![]() Introducing children to new concepts is one of my favorite things to do in preschool. It is so easy to get into the ABC rut prepping them for Kindergarten from a "McDonald's" style checklist and even easier to drown in the mundane of daily routines and circle times. We have to keep things fresh and engaging. Part of that is not becoming bored ourselves and our Mother Goose Time curriculum ensures that every single day is fresh, inviting, and engaging! This is why I LOVE introducing children to the Fine Arts. It gives them a window into the bigger world they live in and gives us an opportunity to watch them interpret and create masterpieces of their own. Some would say, "They are too little!" "Why bother?" "Just stick to the basics..." The basics??!! The basics assume that children are not capable of amazing things. "Too little" is a adjective for small thinking. "Why bother?" Just look for yourself and see what these little learners created with some basic materials. They are proud. They are engaged. They are imagining and creating and inventing and interpreting. These activities build language skills, fine motor skills, observational and spatial relationship skills. What's not to LOVE!!! The Science of ArtIn this Fine Arts lesson we utilized Van Gogh's, "Olive Trees with Yellow Sun," provided by the educators at Mother Goose Time. Teaching Fine Arts to preschool children allows teachers and children to learn together through observation and conversation. Much of how a child learns is first through conversation and engaging each student on the same level. "Teachers respond to a student’s comment on a painting by paraphrasing the comment and taking it to the next level, "Perhaps a student will notice a figure. The teacher will then say, “so you are noticing this figure in the left-hand foreground of the painting?” “We’re giving them language they wouldn’t normally have in a context that is meaningful to them right in the moment,” she said "It is important for the teacher to paraphrase the student’s comment in such a way that the student feels understood and the rest of the group can grasp what the student has said, Gulden said. Teachers have to let go of their agendas and ideas and follow the child," "Using high-quality artwork is also important," Morin said, "particularly in terms of stimulating observations by the children." “You can keep going back to a masterwork and see something different every time,” she said. “If it’s not a high-quality work, it doesn’t have that depth.” ,Grace Hwang Lynch, explained this concept well in, "The Importance of Art in Child Development." "Developmental Benefits of Art Motor Skills: Many of the motions involved in making art, such as holding a paintbrush or scribbling with a crayon, are essential to the growth of fine motor skills in young children. According to the National Institutes of Health, developmental milestones around age three should include drawing a circle and beginning to use safety scissors. Around age four, children may be able to draw a square and begin cutting straight lines with scissors. Many preschool programs emphasize the use of scissors because it develops the dexterity children will need for writing. Language Development: For very young children, making art—or just talking about it—provides opportunities to learn words for colors, shapes and actions. When toddlers are as young as a year old, parents can do simple activities such as crumpling up paper and calling it a “ball.” By elementary school, students can use descriptive words to discuss their own creations or to talk about what feelings are elicited when they see different styles of artwork. Decision Making: According to a report by Americans for the Arts, art education strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. The experience of making decisions and choices in the course of creating art carries over into other parts of life. “If they are exploring and thinking and experimenting and trying new ideas, then creativity has a chance to blossom,” says MaryAnn Kohl, an arts educator and author of numerous books about children’s art education. Visual Learning: Drawing, sculpting with clay and threading beads on a string all develop visual-spatial skills, which are more important than ever. Even toddlers know how to operate a smart phone or tablet, which means that even before they can read, kids are taking in visual information. This information consists of cues that we get from pictures or three-dimensional objects from digital media, books and television. “Parents need to be aware that children learn a lot more from graphic sources now than in the past,” says Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of Art and Design Education at Northern Illinois University. “Children need to know more about the world than just what they can learn through text and numbers. Art education teaches students how to interpret, criticize, and use visual information, and how to make choices based on it.” Knowledge about the visual arts, such as graphic symbolism, is especially important in helping kids become smart consumers and navigate a world filled with marketing logos. Inventiveness: When kids are encouraged to express themselves and take risks in creating art, they develop a sense of innovation that will be important in their adult lives. “The kind of people society needs to make it move forward are thinking, inventive people who seek new ways and improvements, not people who can only follow directions,” says Kohl. “Art is a way to encourage the process and the experience of thinking and making things better!” Cultural Awareness: As we live in an increasingly diverse society, the images of different groups in the media may also present mixed messages. “If a child is playing with a toy that suggests a racist or sexist meaning, part of that meaning develops because of the aesthetics of the toy—the color, shape, texture of the hair,” says Freedman. Teaching children to recognize the choices an artist or designer makes in portraying a subject helps kids understand the concept that what they see may be someone’s interpretation of reality. Improved Academic Performance: Studies show that there is a correlation between art and other achievement. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate." And now......The Masterpiece!As you can see from the variations of interpretations and level of development each child has a unique masterpiece. These went home with smiles and compliments and were a grand addition to many art walls and refrigerators.
