Today the swimmers practiced jumping off the block, backstroke, front crawl, front float/back float and some friends touched the bottom. The lesson ended with water play time.

While the large group of swimmers were at the Y, a few friends stayed at Wee Friends reading books, singing “The Leaves Are Falling One by One”, working on a collage, easel art, practicing name writing, counting roses and building structures with the Magna-Tiles.

Yesterday we had our Annual Halloween Parade. As we paraded, we sang both the WF Anthems, “The Johnny Appleseed Song” and “Flush and Wash”.

For lunch we served melted cheese on whole wheat tortillas, roasted butternut squash and apples.

Have a great day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning was filled with activity! The children did lots of self initiated small group play in hopscotch, the block room and housekeeping. At times, our house was very noisy…but if you listened to it, it was nearly all happy, cooperative, and part of the children’s play.

To stay with the Halloween spirit, Miss Melinda and Miss Tami put out art materials for the children to create their own vision of what a jack-o-lantern would look like. There were orange and rainbow pumpkins, tempera paint, watercolor paint, glue, scissors, & black construction paper. Every completed pumpkin is very different from the next.

We had out the I Like Pumpkins book for our art exploration. This book has lots of examples of really unique jack-0-lanterns. Miss Melinda read this book for our large group storytime before nap.

 

 

 

 

 

For a math activity, Miss Tami divided our message board into 10 equal spaces and each rectangle counted by 10’s up to 100. Kai and Isaac started the activity by estimating that there would be 100 spiders in our cauldron. We discussed how hard it is to not lose track of your number when counting right to 100 and then discussed how counting by 10’s is an easy way to reach 100. The boys were completely surprised when they reached 100 and still had LOTS of spiders in their cauldron. They counted the remaining spiders to discover they had 193 spiders.

The spider activity stayed on the table for further exploration by the younger children. Annie, Jane, Ada, and Macy worked at counting groups of 10. At one point, I over heard Jane talking about the “mommy” spider, the “daddy” spider, and all of their “babies”. And then our math activity transitioned into a dramatic play adventure!

For lunch we had whole grain flat bread with melted cojack cheese, roasted sweet potatoes, and fresh mixed fruit.

Miss Laurie is still out sick. We sure hope she feels better soon! Also, Miss Marty is out from WWF trying to get over her monster cold. Everyone get an extra dose of sunshine today to ward off the yucks!

A few more shots:

We were feeling the Halloween spirit today, so we added some Halloween-y activities to our morning:

Pounding golf tees into a giant pumpkin! Pounding gives the children’s hands strength that is critical to developing writing skills. In addition to this, here are just a few of the Indiana Academic Foundations met by this activity: F.6.11 Give reason for placement of objects. F.6.13 Use a tool in a new way. F.6.19 See a simple task through to completion. F.1.3 Observe and describe properties of objects. F.3.2 Investigate and talk about the characteristics of matter (e.g., liquids and solids, smooth and rough, bend-not bend).F.2.2 Follow simple directions.

It was not necessarily Halloween-y, but the children also pounded golf tees into playdough this morning and created golf tee cakes with birthday candles, picture frames, food items, and animals. F.2.10 Use objects as symbols for other things. (e.g., a scarf to represent bird wings or a box to represent a car) F.2.19 Use a variety of materials (e.g., crayons, paint, clay, markers) to create original work. F.2.12 Progress in ability to create drawings, models, and other art creations that are moe detailed, creative, or realistic.

The light table was of great interest as we added Halloween-y bats, ghosts, tombstones, moons, & ghosts. There isn’t an Academic Foundation that explains the incredible benefit of the children exploring how the light effects the objects on the table, but here are a few that are clearly connected: F.7.10 Use new vocabulary learned from experiences. F.7.7 Classify categories of words. F.7.8 Identify attributes of objects. F.2.15 Enjoy materials and activities to further explore, manipulate, and exercise the imagination.F.3.6 Describe differences and similarities in various physical environments.F.3.1 Participate in activities using materials with a variety of properties (e.g., color, shape, size, name, type of material).

Our music and movement time drew all of the children because of the little Jack-o-lantern ball that was the focus of our inside and outside group play. Inside, we sat in a circle and passed the ball around to the beat of the music. The children stopped the ball when the music stopped. You can see this in the short video I took: IMG_2309

Outside, Miss Melinda led the children through a variety of parachute activities. The favorite one was everyone going low to the ground, a child counting aloud, and everyone jumping up at once to launch the Halloween ball high into the air! Both the inside music and outside parachute activities met these Foundations (and more!) F.1.4 Perform basic rhythmical skills alone and/ or with a partner. (e.g., the child marches and dances to music or rhythmical sounds in free form or with simple adult directions). F.2.3 Follow rules for simple games and activities. F.2.1 Identify and use a variety of spatial relationships with objects (e.g., the child will move self and/or an object over, under, beside, and through as directed by an adult).5.1 Take turns during physical activities. F.5.3 Work together as a team toward a common goal. .5.4 Play cooperatively with others during physical activities. F.5.5 Treat others with respect during physical activities.F.1.3 Sing along to familiar songs.

