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!

This week, the weather has been quite chilly in the mornings. Please remember to bring sweaters or jackets, depending on the temperature. Rain boots are always a good idea when it’s wet and muddy! We have spent plenty of time outside working on developing our gross motor skills, and we even got to play in the gym this week. For our food tasting activity, we tried tomatoes and peppers, and the children enjoyed holding the seeds and exploring the insides!

Here are a few reminders:

• There will be no school on Monday, the 13th.
• Please sign up for parent-teacher conferences, which are scheduled for Friday, the 24th. There will be no school that day.
• Bring in sweatshirts and pants to keep in our extra clothes bins. We can also store jackets, so you don’t have to keep bringing them back and forth if that’s more convenient.

Enjoy all the pictures!

We had our first classroom birthday this week!  It was so much fun!

In the pictures, you will also see that we practiced dancing, listening to the words of the songs, and following along.  The children were so proud as they learned to serve themselves a fruit salad made from apples and grapes. Yum! We are also learning to care for our classroom and getting better at rolling up our work mats, wiping the tables, and even coming to help do the laundry. Outside, we are practicing jumping using both feet and playing with our friends.

The weather has been beautiful this week, and we have spent a lot of time talking about the weather and what we see and feel outside.  We are noticing that the green leaves are starting to turn different colors, and some are even starting to fall off the tree.

The children are having such a great time now that we are really settled into routine!  We have been exploring lots of new materials in the room, participating in circle time, and running and playing outside.  We even got to stomp around in the rain this week!  A reminder that we can keep rain boots and rain jackets here if you’d like.

For food tasting this week we tried green and red grapes.  We talked about how the grapes were ovals, smooth, and a little squishy.  We cut into the grapes and looked at the inside as well.  We smelled them and enjoyed tasting the different flavors.

The children have also been helping to clean our classroom, wipe tables, and sweep up messes.

Enjoy all the pictures!

Ms. Vicki and Ms. Patty