We love providing the time and freedom to allow our students to experience the Fine Arts and recreate what is in their own hearts and minds. All in a day of play at Woolsey Academy. I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! -L
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![]() Our children LOVE our daily routines with Mother Goose Time. From stories to science to Fine Arts, we are greeted each day to our student's questions, "What are we going to do today?" "What are we making today?" They know we have a purpose and a plan for their day and they excitedly await our morning meetings to discuss what they are going to be observing, growing, reading, experimenting, painting, and learning each day here at Woolsey Academy. Made even better is the fact that I know our approach to learning "uniquely weaves 33 research-based skills into playful games and discovery projects. .The cross-disciplinary model supports a child’s on-going social-emotional, physical, language and cognitive development." In December we get to discover "Winter Wonderland" and our first week was FULL of freezing and melting! The Science of DiscoveryYoung children greatly benefit from discovery and being allowed to make their own unique observations through a variety of mediums. This fun lessons was packed with opportunity to scrutinize the process of frozen paint as it melted. "It's crunchy!" "It smells funny!!" "It's squishy!!" "Ms. Donna, Ms. Donna LOOK AT WHAT MY PAINT IS DOING!!!" (swoon...) To which I followed up with exploration and observation questions like, "WOW! What is your paint doing!?" "It's melting!" "I am making GREEN!" "Ms. Donna, I see PURPLE!!!" We rightfully framed the beautiful masterpieces that our endearing artists created to give them their proper significance. The S.T.E.A.M. process experienced provided our little learners with invaluable opportunities to extend art and science into play as we, "support children in their exploration by creating an environment that promotes observation, exploration and explanation, asking open-ended questions such as 'What do you think might happen?' or 'What do you see happening?'." These types of activities are vital to developing, "strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning and develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical and material worlds around them." This was just one example of many experienced in our week of Freezing and Melting at Woolsey Academy! As always, we wish you well and we hope you get to play today! -L. ![]() This little piggy went to market....this little piggy stayed home! We began our day with these sweet little piggies counting, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5!" as we poked and punched them out of their frames courtesy of Mother Goose Time! We laid them in rows. We folded them and gave them little frowns, smiles, angry, and scared faces as we discussed the piggies journey from market, to home, to the dinner table and the piggie that was so, so sad because he had nothing to eat! We discussed what we would do to help our friends if we had something yummy or going to the store and our friends were sad. We decided that sharing our meal and asking mommy or daddy if our friends could come along would make our dinnertime and our shopping trips even more fun! As they gave their little pigs emotions and words, I gave them time to retell their stories, their way. I gave them time to pretend and play, to invent and dream up knew scenarios. Retelling a story with props is a developmental milestone and a very important skill that preschool children need as stepping toward reading readiness. Utilizing well known and easy to obtain stories such as Nursery Rhymes helps small children with recall and helps them to connect their learning day with their family experiences at home. "Children learn through retelling a story. The first telling of a story by the teacher to a group of young children is an exciting introduction to the content, while retelling of the same story allows children to revisit the tale and refine their understanding. This repeated pleasurable experience helps children develop concepts about words, print, and books (Morrow) The magnetic quality of storytelling is the universal power to remember, entertain, inspire, create, and know—a personal process that connects to the language of the children. Drawing children into the telling actively engages the listeners, creating a shared experience that bonds the teller and listeners. This co-creation is very different from the story viewing young children frequently experience in today’s high-tech world. (28 www.naeyc.org/yc n Young Children • March 2002 2001)). Several retellings of a favorite story by the teacher or the children over a period of time allow children to clarify their ideas and pick up additional details of the content. Each retelling increases the children’s familiarity with the story and offers more opportunities for their participation during the experience. These retellings also help children build frameworks, characters, and vocabulary to use when they create their own stories." http://www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/file/200203/Isbell_article_March_2002.pdf We practiced our fine motor skills cutting money for the piggies to go to the market with, then our money counting skills by counting each "dollar" one at a time. We added and subtracted by purchasing "roast beef", bananas, apples, baby clothes, and many other items at our market!
