Our second Monday of the school year was busy and beautiful! It was wonderful to have 5 volunteers for most of the morning.
Grandpa Kelven is the “robot expert teacher” and had a crew of friends working with him making new robots!
Some friends chose to make their September Sun (everyone will do one before the month is over!) and some friends worked in their journals.
Read on to learn more about our day in the form of 5 questions!
What new thing was taped on the floor today?
A running track!
This allows children to make some laps as often as they like during the morning. It also serves as a line up spot for our Snack Store (where children go to get more food during Snack Time).
What color stripes did you add to your bumblebee bee?
Black! The circle and line for the b were yellow and the stripes are black. There was quite a bit of buzzing.
What did we pretend we held in our hands?
Bumblebees! In the song the mama likes bumblebees and the daddy is scared of them. This led to conversations of spiders, other fears and who our parents are.
What was too big to fit in one of our snack trays?
Yogurt tubes! Thank you, Lane for a very yummy snack of yogurt, pretzel and animal crackers. Our Snack Store with Ms Eliza was very busy. Thank you to Grandma Vicki and Grandpa Norm for getting the trays ready and then cleaned up when we went outside!
This little sister had her first Snack Time as a preschooler ever today!
Why did one friend in our book say no to the chipmunk with a nut?
Because he is allergic to nuts! We learned about different ways people keep their bodies safe with the book, Just Ask. Friends in our class know things about their own bodies too.
Today was our last first day of the 23-24 school year. While all of our classes are intentionally multi-age, Friday mornings happens to have the widest age range with no one in the middle: our oldest preschoolers are with our youngest. I am envisioning the wonderful dynamics that are possible because of this. As of this morning all children and teacher friends have graced our classroom.
What color of rugs are there at preschool?
Without me realizing it, we have “every color of apple rugs” including red, yellow and green circle rugs! It makes sense why someone said that they were sitting on apples (which confused me because all the apples were gathered in a basket already!). Clever friends sitting and playing on apples all day!
What was extra special at Snack Time?
Someone had their birthday celebration day on their actual birthday! Starting preschool on your 3rd birthday is a big deal! We had chocolates, juice and goldfish! Another rainbow candle went home today…the rest are waiting!
How did the crayons get small at the Journal Table?
Ms Kristin broke them! We talked about there being different plans at different places and that the plan at this preschool is YES, you can break the crayons. So, if you hear that your child broke crayons, that is part of our plan!
FYI: When crayons are small, hands are naturally encouraged to use a tripod grasp and can often exert more pressure which is needed to get marks on the paper!
What was inside of the 3 different apples?
There were real seeds in the two real apples and velcro pieces in the wooden apple!
We returned the pretend apples to the Family Corner and ate the real apples at Snack Time! These preschoolers were helpful in telling me when I cut the apple in a way we could see the star seed shape!
In our book, what did the teacher do with the apples in the basket?
She put them on every child’s table spot! We found the apples on every page-sometimes they were spilled on the floor!
Outside Story Time is the last thing we do before we go home. Today we all met at the logs. Sometimes we’ll be under the pavilion or at the top of the hill. We sure had a sweet first Friday!
This was the second day for this group of children because they all attended on Tuesday. We missed one friend who is home not feeling well and welcomed two visitors from the State of Kansas who were there for our annual review. After inspecting our facility and reviewing all my files, we were given an all clear Notice of Survey Findings! The children followed our lead and continued on with their play while the workers did their work. Wonderful all around!
Pastor Shana came in during their office hours and while one friend “already knows Pastor Shana from church really well,” others warmed right up. Pastor Shana makes friends quickly and easily at preschool!
Read on to learn more about our day in the form of 5 questions…
Where can someone go to be the tallest in the classroom?
The loft!
When a child is in the loft they are for sure the tallest one in the room! Today the loft was very busy serving as both a hospital for dolls and stuffed animals as well as the resting spot for people in the musical circus. This class already has a group mentality with children coming in to add layers to the play: 3 children are playing with dolls, one comes over with a play phone and asks if they need her to call the doctor, then another comes over and goes to the loft with a toy computer, then another comes and stands on the loft steps to announce that the loft is a hospital, then several others join to simply be in the loft. Navigating space together is phenomenal to observe.
Next up, healed babies and animals so it’s on to join the circus:
How many of the apples had lines on them?
Three of them!
I took these photos without my glasses on so didn’t realize I wasn’t focusing on the apples!
We played the same apple game as we did yesterday with many of the same clever replies. But then when looking at the real apple, one 4 year old found lines on the real apple! Thus, our “lines on an apple means it is not real” was no longer true! What a fun discovery.
What did you use in your journal today?
Everyone had red dot stickers, green dot stickers, yellow dot stickers, a pencil and a short green crayon.
It was very interesting to notice what 2 PreK kids did completely separate from each other!
The stickers were pretend apples and the pencil/crayon were options for writing and drawing. Some friends made stems, some made leaves, some did scribble work, some did writing. The pencil gives them an opportunity to find a grasp that allows enough pressure to make a mark. The short crayons will naturally encourage a tripod grasp since it is harder to hold a short crayon with a fist. We do no redirection in the way they use these tools, just an opportunity to explore and use them.
What apple things did we have for snack today?
Apple muffins and apple sauce! It was like Apple Farmer Annie was in the kitchen!
But really it was Grandma Bonnie and a revolving group of friends who would go in and help her. Two friends celebrated their summer birthdays and the class is getting reminders every day that everyone will get a rainbow candle when we celebrate their birthday!
lights were off so we could see the candles change colors more easily!
What color of safe bugs did we find outside today?
Red and black!
They are Golden Rain Tree bugs (Red-shouldered bug, Jadera haematoloma). Completely harmless and safe to touch, they can be fun to investigate. The younger they are, the redder. We have some common resting spots for them in our playground and showed the children the big collections. As the months go on, we will find them covering our play structures and exterior playhouse walls. Even though these are safe, we are sure to remind children that no one has to like bugs or let them crawl on their bodies.
Three friends had their very first day today at preschool! The rest of the class was here on Monday and seemed well seasoned after just one day here. Our classroom was very playful and I don’t for a moment take any of this for granted.
Read on to learn the answers to today’s 5 questions:
1. Did you eat real worms for snack?
No!
They were pretend candy worms in chocolate pudding for a birthday treat. We also had apple slices and cheese crackers. Some friends had their first time ever to carry their trays to the kitchen for Grandma Mona to wash.
2. What color are the cups in the Tub Table?
Yellow!
Yellow is the color of the month. This means that sometime this month everyone will bring home a yellow sun project. In the classroom people can play with the tiny yellow things on the Tiny Things Table, use yellow play dough (fun fact: it’s turmeric that made this play dough yellow!), yellow play dough tools, paint with yellow paint at the easel and have yellow collage supplies at the Project Table.
3. How many real apples did Ms. Kristin have a Circle Time?
Only one!
There were four apples all together and only one of them was real. Preschoolers had to use their eyes to determine if they were real or make-believe. The descriptions of how they knew that they were make-believe were wonderful: There are lines on the fabric one (seams where it was sewn together), there are perfect holes on the wooden one, there are fuzzy pieces (Velcro) on the inside instead of seeds. Fantastic observations! Then we passed them around to feel the differences.
4. In our book today, which animal got to go to market and which animal had to stay home?
The dog went to market with Apple Farmer Annie and the kitten stayed at home. Bonus follow up question: where was the kitty on the last page of the book after Apple Farmer Annie got home? On her lap. So sweet and cozy.
We also noticed the framed apple artwork on Apple Farmer Annie’s wall and decided that the preschoolers could be like Apple Farmer Annie and hang up their apple a project!
5. What was in the wagon we took outside today?
Toys, books, blankets (that also serve as towels), puzzles, bubbles, walkie-talkies, water, toys, rainbow streamers and the stop and go sign. We enjoyed easy, beautiful weather while playing on the playground. The class naturally divided into two groups: one group played rocket ship on the play structure, where Ms Brenda encountered a lot of knowledge about planets and the solar system.
Another group gathered down at the water tables where children enjoyed the new sink and got the creek (a slight drainage depression) to flow again! There was also the use of the word “progress” as friends described their work on making soup using leaves and grass along with the water, ginkgo fruit, acorns and bindweed: “We are making progress!”
We have the same 13 children in our Tuesday and Thursday classes. Of the 13, one is waiting to be old enough to come on her own, 4 are sibling pairs who are also first cousins, one has a dad who was my preschooler, 8 are new to our school and 5 are returning as beautiful peer models.
In true preschool form, children spent a lot of time choosing what they wanted to do. Just like yesterday, every corner of the room was occupied at some point including the real kitchen where Grandma Bonnie had many helpers!
There are 5 questions about things that happened today…read on to learn more!
What did we eat at Snack Time that matched a page in our book today?
Applesauce! One friend brought applesauce pouches along with other treats in honor of his summer birthday. Ms Emily was the animal cracker store that children could visit to get more as long as they wanted..
We like to have a relaxed school family time around the snack table. Our first day as a new class didn’t disappoint.
What big thing happened with one of the glue bottles?
When we were working on our Alphabet Projects, the whole glue bottle lid came off! Was anyone in trouble? No. Did any teachers get upset? No. Was the project ruined? No. Ms Brenda and the friend were very clever to pour back extra glue and finish the project with a very gluey background.
Fun fact: Ms Brenda always has wipes in her apron pocket and today several new friends had that figured out!
Did we leave and go to the public library in our town?
No.
I discovered today that when I’ve been referencing “going to the library” or “visiting the library” or “checking books out” or “the library is open-let’s go!” some children thought I was talking about the public library. So then I shared clear statements that we will never take the children away from preschool or the playground. If I ever talk about going to the library I am talking about our pretend preschool library.
Having said that, the preschool library was hopping again today!
Do you remember how we pretended to pick apples from the tree?
We learned and practiced the technique of twisting and then pulling imaginary apples from an imaginary tree. With arms up straight, we twist and then pull straight down.
It is special and deeply satisfying to have these group experiences so early in the year. All crowded around, arranging our bodies to be most comfortable, leaving to get drinks or things.
How did the water tables get full of water outside?
This is kind of a tricky question because there are 2 answers. The rain and the hose!
Grandpa Kelven fixed our outside sink which let us add more water to the water tables that had rain water in them. This class knows how to haul water already and found some sidewalk creatures who needed some. The fish and the duck etchings got buckets dumped on them which then made a puddle for jumping in. Between that, mud mountain, the easel and the cloud dough…we kept true to our warning that children may get very messy at preschool.
Speaking of messy…this friend had a surprise when washing his hands…cloud dough on his forehead?!? So funny!
newcreationpreschool.com 