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

We had such a fun and busy week!  The children explored new ways to create art, from apple stamping to painting using forks.  We’re also settling in nicely into our daily routines with lunch and nap times flowing more smoothly each day.  This week, we practiced important grace and courtesy lessons, like putting work away on the shelf when finished, rolling up our work mats, and pushing in chairs.  Great steps toward independence!  For food tasting, we tried apples, and the children were amazed to discover the little “star” hidden inside, where the seeds are in each apple.

Can’t wait for another wonderful week ahead!

Ms. Vicki and Ms. Patty

We have had so much fun in class so far! We have been exploring our classroom and new materials, getting to know each other, and learning new routines. We have been learning about apples and farm animals. We have also been singing a lot of Old MacDonald Had a Farm!