Heading "Into the Wild"

We kicked off our summer this week and headed "Into the Wild" by turning into scientists and performing a variety of wild experiments. Early in the week we explored what would happen by mixing a couple of mentos (the fresh maker) with a bottle of diet pop. The reaction was quite explosive as we saw a geyser occur right on our very own playground. Throughout the week we also used our scientific skills to explore jelly crystals and energy beads. Our final experiment of the week combined a lot of hands-on work and critical thinking skills as we teamed up to create egg shelters. Using a variety of household objects partners were assigned the task of creating a shelter that would house an egg and prevent it from cracking when dropped a long distance from up high.

When not performing scientific experiments the Youth Group spent some time this week welcoming everyone back for the summer and getting to know one another. We all made collages displaying some of our favorite things and shared our explanation for each picture in the collage. We also created some zany balloon self-portraits using a balloon and other materials such as yarn, markers, and wallpaper samples.

It was a great first week for the Youth Group. We are looking forward to a lot of "wild" experiences throughout the rest of our summer!

Exploring Bugs

In Sesame Street, we have been learning about many different types of bugs. We read The Caterpillar Dance, a book the children love. We spent time learning about the lesson this book illustrates, which is the change from caterpillar to butterfly.

We created various art projects centered around bugs using materials such as paint, glue, rocks, potatoes, paper plates and of course, our hands!

We moved our bodies like bugs; hopping like grasshoppers, flying like... you guessed it, flies, and crawling like ants. We enjoyed an ant race as we crawled around the playground collecting pieces of play food and transporting them to different baskets.

We had fun and learned a lot about bugs during our exploration this week.

The Dress I'll Wear To The Party

This Is The Dress I'll Wear To The Party by Shirley Neitzel started out a small group time that fostered creative thinking, problem solving skills and social skills. As a little girl prepares for a party she chooses a dress and many, many accessories to wear but there is a problem... the decorative outfit she chooses to wear is developed from her mother's wardrobe.

After reading this story we decided that we would have a party of our own. The children were prompted in planning and putting together their party. Through our discussion we discovered that we would need chairs, clothes, shoes, music, food, and cake at our party.

We adorned ourselves in suit jackets, dresses, dress-up shoes, and hats. Ms. Jolene laid out a table cloth and the children gathered food from the fridge and dishes from the shelves that would be helpful for eating the dinner at our party. Many children used pegs and peg boards to "bake" a birthday cake. When the cake was done they carried to the table and everyone sang the "Happy Birthday Song".

Careful questioning allowed Ms. Jolene to prompt the children in discovering, planning, and creating their own party complete with food, music, cake, guests, fun, and ofcourse learning!

Key Developmental Indicators:

Initiating play

Pretending

Relating to children and adults

Having fun with language

Using vocabulary

Problem solving

Listening and responding

Rainy Days

It has been a rainy week in Jackson which has resulted in a soaking wet playground and children that have had to stay inside. In Big Bird Buddies we decided to bring some outside activities indoors...

Sidewalk Chalk Drawings: We brought a big piece of black paper into the classroom and laid it on the floor. Instead of coloring on the sidewalk, we colored all over the paper!

Picnic: We filled a picnic basket with plastic food, plates, and silverware, spread a blanket across the floor and practiced having a picnic. Why would we practice having a picnic? Monday, weather permitting, we will be having a picnic with real food and silverware on the playground.

Farm Day: We pulled our farm animals off the shelf and borrowed Ms. Ciera's barn. We made animal noises and played pretend. Then we used foam to make our own farm animals.

Music and Movement: We listened to Dr. Jean's "Bear Hunt" song. We marched around the room on a bear hunt. We went through a swamp and into a cave. We moved our bodies in various ways, listening and responding to Dr. Jean's instructions.

Though we have enjoyed a fun week indoors, we are certainly ready for warmer, drier weather!

Spring Break in Kanga's Kids

During Spring Break, the teachers in Kanga's Kids completed their home visits. Thank you to all of our families that welcomed us into their homes!

In early April, we explored and learned all about pets. We ate like pets, moved like pets, and most exciting of all, we made our favorite pet noises. Woof, Woof! Meow!

Bugs have become the latest trend in our classroom. We placed a spider into a small bug cage inside our classroom and observed it for a short time. The children were careful to remember that it would need something to climb on and a place to hide.

The children have been enjoying the warm, Spring weather. During outside time, our kids can be found riding bicycles, searching for bugs, running races, or playing pretend.

Take time to explore the outdoors with your children! It provides many learning opportunties!