We took turns being the shop owner, cashier, and buyer. We shopped, made decisions on purchases based on how much money we had in hand and how much items cost. This was all wrapped up in teacher supported play. I helped them as they needed assistance with adding and subtracting. It prompted conversations about how much we could purchase and items we should save for another day. These social/emotional and math skills were all powered by P.L.A.Y!! What a great way to promote S.T.E.M. in real time, child led, teacher supported moments! As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! - L Nursery Rhymes and that magic box...![]() Each day during our morning rituals the preschooler's ask, "Let's do something fun today!" I say, "What would you like to do?" They run to that magic box and start digging. Packages and papers flying, experiments, loose parts, yarns, ribbons, paint brushes and books scatter until they land on it, "THIS!" "We want to do THIS!" There are squeals and hustle as we open packages and assemble the plans. We observe. We discuss. We hypothesize. "So what will we need to do this?" I ask. They think and plan... "We will need....." and the planning and gathering turns into a process. The process turns into progress and before we know it we have a full day of play ahead. I love their excitement. I love that they know I will help them accomplish anything they can imagine. I love it when holidays roll around and they are beaming to make hearts or clovers or Christmas trees. There's nothing better than the twinkle of tiny eyes and paint covered hands. For now, we are studying Nursery Rhymes. We live in the world of "Bah, Bah Black Sheep" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" so turning this into a thematic unit filled with science, math, creative arts and, of course, literacy is child's play! (pun intended!!) Hickory, Dickory Dock!Most of my little one's know many of the nursery rhymes we are covering. Today was Hickory, Dickory Dock! This clock game is one of my favorite new math games from Mother Goose Time!
We first looked at the clock and discussed how the numbers go all the way around the "face" of the clock and the the number 12 is at the very top. This brought about questions... "Why isn't the number 1 at the top? "Where is the zero?" Good questions..... After explaining that clock numbers go in a circle we practiced walking around numbers we placed on the floor. Like little mice we scampered around and around. We then allowed the 2's to continue this active, gross motor play while the older 3's and 4's played the game. In this game they had to practice their social/emotional skills of turn taking, waiting patiently, and politely saying, "Your turn _______" if their friend becomes distracted and forget whose turn it was. These skills are, in my opinion, even more important than the number recognition and counting practice they are receiving by playing this game. In fact the ability to self regulate is a better indicator of academic success than any other indicator (even better than scoring high standard test-based entrance exams!!) This is just another reason why I LOVE games that teach. They can be "teaching" letters, counting, sequencing, that cows pass gas for heaven's sake, I don't care! What they are actually teaching a child in regards to his or her social/emotional development FAR outweighs being able to recognize a lower case "r" or that 13 come after 12. They are teaching patience, persistence, perseverance, taking turns, and that sometimes we win and sometimes we do not, but that we all get to play together. But don't take my word for it. Read the research... “There is a lot of evidence to suggest that self-regulation can be taught in children.” As an example she points to an intervention aimed at improving self-regulation in preschoolers. “In one recent study,” she says, “we found that a series of classroom games in preschool designed to help children practice paying attention, remembering instructions, and demonstrating self-control significantly improved self-regulation skills, especially for children with low self-regulation.” https://www.education.com/magazine/article/self-regulation-children/(Read the full article here.) This article in ChalkBeat discusses the psychology behind self-regulation and the vital importance and superiority it holds over Kindergarten entrance math or reading levels. "In psychology, this lack of self-regulation is referred to as “executive function.” Research shows that executive function is a better indicator of academic success than IQ or entry-level reading or math skills. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a quarter of all children don’t have the skills they need to learn. Forty-six percent of kindergarten teachers reported in one study that more half of their children did not have sufficient levels of self-regulation. Another study of Head Start classrooms found problems with self-regulation, such as kicking or threatening others, occurred once a day for 40 percent of students. There is, however, a silver lining: executive function capabilities can be altered quickly if caught and changed early enough. The problem is, parents are regulating their children instead of teaching their children how to get control of themselves. Key findings in the book:
