Last week, I read the article, Children and sleep – A Real Health Issue, and I wanted to share it on the blog today.  Maybe because it is May the 16th, it is 39 degrees out,  and it is drizzling rain AND I want to nap instead of doing real work.  So my compromise is sip my coffee while I  write about napping:)

The article was a very concise write up of what I have been reading about for years:  GOOD SLEEP IS CRITICAL FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN.  Lack of sleep is connected to being at high risk for obesity, chronic disease, developing ADHD, and it is detrimental to learning.  The author shares, “Up until age five, naps are an important part of healthy sleep habits. Research shows that young children learn best when they are able to nap during the day. The brain is active during sleep and helps to transfer information learned earlier in the day to a different part of the brain that controls long-term memory. The ability to focus and control behavior are affected if children do not get adequate sleep including a daytime nap.”  http://extension.psu.edu/youth/betterkidcare/news/2014/children-and-sleep-2013-a-real-health-issue

In another article, Daytime Naps Enhance Learning in Preschool Children, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130923155534.htm the author shares Rebecca Spencer’s research on napping preschoolers. Spencer is concerned because with the surge of information on the importance of early learning, the shift is to take naps away to make more time for learning.  However, she concludes that, “children should not only be given the opportunity, they should be encouraged to sleep by creating an environment which supports sleep.”  Her research conclusively showed that children were better able to remember what they had learned after an average nap of 77 minutes than without one.  Specifically, “While the children performed about the same immediately after learning in both the nap and wake conditions, the children performed significantly better when they napped both in the afternoon and the next day,” the authors summarize. “That means that when they miss a nap, the child cannot recover this benefit of sleep with their overnight sleep. It seems that there is an additional benefit of having the sleep occur in close proximity to the learning.”

Wee Friends offers a quiet environment conducive to good napping in both classrooms and our teachers value naps.  For the preschoolers we often get requests to discontinue napping and we do work with parents and respect their wishes.  However, I wanted to offer some research as to why we value the nap.   As always, ya’ll know I love to talk about this stuff.  So, I’d be happy to dialogue and brainstorm with any of you on how to ensure your child is getting enough rest during the day.

When you can’t figure out what to do, it’s time for a nap. ~Mason Cooley

Stay warm today!

Tami

Other links on sleep:

Your Guide To Healthy Sleep http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/yg_slp.htm

Napping Helps Children Retain Memory, Learn New Skills http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1113116770/children-learn-more-retain-memories-with-naps-040914/#KctKWGROeTodObpC.99

From Learning in Infancy to Planning Ahead in Adulthood: Sleep’s Vital Role for Memory http://www.cogneurosociety.org/sleep_memory_cns2014/

Infant Sleep Research: Bedsharing, Self-Soothing, and Sleep Training http://scienceofmom.com/2012/03/09/infant-sleep-research-cosleeping-self-soothing-and-sleep-training/

Happy Thursday!

Water. Splash. Bubbles. Toys. Our morning was filled with joy (and damp clothes).

Lucy has enjoyed the wonders of walking. With taking five to ten steps at a time, it’s a whole new world for her!

Tate ended his afternoon with a couple modeling shots in the cubbies. He’s very photogenic .

For breakfast, children had corn flakes and strawberries. Lunch was homemade pizza with spinach and cheese on a whole wheat crust, fresh mixed fruit (blueberries, honeydew melon, cantaloupe), and broccoli. PM snack was whole milk yogurt and string cheese.

Have a wonderful night!

		WWF, 5/15/2014 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

What’s the point? It’s not a question we ask very often at Wee Friends. Most of the time, in our Early Childhood learning environment, we understand that the process is the point.  And repetitive, child initiated processes will cultivate concrete skill development over time.

Emma loves spinning the Lazy Susan. We covered it with paper. First, she pressed a marker down to create circles. Then she used her hand to spin the Susan. Over and over, round and round. Emma’s point was not creating a work of art, it was giving her a chance to dive into a gross motor exploration that connected to her interest.

Under the habitrail, a small group of friends created a hospital bed. They build EVERYDAY with blocks! What’s the point? Collaboration, vocabulary, empathy and putting shapes and angles together to create a familiar object, to name a few.  And here’s some of what we heard, to assess their understanding of the topic:

“Her heart is bumping fast.”

“Her kickers are good.”

“Here’s a pressure point.”

“She’s about to be dead.”

“Her blood pressure is leaking out of her heart.”

“Her eyes are blood bleeding.”

“I’ll call the medicine order.”

“Pretend you have a baby in your heart.”

“Her teeth are not straight and she has a crooked heart.”

“Do you want to play car mechanic now?”

And off we all went…..to discover the next point of the next idea, flesh it out and watch the Wee peeps grow.

Hope you are enjoying the point of YOUR day! –Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Edamame.  Breakfast:  Melted ham and cheese on whole wheat English muffins and bananas. Lunch: Homemade whole wheat pasta with fresh spinach and mozzarella,  blueberries/cantaloupe/honeydew fruit salad and broccoli. (ALL PPC veggies/fruit) Snack: Cottage cheese and cherry tomatoes.

		WF 5/15 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Good Afternoon!

*Just as a reminder, WWF will be closed May 26th in observance of Memorial Day. Thanks!

Even with the dreary, rainy day, we found different activities to keep ourselves occupied. Before we went outside, friends got together in the reading area and took turns reading different books. Our older friends did fantastic job of retelling the story in their own words. Our younger friends are becoming more and more aware of print in different stories. Most times, we make sure the book is facing the right way! Yay!

Our vocabulary all around is shooting through the roof! Not only is print and books helping our language but conversations with friends as well as teachers allow our vocabulary to grow.

