What we "did all day"

Honeysuckle Home Daycare ReviewMay/June News 2012






Sorting recycleables activity



This is a condensed summary of activities and experiences in my daycare setting. If you have any questions, please feel free to jot it down in the comment box.

Most recent activities first:
Language:Weekly Readers/ S page, Rhyme words with Sun & make a list simultaneously, Writing journals,
Number 10 worksheets, 10 fingers poem, Ten in a bed activity with bear counters, ABC stamp & song, What is your favorite thing about Mom & chart it, Introduce X, Y, Z & review activities (in May)example of Y = “Y is for Yes” game
Math: Sunshine number memory game, Match clothespin to number on wheel, Trace hands & number fingers, 10 fingers transition song, yellow object hunt,
Art:Yellow mosaic, Sun safety puppets, Color, cut & paste sun w/rays, X-ray chalk hand tracings, Color mixing circles (red, yellow, blue), number mosaic, Folded tulips art
Science/Health: Went on a “Yellow Walk” on the Katy Trail, For Conversation Starters: What might you see in the sky during the day? They had lots to say about this , Magnet balls & sticks, Magna Tiles, Sand play
Blocks: Color view blocks, pvc connectors, Legos & hotwheels
Dramatic Play: Dr. kit prop box, Hats & boots play, Grocery store play, Veterinarian play, Baby dolls dress up play

Fine Motor: Puzzle play, Finger plays, Cutting practice, Gluing practice, Foam Floor puzzle
Gross Motor: Bounce/catch game, Learning to slide (for toddlers), Push/pull red wagon both with or without riders, Dancing to various types of music, London Bridge, Rolling down the “big” hill
Stories:  I have lots of series booksLlama llama Loves Mama + other llama stories
Froggy stories
There Was an Old Lady stories
Feelings stories like “I Was So Mad” or “If You’re Angry & You Know It”.
& Many Many More

February 2012, Party Info

Following the 'rectangle' shape path & Hide-n-Seek the Hearts are 2 activities we didn't get listed on the printed newsletter.

Dear Families,

Even if your child is not able to attend, we will have treat bags for them. We won’t let anyone feel left out.  I have always had parties at 10 am for best attendance. The times I have attempted  afternoon parties, someone always leaves before we are done. Parents’ schedules are never perfect (just like life) and this is just what has always worked best after 15+ years of trial and error. If sending Valentine cards or treats, just place your child’s name on each one and they can pass them out without any problem. To have enough for all the children above 1 yr, (Desmond is pretty close) you will need 10 cards or treats. Your discretion on either one and as always, this is NOT obligatory.     Thanks!!

Book orders available for February if interested.  Again, ordering is optional. If doing so, make checks out to myself or send cash as I do online orders via my checking account.  Due date is Friday, Feb.17.

Have a wonderful week!!            Stephanie

Learning Centers

Language: “Explore” magazines from MO. Conservation Dept. – Weekly Readers & activity pages – Phonics game – Who’s in your heart? Group Conversation –

Math: Same/different color page – same/different discrimination w/people, beanbags, etc – Don’t Eat Flash!! (party game)

Science:

Manipulatives: Cutting shape practice – How fast can you match the hearts? – Fill & dump & stack blocks

Art: Color dog pages – Fill you grocery cart (healthy foods recognition) – Chalk board writing – Trace hearts page -

Dramatic Play: Post office play –

 We experienced………

·         1 to 1 correspondence w/1 stamp to 1 envelope

·         Paperpunch practice(strengthening fingers for prewriting skills)

·         Writing letters on envelopes

·         Folding & filling envelopes

·         Much language interaction & social skills demonstrated

Examples: “Don’t tear it up”

“Do you know how to write your name?”

“This is fun!”

“It worked!! See Brilyn??”

Large Muscles: Soccer play – Happy Hearts Exercises

Music:”Baby band” song - Sing &pass beanbag @ circle time – “Freeze dance” w/banjo music – Song Stash Singing – Skinamarink Song practice

Story List

If You’re Angry & You Know It    Time for Bed

Froggy Bakes a Cake        Wibble Wobble     

Goldilocks & the 3 Bears          Sweet Hearts          

Just Going to the Dentist  

Alice in Wonderland :a curious counting book

& many more!!!

Sharing our Month of January

Dear Families,

 It has been a rough month with computer issues here. It took 2 weeks to clear up our main computer and I still am leery about using it. So decided to use the laptop and get on with business.

Tax info is ready to be picked up at your convenience.

