Post Thanksgiving

What a fun day!  Everyone was happy to return to school this week after having so many fun days with family.  I think everyone had fun with their family because everyone was so tired at rest time, especially on Monday. We followed our typical routine:  Free play in morning before breakfast, the breakfast is followed by morning circle, some puzzles and free play for the younger group while the VPK group works on learning games, then we had story time together for some of the stories.  That is where we departed from our typical.  Usually the VPK children have a little more time working in educational centers inside, but we headed outside for outside centers. 


The children have decided they like to eat stevia leaves and mint leaves from our tower garden.  Love that they are learning to eat healthy, fresh food.  Even if it is just herbs. 🌿

 They rode the rolling scooters for fun, not knowing it strengthens their core as well. 😃  They worked together to ride the airplane teeter totter, and the younger children rode the alligator teeter totter. They stepped up and down on the stepping logs advancing their gross motor skills. You can check the private page for a video of some of the children doing this while being careful of a younger child at the same time.

In the sandbox they scooped, poured, and sifted while they shared the space and worked side by side. There was a lot of soccer this week. Not necessarily good ball control yet, but lots of action. ⚽️  The climber was a great pretend play space, as was the Teepee. I think I saw some bears roaring, and possibly burping like our story The Slurpy Burpy Bear.  Love that they like to act out the stories that we read.  Shows great reading comprehension, right?! 😀

More pictures from our play this week:

Teepee decorating 👀

Look at those great block buildings!

A few more pictures from this week:

The books for Monday were:

So obviously we recapped how Thanksgiving was, and different traditions, and their manners.  After all, it will just be the blink of any eye before Christmas.

I don't have a picture of Tuesday books, but Wednesday's books are:

We read Share Big Bear Share another day.  Today I have heard many different children "reading it" to themselves saying on every page "Share Big Bear Share!"  Such a great early reading story with a sharing concept reinforced at the same time.

We are also talking about sharing and caring.  There are many people just in the Tampa Bay area that children won't get a Christmas gift or have food for a Christmas dinner.  It is so easy and tangible for children to physically go to the store with you, choose a gift for someone else (learning that it isn't all about "me"), and pick up a few non-perishable food items (preferably B1G1) to share with others.  Start checking for sales now to get a little something with your sweet child to share.

I just want to share what great Super Friends we have!  We have been focusing on listening skills, being gentle with friends, caring about friends, sharing, and some basic manners like being quiet when someone is talking (instead of blurting out).  Such hard things to have self-control when you are 1,2,3 or 4, or 20, 30, 40, etc....  So we started up our Super Friend Chain again, with our eye on cookies this time.  I think we will make it today.  We only need one more chain link to have cookies at snack.  Surely I can see someone being a Super Friend while cleaning up.  👀 Our next ideas for the next time the chain reaches the floor are:  Park Day, Watching a movie, Aquarium visit, and still thinking of more.  Really trying to focus on the positive to get positive results.  I believe everyone except the babies have contributed to this Super Friend chain!

Our menu this week has been:
Monday:  Breakfast:  Oranges, Cereal, Milk
                 Lunch:  Turkey and Noodles with Peas, Tomato Slices, Milk
                 Snack:  Fresh Strawberries and Crackers

Tuesday:  Breakfast:  Fresh Strawberries, Waffles, Milk
                 Lunch:  BBQ Chicken, Broccoli, Lettuce/Tomato Salad with dressing, Roll, Milk
                 Snack:  Orange Wheels, Pretzels  

 Wednesday:  Breakfast:  Oranges, Cereal, Milk
                       Lunch:  Turkey Chili, Broccoli, Wheat Bread, Milk
                       Snack:  Apple Slices, Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers