Our week went by FAST! The kids said good bye to the Color Clix for a while (I like to rotate the toys to keep everything exciting), but we played a few more times with them before they got put back into the toy closet.
Building with blocks is another favorite that we have put away for now. Too many toys, too little time!
Since it is officially FALL, we have been reading lots about changing leaves and colder weather. I found some big acorns and let the kids draw faces on some. They were very excited to try out using a PERMANENT marker. We talked about how it was a grown up tool, but because I was watching and they were being very careful, that it was okay for them to try. Ooooh, the concentration. Hawken took the longest to draw his, making sure it was exactly right.
Then we played. They loved it. I drew faces on the rest, some happy, some sad, and a few others. Some had attached caps, and some had ones that came on and off. I was surprised by how much they liked it. They each took one home too. Check the backpack if you haven't already.
We read the "On a dark dark night" poem during circle time and the kids loved it! We reenacted it ourselves, and then during table time the kids got to make their own story to tell their parents. They got to use some Halloween stickers too.
They all turned out a little different, and SO good. They are such hard workers!
In circle time, we sing lots of songs and do lots of finger plays and rhymes, but our most recent favorite has been the Baby Bumblebee song. They actually squeal when they see me pull out our BEES! They each hold one while we sing and do the actions.
We started doing Book-It, which was a reading program when I was little. When you reach your reading goal every day for the month, then each child will earn a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. Amazing! Plus now, they have this fancy dancy app to help them keep track of how long they have read. Each minute gives them points on the app too, to help buy accessories for their reading dragon. So far, everyone is doing great!
A free choice favorite this week were the cars and race tracks. Can't beat it!
Quiet book time is getting to be a really nice activity. It really slows everyone down and they all seem to enjoy it.
We read another fall book. This one was about a little hedgehog who gets things stuck on his back. Then afterward, we acted out our own versions of the book with the stuffed animals in the room.
Fine motor activities, painting and cutting. Pretty much everything to do with Halloween or fall, they get very excited about.
Our snack time was all WHITE after we read our "On a dark dark night" poem about a ghost. The marshmallows were the favorite, of course.
During snack, I don't always serve things that are loved by everyone. There are always more than one thing offered, but the preschoolers know that they have to try everything. They are so brave! I tell them that since they are BIG preschoolers now, they can try things that they used to not like. They might like them today! Ryan tasted a cherry tomato, didn't love it, but still tried it. Good job!
Small groups doing number matching and patterning. Sneaking math into games is easy, and makes it FUN. That's all it needs to be at this age.
Jeff initiated this activity. He asked for "paper and some dice to roll and write my numbers". I made a grid and he went to town. Of course, all the other kids wanted to try it too. Sounds good to me! I was happy he remembered that activity and wanted to do it again.
Free choice was fun, since we put away a fe things and got out a few new things and a few things that they haven't seen in a while. Letter matching with this magnet game was a hit.
Fishing, just like last time, they loved it.
Puzzles were a group activity. I love watching as the kids switch roles back and forth between follower and leader. Logan was very excited about doing this puzzle and took on the leader role. Ryan and Lullaby helped.
Play-doh, the ever popular, ever messy activity was out again. Everyone got into it. They were making creations, retelling stories from circle time, working all those fine motor muscles, using their imaginations, you name it - SUCH a good activity.
