Good Afternoon!

Our Wednesday was one of fun; spirit; and music! Friends wanted to make lovely sounds with the musical shakers. We only have a certain number of shakers and we always do a great job at making sure each friend has an instrument.

Clara wanted to razzle dazzle us with the piano. She used both of her index fingers to push down each key.

P.K. stretched his body out while sitting on the chair. He then surprised his teachers and friends by making a silly face.

Emma took a book to the cubby area where her and Eve looked at the pictures.

Children got out the green oval mats and spun around in circles.

We used soft touches with our friends. Eren got a little tired so he rested his body for a couple of minutes.

This afternoon, P.K. was such a helper. Zoey’s shoe came off and he told Zoey, “Sit Zoey,” so he could put on her shoe.

A group of friends came together by the front door. Everyone held each others hands so that we made a circle. We spun around in a circle and then fell down! Once the group fell apart and friends went to other areas of the classroom, Clara and Daniel continued to walk around while holding hands.

Eren found himself in a predicament. He went to sit on the block but it fell..and so did he! He was sitting in the block trying to figure out how to get out. He figured it out all by himself! The problem solving skills that friends acquire as they get older are useful and of such value.

For breakfast, children had cheerios and apples. AM snack was corn. Lunch consisted of melted cheese on tortillas, broccoli/green beans, and pears. PM snack was triscuit crackers and raisins.

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening!

-Mindy

Happy Tuesday!

With the short day today, some of our friends’ mornings were different. Maybe we slept in a little later than usual. Maybe someone different dropped us off to Wee Wee Friends. Whatever the change, our morning was different. However, we took the changes in stride and had a great day!

Friends sat with one another as they read books. We’re working on taking turns with books and understanding that some times friends want to read the same book.

Since we had a late morning, friends got into the morning grove by spending time with their pals!

We cooked it up in the kitchen! Nutrition is important so when we cook in the kitchen we’re often talking about the kind of food we’re making and whether or not it’s good for our bodies.

The drums were taken out for our friends to play with. We made gentle sounds. We also made LOUD sounds.

A few of us stayed stationary as we played the drums while a couple friends walked/ran around the classroom.

Once our interest in the drums had dropped, friends requested the musical shakers. We shared the shakers with one another even the babies!

Eve shook the musical shakers behind her back!

Our two smallest friends had a great day! Lu Lu practiced rolling over while Zoey worked on climbing and gross motor work.

Since we opened late, breakfast nor AM snack was served. Lunch consisted of turkey on whole wheat bread, bananas, and mixed vegetables. PM snack was apples and hard boiled eggs.

Have a great evening!

-Mindy

Happy Tuesday and thanks for your flexibility this morning!

Our late start created a mellow Tuesday. Friends gravitated toward their areas of interest and we followed along, supporting their work, play and creative visions as they unfolded.

The creation of salt dough began some friend’s day. 

One friend began drawing and others soon followed.

“I did it!” exclaimed Ellie as she traced her own hand.

Elliott began drawing and then moved to scissor work, collecting all his clippings into an envelope. Other friends were excited about envelopes and asked to work with them as well.

Marina and Sophie worked hard at creating a house and a castle. Building it, crashing it down and rebuilding continue to inspire friends to stick with their work and rebuild their creation in a new way.

Lisa and several Wee Friends studied math fundamentals: identifying numbers, counting, and stacking caps, sorting and creating color patterns.

Jada and Ellie listened to Counting Kisses by Karen Katz.

The book is about family members who blow (and count) heart kisses to a wee baby. After we listened to the book, we set out a felt board and our own felt kisses.  As we counted hearts, we practiced the idea of adding/subtraction by adding a heart one at a time and counting up. We did the same as we took away hearts, one at a time.

In post lunch large group, our older friends have begun work on individual custom made alphabet boards. The first step was to write all the uppercase letters on a square. They used yesterday’s project: sand block alphabet etchings, as a reference.

Wee Sprouts: Cucumbers and pea pods. Lunch: Turkey on whole wheat bread, bananas and pea pods. Snack: Yogurt and orange slices.

Have a great day!

Happy Monday!

Here are a few pictures that were taken throughout the day. We had a blast during music time. Our favorites were the drums and musical shakers. Building with blocks, kitchen play, and gross motor happened multiple times throughout our Monday .

For breakfast, children had cinnamon toast with pears. AM snack was string cheese. Lunch consisted of whole wheat noodles with cream cheese, green peas, and apples. PM snack was whole grain crackers with string cheese.

Have a great evening!