The skill of self-regulation is a teachable, not an inherent skill and allowing children the time to experience conflict, decision making, and turn taking with the use of games that have predictable as well as non-predictable outcomes is vital to their academic success which translates well into their adult years. So for you and all the little ones in our lives, I wish you well and I hope you play today!! -L ![]() Inclusive. This term used to mean "everyone gets a turn at kickball," or "we all get to have our names on the clubhouse wall." It still does, just in a different way. It now means everyone. EVERYONE. The 10 year old with a wheelchair, the 2 year old with a speech or hearing impairment, the 5 year old with an SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder for those that don't know.). It means we include everyone's names in our classrooms, our childcare's and our preschools. But what does it look like? Let me tell you... Sometimes it's magical. There are days when the child that has an SPD and is VERY sensitive to sounds, textures, or activity levels comes up with a new game or method of doing an art project that suits him personally, because finger painting literally makes him throw up (I mean projectile!). It is an incredible moment to be part of. I stand awestruck as my little one on the "Spectrum" and non-verbal grabs a nearby car so he too can join in the painting. He came up with it himself!! This is big. BIG! It means he understands his own needs. He desires to take part. He is making a way. It is progress toward independence and it is beautiful. I type with tears in my eyes just recalling the moment. Then there are days... Lord, help me there are days. Days when my two little ones with SPD's of varying degrees plus my little on the "spectrum" are feeding off of on another's energy like the monster from Scooby Doo. You remember the one. The gang tries to zap it, catch it, feed it, starve it out. NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO IT GROWS BIGGER, and BIGGER, and BIGGER!! Any amount of energy in themselves or the environment makes it grow. These are also the days we can't go outside because the wind chill is zero. I think about going out anyway. I think about taking up smoking. I wonder if I should put the Betty Ford Clinic on speed dial. (I am JOKING!!) These are days when parents pick up their children and I have to wonder if they think I am losing my mind!! These are the days when I feel like I just might be! Then I research. I read. I pray. I reflect. I remember the good times. I recall the magical moments. I welcome a new day. Who knows what it will bring? Here is what I know. Inclusive environments are good for children. It is o.k. for me to help children see each other as "not the same" as themselves AND the same. It helps them understand why one child gets a peanut butter and jelly for every meal (because that is literally all he will eat) or he will go hungry to the point of pain. (Spectrum remember.) It is o.k. for parents picking up to see the good moments and the bad. They have them at home too. We are all in the same boat. In those moments they get to witness, first hand, that Ms. Donna won't duct tape them to a wall. I may chase, use my "firm" voice, even hold one on my hip and one by the hand to keep them from literally climbing a wall and jumping from the trim (I have one that can do this, no joke). And we will come out of it. We will all survive together. It is good for children to see other children not being "happy" at all times and know that everything will turn out o.k. We get through it together; the tantrums, tears, meltdowns, crazy, excited times. We do it all TOGETHER because we are a family. When one of us hurt, we all hurt. When one is happy, we are all happy. We celebrate, grow, and learn together. But what about the times we have to say goodbye? Those days when we realize that a little one's needs exceed our ability to maintain a safe environment or maintain safety for that one child or their friends? Those days are the most challenging in my role as Childcare Provider, parent advocate and friend, "day-mom," because you know what? I grow to love each and every child that crosses my path. I pray for them. I think about them. I research on their behalf. I study. I read. I try what the experts say, "This works everytime!" (and then it doesn'.t). I realize that it isn't providing lasting effects for a child. I stress, have headaches, and morn decisions that mean we will no longer be able to be part of that child's life on a daily basis. I dream about that child. I dream for that child. My heart aches when circumstances or challenges or job statuses mean that a child will be leaving us. Why? Because we are family and it's hard to say goodbye. So, I say, "See you soon." I say, "We love you." I say, "I wish you well." The hard truth is that not every teacher, classroom, environment, or school is going to be able to meet the needs of each child. But we try and we try and we try... Sometimes progress comes from change. Sometimes it means hard conversations with tears, doctor after doctor visits for little ones looking for answers, and holding a mama's hand when she is at the end of her rope and saying, "I see you. You are amazing. You are strong." It is being willing to admit that you don't have the answers to what they are facing, but you wish you with every fiber you did. Be willing to sit silently while that mama cries.... Isn't that what matters most, being there for each other in the changes, the challenges, the easy times and the crazy ones even when you don't have the answers, especially when you don't have the answers just so they aren't alone? I think it is... I wish bubbles and suckers made everything o.k., don't you? As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today. - L ![]() I am incredibly blessed by the families of the children in my care!!! They are the MOST supportive, wonderful people I have ever known. Each year when the "big kids" move to school and a fresh batch of beaming new faces begin, it's the same. Maybe it's the community, maybe I am simply lucky, maybe it's God's hand