and played a variety of body moment musical games.  We brought back a calm body with some yoga after all that movement.  We practiced breathing deeply with each pose and moving our bodies in a slow controlled manor.  A story got us ready for lunch time and some much needed rest!

We explored table activities today as well.  We were invited to practice our sorting and counting skills at the round table.  There was plenty of building on the building rug.  We also explored a “snowy” sensory bin since we couldn’t play in the snow outside.  As always there were many ways we could grow our minds and bodies at Wee Friends!

Breakfast: Cheerios with fresh bananas.

Lunch: Peanut butter on whole wheat bread/tortilla, cheddar block cheese, fresh watermelon/pears, and fresh cucumber/pepper.

PM Snack: Whole wheat cinnamon and raisin bagel with cream cheese.

Wee Sprouts: Fresh bell peppers.

Link to Photos: 2023-11-28

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon!

~Wee Friends Teachers

Reminder:  Wee Friends will be closed for our winter break from Monday, December 25-Friday, January 5, 2024.  Thank you!

Happy Monday!  We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend!

This morning, Dax took out the bean bags and asked for a dancing song.  We used our bean bags to dance to the song by Greg and Steve called the Beanie Bag Dance.  We followed the directions and placed our bean bags on the body part as we danced.

We then headed into the kitchen to engage in a loose parts activity with pom-poms and dominos.  We could use a spoon, cup and bowl while exploring with them.  The friends were interested in the dots on the dominos, so Miss Bekah used her finger to show how we can count them,  using one-to-one correspondence as she recited the number.  Hannah worked on her patterning skills and stringing with her beads.

Eleanor enjoyed climbing on the habi-trail, exploring doctor tools and walking down the length of the fish tank while watching the fish swim.

Breakfast:  Whole grain wheat bread toast with butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture and fresh apple slices.

Lunch:  Whole grain wheat penne pasta with red beans, fresh pear slices and broccoli.

Afternoon Snack:  Whole milk yogurt and graham crackers.

Wee Sprouts:  Cucumbers.

Have a wonderful evening!

Rebekah and Tina

Link to pictures: 2023-11-27

Good afternoon.  We hope everyone had a relaxing break!

To start off our week, PREK1 friends had to option to come sign in where we looked at the map of the United States. First, they wrote their name under the state that they live in. Then, we worked together to identify the state of Indiana. For those that didn’t know, we found Michigan first since it’s a very identifiable state since its the shape of a mitten! We looked directly under it to find Indiana.

Social Studies: K.3.2 Identify maps and globes as ways of representing Earth and understand differences between a map/globe.

This morning a loose parts activity inspired imaginative thought and building ideas.  We set out trays that contained a range of materials like clothespins wood pieces and puff balls.  Our bright young friends got right to work.  Asher created an airplane with his parts using the sticks and clothes pins.  He showed off how it could fly through the air!  Albert created a “car wash” with the parts he had on his tray.  We got down some cars and trucks to add so that the car wash idea could grow into some imaginative play.  After that several other friends wanted to add cars and trucks to their trays as well:)

In the art center we offered an engaging painting technique using paint, eye droppers and colored glitter.  We gave a choice of holiday colors or a red, blue and  purple alternative.  Most chose holiday colors since, as they shared with us they had been decorating at home.  Others were quite decisive about wanting to use more color variety and waited patiently for the blue purple and red painting tray.

PREK2:  During group time today we read the story “My Many Colored Days” which several friends shared that they enjoy at home as well.  We talked about how sometimes colors might make us think of certain emotions like they did in the story.  We thought of how different colors made us feel when we looked at them.  We practiced “hot chocolate breath” which is a little exercise in using our imaginations to act out making hot chocolate while practicing calming breathwork.  After the story we practiced some name recognition matching our name sticker with our name written on the board.  .

Breakfast: Whole wheat toast with butter and fresh bananas.

Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with black beans, fresh pears/banana, and bell peppers/carrots.

PM Snack: Whole milk yogurt with granola.

Wee Sprouts: Fresh cucumbers and carrots.

Link to Photos:2023-11-27

Enjoy this wintery afternoon!

~Wee Friends Teachers

Good Afternoon!

This weekend our last infant friend turns a year old!  We hope you have a great 1st birthday.

With today being pajama day, it was also hair day!  Miss Tina put a pony tail or 2 in everyone’s hair.

We engaged with a variety of musical instruments.  We all enjoyed making beautiful sounds together.

Breakfast:  Overnight Oatmeal with cinnamon/sugar mixture and fresh watermelon.

Lunch:  Hummus on whole grain wheat tortillas, fresh pineapple and sweet potatoes.

Afternoon Snack:  Pretzels and mozzarella cheese stick.

Wee Sprouts:  Cucumbers.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the long weekend!

Rebekah and Tina

Link to pictures:  2023-11-22

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Breakfast: Oatmeal with fresh strawberries

Lunch: Ham and turkey cream cheese roll ups with fresh pineapple, banana and bell peppers

PM Snack: Humus and tortilla chips

Wee Sprouts: Fresh cucumbers

Link to photos: 2023-11-22

We hope you all enjoy a safe and happy holiday weekend!

