We are special!

Our pre-school curriculum officially started this week with the theme, "You are Special!"
I asked the kids what makes each of them special and these were the responses:

Joanna: Because I take such good care of my mom.
Mason: I don't know. I want to wait and see what other people say.
Preston: 'Cause I have straight hair.
Sadie: I have a special Mommy!
Genevieve: Because I play!

Clearly there is more work to be done on defining special. I am know that each child in this group is extremely confident that they are the coolest thing since sliced bread though, so I am not worried.

We made hand prints today and talked about our unique finger prints. Each child also made a self portrait.

As we have been working on writing our names, Joanna told me she didn't want to write any more today, she just wanted to read. So, that is just what she did. I wrote words on the board and she read them! She was so proud of her new found ability, that she insisted on teaching all of her friends!

Don't get too excited! ;)

My last post was in December of 2011, the post before that was October of 2011, so don't get too excited, but I think/hope that I am once again in a place where I can keep up with the blog! I know that it is a very important glimpse into the lives of your children, and I love documenting the memories. So, here we go!

Little Friends 2012-2013

Where did they all go, you may ask? I must say, it is STRANGE having only 6 kids here all day long...and none of them are mine! I have loved every crazy, fun, busy moment of loving on and teaching the masses, but this is a good transition into whatever God has planned for me next. (We will have 7 on the days that "Little Parker" is here, and when Mason's mom has her baby, he or she will be here full time as well, so some days we will get up to 8!)

Today, the 5 big ones played outside, and we explored anthills, a bird's nest, and dandelions. The kids told me that they found a "daddy praying mantis", and they were right! This guy was huge!

(Preston wasn't back from his appt yet, so he didn't get in on the photo op.)

 

Our Funshine Express Preschool Curriculum begins September 4th, so keep an eye out for the newsletters and fun projects that accompany our learning!

Gingerbread Houses...or Factories

The wondeful Praireland teachers had extra gingerbread house materials and they asked me if I knew any kids who would like to use them. I couldn't say "YES" fast enough! Seeing the wonderful creations was neat, but it was more amazing to hear the stories each child told as they carefully chose each and every piece that they added.

"I need lots of these for the fence, like at my house."

"It's not a house, it's really a factory."

"This one is the bad guy and he's trying to sneak in the roof."

"I need to stack the snowballs over here by the garage."

These kids can make such wonderful connections from their lives to what we are learning, and then to the world around them. This is a great skill to build now so that they are better readers in the coming years. When they make connections between what they read and themselves and/or the real world, reading is more meaningful and comprehension is greater!

 

Leaves

Since there is a chance of snow tonight, I thought it was about time that I took the fall pictures off of my camera! :)  We "borrowed" the leafy yard of a house for sale on Henry Street so that we could make big piles and jump in the leaves. SO much fun! 

Making 'H's and 'I's (and lunch)

When Miss Rachel makes lunch, it requires so much more than opening the microwave and pushing buttons like Miss Cara did! The kids LOVE to help in the kitchen whenever they can!

We were working on the letters Hh and Ii, so in stations we tried to make the letters with different materials. We tried wiki sticks, popsicle sticks, string and yarn, and pipe cleaners. Even the younger ones loved it! Look at the concentration on their little faces!

Halloween!

The Itsy-Bitsy Preston...

 The Ella-bug...

 The Beautiful Princess Joanna...

 The Silly Princess Genevieve...

 Is it a Spice Girl? No, it's Straw-b-b-b-b-Berry, Strawberry Claire...

 Just keep swimming, Mason!

 Oh, no! Parker has gone over to the Dark Side...

 DUMBO!!! Camron, I didn't know elephants could growl!?!

Happy Halloween from your Little Friends!

Leaf Hunt!

October 10, 2011

The school kids got to join us for our annual leaf hunt on the ISU Quad since they had a day off of school. We found all different kids of leaves, watched squirrels play, found bugs and other gross stuff, too!

To end with a grand finale, the silver van had a flat tire when we were getting ready to go. Thank goodness Dave had a day off of school and could come rescue us!