Dreaming of outdoor fun!

This winter has been brutal and we decided that if it was too cold to be outside we could imagine we were camping in warmer weather instead.  So this week in preschool we did just that.  We hunted for bugs, made s'mores and built tents all while imagining what it will be like to get to do these things in warmer weather.

This week was also spirit week at school so though we only were here for two days we had a blast dressing like the old west in our boots and hats and flannel as we painted campfires and sang camp songs!

 We did a lot of work this week in math and art centered around the sweet treats of s'mores as we worked to build them in the correct order, match the parts of a s'more with its pieces of the same number representation and even assembled them into s'more people!

After some stories 'round the campfire' about camping we used pipe cleaners to create patterns of various colors and bent and twisted them in ways to 'follow the trail' drawn out on the strips of paper at each table.

We also did some word matching and phonics by listening to the sound in the word TENT and then finding the word on the table with the T sound at the front to match it to the picture of the tent, etc.

We also used real marshmallows and toothpicks to build 'tents' at the tables.  Some children built tall tents, others small tents and some amazingly crazy styled tents too!

After building "S'more Men" to show our teachers how to assemble a s'more on paper we made 'flashlights' for our campouts out of water bottles.  If you turn the real flashlight from your phone on and place it under the water bottle your child made at school and turn out the lights you have quite the cool nightlight!

 On Friday we heard some stories about various bugs then 'dug up' some bugs hidden in some tins at the tables for a science activity by dropping vinegar onto baking soda to create fizz and make them appear. 

After finding bugs in science, we sorted them into 'bug jars' by color, then type and more.  Activities like this are easy to do at home as well with any toys you have whether they are big or small.  If they are bigger, use laundry baskets and if they are smaller use bowls!

Between books about bugs and sorting bugs and hunting for them around the classroom we needed a bug break on Friday so we made some 'snacks' out of paper by matching the numeral to the amount of dots on its counterpart.  

To end out our fun week of spirit days and camping we played parachute games and built tents with the parachute!  We were able to use our smaller parachutes in the classroom and a bed sheet can work the same way in your home for some fun too.  

If you worry about hitting the ceiling, then kneel instead of stand to shake and raise and lower the sheet.  Sometimes in winters like these creativity is what gets you through the cold!

What's Coming Up?

This coming week we will celebrate all things Dr. Seuss!  We will be reading a lot of his books and doing activities based on these great books.

Many questions are coming in about preschool registration for next year.  I hope to have the plan for you by the end of March and will email you as soon as I am able to open registration.  

We are waiting for numbers to come in to tell us how long the morning AND afternoon sessions will run but YES! you saw that right, we will have a choice next year of either morning or afternoon.  

Once I know the times of each session I will open registration so keep checking in the What's Coming Up section each week for updates!