I have not planned my vacation dates for the coming year yet as I may need to close for a few extra days this spring to redo our bathroom. When I figure all this out I’ll let you know well in advance.

Our recent themes have been short & sweet in an attempt to cover more learning areas. For example, we had a 3 day Airplane theme. And with the birth of another baby, we had a “Baby Day”. These are what child care providers call Opportunistic Learning. When we go with what the children are interested in, we gain more of their attention and therefore the lessons learned increase. I have so many ideas from the years past that I am very anxious to take them out again & again because they work!  So when your child doesn’t come home with a ditto sheet, don’t fret. We have been learning through life experiences and those are lifelong lessons.

Have a great week!    Stephanie

Check out my other blog for some pics of the

 children's activities in action :

Stephanie's Stuff

Learning Centers

Language:  Weekly Readers w/ activity pages – ABC Soup (cover the letter & name an ingredient) – Listening to Books on CD individually – S Tracing page – Rhyme page – Letter Listening Game – Pig Bingo – A Sound Cards – Snowman color word page - Writing Journals-

M & K Sound game

Math: Color match file folder game – Counting cookies file folder game – Sequencing file folder activity – match a snowflake page – Snowman maze page – Trace shapes & complete the pattern page

Science: Homemade etch a sketch – 4 Seasons cut & paste – Count how many airplanes we hear during a day

Art: Calendar puzzles – Airplane stamping w/cotton clouds – Airplane mobiles – Rectangle drawings made into puzzles – I draw a line, you draw a line art (taking turns) – Make a picture from a large Letter drawn on paper – Rectangle collages

Manipulatives: String color beads – Cut snowman shapes – Create color block runways to match color of airplane – Recreate Block shapes w/Legos ( E, X, Diamond, Triangle)

Music: Bananas in Pajamas on YouTube – I’m gonna catch a baby bumblebee – Dance to banjo tunes – She’ll be comin round the mountain – The Rectangle song w/shapes for each to hold up  

Large Muscles: Letter action cards – Dancing – Walk the path of rectangles, & tip toe, & march, etc – Letter Basketball – Snowball (pom poms) tossing – Bean bag toss

Dramatic Play: Doctor prop box – Dress up play – Baby play day – Little People & houses play – Horses & blocks for fences – hotwheels & maps

But What Do the Babies Do All Day???

If we engage with babies during caregiving tasks, they learn about their bodies and how to care for them. They learn language naturally and internalize it because they don’t just hear our words, they experience them through all of their senses. (“Can you help me squeeze the warm water out of this yellow sponge?”) Most importantly, babies learn that their participation is expected and highly valued. From: http://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/08/the-secrets-of-infant-learning/  We engage babies here with hugs, cuddles, singing, laughter, speaking, and plenty of eye contact. These are the ways we show all children how to care.

November Newsletter

Playdough Tools

Dear Families,

Thank you for your book orders. I expect them no later than Friday Dec. 2. I will go ahead & put out the December Scholastic Book Club order to give you one last chance at ordering for Christmas. They will be due the following Friday, Dec. 9. We must have them ordered by Saturday Dec 10 at the latest to insure timely delivery. You are not obligated to order, but if you do, please understand the need for this deadline date. Thank you for your understanding in advance.

We’ll keep it simple for December in our themes. Holidays are hectic for many & children feel the stress as much as we do. We will cover Christmas topics such as the colors Red & Green, Shapes associated with Christmas such as Gingerbread Boy, Star & Christmas Tree, and others I choose to keep up with the seasonal learning opportunity.

Our Tentative Christmas Caroling dates are as follows:

Friday, Dec. 9 @ 5:00 pm

Friday, Dec. 16 @ 5:00 pm

I have chosen 2 in case of inclement weather. I also have selected a later time to allow parents to accompany us as well as to allow neighbors to be “at home”. It has been a challenge in previous years to find people at home to sing to. I will send more info by note with your children next week.

