Happy Friday!

Mr. Aiden started off his morning with floor time where he grasped for items with his hands. He is becoming very talkative and reacts to his friends around him!

During baby yoga, Ozzie stretched out his mid-section while Jada stretched out her legs. Marina and Elizabeth touched their toes with their finger tips.

  

Marina, Ozzie, and Clara all enjoyed using our musical shakers to make music!

  

Ozzie danced to the ‘ladybug’ song while Clara used the bean bags to make sounds.

  

Our ‘pink’ friends travelled to the kitchen where they manipulated play-dough. Olivia liked using the wooden block to bang the play-dough. Sloane used the end of the wooden block to make holes in the play-dough.

 

Sloane and Chloe played peek-a-boo in the house with their friends!

 

The mother squirrel who frequently visits our playground came to say hi this morning. This got us into a discussion about squirrels and how the mommy squirrel goes and gathers food for her babies. We compared this to how Mommies and Daddies go get their children food at the grocery.

 

We lifted up rocks to see if we could see any bugs! We found a rollie-pollie.

Miss Paulina bought out spinach seeds. Our friends sprinkled the seeds around using their hands.

  

Our friends walked to the drinking fountain where they filled up their watering can.

Then, children retrieved watering cans so they could water the seeds to make them grow. Not only was this a great helping activity but our friends used their arm muscles to carry the watering can from the drinking fountain all the way to the garden!

   

For breakfast, our friends enjoyed eggs and banana. Lunch consisted of cheese pizza, watermelon, and broccoli. PM snack was graham crackers and apples.

Have a fantastic weekend!

-Mindy

So this may have been the most unique field trip that I have taken children to in 15 1/2  years of teaching.  But, I must say thank you to Mr. Milford for so warmly welcoming Wee Friends into his service station and thank you to the children for always keeping the work we do fresh and exciting. 

We started our worm adventure by meeting Mr. Milford and singing him our “Hello Song” where each child’s name is incorporated into the song. 

Mr. Milford had prepared a table with an assortment of worms for us to explore:  night crawlers (earth worms), red worms (really tiny ones), wax worms (white ones) and red wigglers.  The red wigglers were the most popular and exciting worms to observe and hold.  True to their names, they wiggled.  A lot. 

Mr. Milford then brought out…ok…I really can’t make this stuff up…”crappie minnows”.  I just had to Google this term when we got back to WF and I found out that, “crappie minnows at a bait store describe minnows that are small enough to use on crappie while bass minnows would be too large.”  Soooo, if your children come home talking about the crappie minnows they saw, they are being technical not disparaging

When the children heard that there was a big tank full of crappie minnows, they asked to see them.  We went to the back of the station and visited the minnow tank.  The children gathered around the big tank and learned a few facts about the minnows: they are used as bait for fishing and they like cold water (Mr. Milford puts frozen milk jugs in the water to keep it cool).  The kids discovered on their own that they are tricky to catch with a net!

The last thing Mr. Milford shared with us was the crickets that he sells as bait.  Stephen was the first one to hold the cricket and his reaction was priceless! The photo below doesn’t come close to capturing the mixture of horror and excitement that he had simultaneously as the cricket raced over his hand. Ha!

Mr. Milford’s Bait Shop was a fabulous place to visit to learn more in our worm study.  I can’t thank Mr. Milford enough for his time and his past donations of worms and today’s donation of crappie minnows.

During our small group time after lunch, we asked, “What was your favorite part of our field trip to Mr. Milfords?” Some of the children shared their opinions on the message board…

For breakfast we had cheerios and banana.  For lunch we had pizza on whole wheat, peas and watermelon.  No WeeSprouts since we were out of the classroom all morning.  Although, while outside after our field trip a few of the children WeeSprouted by picking and eating kale straight from the garden.  They were quite insistent that I see their green tongues

 

 

Good Afternoon!

***Since the weather is starting to get warmer and we are getting closer to our summer months, please bring in at least TWO full summer outfits (top and bottom) by Monday.  If you want your child to wear a certain sunscreen, please bring that in as well! Thanks so much!

Our friends started off their morning with music time along with a session of baby yoga. While dancing, Elizabeth swayed her arms back and forth. She loved doing this motion and laughed the entire time! Marina took a blue scarf and was participating in baby yoga. It was a relaxation period where she went behind the chair and rested her body.

 

Clara used the scarves to put over her head. She then whipped her head back so the scarf would fall off of her head. Ellie participated in a musical song where our friends follow directions. This specific direction was putting your tongue out of your mouth. Ellie thought it was very fun and she even made noises with her tongue!

 

At the end of music time, our friends gathered babies and we put them to sleep by singing to them. Elizabeth wrapped her baby up in a blanket and put her in a little bed. She moved back to forth with the basket to try and get the baby to sleep.

 

Children sang a song where they each got to take a turn to ‘hide’ and their friends would find them. Marina covered her eyes and then when her friends found her she opened her arms wide and said, “I’m here!”

 

With the temperature high today, we filled the sensory tub outside with water. Our friends splashed around in the water while talking with their friends.

