Happy Wednesday!

The habitrail was a popular place. There were often backups and friends waiting their turn to do an activity! We loved playing with the colorful blocks as well as the habitrail itself. Gross motor is an important part of our daily routine. Whether we spend time during the morning focusing on gross motor or in the afternoon, it works our body and it pushes us to our limit.

 

Friends find themselves twisting, turning, and squeezing into places that are difficult! Clara enjoyed scooting her body underneath the habitrail. P.K. twisted his legs through the ladder pegs.

Friends Clara and P.K. relaxed up in the habtrail this morning. They each put their legs between the metal rods. They talked with one another about what they wanted to play next! Clara suggested baby dolls.

Relaxation time is key during the day. We all love to sit down for a moment and take a breather. For most of the day, we’re go, go, go. Even a good five minute break jumpstarts our battery and we’re good to go again!

Baby dolls were a fascination today. Friends love to take the baby dolls over to the mirror where they can set up the baby dolls and see them.

Cheesy smiles were a given today .

Through stories, our language has taken off. All of our friends are saying new words and the conversations that we’re having with one another is a GREAT thing to witness!

Clara and Eve went through the motions of “The Wheels on the Bus” again. They love to do the actions while listening to the book being read.

For breakfast, children had eggs with cheese and banana. AM snack was corn. Lunch consisted of couscous with cheese, squash, and pears. PM snack was rice pudding and cucumbers.

Have a wonderful night.

-Mindy

Wee Sprouts: Carrots. Breakfast: Raisin Bran and bananas. Lunch: Cheesy cous-cous, pear slices and roasted squash. Snack: Cottage cheese and animal crackers.

Great day!

Good Afternoon!

Zoey and Emma started their Tuesday off with making breakfast! Emma did an excellent job at sharing with Zoey. Emma put an orange in a cup and handed it to a friend!

All of that cooking must have worn Emma out because she laid down to take a nap with her baby dolls.

Clara invited Emma over to put the babies to sleep. With the help of one another, they wrapped up the babies and rocked them to sleep.

Our friends were very curious of the fish tank today! We loved looking at the different fish swimming around.

Children have been enjoying music where they have to follow directions. We shake our hands down low. Dance as crazy as you want to! That’s a favorite . It’s exciting to see friends listening with their ears to the music and interpreting what they hear.

Dancing makes us smile .

Eren read his book while sitting quietly.

We held on the bars today to help us with our balance.

Clara put the foam circle at the end of the slide to go underneath.

Breakfast was kix cereal and banana. AM snack was corn. Lunch consisted turkey and melted cheese on whole grain bagel, corn, and pears. PM snack was graham crackers and cheddar cheese.

Have a terrific evening.

-Mindy

FAB K.5.1-Make direct comparisons of the length, capacity, weight and temperature of objects. Recognize which object is shorter, longer, taller, lighter, heavier, warmer, cooler or holds more.

While the swimmers were at the Y, a large group of friends gathered around the table for a math/science experiment. Mel gathered a tray filled with materials that would encourage friends to think about FAB K.5.1. Question #1 “Which is longer?”

Question #2 “Which holds more?” The word ‘capacity’ was introduced and discussed.

Question #3 “Which is heavier?”

Question #4 “Which keeps your hands warmer?”

Then Mel sent the group into the classroom to find 2-3 objects so they could test their capacity.

At the end of the exploration, Melinda presented one more challenge. With a plastic Crystal Climber (tube shaped!) in hand she asked “How much will this hold?”

We continued talking about days of the week by introducing a pillbox and a new song. We studied the letters on the pillbox and what days of the week they represent. To the tune of “Frere Jacques”, we sang:

“Today is Tuesday, today is Tuesday,

All day long, All day long.

Yesterday was Monday, tomorrow will be Wednesday…

Oh what fun, oh what fun!”

We hopped and sang to a Days of the Week hopscotch.

Even ballerinas hop, we encouraged!

And then a few of our friends rested their bodies in a secret hide-away…

We welcomed our swimmers back with reports of fantastic swimming and continued our Wee work.

Wee Sprouts: Carrots and broccoli. Breakfast: Raisin Bran and bananas. Lunch: Open faced toasted turkey and cheese on whole wheat bread, peas and apple slices. Snack: Egg salad and whole wheat crackers.

Have a great day.

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Our day started out with cooking. Friends headed to the kitchen where they put real life practice to work! Clara enjoyed chicken with some ‘foffee’! Emma shared her food with others.

Clara then decided to play dress up. Between a cape, bib, and dress she was sure the rounded dress up artist!

Children gathered to listen to Miss Marty read a story along with the CD that was put on. We listened to the CD and looked with our eyes at the pictures on the page of the book.

For the first time, Eren climbed up the ladder all the way to the top and over! He was so proud of himself that he did it over and over for five minutes! Yay!