-Mindy

In September of 2011, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum displayed  Barbie: The Fashion Exhibit. Did you see it?

Through experiential exhibits, the creators shared the history of the Barbie and Ken doll, and focused the exhibit on kids creating art through fashion design concepts.

It wasn’t about cultivating the mindset of Barbie and Ken being the “ideal” but instead, by using multicultural fabrics, light tables and tracing paper, costumes, hair brushes and mannequins-they allowed boys and girls to put on a fashion designer hat and jump fully into the act of creating something.  I’ve been waiting a year and a half for the ‘kid spark’ to ignite so that I could introduce these developmentally unique experiences to our own Wee Friends! And it happened this morning! Inspired by her own sister’s interest and talent in dress/fashion design, Macy sat down to create her own design for a dress. As groups switched with the Blue Bus schedule, friends sat down at the art table and experimented with fashion (and person!) design! We have displayed the designs on the basement door. Find your princess or pirate, ballerina or rainbow color haired Wee Friend!

As we created art, Tami was busy mounting our Barbie models onto free standing platforms.

She filled the sensory bin with an array of fabrics so that friends can design their own garments for Barbie and Ken. She included hair twisties to make draping easier (and to exercise those fine motor, “I’m getting ready to write” muscles.) Who knew Barbie and Ken could be multi-dimensional!!!

In other parts of the classroom: Each week, hours are spent in housekeeping with our friends changing, dressing, feeding, rocking, naming and loving baby dolls.  (and lots of cell phone conversations to moms.)

Today we added Little People to our 3D River Park model.

If it has a tutu and ballet slippers, Elizabeth will find it.

Likewise, where there is a Jolly Roger….Captain Finn is close behind.

In today’s post lunch small groups, Lisa read Ham and Eggs and then created a message board asking friends “Do YOU like ham and eggs?”. Laurie’s group read Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert. Afterward, friends created alphabet letter crayon rubbings with the sand blocks, naming the letters as they slowly emerged to the surface.

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and bananas. Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with ham and cheese, peas and pear slices. Snack: Goldfish and Craisins.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Barbie Doll started out as a human being! She was Barbara Handler, the daughter of Ruth and Elliot Handler.
• In the early 1950s, Ruth Handler (a successful businesswoman, a member of a rock band and a Women’s World Cup Soccer player) saw that her young daughter, Barbara, and her girlfriends enjoyed playing with adult female dolls as much or more than with baby dolls. Handler sensed that it was just as important for girls to imagine what they themselves might grow up to become as it was for them to focus on what caring for children might be like.
• Because all the adult dolls then available were made of paper or cardboard, Handler decided to create a three-dimensional adult female doll. Handler took her idea to the ad executives at Mattel Corp., the company that she and her husband, Elliot, had founded in their garage some years before: the (all-male) committee rejected the idea as too expensive, and with little potential for wide market appeal.
• Mattel finally agreed to back Handler’s efforts; and the Barbie doll debuted at the American Toy Fair in New York City in 1959.
• The Barbie doll has been joined by friends and family over the years, including the Ken doll—named for the Handlers’ son—in 1961.

So…how do YOU feel about Barbie? We’re interested!

Have a great day.

 

Good Afternoon and Happy Friday!

Stories took up most of our day. We admit it. We’re creatures of habit. We LOVE certain books. Most of us don’t care if they’re read over and over. Is it a bad thing? No. But we’re trying to get our friends to read a variety of books. I’m sure we’ll always come back to those books we’re familiar with..books that we love .

Chef Eve, Chef Zoey, and Chef Emma headed to the kitchen where together they whipped up wonderful food! They shared with friends and let everyone know what it was that they were making.

Throughout the day, we get tired. Each child finds a certain spot in the classroom to rest, to take a breather. The skill of self regulation is an important one! When we get tired, we rest for a little bit.

Zoey enjoyed looking at all of the animals on the abacus!

A selection of children’s music was turned on this morning. Children wanted the circular rings and shakers out. Once those were out, we made movements and sounds of our own to go along with the music.

We did the hokey pokey. Then we shook our sillies out. To end our music time, we were a bunch of monkeys jumping on the bed!

P.K. concentrated as he built a tower with a baby bottle at the top!

LuLu worked on rolling over. She sure did enjoy her floor time today!

Eren joined Clara in the cube where Clara sang a rousing rendition of the ABC’s.

We read one of our favorites: the Big Animal Book! Our animal sounds are greatly improving!

P.K. let his friends and teachers know what his monster on his shirt says: RAWWWW!