of blessing on my life. Whatever it is, I know it's amazing and I LOVE it!! This day was just another bit of proof of how incredible they are. During our Community Helpers thematic unit from Mother Goose Time throughout the month of November, we were introduced to MANY Community Helpers. We discussed the Postman (lady), Nurses, Doctors, Sanitation Workers, Teachers, Construction Workers, Factory Workers, and on and on. For the entire month each day was fresh and new, yet all circled back around to those great folks we see in our community making a positive difference each day. Today was EXTRA special because one of our very own daddies drive this big rig!! Mr. Scott Williams with MoDOT was given special permission to bring a great, big, shiny snowplow for us to climb on, get inside, and explore!!! ![]() We climbed under the plow! We noticed that we are small and it is VERY BIG! We then inspected the tires. We touched the black surface that was smooth and rough all at the same time. We noticed that it was warm, unlike the yellow metal and commented on the sunshine that was making it a different temperature. The most beloved feature of this big rig were all the buttons, horns, levers, and pulls. We were allowed to experience almost every square inch under the watchful eye of Mr. and Mrs. Williams. They helped us reach high and low as they left no button unpushed!!! ![]() When our visit was coming to a close and we had asked every question on a four year old's mind (believe me that's A LOT!!) we received the coolest pencils EVER!!! We wasted no time finding things to "fix" and "hammer" with these beauties!! Each child took one home along with a "Traveling Safely with Mo" coloring and early reader workbook. We waived and hugged goodbye to the big yellow snowplow as we watched it drive up the lane to a great big, "HOOOOOOooooooooNNNNNNkkkkkk!!!" of the airhorn. What a special treat, incredible learning experience and all around great day of learning and play at Woolsey Academy for Young Learners!! A special, "THANK YOU!!" to the Missouri Department of Transportation, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Williams, and all the amazing men and women that work to keep us traveling safely on the roads in Missouri!! THANK YOU!!! As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! - L I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends...(a study about the amazing people in our community)11/15/2016 ![]() Community Helpers is one of my favorite thematic units. I love immersing our time with those around our community that make is great. We live in tight-knit small town USA and it is not at all unusual to spend a few moments at the mailbox catching up with the mailman (or lady) on their latest family addition. It is a common place in our town to hand the bus driver a hot cup of coffee through her window on morning routes. We know one another because it matters. It is OUR community for better or worse and each day it is what WE invest in it that makes it a place we all lovingly call home. So, when we study "Community Helpers" we are learning about our friends, our family, our neighbors. THIS is what makes for real learning when children can concretely put a name with the profession of someone they waive too each day. Our Firefighters are the BEST!![]() Our local fire department is VERY proactive to bring trucks, gear, and training to US! The children LOVE touring the trucks and practicing "Stop! Drop! Cover! and Roll!" We played 911 during our dramatic play and practiced dialing and recognizing the numbers. We took turns dialing the numbers and practicing what we would say. During our firefighter demonstration we learned that even though they may look and sound scary, they are just dads on the inside and dads are not scary!! What do we do to daddies? We give them BIG hugs!! That is what we do to our firefighter friends if they are coming to help us during a fire, we give them BIG bear hugs!! Who delivers our mail?![]() We made mailbags that we sewed together ourselves using red yarn and some pre-poked holes! We weaved and tied and packed our bags with letters we made and delivered around the room to the "restaurant," the "hospital," and the "school." We matched our letters from the teacher, the doctor, and the cook to their respective locations deducing through conversation and logic where the destination may be. Our little learners played this logic and correspondence game throughout the entire day writing and delivering letters. Our Bus Driver Is A Rock Star!Each morning as we place our school kiddos on the bus this wonderful lady lingers a few moments to lean out her window, wave, honk and make sure these little ones are filled with anticipation for their turn to be "school kids" and ride the bus too. She is one-of-a-kind and we are so privileged to have a community full of people that do their jobs as an extension of who they are with their whole heart. Ms. Julie made time in her schedule to visit us during our "Bus Driver" Community Helper study. We were able to open and close the doors, honk the horn, open and close windows, practice getting on and off the bus safely, get up and down from the seats, and have a conversation about what happens if the bus is in an accident and we cannot exit through the doors! We came back into the classroom and played "Bus Matching" pre-math matching game from our curriculum partner, Mother Goose Time, and then moved on to Creative Arts putting together our very own mini buses and little Julie's to drive them! We used these during Dramatic play for days!!! We stacked and counted them, drove them with full and empty loads, broke and taped them up again while using them as props to sing "Wheels on the Bus!" Why do we discuss Community Helpers?Community Helpers seem to be a thematic unit for any quality curriculum. One may think that discussing them year after year may get a bit stale. To young children, revisiting these themes gives them an opportunity to put their constantly developing sense of self, logic, reasoning, and skills to practice when restudying thematic units.