Zoey worked on her gross motor skills by climbing up and down the blocks. She walked a LOT today! Yay Zoey!

“School bus, school bus is here!” We love looking out the window at the school bus. Clara and Emma also enjoyed watching birds that were out in the front yard today. It’s excellent when our friends look at their surroundings!

Eren sat down by himself and put the car track together. He said, “vroom” as the cars went down the ramp.

Emma enjoys throwing the big, colorful balls around the room. She played catch with Clara today!

“The wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round!”

“The people on the bus go bumpity bump!”

“The babies on the bus go wah-wah-wah!”

For breakfast, children had whole wheat toast with cinnamon and banana. AM snack was corn. Lunch consisted of melted cheese on pita bread, green beans, and banana. PM snack was rice cakes with cream cheese and raisins.

Have a terrific evening.

-Mindy

FAB K.5.2 couldn’t have appeared at a more appropriate time: just when we moved out clocks forward an hour.

K.5.2-Understand concepts of time: morning, afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, month and year.

Sometimes, in the wee hours of the Wee morning, Wee Wee Emma comes over to hang out. This morning she and Leo had a grand time playing in the train loft. They giggled and created and really enjoyed being together.

When the Blue Bus arrived, Miss Jennifer combined our two classes to make a total of 6 kids.

We recognized that Wee time was moving very slowly. So we checked our lesson plans, studied our FABS again and got our clocks tickin…

What exactly do our friends know about time, we wondered. Melinda read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and set out…to find out.

Connection #1: “I have that book at home!” expressed Marina.

Melinda presented the idea of time in the pattern of days of the week. What happens at Wee Friends on each day that might help friends remember what day it is? (ex: Gymnastics Monday, Swimming Tuesday).

As friends slowly arrived, we settled into our projects.

After gymnastics, Finn wondered if it was possible to paint the entire classroom, from top to bottom, purple. As his work got underway, he problem solved aloud, trying to determine if it could be done.

Ben and Leo worked side by side with the pattern blocks. It has become a go-to activity for the duo and today they expanded their work to fill up the number trays.

When Lea noticed their math work, she wanted to join in.

The new pirate ship—the habitrail.

Ada needed tape. We got down our multi colored tape roll and like bees to honey, a table surrounded by Wee Friends appeared. Silent and intense stares at the tape roll. A project got underway.

We asked the question: “Can you name three materials on the table?” Friends named the materials and set out to utilize the three named.

We couldn’t get outside today, but Wee Friends know how to exercise their bodies, rain, snow or shine.

And time marches on…..

Wee Sprouts: Carrot sticks and broccoli. Breakfast: Whole wheat peanut butter toast and pears. Lunch: Melted cheddar cheese on whole grain flatbread, green beans and bananas. Snack: Rice pudding and raisins.

Enjoy your day.

 

Happy Friday!

Also, Happy Birthday to Tami! We Wee Wee’s love you!

Here are a few pictures taken throughout the day!

For breakfast, children had whole wheat toast with soy butter and banana. Lunch consisted of homemade whole grain pizza with mozzarella cheese, banana, and mixed vegetables. PM snack was yogurt and animal crackers.

Have a terrific weekend!

 

40 Facts

• To understand a people, you must live among them for 40 days. ~Arabic proverb
• “Life begins at forty”.
• “Forty Winks” means a short sleep.
• For 40 years of marriage, ruby is the symbolic stone.
• 40 is the code for direct dial international phone calls to Romania. 
• The number of spaces in a standard Monopoly game board.
• The radio program American Top 40.
• The number of thieves in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
• The customary number of hours in a regular workweek in some Western countries.
• The number of weeks for an average term of pregnancy.
• Forty Shades of Green is a visual term for rural Ireland, Johnny Cash popularized it with his 1961 song of the name.
• 40 days in the desert.

Our Queen Wee turns 40 today so we set out to discuss and discover all things 40.

First, Lisa’s tutorial about what it means to be 40 and what to expect when the Queen Wee got to school. This tutorial ended with Ada’s question “Well, will her hair be gray?”

Next, 40 Birthday wishes.

Finn proposed we make special birthday cards and hang them up all over Wee Friends.

Finn counted 40 beads on the abacus.

Elizabeth started counting the shapes she glued to her card and Lisa helped her get to 40.

Then we hid out, waiting for Tami to arrive.

 

We surprised her with a fresh fruit cake and a 1000 piece puzzle. Here’s the $40million question? Will she work it?

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY TAMI!

Wee Sprouts: Sweet peppers and carrots. Breakfast: Kashi and Craisins. Lunch: Cheesy pizza on whole wheat crust, bananas and peas. Snack: Pretzels and Co-Jack cheese.

Good Afternoon!