Have a great week!!       Stephanie

Learning Centers

Language: Weekly Readers w/activity page – Writing Journals using prompts such as Music, Turkey Letters & Thanksgiving Food Cards – On Track to Kindergarten page – Color by letter Turkey Turkey Sound/ABC match – Beginning sounds song/game w/ Thanksgiving food cards

Fine Motor: Stacking blocks & making block creations – Cutting food pics – Sorting  legos – Dressing vests

Math: Lego play *inside* the circle rugs – Mr & Mrs Potato Head play – Find the Teddy Bear card/color & shape game – Pattern block cards – Bear Bingo (small,med. & large) – Bear Bingo w/colors – Math mat w/playdoh (cover pie mat with certain number of playdoh “cherries” – Puzzle play – Pom poms & tongs filling & dumping

Science: Recording our voices singing, talking, telling a story on a recorder – Paint & salt writing – Make popcorn & graph favorite flavors(butter,cinnamon,garlic) -

Music: Music toy choices while singing – Christmas carol practice

Art: Cereal Necklaces – Color turkey, paint w/glue & sprinkle thyme over the glue -

Large Muscles: walk on the tape line with arms out, arms up, etc – Action cards – Jump in the leaves – Try to bounce a ball in the leaves (science experiment in asking for predictions) – Toy washing indoors

Dramatic Play: Hospital Prop Box – Puppet Play – Shoe Store Prop Box

Conversation Can: Have you ever lost something you really liked? What did you do?

Stories

LMNO Peas 

The 3 Billy Goats Gruff

The Leaf Blew In   

ack & the Beanstalk

My Apron    

 Tom Goes to Kindergarten

Cock a Doodle Hooooo   

Pancakes, Pancakes

& many more

November is Here!

Life-size tracing of Gracie for her 3rd Birthday Party!!
We used the back side of wallpaper samples & taped them together to make a large enough paper for the tracing.

Notice we are copying 'Happy Birthday'??? Exciting to see the pre-reading going on!!

This home made game became a popular 'after nap' activity for the early-risers.

Newsletter Below:

Dear Families,

Book orders for November are available. Great idea for stocking stuffers!! They are on the bulletin board behind the front door if interested. If ordering, make any checks out to myself as I order online with my check card. End date for ordering is Friday, Nov. 18.

Themes coming up are “ The Five Senses” & “Thanksgiving” as well as letter/prereading activities. The next newsletter will be after the Thanksgiving Break.Have a great week!         Stephanie

Fingerplay For The Coming Week!!

I Clap My Hands

I clap my hands. (Suit actions to words.)
I touch my feet and
I jump up from the ground.

I clap my hands.
I touch my feet and
I turn myself around.

I clap my hands.
I touch my feet and
I sit myself right down.

I clap my hands.
I touch my feet and
I do not make a sound.

Learning Centers

Language: Weekly Readers w/activity pages – Online Halloween Haunted House (for fun) – ABC cover up on pumpkin shape – Make a Word game -

Math: Color,cut,glue sequence page(pumpkin) – Trace Gracie & color (size comparison makes this part Math, part art) – Puzzles

Art: Shy Bats (paper folding) -  Orange collage – Tattoos for party – Water color painting –

Science: Cooking together

·         Mixing up a batch of Cole Slaw

·         Mashing crackers for Tuna Patties

Large Muscles: Monster golf (eyeballs drawn on ping pong balls) – Monster eye toss in parachute – Hop scotch indoors –parachute ball toss  & roll – Trade places under the parachute with a friend  -- ABC Bean bag toss

Manipulatives: Pumpkin lacing cards – Letter Pumpkin Fishing – Drop the eyes in a can

Music: ABC Musical Chairs (write the letter on their tablet when they sit in a chair) -

Dramatic Play: Dress up free play w/clothes, shoes, hats, costumes, etc.

Conversation Can: How many animal sounds can you make? – What kind of treat would you buy for yourself ?

Stories

5 Little Bats Flying in the Night

Shake Dem Halloween Bones

The Night Before Halloween

Look Whooo’s Counting

What Will You Be?

The Bears and the Great Big Storm

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



Our First Public Blog Post

Beginning Rock Garden

Dear Families,

Fall is a Ball!!! We’ll spend some time with themes, “All About Me”(contd. From last week), “School Times”, & “I Like Apples” to follow along with our Weekly Readers. We have yet to receive them, but as I am able to log into our online resources, I will be able to continue on with the themes until they arrive.

I have decided to keep the blog for our newsletter picture free as far as showing faces of the children. It is totally my personal decision that the childrens’ safety should come first. I will continue to email pics to those who I currently email to & print to those who don’t.  Hope this is good for everyone.  The plus side of this is that I can open the blog page to everyone and therefore allow you to share it freely with family & friends. Grandparents too love to see what the children do at daycare. Again the blog address will be at the top of these newsletters that I email out.

Thanks to everyone for allowing me the 3-day weekend to enjoy.  I hope you all enjoyed yours as well.

Have a great week!

