Lets take a Poll!

Be Free and Find Your Family!

Thanks to Miss Taylor for being brave enough to catch this huge cricket and put it in this container for the children to investigate.

Immediately some of the children were concerned that our cricket friend was lonely and needed to be with the family.  We took this opportunity to to learn about how to get everybody's opinion before making a decision and we took a poll!

A few of the older children went around asking every single child and adult if we "should let the cricket go free to find his family or keep it in the box"

 The decision was unanimous and we decided to let the cricket "be free and find his family" 

This wasn't a planned activity but when centers are flexible and children are given freedom to move around the environment and choose their own learning with adults ready to engage and facilitate this type fun, enriching opportunity happens!

Monster Week!!

Slime!

Math, science, sensory, fine motor, cause & effect, language development - all in one great Monster theme activity!

We combined 12 teaspoons borax with 2 1/4 cup warm water in one bowl and 2 1/2 cups glue with 3/4 cup warm water and green koolaid or food coloring in another bowl. We slowly pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture and excitedly watched the mixture form while one of the friends stirred!

the language used was so fun to hear!

"its lumpy now"

"oooh slippery"

"soft like gum"

"greasy"

"its slimy"

"Im gonna make a slime cake"

"its slippery and hard"

Cornstarch and Watercolor!

I wanted to share these pictures of two year old friends from You're Invited Childrens Center. We put out some containers of cornstarch, cups of water colored water with eyedroppers, scrapers and scoops and a bunch of small bowls. This activity is best done outside so the friends (and teachers) dont have to be nervous about a mess. As the pictures show, we didnt worry about the mess :)

What learning is going on in this activity?

Science - mixing, solid vs liquid, color combinations

Cause and Effect

Textures

Fine motor skills

Math - estimating, quantities

Can you help name more learning that is happening during this activity?

SUMMER BUBBLE FUN!!!!

SUMMER BUBBLE FUN!

Our little friends worked hard on this activity for the longest time (some stayed at this table for over an hour!)

Punch a hole in the top side of the cup to fit the "bendy" straw in, stretch cheesecloth over a plastic cup filled with Dawn (its the best soap to use) dish soap and water) then wrap a rubber band around it! Let the friends know not to suck in (although some will at first but it doesnt hurt them and they learn quick)! We talked about the size, texture, what happens if we blow softly, hard, slowly, quickly, we even tried to cover the whole tray, then the whole table!

I love how this friend is moving her body so the bubbles dont go in her face, thats problem solving!! This is also great for teachers because our floor and table get super clean :)

Learning with a Pendulum!!

Gathering blocks for pendulum play!!

Measuring for success Ready, Set, Swing!

Pendulum Play!!!
I am so blessed to have a dad that is kind and gifted enough to make almost anything I need him to. His wood talents have not only saved me money in the last 5 1/2 years but has provided hours and hours of learning opportunities for our friends. My dad's latest addition to our preschool is this great Bev Bos design made with a few items he already had and few items I purchased at Kmart.

Providing lots of learning and fun!

Magnet Fun!!

3-D magnet fun & learning!

We used coffee cans, letter magnets,
magnet wands, magnet marbles and a bunch of random magnets for fun! The next time I offer this activity I am going to use even bigger coffee cans and I am on a hunt for different types of magnets!
This activity provides letter and number recognition, creative expression, small muscle development, cause and effect, and is a science activity!

Noah puts all the letters of his name on the coffee can above and Kaleb finds his letter on the right :)