This week, our classroom was full of energy, movement, and joy! We made it a priority to get outside as much as possible, and when the weather didn’t cooperate, we happily used the gym to help everyone get their wiggles out.

In the gym and outdoors, the children enjoyed riding cars, jumping, climbing, and practicing throwing and kicking balls. These activities help build balance, coordination, and confidence while giving everyone a chance to move their bodies in fun and healthy ways.

Inside the classroom, we spent time reading books about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. The children loved listening to the stories, looking at the pictures, and learning that families celebrate in different ways.

We also enjoyed plenty of calm, focused activities throughout the week. The children painted, completed puzzles, built tall towers, and explored many other classroom materials. It was wonderful to see their creativity, concentration, and teamwork as they played and learned together.

It was a busy and exciting week filled with movement, learning, and creativity. Enjoy the pictures!

Reminders:

• Thursday the 18th is pajamas and pancakes.
• Friday the 19th is the Winter Showcase at 10:30. Toddlers do not participate in the show but we do attend. If you would like your child to sit with you please let me know. If you would like them to stay with the class, please stay out of sight so they aren’t upset during the concert. Dismissal is at 11:15.

 

What a festive and exciting transition week we had—moving from Thanksgiving celebrations into snowy weather and the start of December!

Right before break, we made Bread in a Bag, and the children loved being part of the whole process. They helped pour the ingredients, squish the mixture together, and then knead the dough with their hands. We gave one loaf to the school to have for their celebration.

While our dough was rising, we explored how cream can change when it’s mixed. We poured heavy cream into a jar, gave it a big shake, and watched it turn into whipped cream, which we tasted! With more shaking, the cream separated into butter and buttermilk, and the children were fascinated watching it transform. When the bread finished baking, we all enjoyed the bread with our freshly made butter. It was a cozy, delicious way to start the holiday.

After Thanksgiving break, we stepped right into freezing temperatures and our first snow. We went outside while it was snowing and talked about how rain turns into ice or snow when it gets very cold.

One morning, the children were especially curious:
“Where did all the sand go?”
The sandbox had a light layer of snow covering it like a blanket. The toddlers spent time brushing the snow aside and happily rediscovering the sand underneath. Their excitement and wonder made the chilly morning so much fun.

Inside the classroom, we welcomed December by introducing new Christmas and winter-themed activities. The children have been exploring these materials with so much joy and focus as we continue moving into the holiday season.

It’s been a week full of discovery, sensory experiences, and winter magic. We can’t wait for all the learning and joy this month will bring! Enjoy all the pictures!

Reminders:

• Please send in extra warm pants and sweatshirts to keep in their bin. Playing outside and getting wet and muddy requires a change of clothes. Lightweight leggings and pants are not enough for these cold temps.

This week, we added several new fall-themed activities to our shelves, giving the children fresh opportunities to build fine motor skills, practice sorting, and explore seasonal materials.

One of our new works invited the children to use their fingers to pull corn kernels off a dried cob. This activity was a big hit! It strengthens finger muscles, supports hand–eye coordination, and gives them a satisfying sensory experience as the kernels pop off.

We also introduced painted acorns paired with matching colored bowls. The children carefully sorted each acorn into the bowl with the same color, building visual discrimination, concentration, and early categorizing skills.

To support scooping and feeding skills, we added a tray with fall-colored glass stones. The children practiced scooping the stones and transferring them into different containers. This work helps develop wrist control, hand strength, and independence at mealtime.

The toddlers loved exploring their new fall activities, and it was wonderful to watch their focus, determination, and excitement grow throughout the week.

Reminders:

• Next week, we have an early dismissal on Tuesday, starting at 11:15.

This week, we introduced several new fall-themed materials to explore, including activities with warm colors, leaves, and seasonal objects.  The children were naturally drawn to the new trays and loved exploring what each one could do.  One of our most popular new choices was water transferring using a dropper.  The children practiced squeezing, releasing, and carefully moving water from one container to another.  We also introduced clothespin color matching.  The toddlers worked hard to open and close the pins using their fingers and match each pin to the correct colored space.  These activities support concentration, hand strength, and early pre-writing skills.  We also set up a dishwashing station.  They practiced scrubbing dishes with soap and water and a sponge.  This real, practical work helps build independence and focus.  There were lots of bubbles, messes, and smiles!