For breakfast, children had cheerios and pears. AM snack was string cheese. Lunch consisted of egg casserole with hash browns, oranges, and whole wheat toast with butter. PM snack was whole grain crackers and apples.

Hope you have a terrific evening!

-Mindy

A newly constructed train engine sparked many friends morning’s work. A teacher offered  great big cardboard boxes to add to the engine. After message boarding what a train needs, we added seats, wheels, a wall, tracks and a surf board. Friends hopped on and off board as their interest ebbed and flowed, filling the morning (and classroom) with music, imagined tunnels and mountains, bear chases and lullabies under starry skies.

When “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” rang out, Sophie ran over and took the conductor’s spot, leading the train into “Munchkin Land”, the next tune to play.

Lisa is guiding our friends in the creation of a Family Face Tree. Friends began working on their portraits for the tree.

Our friends continue to be engaged with the Montessori beads. Tami worked with a small group, sequencing, stacking and counting aloud.

 

When she isn’t dancing, Elizabeth is taking very good care of her babies.

After lunch work groups.

Many moments and many friends made one great day.

Wee Sprouts: Pea Pods. Breakfast: Corn Chex and apple slices. Lunch:

Farm fresh egg casserole with ham and potatoes, whole wheat toast with butter and orange slices. Snack: Whole grain crackers and cheese slices.

Have a great weekend.

This is a question that was asked earlier this week and it is one that has been asked over and over throughout the years. Every time a parent asks a question, and we answer it, we then huddle together as a teaching staff and reflect on our practice. Is our practice still relevant? Is it working? Why DO we do it that way? We value your questions because they keep us on our toes. Without those questions we lose opportunities to question, reflect, and respond. So bring them on!

So for today, I wanted to share a few very recent examples of our philosophy in action and then share our discussion about why it’s ok with us if a child opts to do their own thing instead of choosing to join a large or small group activity.

Earlier in the week, Miss Laurie created a 3D neighborhood project and invited the children in small groups to come and join her at the art table. The reply by one child was, “But I don’t want to do that”. He wanted to go to the workshop and create a train. And he did, indeed, go and create a train. And there was a teacher offering him one-to-one support to build his train. And we know that while he was at the workshop, he was intrinsically motivated to give his all to that work. Best practices are to provide him the materials and support to build his train. And we did. And he built a train that day.

Still this week, a younger child moved into group, then out of group as her interest waxed and waned. However, from the other side of the house, as soon as the group of children started singing, she moved her body back to the group and joined in enthusiastically. She was clearly paying attention to the group, even while she busied herself with her own interests. When she came to the group time, she wanted to be in the group. When children want to be there, it is a powerful tool in having a positive, structured group time.

Today, the teachers walked through Wee Friends and invited friends to join them in a sensory/science project of making Ice Wreaths to share with our birds (Thanks Jennifer and Lindsay for the idea and materials!) All of the children chose to come to the table. They all wanted to be there and they stayed and they cooperated for the duration.

Later in the morning, our 3D neighborhood project re-emerged to get its next layer of finish. Some of the children eagerly grabbed paint brushes and went to town (excuse the pun). Others continued their work in other parts of the classroom and then joined. Others declined to join in this morning, but may choose to work on it later. All of that is ok because when they are at the table they are fully invested.

So, back to the question, “Why don’t we make them come to circle time?”:

• We offer an environment full of choices (academic, social/emotional, creative, and physical), but we allow the child to choose what choices they make.
• Building focus and attention is a prime goal. What they are doing at the moment is the most important thing and the teachers are there to support and extend the play. Not to interrupt it because we are arrogant and believe our agenda is more important than what they are learning in their moment. http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2012/aug/preschool-children-better-attention-spans-more-likely-finish-college
• Children learn when they are interested in what is being taught. Otherwise, just watch them in a large group situation with all of the large group distractions: they pick their noses, they pick at their friends, they squirm, they look around everywhere. Until they are about 4.5 years old and then something happens. Then, we find that they are sponges and they really want to know EVERYTHING we can tell them about EVERYTHING. Force it on them sooner and they have closed the door at 4.5 years rather than swinging it wide open for us. Research backs this….http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20056147/ns/health-childrens_health/t/should-preschools-teach-all-work-no-play/
• Children learn when they are ready for what is being taught. Were you one of those children that they tried to teach algebra in 7^th grade and you just didn’t get it? I was. I was an awesome student and no matter how hard they tried and I tried, it didn’t make sense. Until it did, later, when my brain was ready. Reading concepts for children are the same thing. We immerse them in literacy (stories aloud individually and in small groups, daily writing opportunities, modeling writing, teachers always available for conversations that build language, music that utilizes rhythm and rhyme, learning materials that support literacy, etc) We give them the pieces of the puzzle and when their brains are ready it clicks. It always does. The article below states, “Most children learn to read by 6 or 7 years of age. Some children learn at 4 or 5 years of age.” We know this to be true. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/preschool/pages/Helping-Your-Child-Learn-to-Read.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token
• Children learn the concepts when they are working on something else nearby. We see this over and over when they talk to us about what they heard at the perimeter of the circle.
• Circle time is the least effective direct teaching that we do. That individual conversation that a teacher has with a child is also direct teaching and it is the most effective. But, that’s another whole blog in itself.
• Wee Friends honors the individual child, their individual development, and their individual interests. Through this, we cultivate a lifelong love of learning.