 

 

 

 

 

For lunch we had brown rice with roast beef, avocado/banana/cranberry salad, and mixed vegetables.

Try not to let the dreary weather make you tired!

This was a Blue Bus Gymnastics morning. The children worked with Miss Jennifer on eye-hand coordination today through games that used scarves, balls, and the parachute.

REMINDER…Tomorrow is the new YMCA swim session. All that were in swimming are continuing. But, we are adding 5 new swimmers: Ada, Addi, Arleigh, Alma & Umi. (Notice all the A’s!) The new guys will need to bring swim suits, preferably one that can stay at WF for the entire session.

Our small group inside mainly focused on two regular everyday WF activities: Making Sculpture Dough and the Light Table. As teachers, we love the chance to enhance a “normal” activity with interesting materials that renew the children’s interest in the activity.

Since Sculpture Dough has not been chosen in awhile and we had some Halloween forms (Jello jiggler molds), it took just a little suggestion to Kai that those two materials might go well together. From that, we had child after child making their own sculpture dough and using the Halloween forms, while also creating many of their own sculptures. While kids waited for their turns, they used our playdough.

The light table has been used for the past few weeks with the fairy tale cut outs. As the interest in this topic has waned, so has the interest in the light table. Today, we added a translucent orange plastic pumpkin cutouts, black construction paper, scissors and two copies of the book Five Little Pumpkins to the area. Children worked alone and together to create their own funny jack-o-lantern faces.

Miss Laurie is out today ill with the monster cold virus that has been filtering through. This cold is very sinus and chest congesting. It took me a full two weeks to get through it without antibiotics. However, several of the children (and one teacher) have gone on antibiotics for this virus because of resulting sinus or ear infections.

Outside, we enjoyed the beautiful weather for a full hour and ten minutes of play! Here are a few shots from the morning, inside and out:

Enjoy the sunshine!!!!

Tami

Inspired by an activity at one of the Des Moines children’s museums, Simon and his family created a magnetic fishing game. Using two poles with magnets attached to the ends, WF caught small, medium and large fish of different colors and textures (handsewn by Simon!) with washers sewn on. When the silver ring of a witch’s hat was accidentally caught, a curiosity arose about what else could be caught! Annie caught the dish washer!

Our Fairy Tale and Apple Studies are coming to their natural end as Wee Friend’s continue to express other interests. Both studies have allowed us to shift naturally into Halloween fun! Today we finished our hard boiled jack-o-lantern eggs by using black paint to create the faces. note: These will be in your child’s cubby to take home today. While we used non-toxic tempera paint to color them, they should not be consumed!

With a tray filled with black paint and dried pea pods, some friends continued creating art using orange paper and masking tape.

For lunch we served Miss Charlotte’s farm fresh eggs (hard boiled), apples/pears/craisins, whole grain flatbread and roasted butternut squash.

Have a wonderful weekend! Gymnastics Monday starting at 9am!

 

 

 

Ok, so it’s rainy and yucky outside.  The dreariness didn’t make it inside as the children initiated what can only be called Game Day.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The children worked in small groups to play a variety of games: several different types of memory games, Dominos, Connect Four, & Mancala.  All the games were played with developmentally appropriate rules for the age of the children that joined in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other activities included:

Painting hard boiled eggs as Jack-O-Lanterns.

Some beading time:

LOTS of block building:

and LOTS of small group story times and a few large group story times:

 

 

 

 

 

So, despite the crazy weather outside, our classroom was filled with cheer!

Here’s a few other shots from yesterday afternoon!

 

 

 

 

Stay warm and dry!

Boy, did we make the most of this rainy day! Our morning began with a rehearsal: Jane practiced being a bird “for my recital tonight with my Dad.” Our breakfast eaters were a captive audience, watching and listening closely.

After breakfast, a small group of friends moved to the truck room where we read about another bird, Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. Umi, in particular, has asked us to read this book several times in the last few days. The kids know it so well that they asked the question “are you my mother?” every time it came up in the book. At one point, I stopped reading the words and they told the story, describing what they saw in the pictures. We found two other books about animals searching for their mothers, Little Baa (Kim Lewis) and Are You My Mommy (Carla Dijs) and compared and contrasted the three. We discussed where our own mothers are today. Afterwards, we acted out the story, blindfolding the baby bird who was searching for his/her mama.