I came across this article about the importance of Community Helpers and I couldn't agree more. "Parents constantly warn children about the danger of strangers. In today’s society, that is an important lesson. But what happens if the child is in an emergency situation? Imagine your house is on fire and someone in a strange uniform tries coaxing you from your home and your usual place of safety. You can understand why children sometimes hide from fire fighters under a bed or in a closet. These fears can be prevented when children meet community helpers in a safe and fun environment before being asked to trust them in an emergency. When we think like a young child, we realize how alarming an unusual uniform or vehicle might be perceived. Rescue vehicles are loud and fast. To see one up close and touch it while stationary helps children be less apprehensive when one speeds by with sirens wailing. By participating in dramatic play with costumes and acting out behaviors of community helpers, children develop important social/emotional skills and are more comfortable with uniforms. It helps them understand the world around them and their place in it. It’s important for children to learn their role in a community and that there are safe, friendly people to help them if they get sick or have an emergency. It’s comforting for children to learn there are strangers outside of their family who have a concern for their safety and well-being and to understand who they can trust." - https://cdmfun.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/why-teach-young-children-about-community-helpers/ We are also able to introduce our little learners to those in their community that will be caring for them in the coming years to help ease anxiety about transitions and provide confidence that, "I am o.k., You are o.k.!" This confidence builds competence. And to think we get to do all this through play....swoon... As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! -L I don't think I have been this excited about a recipe in a LOOOoooooOOOOng time! When I received this "mud dough" recipe from Mother Goose Time, I couldn't WAIT to get my hands on it! I was PRAYING it wouldn't be a flop. (Seriously, this happens to me ALL the time when I find cool recipes online, but everything MGT has been tried and tested so I was thrilled to grab the ingredients and give it a go!) This one is EASY, but I did a bit of magic on my own and added coffee grounds (fresh, not used) to give this a bit more of a "dirt" effect. The smell of the chocolate pudding and the coffee grounds was pretty amazing. I did, however, warn my littles that it would NOT taste like it smelled. This is even gluten free, so it was safe to send home with my preschool babes without worry. Talk about a great sensory experience to bring home how much pigs must love rooting around in their own mud!![]() We have been all about "Down On The Farm" here and each day discussing the different things we might find on a farm. We use our conversations to branch off into different experiences and discussions. This is a GREAT way for me to see what they are thinking and HOW they are think! I love this list! We use list making as a part of circle time to give the children a more concrete circle time experience. Everyone loves having their words printed and read and reread to them again and again throughout the day. This is great for letter and word recognition and emergent reading naturally. My favorite on mud day was #2. "Dirty pigs, NOT stinky pigs" was an observation made by one of my little 4's of his favorite part of the farm. I followed his statement up with more probing questions like, "How does a pig get dirty, but not stinky?" His reply was great! "Make mommy clean up da' poop!" He had already thought about the fact that pigs poo and somebody was gonna' need to clean that up! He was also confident that it sounded like a job for a mama!! After reading, "I'm A Dirty Dinosaur!" by Janeen Brian and Anne James we brought out the "mud", pie tins, rocks, and sea shells to make "mud pies." (these items were lovingly provided by Mother Goose Time!) They sniffed, pressed, squishes, and even tried a bite (o.k....maybe a bite or two or three!) of their mud. This was the consistency of homemade dough and the added coffee ground gave it more of a dirt look and feel. The "dirt" mixed in well as they kneaded and pounded the dough into the tins. We added a bit of math to our sensory and science by lining up shells and rocks and counting how many we had of each. We patterned rock, shell, rock, shell, rock, shell around our mud pies to make beautiful pie creations that we bagged up and took home with pride! Stuck In The Muck! Dancing BeatsWe moved and grooved to this cute little diddy by Dancing Beats, "Stuck In The Muck!" and "Catch The Pig!" We use these little brain breaks to get us up and moving, because when we move, we learn! Dancing Beats songs and dances are easy for our preschooler's to learn, repeat, and sing along to. They feature catchy tunes, easy rhythms and easy motions that are slow enough to be repeatable. They are also dressed age appropriate and their movements are preschool appropriate!! This is a very important feature for little bodies! Nothing is more disappointing to a preschool age child than to not be able to follow along easily to dances that look fun and inviting and Dancing Beats understands that need by providing motions that involve large easy to follow movements. Songs and dances are a vital part of the preschool child's education which is why we include them daily. Studies show, "Singing songs is a powerful way for young children to practice language. When