Sunday, October 23, 2011

October News

I LOVE conversations with children that encourage them to share their thoughts!! The different life events we engage in is so often very much on their minds and they need a chance to voice their opinions,hopes,fears and more.
Their answers are so eye-opening as to what emotions they are experiencing.
The best part of all is the way it makes them feel important that someone asked 'what they think'.

 Excerpts from our October 24, newsletter below:
in other words.....
what "we do all day"


 
Upcoming learning centers will include “Awake at Night” &  “A Long Sleep”  w/Weekly Readers, Halloween Fun,  more letter learning & much more. Have a great week!!!
Stephanie

Infant/Toddler Fun
Fine Motor Activities:

Banging Activities:

* banging two toys together
* pound-a-ball toys
* banging hands on high chair
* toy workbench and hammer toys
* musical instruments

Learning Centers
Language: Weekly Readers – Animated story “Forest Animals” online w/weekly reader – Writing journals daily – I Had a Little Nut Tree poem/colorpage – Pp pumpkins displayed for writing journal inspiration – Do You Like Monsters?(graphing)  - Showers for Flowers (sort letters from symbols) – Stencils for writing journals
Math: Shape cards (find the hidden teddy bear) – Sorting letters/numbers on a chart & glue – ABC leaf bingo - Firetruck/ Burning house Maze – Firetruck Bingo – Sort leaf cutouts into colored baskets- Count the Fall Things page – Pumpkin Patch Phonics board game
Art: Blow Paint Art – Scare crow creation – shape face pumpkins cut & paste
Science: Baked egg-free cookies – Liquid layers in clear jar(tinted water, dawn dish soap, cooking oil) – Stop, Drop & Roll practice – Discovery windows w/leaves, acorns & walnuts displayed – Leaf hunt for rubbings & sorting activities -
Music: Autumn Leaves song – Down at the Firehouse – Musical letters game(each child had own paper & crayon to ‘write the letter’ when the music stopped
Manipulatives: Dressing vests practice – Magna tiles play – Hammer golf t’s into Styrofoam & remove (removing the t’s strenghthens the fingers to prepare for writing practice)
Dramatic Play: Firefighters prop box includes:
Fire hats, boots, oxygen tanks(backpacks), hand bell, gloves, flashlights, stuffed animals to rescue – Shoe Store prop box
Large Muscles: Stay Low & Go practice w/parachute -  Find the hidden “F” flames & put ‘em out – Letter Action Cards ( new Favorite!!!!) – Hula Hoop play – Jump over the fire (wiggling jump rope) – Parachute games: Turtle on your back crawl & Parachute roll(took turns rolling 1 child at a time on the parachute)
Stories  (not all-inclusive)
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake * Leaves  Are on the Trees
 Baker, Baker, Cookie Maker * Fighting Fires
Flashing Fire Engines * I’m Going to be a Fire Fighter
Firefighters! * Fall Changes *Halloween Bones
Llama Llama Misses Mama*Llama Llama Red Pajama
Llama Llama Mad at Mama *16 Runaway Pumpkins
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything