Where in the World?

One of our friends will be travelling to Africa for Christmas, and to help the kids understand where our friend will be travelling, I used the iPad to demonstrate this. I used the Map app on the iPad.

I showed the kids where Africa is...

Then I showed them where we live in Canada...

As some more kids became interested...
I then showed the kids where some of their moms and dads came from in other parts of the world.

This activity helps the children to understand...
-Where we live in the world
-How big our world is
-Where some of our friends come from
-And encourages the children to be curious about our world.

Written By: Miss.Cryderman

 

The Blizzard

Today the big Blizzard came over the city. So, all the streets were covered in snow. This inspired me to do a unique play experience.  I brought paint, white of course for the snow, black and blue paper. Then some brushes to paint with and glitter for some winter magic.

 

I was so influenced by how beautiful the snow was so I decided to print out some snow pictures.  I specifically choose realistic snow images.  Then  put them out on display to see if the children  would get inspired.

From looking at these portraits  the children made their own interpretation of the image.  While other children recreated what was in front of them. The kids  honed the artist within them  and created magnificent art pieces.

 

"You know what Miss Santillan there is a Lizard outside."

"I'm making a picture of a Blizzard."

 

 

"LOOK....at my snow man."

"LOOK....I made snow balls....too."


Giving the children the opportunity to create, enable them to express mentally, creatively, emotionally and socially.

 

 

Written By :Miss Santillan

 

 

Lets get Beading!!!



This child found a long lace and decided to string hair ties on to it.  He looked in the bin and sorted out all the soft hair ties. Then slowly he stringed each one onto the shoe lace.

 

  Going based on the child's interest, I decided bring out the bead and pipe cleaner experience. Many of the children came to the table.  The child got right down to work. They drew the beads through the pipe cleaner. Even our younger friends understood the concept.

Some children made bracelets  while others made necklaces.

"I'm making a necklace for grandma."

"I'm making one for me."

"Remember when we made necklace with fruit  loops."

"I'm making a rainbow."

 

The children really enjoyed this experience:

-building on fine motor

-sorting the various colors

-making a keep sake

-building on patience

 

 

"Fine motor  is essential to perform everyday skills."

 

Written by Miss Santillan

 

Were Going Camping

It seems as though the children are missing summer already. Some children  in class were pretending to go camping. They used all the blocks and collected many items from the house keeping area.

 

These  girls said that they were in camper outside.

"Ya... in the spooky forest."

"I'm the mommy and she is the sister."

"Look we brought our baby."

"We can even eat inside here."

 

The children were eagerly working on this project.  Adding different toys building on their imagination. The girls built a strong enclosure with the blocks. They also  made it comfy by adding some pillows to sit on. Ensured there was food to eat and we mustn't forget our purses. Just in case they need to go shopping.

These children learn that team work can create a whole new play experience.

Written By; Miss Santillan



 

First Day of Snow

Today is officially the first day of Snow!!! In the morning the children got experience it first hand.

When observing the children, they noticed that the snow was sticky enough to make a snowball. This child had a great idea to make a snow man. ( with some help from a teacher)

" The snow is sticky"

"It's stuck on my mitten"

The children searched in the snow to find some branches for arms.

"There is leaves on the snowman."

With help from my friends we were able to make a Huge snowman.

 

Snow is a very valuable experience for children. It exposes them to

-how the weather changes

-feel the cool snow on their hands

-create and use snow in a variety of ways ie. snowman snow balls etc

- develop a child's large muscle and fine motor

-and build a child wonderment and creativity

By: Miss Santillan

Lace it up

As we came in from outside all the children got ready for lunch . I sent the kids into the classroom and  I noticed one child was left in the hallway. This child  was sitting on the floor tying up her shoes laces. I carefully watched and observed.



It was quite neat to see her fine motor skills work. She was meticulous, ensuring the ends were both even. Then she looped the two together the laces and pulled.This child is only 4 years old and I was so amazed to see that she could tie her shoes.

\

I was so impressed that I asked her if she could lace up my rain boots. She laced up the boots in no time.

 

 

Then just before going home I walked by the science area. I noticed the same  little girl putting bows into another child's hair. She was using the same technique as she did with her shoes.  

"LOOK I put a bow in her hair!!"

This child emerged her lace tying skills onto  another technique. Bringing her knowledge of making  bows into hair tying.

Written By: Miss Santillan

Barrel of Monkey's Nature Style

The staff just recently finished off a new toy for our classroom. Barrel of monkey's nature style!

"Look you hang them on the hooks like this."

"This is so cool they can hang all the way down to the floor."

" How are we gonna reach the top hooks? Maybe we can stand on a block to reach them."

"Let's see how many long chains we can make."

Children can work independently or with peers. Some discussing how to hang the tree cookies. Others making loops with the chains from branch to branch.

Eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills help to place the hooks in just the right places.

The children take time to line up the hooks to form a chain.

"We need the tree cookies with the hooks on the top and the bottom for this chain."

"Here I found some little baby ones for the tree."

"This is so cool. It's like a home made Christmas tree. A piece of art!"

"Can we hang them wherever we want?"

"Let's make some long and short chains."

 As the day goes on children come and go adding tree cookies and removing others to form new chains. Allowing the children to change the play.

Written by Mrs Balharry