Not that you've necessarily noticed my 2 year absence, but I'm coming back!
I loved teaching my daughter and my first 2 classes, but it is also a lot of work and I felt good about taking a break to just be mom for a little while. In that time, I had another baby, and also did a year of joy school with my daughter and some neighbors. That is something I never thought I'd do, but it was great, and that's another post for another day. I did something else I thought I'd never do, since I teach school, but I also sent my daughter to preschool this year. I probably won't write much about that, but choosing a preschool was a stressful, and I admit, mostly a frustrating experience for me. I learned to let go a little of my expectations and learned to step back. I also learned that this city/county/state is in desperate need of play-based learning! It is so difficult to find.
On my 2 year break, I have brain stormed so many blog posts. I have them written in my head about how to choose a preschool, how to start one, my philosophy on sharing, and I could write novels on play-based teaching and learning. Ok, not novels, but I could preach some more on the subject. Instead, my goal is to add some more to this blog about each of our centers, why we have them, and what the children learn. I'd also love to share more about pre-reading, pre-writing, and other essential preschool skills. I've just heard one-too-many times lately that "my child learned nothing in preschool because they don't know their whole alphabet," or even better, "they're not reading yet." So, I'll save those in my head for another day. I'd also love to blog about our joy school experience, since it was a great one. For now, if you'd like an idea of skills children learn in a play-based preschool, click any of the labels to the right and you'll see activities we do that teach so many reading, math, and science skills. Not to mention all the social skills, music, art, and other fun stuff we learn. I can't wait to be back in the classroom next fall! My little class is already filled and my year is planned. It's going to be great!
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Favorites!
I love finding out with the kids what their favorite things are, and then trying to cram them all into 2 weeks. Here's what they chose to do:
Tuesday:
Dramatic Play
Pizza Restaurant
Blocks
Bowling
Small Manips
Magnet board with Frozen math games from here
Bristle blocks
Art
Painting. There was spin art, marble painting, and easel painting, so they had plenty of choices.
Outside
We got out the water table since it's warm, in addition to the sensory table with a flour/baby oil combo with ABC molds. Plus, the usual balls, trucks, cars, sand box, swings, etc.
Large Group
We picked and practiced our favorite songs for the end of year program. I had in my mind what I wanted them to choose and they didn't, but I'm glad they picked songs they like!
Thursday:
Dramatic Play
Kitchen/Housekeeping
Blocks
Lincoln Logs plus farm animals
Small Manips
Magnet board with pattern block magnets
Sorting bears
Art
Beads and pipe cleaners
Large Group
We went on our field trip. Thanks to all of you who came, and thanks to Bountiful Ridge Golf Course for hosting us! We had our 5 senses books so we could use our senses to explore. We first explored some nature by comparing different types of trees and their leaves. They were so fascinated by it.
Then, we loaded up in some maintenance trucks (their favorite part) and drove under a tunnel to get to the other side of the course, and we compared the different types of grass. They each got a golf ball and got to go crazy on the practice course, running around and rolling their balls into the holes. We finished filling out our booklets, besides taste, then loaded back into the trucks to go to the club house. We were treated with hot dogs or corn dogs and fries! What a treat! After finishing our books, it was back into the trucks and back to our cars. What a fun day!
Tuesday:
Dramatic Play
Pizza Restaurant
Blocks
Bowling
Small Manips
Magnet board with Frozen math games from here
Bristle blocks
Art
Painting. There was spin art, marble painting, and easel painting, so they had plenty of choices.
Outside
We got out the water table since it's warm, in addition to the sensory table with a flour/baby oil combo with ABC molds. Plus, the usual balls, trucks, cars, sand box, swings, etc.
Large Group
We picked and practiced our favorite songs for the end of year program. I had in my mind what I wanted them to choose and they didn't, but I'm glad they picked songs they like!