The mother and child reunions were a little slice of heaven with big smiles and big embraces.

We introduced a new math game called “Flatware Fun!” Using butter knives, forks and spoons, friends sorted, counted, sketched, wrote corresponding numbers and adapted/created the game according to their developmental understanding.

Melinda read Macy’s book Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day. The book is about a dog and has no written words. Melinda guided friends as they shared ideas about what was happening, based on the illustrations.

 

 

Friends have been playing a lot with waffle blocks this week. At one point this morning, a huge group was in the truck room playing and building collaboratively.

Melinda led a music lesson describing the concept of a note. She demonstrated which instruments played notes and which did not (piano/tambourine). She played her accordian and had musicians play a four count rhythm, encouraging them to count aloud and play on the beat.

For lunch we served whole wheat tortillas with melted cheese, fruit salad and black beans.

While lunch tables were set, Melinda and Wee Friends stretched out!

Enjoy your day.

PS: Your child’s art has been collected and placed in bags in their cubbies to take home today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning Kai, Jane, Macy and Simon went swimming. Kai reported that they worked on mermaid kicks, the elementary back stroke and they jumped off the block.

We worked in two math games before the swimmers headed out: Leaf Matching and Pumpkin Bingo.

We resurrected two of our favorite Halloween songs: “Dem Bones” and “Stirring Our Brew.” We bent, stretched, stirred and identified many of the bones in our body as we sang.

When the swimmers left, we set out trays of shaving cream and invited our friends to choose a color and mix it in. We sang ooey gooey, squishy squishy and patting the cream songs as we explored the feel, smell and evolving colors of our creation.

Today for lunch we served the four varieties of apples that were sampled yesterday in our apple taste test. We heard several friends comment on the apples as they served themselves. Ada expressed “This is a Honeycrisp Apple.” Melinda asked “How do you know?” She replied “Because it’s a little bit red and a little bit green.” For teachers in Early Childhood, these moments are like winning the lottery! We are able to assess that the Apple Taste Test offered Ada a relevant connection to her own life! These moments happen all day long and affirm our WF Mission: to cultivate a love of learning.

Along with our delicious apples, we served turkey on whole wheat bread and corn.

THE FARM TRIP HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR TOMORROW.

Have a great day.

Friday’s apple pie was finger lickin’ good! Wee Friends gobbled their project/creation down with apple cider.

Miss Jennifer arrived at 9am for gymnastics. Today they worked on the Climbing Ladder and Incline Mat. They used a rope ladder to climb to the top of the bus (inside!) and touched the ceiling. They learned glide and tuck swings, and rolled forward and backwards on the incline mat.

In housekeeping, we added witches hats, pumpkin pails, rubber snakes and other halloweenie materials.

After gymnastics Kai, Ada, Arleigh and Macy played a milk bottle math game. Using rubber bracelets and plastic spiders, they tried to toss them onto the neck of the bottle. They counted to 7 (7 milk bottles) as they tossed and then sorted the materials, by color, placing them onto/into the bottles.

We conducted an apple taste test using Granny Smith, Red and Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp apples.

We began by reading “Apples, Apples, Apples” by Nancy Wallace in which the main character is named Minna!

Our Minna showed Wee Friend’s each different variety. They discussed the color of each apple. She offered a small taste of each talking about sour and sweet.

When everyone had a bite of each apple, Tami gave each child a sticker with his/her name on it. They stuck it on a message board, under their favorite apple.

Alexandra and other friends played a matching pumpkin bingo and Alma and Umi worked on writing their names.

For lunch we served Tuna casserole, mixed veggies and WWF Lisa’s homemade applesauce. Thank you, Lisa!

Have a terrific Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

Mixers…Shakers…Pie Crust Makers!!!!!!

We spent the morning making apple pie!

In various small groups, Wee Friends completed all the steps it takes to make apple pie. Jane, Kai, Ada, Annie and Macy measured and mixed the sugar and spice!

Alma and Umi prepared the crust by rolling it out, patting it, crimping the edges with a fork and painting egg white all over.

Everybody had a chance to core/peel the apples.

We combined the cut apples with the dry sugar mixture and scooped it into two pie shells.

Annie and Ada added created a lattice dough design on top, painted on more egg white and turned it over to Kai and Jane who sprinkled a bit of sugar all over.

It’s cooling on the stove and ready for snack!

Tami added Fairy Tale templates to our Shadow Puppet Theatre!

Melinda taught everybody “The Chicken”!

The gymnastics bus will be here Monday at 9am ready for the first group and 9:30 for the second!

For lunch we served PB/honey on whole wheat bread, peas and craisins.

Have a great weekend!