As we went outside, we noticed that the benches and slides were wet. This brought up a discussion of the rain that we had last night. Eren said that he was a little scared of the thunder and lightning we’ve had recently.

For breakfast, friends had eggs with cheese and oranges. Lunch consisted of rice with pork, corn, and banana. PM snack was cheddar cheese slices and animal crackers.

Have a great evening!

		WWF, 5/14/2014 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Questions for your farmers:

1) What did you find when you were digging in the ground?

2) What sounds did you hear when you were walking in the woods?

3) What root vegetable did you smell?

4) What flowers did you see?

5) What is the farm potty like?

6) What song did we sing to Farmer Charlotte?

Enjoy your conversation and your day! –Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Cucumbers. Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and grapes. Lunch: Brown rice with pork, mixed veggies and bananas. Snack: Strawberries and yogurt.

		WF 5/14 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Happy Tuesday!

Hope everyone is having a lovely day!

We started off our morning with a little music. We got out the pianos, drums, and xylophones. Friends took turns with different instruments but we were sure making loud and awesome music!

With the outside area a little wet, friends focused on driving the trucks around the yard. Something so simple is an awesome gross motor activity for our friends. Not only are we working on our balance but our leg muscles are getting a workout. Eren had a take a break .

After he took a break, Eren went to the sandbox where his friend Daniel was in the middle of building a big birthday cake! Eren and friends offered their assistance.

For breakfast, children had cheerios and grapes. Lunch consisted of cheese filled tortillas, mixed vegetables, a spinach salad, and bananas. PM snack was cottage cheese and graham crackers.

Have a great night!

		WWF, 5/13/2014 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We kept ourselves pretty busy while the swimmers were away. We also welcomed two new Wee Friends: Nora, who is coming over from Wee Wee in mid-June, and Emerson, who will be a full time Wee Friender in June. We are so glad to have them joining our classroom!

Enjoy this day! – Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Cucumbers. Breakfast: Cereal and bananas. Lunch: Peanut butter on flatbread, spinach salad with yogurt ranch dressing. Snack: Cheese sticks and grapes.

		WF 5/13 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Happy Monday!

The pictures in the album are from this past Friday and today (Monday) combined since there was no blog for Friday.

For breakfast, children had toast with butter and cinnamon along with raisins. Lunch consisted of noodles with butter and kidney beans, cucumbers, and a mixture of pears and apples. PM snack was cheddar cheese slices and pretzels.

Have a lovely evening!

		WWF, 5/12/2014 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

How do YOU feel about competition in early childhood?

Here’s what a couple experts share from both perspectives:

CON: By definition, not everyone can win a contest. If one child wins, another cannot. Competition leads children to envy winners, to dismiss losers. Co-operation, on the other hand, is marvelously successful at helping children to communicate effectively, to trust in others and to accept those who are different from themselves. Children feel better about themselves when they work with others instead of against them, and their self-esteem doesn’t depend on winning a spelling test or a Little League game.
American Alfie Kohn, author of No Contest:The Case Against Competition

PRO: Healthy competition inspires kids to do their best – not just good enough. When students compete they will become more inquisitive, research independently, and learn to work with others. They will strive to do more than is required. These abilities prepare children for future situations of all kinds. Whether it’s applying to college, seeking a promotion, or finding a cure for cancer, the ability to be competitive will give them an important edge.
Jennifer Veale, founder and executive director of TrueCompetition.org

At Wee Friends, we acknowledge the natural tendency to compete with respect. Today, a friend came in and shared: “I wore this necklace so my friend will be jealous!”. We acknowledged this friend’s competitive motivation and redirected it by asking; “Would you like to show your friend how to MAKE the same necklace, so you can both enjoy the work and each other?” “YES!” was her response. So out came the penne pasta. First, we created necklaces. We studied the shape of the pasta and discussed the word “penne”. We found its origin, and then we made pens (quills) with our pasta. We tried them out and they wrote beautifully.

In another part of the classroom, Lisa played a game of “Go Fish!” Friends were adamant about being first. Lisa explained how to take turns so that everyone gets a chance to play, whether they are first or last. They understood. They agreed. They played.

Finn and Elliott spent most of their morning devising a Coast Guard boat that would support their weight. They brainstormed. They executed. They patched up the previous problem. They tried again.

We build. We fall. We rebuild. We succeed. We compete and we collaborate. We cultivate.

Have a great day. –Laurie

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Cheerios and orange slices. Lunch: Penne pasta with red beans, apple slices and carrots/cucumbers. Snack: Graham crackers and peanut butter.

		WF 5/12 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Good Morning!  I wanted to let everyone know the next few weeks of fieldtrips that I have planned.

Also, I wanted to remind everyone that there is $5.00 per child fee farm trip fee that is donated to Prairie Winds Farm.  I will keep a list of trips and bill everyone at the end of the season.  If this creates a hardship for your family, please let me know and WF will cover the cost.  If anyone would like to make a larger donation to our farm, I would gladly accept it for them.

Wednesday, 5/14 leaving @ 9:45    Group A to Prairie Winds Farm

Wednesday, 5/21 leaving at 10:00   Group B to Prairie Winds Farm. Parents of the WWF younger children can join us with your child under 2 years.

Thursday, 5/22 leaving @ 8:15    Group A to Potato Creek Nature Center to explore their current interest in taxidermy.  WF is covering the fee for this one.  (Yes, it has to be this early in the morning.  I’m very grateful to the naturalist Tim Cordell for squeezing us in a full schedule so we can pursue this emergent curriculum.)

Here’s an article published in the Edible Michiana publication.  It’s has some fabulous pictures and it does a nice job explaining our farm’s dedication to sustainable farming.

http://onlinedigeditions.com/publication/?i=147230&p=32#%7B%22page%22:33,%22issue_id%22:147230%7D