So really, it’s more than ok with us that our Wee Frienders can opt out of a group time. At the core, we know it is a gift we are giving the children. We know that we are offering a gazillion opportunities for small group times and large group times and we trust that the children know which ones will be valuable to them.

Have a great day!

Tami

Breakfast today was Kix and Banana.  Wee Sprouts were baby carrots.  For lunch, we had whole wheat flat bread filled with cream cheese and turkey, fresh cauliflower/cucumbers, and fresh mango/bananas.

Good Afternoon!

To start off our Wednesday morning, some friends gathered around the blocks. Within the blocks, there are different animals and food such as strawberries. We talked about the animals and the sounds that they make. A few blocks even made noise with bells and pebbles within them. Friends shook the blocks to hear the different noises.

Our friends looked intently at what was inside each block.

When all of the blocks were emptied out, we all picked up the blocks and put them back into the bin. Everyone did a great job picking up their toys!

When we were done with the blocks, friends decided they wanted to make music. The drums and music shakers were taken down off the shelves for friends to play with.

Friends worked with different rhythms and sounds. We started with soft sounds then worked up to LOUD sounds .

Friends then took turns doing water play. There were many toys including sponges, animals, and boats that were available in the sink. Daniel especially enjoyed taking water from one side of the sink and transferring it to the other side using a measuring cup.

Clara used a sponge to clean the baby. Boy, the baby was sure clean at the end of water play!

P.K. took all of his toys and lined them up on the edge of the sink. We talked about the different animals that he was referring to.

P.K. said, “Hug the bear!”

For breakfast, children had cheerios and banana. Lunch consisted of couscous with chicken, green peas, and apples. PM snack was apples and string cheese.

Have a great night!

-Mindy

This is the question we asked friends as they gathered together on the oval rug. We discussed what a neighborhood IS and then one by one and two by two friends ran to the front and back doors to observe River Park, the Wee Friends neighborhood. They returned with lots of information about what makes a neighborhood: cars, trees, sidewalks and people walking on them, logs and houses were among the many observations they made.

While in our circle, we learned the Sesame Street song “Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?” and belted it out while waiting for friends to return from their research.

Then we invited our Wee Friends and neighbors to the art table where we have begun a 3D model of River Park. With recycled packaging materials, friends created elaborate houses and river boats and fences.

Max and Finn began construction on a railroad.

Sisters Jane and Macy created a house and engaged several friends in an imaginary family exploration.

We have increased our Magna Tile set and friends continue to work with these math tools, ever expanding the complexity of their creations.

Outside, throughout our winterized classroom, the ice offered Wee Friends a very interesting science experiment. First, friends found a shovel, frozen in a pool of water in the back of a toy truck. Melinda led them in their quest to find out “How can we get the shovel out?” After much collaborative problem solving, the accomplished their mission! Then everyone got crazy about ice-running all over the playground looking for ice patches and working to dislodge them.

Next, they found rocks and shovels frozen solid in a black bin. Ellie thought it was the funniest thing she’s ever seen. Again, a conversation ensued about how to get the plastic shovels out. Finn suggested they pour hot water over it and Ada thought putting it where the sun would shine upon it would do the trick. We decided to bring it indoors and study how long it will take for the ice to melt.

Finding the ice, cracking it against the sidewalk and eating it filled the remaining moments of our outside time.

We warmed up inside with a hiding/guessing game: Who is That Friend in Our Neighborhood? Each friend had a chance to hide while the others guessed who was missing, singing our song all the while.

Wee Sprouts: Cucumber slices. Breakfast: Oatmeal and bananas. Lunch: Cous-cous and chicken, peas and pear slices. Snack: Whole wheat pancakes and bananas.

Conversation Starters:

• Who are the people in our neighborhood?
• What happens to ice when it melts?
• Look out the window-can you find your letter?

Have a great day.