Thursday:
Dramatic Play
Kitchen/Housekeeping
Blocks
Lincoln Logs plus farm animals
Small Manips
Magnet board with pattern block magnets
Sorting bears
Art
Beads and pipe cleaners
Large Group
We went on our field trip. Thanks to all of you who came, and thanks to Bountiful Ridge Golf Course for hosting us! We had our 5 senses books so we could use our senses to explore. We first explored some nature by comparing different types of trees and their leaves. They were so fascinated by it.
Then, we loaded up in some maintenance trucks (their favorite part) and drove under a tunnel to get to the other side of the course, and we compared the different types of grass. They each got a golf ball and got to go crazy on the practice course, running around and rolling their balls into the holes. We finished filling out our booklets, besides taste, then loaded back into the trucks to go to the club house. We were treated with hot dogs or corn dogs and fries! What a treat! After finishing our books, it was back into the trucks and back to our cars. What a fun day!
Saturday, May 17, 2014
The Five Senses
Dramatic Play
I used my favorite sense (taste) and chose to do an ice cream store. I have play ice cream cones, popsicles, and Dilly bars, plus recycled ice cream cartons and cone boxes. The ice cream cartons are filled with styrofoam balls, plus there are bowls, spoons, and fruits for toppings.
I set it up with the cash register and a table for customers, and they were set. They loved it and it was busy for all 2 weeks.
Blocks
I got out the small legos, having no idea what a hit they'd be. We've always stuck to Duplos, but apparently small legos is where it's at. This center was constantly busy and there was so much great building and imaginary play going on. I love Legos!
Art
Play dough textures. I got out the play dough, and also had a basket with random items they could put in the play dough to see what textures it made. They were excited when I told them they could try anything in the room. Soon the table was full of objects and they made all sorts of cool textures.
We used our sense of smell by doing Jello art. I put Jello in our graciously donated spice bottles that I store in beautiful junk, and they sprinkled and poured like crazy on their glue deisgns. The room smelled so delicious and fruity all day! I underestimated how much they'd love this, but it was busy all day and we had pictures drying all over the room. I was so busy, I didn't get a pic :)
I found fun dot paint markers on clearance at Wal Mart, so we painted with those and they loved them.
We had a fun sensory experience with Magic Sand. I bought it from Steve Spangler's site. It's basically waterproofed sand. You can play with it under water, but when you pull it out, it's dry! You can build with it under water, and make water droplets on it. This was another big hit.
Small Manips
We played with:
bristle blocks
shape and color links
musical instruments
people floor puzzles
We made 1 fun snack this week to explore a new taste, homemade smoothies. I found the recipe here.
I would say half of them liked it, but at least they all tried it.
Large Group
Day 1, We read the best book about texture (of course I forgot the title and already returned it to the library), but it had tons of awesome texture words and we really worked on our vocabulary. It was really interactive and they were adding lots of their own words too to describe the textures. We then went on a texture hunt with rubbing crayons and made rubbings of textures all throughout the room. I didn't expect them to really love this activity, but they were so excited and running all over to find new things!
Day 2, we explored our sense of taste. We examined sugar and salt and couldn't determine what it was with sight, touch, or smell, so they had to taste it. Their faces were awesome. We then talked about 4 different tastes (salty, sweet, spicy, sour) and tasted many different foods, then sorted them by how they tasted. We tried chips, pretzels, sour candy, lemons, cinnamon bears, marshmallows, and chocolate. I was surprised by how many ate their whole lemon slices, yet immediately spit out their cinnamon bears.
Day 3, we made sensory bottles. They filled them with glitter and sequins, and we added water, food color of their choice, and oil. It was so much fun and they loved it!
Day 4, we went on a 5 senses scavenger hunt. There were 5 clues that led us inside and outside, searching with our senses, then they had to fill out a page in a book for each one.
We'll be exploring more with our senses on our field trip next week!
I used my favorite sense (taste) and chose to do an ice cream store. I have play ice cream cones, popsicles, and Dilly bars, plus recycled ice cream cartons and cone boxes. The ice cream cartons are filled with styrofoam balls, plus there are bowls, spoons, and fruits for toppings.
I set it up with the cash register and a table for customers, and they were set. They loved it and it was busy for all 2 weeks.
Blocks
I got out the small legos, having no idea what a hit they'd be. We've always stuck to Duplos, but apparently small legos is where it's at. This center was constantly busy and there was so much great building and imaginary play going on. I love Legos!
Art
Play dough textures. I got out the play dough, and also had a basket with random items they could put in the play dough to see what textures it made. They were excited when I told them they could try anything in the room. Soon the table was full of objects and they made all sorts of cool textures.
I found fun dot paint markers on clearance at Wal Mart, so we painted with those and they loved them.
We had a fun sensory experience with Magic Sand. I bought it from Steve Spangler's site. It's basically waterproofed sand. You can play with it under water, but when you pull it out, it's dry! You can build with it under water, and make water droplets on it. This was another big hit.
We played with:
bristle blocks
shape and color links
musical instruments
people floor puzzles
We made 1 fun snack this week to explore a new taste, homemade smoothies. I found the recipe here.
I would say half of them liked it, but at least they all tried it.
Large Group
Day 1, We read the best book about texture (of course I forgot the title and already returned it to the library), but it had tons of awesome texture words and we really worked on our vocabulary. It was really interactive and they were adding lots of their own words too to describe the textures. We then went on a texture hunt with rubbing crayons and made rubbings of textures all throughout the room. I didn't expect them to really love this activity, but they were so excited and running all over to find new things!
Day 2, we explored our sense of taste. We examined sugar and salt and couldn't determine what it was with sight, touch, or smell, so they had to taste it. Their faces were awesome. We then talked about 4 different tastes (salty, sweet, spicy, sour) and tasted many different foods, then sorted them by how they tasted. We tried chips, pretzels, sour candy, lemons, cinnamon bears, marshmallows, and chocolate. I was surprised by how many ate their whole lemon slices, yet immediately spit out their cinnamon bears.
Day 3, we made sensory bottles. They filled them with glitter and sequins, and we added water, food color of their choice, and oil. It was so much fun and they loved it!
Day 4, we went on a 5 senses scavenger hunt. There were 5 clues that led us inside and outside, searching with our senses, then they had to fill out a page in a book for each one.
We'll be exploring more with our senses on our field trip next week!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Butterfly release take 2
This was our best butterfly release yet! It was warm and sunny and they were ready to go! The flew right out, and the best part was, they stayed in the yard! Previous ones have done a few laps, then flown off, but these guys stuck around forever! They flew away a few times, but always came back. The kids were in 2 groups, each following one. It was a glorious 20 minutes of running and squealing and calling each other over each time one landed. All the pictures I have are full of the kids, and you'll be getting copies at our BBQ. This was just so much fun and I'm so glad the kids got to really watch them fly and play with them.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Releasing the butterflies
This was such a fun day. We got to see a butterfly moments after it hatched Tuesday, and today we got to watch the last one hatch! It was amazing!! We were making smoothies and our favorite preschool Grandma had stayed to help and noticed an antenna. She called us over, and they all got to go over and watch the butterfly hatch. I was so excited, and so were the kids!
We had planned on releasing the butterflies that day, because by next Tuesday, 2 of them would be a week old and they only live a week in captivity. I knew the new one couldn't fly out, but we took the others out anyway. My phone said it was only 53 degrees, so I wasn't sure what they'd do. We took them out and there were two right by the top zipper. When I opened it, the one crawled out and just stayed there. The other 2 opened their wings, but stayed put. I moved them over by the flowers thinking they'd like them, and one flew out. The kids got to chase it all over the yard before it took off and they loved that.
The others never left, so we took them all back inside with us.
I was worried they wouldn't survive until the next week, so that afternoon when the sun came out, I tried again and one flew immediately away, but the other stayed in, and of course the newest one couldn't leave.
We had planned on releasing the butterflies that day, because by next Tuesday, 2 of them would be a week old and they only live a week in captivity. I knew the new one couldn't fly out, but we took the others out anyway. My phone said it was only 53 degrees, so I wasn't sure what they'd do. We took them out and there were two right by the top zipper. When I opened it, the one crawled out and just stayed there. The other 2 opened their wings, but stayed put. I moved them over by the flowers thinking they'd like them, and one flew out. The kids got to chase it all over the yard before it took off and they loved that.