P.K. laughed as he splashed in the water, getting his face all wet. Olivia made a silly face when the water went in her face!

 

Our friends even drank the water! Clara put her fingers to her mouth to suck the water off of them.

 

Our friends splashed the water so much that the ground became wet as well as their feet!

 

For breakfast, our friends enjoyed cereal with milk and bananas. AM snack was corn. Lunch consisted of farm fresh egg casserole, pears, and carrots. PM snack was whole wheat crackers and banana.

Have a great night!

-Mindy

What’s more fun then a rock?

What’s more fun than a block?

What’s more fun than 1-2-3?

Taking 14 friends to the Park!

We walked, skipped, pulled wagons, crossed streets, held hands, found rocks, rehearsed Spring Joy! and Pigs in the Mud, complained (a little…ok…a lot), sweated, climbed, hid, chased, stopped for breaks, water and shoes in rocks, used the Joy John and lots of hand sanitizer. It was some kinda’ mornin’. A few snapshots:

 

 

No Wee Sprouts today (we were out all am!). Breakfast was Kix and bananas. Lunch was Tami’s delicious farm fresh egg casserole, carrots and fruit salad.

Have a great day.

Good Afternoon! Our friends started off their morning with calming baby yoga! Chloe and Jada sure did strike their poses well! They both made sure to lay on their mats while doing the downward dog pose.

 

P.K. and Marina danced and sang in between different yoga songs. P.K. observed from the jungle gym while Marina chose to grab a yoga mat and dance around in circles.

 

Ozzie showed off his stretching ability by separating his legs far apart.

While her friends participated in baby yoga, Clara gathered pegs and tried to put them together. She was very concentrated and focused while she did this.

After baby yoga, we sang a song using each child’s name. For instance, we were singing about Jada and everyone came and gave Jada a great big hug! Not only were they being good friends but they were gentle as well!

Our friends gathered babies as we rocked the babies to sleep. Children chose to use scarves to cover the babies up. They let us know that the babies were sleeping by saying, “Shhh…sleeping.” Olivia made sure to cover up the baby and pat her back.

 

While outside, Ellie worked in the log house pouring and scooping pea gravel. She was yelling out to her friends that she needed ‘help’!

Clara and Chloe took advantage of this gorgeous day to ride the blue horses! Clara loved using her legs to push her forward. Chloe chose to stand behind the horse and push it from behind.

 

Ellie used her balancing skills as she walked on the tree stumps. Clara grabbed a shovel and dung a hole in the sand. While she was doing this, she was squatting while showed great balancing skills!

 

In the afternoon, our friends gathered in the kitchen where they participated in a painting activity. A big white sheet was put on the table and our friends collaboratively painted the paper.

 

For breakfast, our friends had cheerios and banana. Our AM morning sprout was cucumbers. Lunch consisted of pita bread, hummus, corn, broccoli, and cantaloupe. PM snack was cheese and whole wheat crackers.

Have a great night!

-Mindy

Parent Info:

*If you haven’t turned in a permission slip for Friday’s field trip, please do so ASAP!

*We have finished our first 12 week cycle of FABS. We will start a new cycle in September with the start of the new school year. 

Farm Wednesday and the younger Wee Friends loaded up and headed out. Twice, we caught chickens laying eggs.

We found a mud puddle!

 

We were delighted to have Lea’s mom, Courtney, join us!

WF helped feed the chickens with WF scraps.

Friends found feathers and flowers.

A few friends pet a small chicken.

Farmer Charlotte showed us how a chicken  egg is laid.

And then we saw it happen!

We spent a long time in a pasture that had horse hurdles.

We found a child friendly piece of farm equipment and had a discussion about which farm equipment was safe to touch/play on and which wasn’t.

Back in the classroom, friends created art with apples sliced in half. They also created worm art with string and  tempera paint.

Today’s Wee Sprouts are cucumbers and radishes. Breakfast was cereal and bananas. for lunch, Lisa prepared peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread, applesauce and broccoli.

Have a happy day.

Happy May!

Here are pictures that were taken throughout last week. We weren’t able to post any blogs due to computer problems but now we’re back running!

Aiden loved his floor time last week and is now starting to get up on his hands and knees! He’ll be crawling in no time!

 

A friend came to visit us last week: a squirrel! We all loved the visit, especially P.K!

 

Our flower board has been a big hit! Children are being creative and having a blast making their own flowers.

  

While outside, Ozzie and Olivia worked on their balancing skills on the tree stumps. They both put their arms out to help them with their balance.

 

Clara and P.K. walked together outside! P.K. leaned in to give Clara a hug as they walked over to the sandbox.

During music time, Marina used a bean bag as an instrument during the ‘lady bug’ song. She moved the bean bag from hand to hand while listening to the beads inside the bag. P.K. also made musical sounds but he chose to take two hard items and bang them together.

 

Ozzie giggled and laughed while he and Paulina sang a song together!

Jada focused intently as she built houses and different items using the waffle blocks. She was talking to herself about what she was doing!

Chloe twirled the ribbon around as she listened to music. She had a big smile on her face!

