Three Days And Counting!

We started the day with pumpkin seeds in our Touch and Feel pool.  There were also magnifying glasses and rulers for the kids to use while exploring.  We made LOTS of revelations about pumpkin seeds today....such little scientist they are!!

Ms. Danielle was here today for Young Athletes.  We worked on catching and throwing.  First, we lined up in rows and threw a ball to our partners.  Then Ms. Danielle made her way around the group, throwing and catching with each child.  Next, we worked on some listening skills with the parachute. We followed the adult instructions to shake it, bring it up, or bring it down to the floor.  After bouncing a ball on the parachute, we listened for our names and took turns running under the parachute while our friends held it up for us!

Ms. Stacey came for music today - this is her last week with us before her baby comes and next week Miss Laura will come back. During our hello song we practiced singing a cappella - without any music! We also sang Autumn Winds for the last time today, and after a quick practice round the kids were able to remember the words and motions to do without Miss Stacey's help! There were some really great singing voices today. Next we played an instrument game with the book, 'There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat'. Each kid got a different instrument that corresponded to one of the characters in the book, and had to listen close for when their character had a turn to play. This took a lot of focus for remembering directions! One of the instruments this week was called a thunder tube and made a neat and different sound, so everyone took a turn trying it out. We wrapped up music today with the rhythm sticks, practicing keeping a beat together and then copying different rhythm patterns from other friends in the group.

Today's book was Click Clack Boo:  A Tricky Treat by Doreen Cronin.  Farmer Brown does not like Halloween.  So he decides that he is not going to participate.  He closes the shades, put on pajamas, and climbs into bed.  But, the barnyard animals LOVE Halloween....and they are having a party to celebrate.  But, when Farmer Brown hears some spooky noises outside....and finds the candy bowl missing.....he knows that the animals have something to do with it!

Mr. Jon was here to end our day with MyGym.  The first activity was running and jumping over two ropes.  The running part was pretty easy......but jumping over something....that needs practice for everyone!  Next, Mr. Jon handed out streamers.  We followed directions to move our streamers and use them for pretend play.  We even used them as horse tails as we galloped around the room.  The last activity was like musical chairs, but with a mat.  You had to listen to the music and dance around the mat until the music stopped.  Then everyone had to get on the mat....which Mr. Jon kept making smaller and smaller.  No one was "out", but as the mat got smaller, we had to use our helping skills to find a place on the mat for everyone!   Today's practice skill is the V sit.  This skills works on your child's core and leg strength.  They start by sitting on their bottom.  Arms straight up (elbows by the ears).  Slowly lift your feet off the ground.  The goal is for their bottom to be the only body part touching the floor.

Pumpkins and The Pumpkin Patch!

Today we started the day with lots of Halloween goodies in the Touch and Feel pool.  There were skeletons, spider rings, jack-o-lanterns, centipedes, snakes, and ghosts.  The kids had fun exploring and scaring each other!  They are so excited about Halloween this weekend!

Before we headed out, Ms. Michelle had some fun activities for us!  We started with a scooter board trail.  The kids took turns "driving around around the room, in between the chairs, and under the hammock bridge.  They each had a colored bean bag that they had to match to a colored circle hidden somewhere along the trail.  At the end of the trail, they each took a peg and hammered it in to our class jack-o-lantern.  As always, we ended with finger fun.  Today Ms. Michelle had some hidden Halloween objects in three tubs.  One was full of cooked spaghetti, one had bird seed, and another had cotton batting....or spider webs!

As soon as both classes were done with Ms. Michelle, we put on our rain coats....and walked to the Pumpkin Patch.  Walking in the rain is much more fun for little people, than for the grown ups.  There was lots of singing and puddle jumping, which definitely indicates that the kids were enjoying themselves, but we should apologize for wet socks and shoes and runny noses.  It was chilly out there.  When we got to the Pumpkin Patch....which is thankfully covered by a tent....we spent some time exploring the pumpkins.  We saw orange pumpkins, white pumpkins, big pumpkins, tiny gourds, and even, some rotting pumpkins.  The kids took extra care to pick out two perfect pumpkins for the class.  We have a special experiment planned for Thursday with those pumpkins....and the kids are already excited to see what it will be!  Click on the picture below for a link to all the pictures we took today!

Learning About Bats!

Ms. Danielle came today for Young Athletes.  We practiced more soccer skills.  First, we started by taking turns kicking the ball into the goal....and being the goalie.  I think we are starting to get the hang of what a goalie is supposed to do.....but it's so much more fun to cheer for our friends when the ball goes in the goal.....that there isn't a whole lot of effective goal keeping!  Next, Ms. Danielle taught us about dribbling.  Dribbling is what you call it when you use small little kicks to get the ball from one place to another.  We dribbled the soccer ball in and out of a cone maze, trying very carefully not to knock down any cones.  

Miss Stacey came for music today. During our hello song we learned a new music word - a cappella, which means singing with just voices and no music. Next we practiced our Autumn Winds song, reviewing all the words and motions. The kids did some great singing!  After that, we sang a song about a pumpkin vine that had lots of things on it other than pumpkins! The kids labeled and described everything on the vine.  We practiced clapping a rhythm during this song, then talked about rhythm and how it is different from steady beat. We wrapped up with a song using rhythm sticks that gave the kids the chance make up their own rhythms for the group to listen close and copy. This takes lots of focus and attention!  Finally, the kids got the chance to meet Miss Laura, who will be coming for music starting in November while Miss Stacey takes a break to take care of her new baby. 

Our book today was LittleBat's Halloween Story by Diane Mayr.  Littlebat, who lives in the attic of the public library, love to poke his head through a hole in the floor and listen to the librarian read stories to the children.  One day he gets so excited by a picture in a book that he loses his grip and falls into the room below.  The children scream and the librarian shoos him away.  Littlebat's mother says he must wait for "changes" before going so close to the book again.  So.....Littlebat waits.  As the seasons start to change....and the weather gets colder.....pumpkins appear....and Littlebat knows it's time.  He is able to find his way back down into the library....and blend, out of sight, in the Halloween decorations!

For art, we made bats using black paper, bat cut outs, and white chalk.  The kids learned how to rub chalk on their paper, which is different than writing.  Once our papers were covered with white chalk, we removed the cutouts, and were left were the black bats!  So cool....