~Wee Friends Teachers

Good afternoon Families! It was an experimental morning at Wee Friends!

This morning in the art center Adrian noticed that h is pastel drawing came off a bit of the table when he turned it upside down.  He got a piece of paper and tried pressing it against the pastel drawing to see if that would come of on the paper and was disappointed that it did not.  I asked if he would like to try experimenting with this idea using paint which would transfer more easily.  He was up for it, so he painted a picture, then pressed a piece of paper over the top creating two symmetrical paintings.  After this several other friends tried the technique and Adrian was happy to explain how to do it.  Katherine was particularly fascinated with the process.  She made painting after painting this way and spent most of the morning in the art center working on it.  She asked why the image got lighter when transferred,  and we talked about how each time she made an image, more paint is pulled from the original until there is non left to transfer.  She was quite intrigued with the phenomenon:)  What excellent critical think skills were built upon this morning!

Our chain making friends were back to work this morning!  Today we brought some objects out to support further development of this interest in linking things with chain.  Several friends worked together to attach all of the objects together.  Some friends said they were making connected cages for the stuffed animals.  Others said it was a train for the animals.  The project supported a great deal of cooperation, negotiation and compromise as everyone navigated the “connectiveness” of the group project.

PREK2:  In group today we read the story “ Kindness Starts with You”.  We talked about the way the character in the story was showing responsibility along with kindness.  We talked about how things like helping a friends clean up are not only kind, but responsible.  Choosing to be responsible shows we are big enough to help take care of our environment and to help care for others.  After the story, we thought of ways we could be responsible.

Breakfast: Cheerios with fresh watermelon.

Lunch: Peanut butter on whole wheat bread with fresh tangerines, strawberries and cucumbers.

PM Snack: Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese.

Wee Sprouts: Fresh colored bell peppers.

Link to Photos:2023-11-21

Good afternoon!

Enjoy some pictures from our day!

Breakfast: Whole grain Kix cereal with fresh watermelon.

Lunch: Whole grain wheat tortilla with peanut butter, 1/2 stick of mozzarella cheese, apple slices, and red bell pepper.

Afternoon Snack: Whole grain wheat bagel with butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture and fresh strawberries.

Wee Sprout: Cucumber.

Have a wonderful evening!

Tina and Rebekah

Link to pictures: 2023-11-21

Good Afternoon!

This morning we began by sitting on the reading step and looking at a book independently.

We could all hear the trash truck coming down the road, so those of us who were interested in seeing it, climbed up onto the habi-trail to watch it empty the bins across the street.

Our babies also enjoyed playing in the housekeeping area with teddy bears and fruits/veggies in the play kitchen.

We then headed into the kitchen for a different sensory experience with kinetic sand.  We used our big plastic bugs to make lines in it.

Breakfast:  Whole grain wheat bread toasted with butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture and fresh apple slices.

Lunch:  Whole grain wheat penne pasta with shredded turkey, fresh cucumber and pear slices.

Afternoon Snack:  Whole milk yogurt and fresh strawberries.

Wee Sprouts:  Yellow bell pepper slices.

Have a great evening!

Rebekah and Tina

Link to pictures:  2023-11-20

Welcome back and hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!  It will be a short week but we still have lots of playful learning to enjoy!

This morning we explored some playdough beading activities.  We offered playdough trays with long sticks for stacking and counting beads.  We also offered trays with small colored match sticks for counting smaller numbers or for creating something sculptural…which naturally happed.  One of our friends stacked and counted 33 beads on each of his three sticks.  We discovered that all together he had stacked 99 beads.  After that he had to squeeze one more on to get 100!  Another pair of friends worked together with the small match sticks to create a “porcupine covered in beads”.  Someone else made it a birthday cake.  It was a great mix of math and imagination!

The counting continued with sponge dots on the easel.  One of our older friends painted and counted  50 dots!  Other friends used the dots to make beautiful abstract works of art!

Breakfast: Peanut butter on whole wheat toast with fresh apple slices

Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with beef, fresh green beans, peppers and watermelon

PM Snack: Birthday trail mix with dried fruit, pretzels and popped corn, Happy Birthday William!

Wee Sprouts: Fresh cucumbers and bell peppers

Link to photos:2023-11-20

Enjoy the day!

~Wee Friends Teachers

Happy Friday!

Look at all those smiling, happy faces!  Enjoy the pictures from our day.

Breakfast: Whole grain brown rice cakes with cream cheese and pineapple slices.

Lunch:  Grilled cheese sandwich on whole grain wheat bread, fresh cantaloupe/bananas and cooked carrots.

Afternoon Snack:  Goldfish crackers and mozzarella cheese stick.

Wee Sprout: Red bell pepper.

Have a great weekend!

Rebekah and Tina

Link to pictures: 2023-11-17