Our friends had some cuddle time with Ms. Paulina as they sang songs together.

Our Wee Friends let us borrow a few tents to set up! Children loved crawling and walking in the tents. Jada and Elizabeth chose to take babies in there and play make believe as Mommies!

 

Today, our friends participated in music time where they used scarves and musical shakers to follow along with the guitar. We went outside where children played in the sand box along with riding bikes and pushing the grocery carts!

For breakfast, our friends enjoyed toast with butter and cinnamon and bananas. Our AM snack was snap peas. Lunch consisted of eggs, pineapple, and mixed vegetables. PM snack was string cheese and apples.

Have a great evening!

-Mindy

More Parent Info: As you know, our Spring Joy!/Potluck dinner is scheduled at Potawatomi Park for  May 14, 5:30-7pm. We will begin our Concert promptly at 6pm at the stage and dinner will follow immediately under the Pavilion. Lisa is in charge of the potluck sign up and can be reached via email: [email protected] or text: 574-250-2785. Tami will provide lemonade, water and plates/napkins/utensils. Please feel free to bring a main dish, (ex: pb&j, ham roll ups) a vegetable, fruit or a dessert.  We are anticipating about 50 people. Check with Lisa for contributions to get an idea of what you might bring and THANK YOU!!!!! We are looking forward to spending this time with you all. You are going to be DELIGHTED with your children’s Spring Joy!. It is just incredible! FYI: the rain check date is same time on the following Monday May 21.

Because we blog in the am, we sometimes miss communicating (via blog) the great things that happen every afternoon! As always, we journal right after snack. This child generated paper trail is one way we assess writing and literacy progress. Last Friday, Alexandra wrote her entire name, with no visual references, as a teacher called out the letter! Congratulations, Alexandra!

Yesterday afternoon a small group of good friends worked collaboratively to create this dynamic structure. Then, they all worked together to put the blocks away.

Small group works happens naturally all day. Older friends work with younger friends and the groups shift as work is completed and activities finish. After lunch is the one time of day when our age groups are separate because our smaller friends nap in the back and our older friends rest in the front. We take this opportunity to engage each group in a small, focused book read, discussion, song, life skill work or project. Recently, Lisa read our nappers a book about bath time. Friends shared bath time experiences and they discussed how to clean arms, ears, legs etc. Our older friends have started a book writing project, inspired by a conversation about how Robert Munsch wrote about the preschool children he worked with. And then sometimes, we just fall asleep.

Before the swimmers left Melinda read a book about shapes and colors. Several friends rushed to the art table to practice drawing the shapes they read about.

While the swimmers were away this morning, the remaining group of Wee Friends worked on, what turned out to be, a teacher generated craft-which is something we try to avoid! First, we buried Morning Glory and Sunflower seeds into paper earth (that the teacher folded and taped). Then we added paper plate flowers on pipe cleaners (that the teacher taped and attached to the earth). Finally, the kids perked up when we got out the glitter and glue and markers and the flowers designs THEY created were inspired! We continue to learn as we go…..

Later, we put on our earth worm puppets and learned more about how “soil scientists” mix the soil and make it fertile for growing REAL flowers.

Meet Thumbelina and Jinky, the Soil Scientists.

Our Wee Sprouts today are carrots and cucumbers. Breakfast was Malt-O-Meal and applesauce. Lunch is Whole grain pitas with hummus, corn and cantaloupe.

Have a great day!

 

Monday Parent Info:

Thanks to everyone who has prepared a meal for the Porter family! Carol Porter has expressed that their pantry and freezer are full and she won’t be needing any meals this week. For those of you who signed up to prepare a meal this week, standby ‘til further notice!

Swimming, as usual, tomorrow (Tues) with a 9:30 departure.

Weather permitting, Tami will be taking younger Wee Friends to the farm this Wednesday morning.

Lisa will be putting out information soon re: the potluck for the Potluck/Spring Concert scheduled at Potawatomi Park on Monday, May 14, 5:30-7:00.

On the Blue Bus this morning, friends worked on the balance beam and the obstacle course. On the beam, they practiced a routine with high kicks, tuck jumps, scales and pivot turns. They walked forward and backwards. At the end of class, they did an obstacle course combining several skills.

In the classroom, friends stayed busy reading The Life Cycle of an Earthworm (Bobbie Kalman) and making earthworm sock puppets to sing/act out our earthworm song, which we took turns performing at our puppet theatre.

While waiting for their turn on the Bus, our younger friends sorted and created color patterns with beads. These eventually turned into eyes for our earthworm puppets.

We rehearsed our songs for Spring Joy!, the new name of our spring concert!  

Wee Sprouts today are pea pods. Breakfast was Chex and bananas. For lunch Tami made whole wheat penne pasta with cheesy sauce, broccoli and banana/orange fruit salad.

A simple, peaceful, lovely day. Hope yours is too.

Our Wee Sprouts today are cucumber slices. Breakfast was Blueberry Kashi and apple slices. Our lunch today: peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread, mixed veggies and apple slices.

Have a great weekend!