Stephanie

Learning Centers

Language: Conversation tub question:What’s Your Favorite game?—Positional Words game – Writing journals(daily)

Math: Counting Chicks game – Color match wheels – Match the bee’s wings (counting file folder game)

Art: Gluing practice with recycled magazine strips – Trace hands & ‘name things you know’

Science/Cooking:  Gathering acorns which are falling in abundance & examining them with magnifying lenses – Ice cream sodas – Rock Garden Creation

Music:  Song Stash Tub (these are strips of paper pulled out at random)

1.     London Bridge (of course we had to make the bridge & ‘lock them up’)

2.     Happy Birthday

3.     Mary Had a Little Lamb

4.     Frere Jacque (Are You Sleeping)

5.     Jack & Jill

6.     Did You Ever See a Lassie?

Computer: Reader Rabbit cd

Large Muscles: Slay the Dragon (bat the balloon with our hands) –

Parachute games included:

1.    Beach ball bounce

2.    Counting to how many they want to be

3.    Saying ABC’s & trying to keep ball on the parachute

Body Bean bag game – Scavenger Hunt –Tunnel crawling –Musical Magic Carpets

Dramatic Play: Pretend house painters

Manipulatives: Picture puzzles – Legos – Pass the Poison Apple – Hammering acorns

Stories

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!

The Gingerbread Boy

Little Critter’s Little Sister’s Birthday

What Shall We Do Today?

The Poky Little Puppy

Have You Seen My Cat?

Just A Mess!

& Many More



Recycled Wallpaper samples for Princess Party Mural

Lou's Birthday party



August 22 Newsletter

Dear Families,

Well, here we are; already at the end of summer! How can it fly by so fast?

We want to thank everyone first for letting the school-agers hang out with us daily or occasionally, whichever the case may be. I enjoyed their company, their helpfulness towards their younger friends, and the learning experiences we had along the way. I hope we have created many fond memories for them as well. Best wishes to them in the coming school year.

We’re celebrating the ‘end of summer’ on Wednesday, August 24 with a Milk Shake Party! We’ll cook some pigs in a blanket together & play some fun games & basically just enjoy the day. We’ll pray for good weather too!

Reminder:  Daycare closed Monday, Sept. 5 for Labor Day. We reopen Tuesday as usual.

Upcoming Themes & Learning will include:

“Above my head, Below my feet”(science),

All About Me, Apple Fun.

Have a great week!

Stephanie

September Book orders are in your child’s cubby. These are totally optional. I find they are great for building your child’s library at low cost & great for gifts. If ordering, make checks payable to me as I order online. Due date: September 9.

Learning Centers

Language:  Letter T spot for reading/circle time – T roads w/wallpaper – Conversation starter question: “What would you like me to play with you” Unanimous answer was ‘dress up’ J - Writing Journals – Name trace pages -

Math: Lego game w/dice – Land,air,water color page (distinguishing correct category) –Bear number/color match – 0,1,2, T cards/activity – Wallpaper counting books – Point to the sticker that doesn’t belong in the group -

Science: Outdoor kitchen w/sand, water, etc. – Magna Tiles – Explore Bear pages online at “prekinders.com” – Elephant habitat exercise w/carpet, new highway addition & blocking off section to show the ‘limited space’ for elephants

Art: “What do you do before you go to bed?” front door art – Travel/transportation collage – Stop light mosaics – Patchwork Bear Art – Group mural/tablecloth – Paper pin poke page for 3yrs. & up, trace & color for under 3yrs

Large Muscles: Ramps & transportation vehicles – Bowling in the hall – Bean Bag toss onto 0,1,2,T -

Manipulatives: Tie your shoes practice – Lego trains – ABC Train line cutting practice – Playdoh & cookie cutters

Music/Rhyme: Scarves music & movement cd – Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear action rhyme -

Dramatic Play: Firefighter play – Dress up – Firefighters saving Teddy’s & Doctors fixing Teddy’s – Goldilocks & 3 Bears paper doll play – Play School

Computer: PBS.org games – Reader Rabbit cd – The Wiggles dvd – Elephant dvd

Stories

Big Blue Engine    Froggy Plays T Ball

Goodnight Train      Tracks        ABC Train

Where’s Teddy?    Teddy & the Fire Brigade

Goldilocks & the 3 Bears    A Beary Good Neighbor

Tigger & Winnie the Pooh  Baby Bear, Baby Bear

First Day Jitters   Miss Mary Mack song/story

Countdown to Kindergarten

Freddy Learns to Swim & Missouri ABC (thanks Alexa)