First, we danced fast. Then, we danced slow. Finally, we danced however we would like! Our bodies moved at different speeds throughout the morning. When we were tired, we moved slower than usual. A few friends had extra energy and their bodies moved fast.

Lu Lu sat up and reached for toys around her. Her friends do a great job at surrounding her with toys.

Dr. Clara looked in P.K.’s ears to see if he was sick! She said, “Ouchy!” as she looked into his ear.

Daniel headed into the kitchen where he worked with connectors. The fine motor skills needed to connect the different pieces is high! We need to use our strength to connect one piece to the other.

P.K. stacked the cubes one on top of the other. He loves looking through the colored glass to see how the world looks in different colors.

He then wanted to get the magnatiles out. He built a BIG tower! When it finally got to the seventh layer, it crashed! He tried again! It’s lovely to see when our friends have the persistence to try and try again!

Zoey smiled as she slid down the slide with Miss Mindy!

Friends came into today to find our new bouncy balls blown up. They are pointy but soft at the same time. We found out that they bounce when you throw them on the ground. We like that .

Clara used her upper body strength to pull the white scarf.

When Daniel woke up from nap, he constructed a tower out of magnatiles! He took excellent notes from when P.K. did it earlier in the day.

“Rub Lu Lu’s head,” stated P.K. as he sat with his friend.

Breakfast consisted of whole wheat toast with cinnamon and banana. AM snack was a mixture of green peas and carrots. We smiled during lunch! It was whole grain rice with beef, mixed vegetables (carrots/peas), and mixed fruit (pineapple/banana). PM snack was oatmeal/blueberry bread with string cheese.

Have a great night!

-Mindy

Very quickly this morning the momentum of the day and for today’s blog became clear to me.  In early childhood work, we see over and over again the full cycle of the multiage  classroom.  We take your beautiful children into our realm as very young preschoolers and we watch them move through the beginning, then the middle,  and finally to the end of the cycle when they move into elementary school.  And it is wonderful to see.  This cycle is what keeps it fresh and exciting for teachers.

It’s hard for parents (and at times, for us teachers) to be patient.  To not compare our kids to other kids. To enjoy each stage as it passes without saying, “why isn’t my child doing that yet?”  At Wee Friends, we use a developmentally appropriate approach to teaching which involves teachers meeting young children where they are (by stage of development), both as individuals and as part of a group; and helping each child meet challenging and achievable learning goals (National Association for the Education of Young Children).  This means for us that we only involve children in work that is appropriate for their level of interest and ability.  This keeps us on our toes figuring out how to keep the work interesting for all ages and often, like today, taking one work and transforming it into completely appropriate work for children spanning 3 to 5.5 years old.

Today our sewing work started with one child.  Then it was two children.  Then three.  Then four.  Then five children.  Then six.  And finally a seventh and eighth child joined.  All of them were different ages and at completely different sewing abilities.  All of them had different ideas of what they wanted to sew.  There were children in the beginning stages of sewing, the middle, and the end stage.  

BEGINNING Children used foam and thicker (not sharp) needles. Technique focused on going back and forth through the right sides and the right amount of tension on the thread so the foam would not bunch.  Product was not important to the children.  They were completely absorbed in the process. 

MIDDLE Children used felt and thinner needles. Technique also focused on going back and forth through the right sides and the right amount of tension on the thread so the foam would not bunch. Children had a definite product in mind, but it completes with still being completely absorbed in the process.   There are varying levels of precision in the work.

END Children have mastered the technique and only need small bits of advice as they move through the work. While children clearly still enjoy the process, they are absolutely focused on the product. Their concentration, attention span, and dedication to their work is clear.

It’s not often we have such a clear example of how different children move through a specific work based on their ages and experience.  Even better yet, this really is how they move through everything: math, literacy, social interactions, impulse control, attention span, gross motor skills, and so on.  In early childhood, there is a beginning, middle and an end.  For every child. 

For breakfast we had bran flakes and bananas.  WeeSprouts were carrots/cukes/and sweet peppers.  Lunch was brown rice with shredded beef, carrots and peas, and fresh apples. To celebrate my birthday (which is tomorrow, and I’m turning 29!  Just like Lisa!) I brought in some homemade blueberry bread. 

Have a great day!

Tami

http://superhealthykids.com/healthyrecipes/oatmealblueberrybread.pdf

OATS AND BLUEBERRY BREAD

· 1 Cup whole wheat flour

· 1 cup white flour

· 1 cup rolled oats

· ½ cup sugar

· 1 ½ tsp baking powder

· ½ tsp baking soda

· ¼ tsp allspice

· ¼ tsp salt (optional)

· ¾ cup 1% milk

· ½ cup melted coconut oil

· 2 eggs

· 1 ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen-thawed)

Mix dry ingredients (flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, allspice, and salt). Mix wet ingredients into dry. Fold blueberries in gently. Pour into bread pan. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes