I am now realizing that we learn by example. I presented the children with a cloth’s pin doll I had made at home. Each child was given a cloth’s pin. After, a mouth and eyes were added and then the fun begins! This winter I have spent a great deal of time silk screening fabric and teaching myself a bit of shibori.
Note the beauty each child was able to create using the bit of fabric.
They may be little but boy are they ” fierce”!
Make & Create!
The idea for our time together was to “make and create” using edibles. YUM!
Melt marshmallows and a bit of butter. Add Rice Krispies, crunched up pretzels, Cocoa Puffs, and a topping of M&M’s. A lot of snacking foods incorporated into ONE BIG SNACK!
We wrote in our journals, shared a book, and had “chitty chat”.
P.S. Don’t forget to feed the birds. They also like to snack!
Building a Warm Winter Home
Let’s ALL build a house to stay “winter warm”.
I created a template from Bristol paper. Each child had their very own house to color. Windows and doors were applied using construction paper.
Styrofoam meat trays were used to hold trees made of crunched up tissue paper.
Paper was taped together, roads were drawn, house lots were included, roofs were added, and so were trees.
This week’s project required a concerted effort by ALL and had a number of components, but we completed it.
The room was ABLAZE with creativity!!!
What a GREAT GANG!
Winter Hibernation
It is the Winter Season and every living creature is trying to stay warm. We have been learning about bears snuggling in caves and sleeping away the winter months.
We made a Bear’s den from a paper bag in which we first made an opening. Then we drew some boulders, glued cotton balls on the bag to replicate snow and finally www placed raffia inside for a bed. I almost forgot… One happy bear who is snoring away. AHHH!
Happy Hibernation Mr.Bear!
Creating Winter Arrangements
Today we headed up to the pine grove to gather greens for our arrangements which we have been doing for years.
It is a winter project as it is important for the children to get a sense as to where things come from.
Back at the daycare the kids become totally engrossed in their work.
The finished arrangements are mini masterpieces.
What A LOT of creative energy fills the room and when I arrive home I need to rest for a bit!!
I LOVE IT!!
Our First THANKS-4-GIVING
The holidays are a busy time of year but we wanted you to see how we have been celebrating!
Two weeks ago we celebrated Nature with our 1st ever THANKS-4-GIVING.
We have gathered pine cones,tied a piece of colorful yarn at the top,
slathered them with Crisco and rolled them in sunflower kernels.
Outside we go to hang them from our Hawthorne Tree. What a cheery sight this time of year!
Thank- you Mother Nature for your most bountiful gifts you share with us ALL YEAR LONG!!!
Sensing Nature
Before heading outdoors, we talked about how we experience nature by using our 5 senses. Ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands – they knew it all.
Each season has very unique treasures for us to find and YES, we head outside with a mission plan!
We SEE fall berries, leaves, TOUCH bird nests, HEAR the wind blow, birds, SMELL flowers and crunched up leaves.
And YES, TASTE homemade Cranberry Bread!
P.S. We walked for an hour, through the wetland area and along the bridle path laughing and giggling. What a glorious way to start the weekend.
Leaf Picking Day
It’s one of those days that you “dialed ahead” and *bam!*, a Fall day both warm and a blaze of color. Leaf picking day my friends and yes we are heading up towards our apple orchard as we have spotted a “winner”.
Little ones, gather round and pick some leaves, stuff your pouches, and off we head to notice just about anything that takes our fancy. Sumac berries have a certain feel and yes the branch has a fuzzy feel.
Back at school, we are reading The Stowaway Mouse. I am always comfortable answering their questions as I read each page.
Have a wonderful week and enjoy someone’s company!
Pumpkins Picking Pumpkins
The pumpkins were ready to be picked as Halloween is just about here. Outdoors we scurried, crunched ourselves into the pumpkin patch, and decided which pumpkin was “the perfect pumpkin”.
We retrieved a wheel barrow full!
Ditty demonstrated how to draw various facial expressions. We were given paints, brushes and pumpkins and away we went to explore our inner creativity.
Ditty made us an apple pie and showed us how an apple peeler works, which I think is but a toy for grownups.
Enjoy the Fall weather.
Caramel Apples and Scary Things
For me, being with the children each week requires me to think ahead, read between the lines, and when my ideas aren’t that great, turn them into something else all the while maintaining a sense of humor. Guess what! It works and EVERYONE has a grand old time.
As you know, we went “nature-picking” last week in anticipation of creating THINGS fashioned out of clay and bits of found stuff. The children really like the mooching of the clay.
We made caramel apples dipped in crushed pretzels.
We ended with “Scary Creatures” and candied apples . Perfect for this time of year.
This week, the children will be busy painting their creatures once the clay dries.
Good Job my little friends!