Reminders:

• Tuesday, November 25th, is an early dismissal (11:30), and then we are off for Thanksgiving break.

Enjoy the pictures!

What a busy and exciting week we’ve had together!  Our toddlers explored so many new sights, sounds, textures, and tastes as we continued learning about fall and the world around us.

We spent some time experimenting with colors.  Using red and yellow paint, we mixed them together to see what would happen and discovered the beautiful fall color orange!  They loved watching the colors swirl and change right before their eyes.

We took a closer look at the inside of a pumpkin as well. The children used their hands to feel the squishy insides and find the seeds hiding inside. It was a great sensory experience to connect with the season.

This week’s food tasting included pomegranate seeds as well as raw and cooked broccoli. The children explored the textures and tastes and loved the pomegranate seeds!  Most of the children preferred the cooked broccoli over the raw.

We also had the opportunity to learn a little about Diwali, the Festival of Lights.  We watched a traditional dance, looked at bright and colorful decorations, and even tried a special rice dish.

To end the week, we had a special visit from the fire department! The children got to see a fire truck up close, go inside, and even take home their own firefighter hats.  It was such an exciting morning!

Reminders:

• Check backpacks for notes letting you know if your children need more diapers or extra clothes.
• The classroom door opens at 8:30, unless you have an older sibling (8:20) or have paid for early drop-off. Please adhere to that time, as we need time to prepare the classroom and for the children. We had a lot of children dropping off before 8:30 this week.

Enjoy all the pictures!

This week has been pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!

It was so sweet to watch the older kids pull the toddlers around in the wagon, talking to them, as they made their journeys to the pumpkin patch! Once there, each child chose a pumpkin, and we even got to decorate them with finger paint.

New work in the room included pumpkin drawing and washing. We used markers to draw on the pumpkins and wet cloths to wash them clean. We also worked on pounding golf tees into a pumpkin to work on fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination.

Everyone enjoyed the special pumpkin doughnut and apple cider snack that we shared as a snack.

Reminders:

• Please remember weather appropriate outerwear each day (sweatshirt, light jacket, heavy jacket).
• Please keep children home when they are not feeling well. The germs spread very quickly in a toddler classroom.

Enjoy all the pictures!

This week, we have been talking about and noticing the changing of the seasons.  We have been Weather Watchers and observing what the sky looks like and how the air feels.  We also watched the big tree by the playground each day turn from red, yellow, and orange leaves to almost all yellow, then fall from the tree with the big gusts of wind!

Inside the classroom, the students have taken an interest in water lately, so we opened up a water play area and  pumpkin washing work.  We also added new artwork: Paint sticks!  These are much smoother to draw with and add a different sensory experience than using crayons.

For food tasting this week, we tried radishes.  Almost everyone wanted to take a bite! (Swallowing was a harder sell.)

I have enjoyed watching some of the older children helping their younger classmates and showing them how to do work and follow directions.  We had some time in the gym this week riding on the scooter cars and gathering bean bags to drop into a bucket.

Enjoy the pictures!

Reminders:

• No school next Friday, the 31st (Halloween)
• We will be going through the children’s bins and sending home summer clothes.  Please replace these with long-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, and pants.
• Pumpkin Patch Wednesday the 29th. Lots of pictures will be taken, so dress in fall attire!

The children have been working hard both in and outside the classroom.  Some students chose to gather leaves outside and do a project, while others worked on fine and gross motor skills.

Reminders:

• Please bring weather appropriate outerwear each day.  Sometimes a sweatshirt is ok and other times we need a jacket.
• There is no school on Friday.
• Several children have forgotten their cups this week.  Please bring them in.  We only have a few sippy cups in the classroom.

Enjoy the pictures!