The others never left, so we took them all back inside with us.
I was worried they wouldn't survive until the next week, so that afternoon when the sun came out, I tried again and one flew immediately away, but the other stayed in, and of course the newest one couldn't leave.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
A new butterfly, and releasing ladybugs!
The kids were so excited today to see the butterflies. They each got to drop in an orange slice to feed them and all thought it was a bit scary and exciting. We noticed one chrysalis was really dark and I told them it would hatch today. They asked what they look like after they hatch, so I showed them in one of our books. A few minutes later, one of our girls yelled out that it hatched! It had just come out and was all wrinkled up, and I was so glad all the kids were there to see it.
We released the ladybugs during recess and I was so glad it was sunny! None of them flew, they just started crawling onto the grass. I scooped them up and each kid got to hold at least one, some more if they wanted. We then put them in our flowers and bushes.
They were in a bug type mood and as they searched under rocks for bugs, discovered a whole ant colony! They were so excited because we could see the eggs. We watched the ants carry their eggs into the tunnels. We went inside late because they were having such a great time watching them. It's so fun to watch their excitement and learning in spontaneous activities like this!
We released the ladybugs during recess and I was so glad it was sunny! None of them flew, they just started crawling onto the grass. I scooped them up and each kid got to hold at least one, some more if they wanted. We then put them in our flowers and bushes.
They were in a bug type mood and as they searched under rocks for bugs, discovered a whole ant colony! They were so excited because we could see the eggs. We watched the ants carry their eggs into the tunnels. We went inside late because they were having such a great time watching them. It's so fun to watch their excitement and learning in spontaneous activities like this!
Picture 2 shows all the eggs gone. Within a few minutes, they had hidden them all in their tunnels.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Butterflies!
Sorry I didn't update much over the weekend. Not much happened :) The ladybugs hatched about 1 a day, and as of Sunday afternoon, all 8 had hatched. It's interesting that none of them are red. I'm really excited to release them with the kids tomorrow, except it's supposed to rain. We're going to release them either way, because their "watering hole" is growing mold (gross) and they can only live a week in captivity anyway, and the first is almost a week old. They survive rain in the wild, they'll just have to deal :)
This morning, we checked on the chrysalides again and nothing! It was day 11 for the first one (they hatch between 7-10 days). So I emailed Insect Lore to ask about a refill since their guarantee promises 3 to hatch. Then, a few hours later, McKynlee went to check on them before we ran some errands and we had 2 butterflies! I snapped these pics on my phone real quick.
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We had a crazy day of running around, so we didn't really get to check on them again until this evening. We fed them (sugar water dripped on flowers) and they went crazy! They were flying all over and the kids were just squealing. I tried to get pictures, but they're so fast, and it's hard to see them with the butterfly pictures all over the bottom. So the pics aren't great. But, tomorrow the kids get to see butterflies! I'll let them feed them oranges tomorrow and I hope we get some more flying! I'm hoping the other 2 will still hatch.
This morning, we checked on the chrysalides again and nothing! It was day 11 for the first one (they hatch between 7-10 days). So I emailed Insect Lore to ask about a refill since their guarantee promises 3 to hatch. Then, a few hours later, McKynlee went to check on them before we ran some errands and we had 2 butterflies! I snapped these pics on my phone real quick.
The red stuff is something that leaks out of them after they hatch. It's gross, but normal.
We had a crazy day of running around, so we didn't really get to check on them again until this evening. We fed them (sugar water dripped on flowers) and they went crazy! They were flying all over and the kids were just squealing. I tried to get pictures, but they're so fast, and it's hard to see them with the butterfly pictures all over the bottom. So the pics aren't great. But, tomorrow the kids get to see butterflies! I'll let them feed them oranges tomorrow and I hope we get some more flying! I'm hoping the other 2 will still hatch.
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