children sing, they practice pronouncing words and putting together sentences. Learning the lyrics to songs is also an effective way to remember information." http://articles.extension.org/pages/25592/music-activities-teach-important-skills-to-children-in-child-care The benefits of dance cannot be ignored and should not be dismissed. "Dance is basic to learning. Children learn most readily from experience. John Dewey understood this when he asserted, “Action is the test of comprehension” (Dewey, 1915). To learn by “doing” and to act on knowledge is the basis of kinesthetic learning. Kinesthetic learning is becoming more widely understood through the work of Jean Piaget (1896-1980), Howard Gardner (1944- ), and other cognitive theorists. Dance, in particular, integrates kinesthetic learning with understanding. Preschool children do not conceptualize abstract processes (Piaget). They primarily learn through physical and sensory experiences. When children are provided with creative movement problems that involve the selection of movement choices, they learn to think in the concrete reality of movement. Thus, learning the art of dance helps young children develop knowledge, skill, and understanding about the world. " http://www.ndeo.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=893257&module_id=55419 Sensory, science, literature, music, movement, dance and play! All in a day, "Down On The Farm!" As always, we wish you well and we hope you get to play today! -L ![]() Yep...that's one of my little "family" members! This little guy loves dress up. He loves the Hulk and princesses, and Thomas. He loves to play. Exuberant, energetic, joyful; even at nap time! One of the things I love about Family Childcare is the "family" part of it. There are opportunities each day for togetherness, conversations, and connections. With a mixed age group we get to watch the babies become toddlers, then send them off to "big school" filled with pride and excitement. Often, we get to remain in a child's life well into their adult years (showing my age ;) ). That's the way a community should be. That gives children a grounded center and memories of good moments shared that builds trust and confidence that the world is a good place. This is the way I want to raise my children AND the children in my care. Me and My Family unit study is one of my favorites...I love beginning the new school year with a study of social/emotional skill builders and awareness of ourselves and our family units. Children LOVE their families and families are all unique. Welcoming new little students each August means that we get to know new friends and their families. Our curriculum partner, Mother Goose Time understands how vital it is to validate a young child, their emotions, and their unique family units. We do this through songs, games, conversations, and language arts, science, math, and creative arts! We do this through lots of opportunities for solving conflicts and understanding that tantrums, conflicts, and the presence of emotion does not mean the absence of a good parent, good teacher, or "good" child.....it is simply an opportunity to teach and that is a VERY good moment! What you focus on you get more of...![]() One of our favorite games this month was the "How Are You Feeling?" game. We have an awesome game cube with replaceable picture pockets from Mother Goose Time and we have used it again and again. It's soft smallish size is perfect for even the tiniest of hands! We replaced these with our emotions faces and took turns passing it from person to person observing and discussing how the child on the cube felt as we rolled the "dice" and it landed on sad, happy, scared, etc. We then discussed what makes us feel that way and made some dog-gone cute faces!! This little learner has "angry" down!! We then talk about how we can help ourselves feel better. We decided that we don't like feeling scared, angry, sad, or lonely, but we WILL feel that way from time to time and it's o.k. What is not o.k. is to STAY feeling those emotions. We like feeling happy, excited, and surprised (in a good way) better. We made a list of ways to help our friends and ourselves feel better. We observed that singing, hugs, blankies, and taking time away from others to play alone all can help with feeling mad or angry. We also discussed that we can play WITH a friend, a teacher, a pet, or parent when we feel scared, lonely or sad to feel better. As usual, as we moved throughout the day there were many opportunities (tantrums, conflicts, and power struggles ;) ) We used these as teachable moments to try out our list. We made choices between singing a song or hugging a friend; waiting for a turn or taking time to self; asking a friend to play or playing with teacher. We noticed that when we made choices, they worked and we felt better. We also made a very concentrated effort to record, "Caught ya's!" We "caught ya'" sharing! We "caught ya'" taking turns! We "caught ya'" being a helper! As we focus more on the "caught ya's" and less on anything else, the "caught ya'" moments become more and more contagious, fun, and sought after by each age group. The children's moods switch from "self focused" to "others focused" and we had a board filled full of "caught ya's!" Why? Because what you focus on you get more of! We use our game cube for letters and numbers too!![]() Children loves games so this little cube gets used by all ages and for many uses! Here we made a letter recognition game that we played over and over day after day this past week. Our letters this month are A, M, and T; upper and lower case. Games beat flashcards hands down!!We also use our dough cutters with corresponding letters A, M, and T for hands on letter play.Our Creative Arts and Language Arts embraced social/emotional skill building as well!!![]() Our Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess is one of our favorite books. It teaches colors and emotions in a safe and accepting manner that little readers can understand and identify with. After reading this recommended book we used our Invitation To Create example and many colors as we discussed and painted how we felt. The resulting artwork was beautiful! We had colorful rainbows and murals of black with swirls, shapes, and figures. We also had lots and lots of excited chatter as they each explained their masterpiece! Bunnies EVERYWHERE!!!Part of our Me and My Family study included pets that make up our families. We have many, many types of pets. Some have cats, dogs, birds, fish, even bunnies! I think bunny day was a hoppin' success!! Giving them more...Part of helping children understand their emotions is giving them special ways to learn how to positively calm themselves and express their energy in a safe manner. Our very own Mr. Ninja is beloved by our children!! This is the perfect way for our littles to use their muscles to feel strong and empowered! It works, just look at these sweet faces. Ms. Melissa comes to teach us yoga with songs, dances, stories, and special poses that correspond with the seasons and our thematic units! We practice these poses during each week when we need a brain break or as a calming transition to another activity. Even our little 2's know "Tree Pose!" ![]() This is such a small sample of the week. We love, laugh and learn together. There are challenges and victories. We grow a bit taller and a bit stronger with each passing day. Providing children with a solid basis of learning is a small portion of what we do. Giving them more....making a difference in their lives daily is where the reward lay for me. Yoga, Karate, Zoo Encounters, Librarian Storytime, and Community Visitors all comprise our whole child educational program. I believe that when we give children an safe environment where they can experience the world around them that we, as a community become an extension of "family." This is a vital part of healthy children and healthy families. As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today. -L One of the main goals with this blog as a whole is to educate families as to the importance of the deep and meaningful aspects of play and how "play" is actually the very important business of learning for little ones. It is further to dissect the actions of educators, like myself, that provide experiences specifically designed and engineered to provide certain outcomes for children to make observations and build skills from, that they may not receive in any other setting. The phrase "invitation to play" has long been a buzzword in the Early Childhood Education community. It is an "engineering of play" to provide such outcomes and play based learning experiences for young children. In simple terms, it is designed to draw a child in. With a true "invitation" the child will naturally WANT to explore, discover, and have the freedom of time and materials to make a valuable impact on their own education. The teacher literally sets up and sets out materials in an impactful manner designed to make the play irresistible to little minds and big hearts! But, in most instances, I think we are missing the true intent... The "Invitation's" true importance.The true "Invitation to Play" or "Invitation to Create" is as old as play itself. In simple terms is means, "Come play with me." It is designed to signify importance. It's purpose is to communicate a time of togetherness to the "invitee." However, this simply is not the case in most instances. In most of the articles and images I have researched regarding the "Invitation to Play or Create" the MOST important aspect is missing. Time and togetherness. This is a sad portrayal of the American child's preschool (and often home life) experiences. We can provide beautiful materials arranged, balanced, and researched. We spend time and money purchasing these, setting them up and then watching little eyes as they bound toward the awaiting objects, the tea party, the finger painting with loose and unconventional parts, the mud kitchen, the science lab filled with ladybug larvae or worm farm. We photograph the excitement, label it, post it and we are DONE! Mission accomplished, drop the mic, we did it!! We brought them joy and encouraged play (aren't we amazing teachers/parents/care providers?!?) PAT ON THE BACK and an A+++++ for effort! Then it happens, "Will you play with me?" "What? Ummmmm....I mean look at all this fun STUFF you have!" the child looks at it and looks at you and again asks, "Will you play with me?" What most of these valuable experiences are missing is YOU. Recall above when I noted true meaning of an "Invitation to Play?" The true meaning to a child is "I want to play WITH you." The child is drawn to the beauty and possibility of the mud kitchen, the tea party, the marble run, the leaf painting, the worm farm and what they want more than anything is to share it with you. Without the conscious and deliberate presence of a caregiver meaningful conversations and authentic, lasting learning stagnate. WITH the presence of a parent or caregiver we can open up an incredible world imagination and understanding into how this little personality thinks, moves, and defines their world. It is nothing short of miraculous. It takes patience, dirty hands, lots of paper towels (usually) and a willingness to be part of the mess. It takes the adult making observations about what they see and asking the child what they see, then listening and reflecting. The best part? It really is so simple and easy to do. ![]() This Invitation to Create is from our curriculum partner, Mother Goose Time, who has an amazing variety of "Invitations" that span science, math, language arts, and creative arts. They have paperbags, cotton balls, black paper, and sticks. They also received (post pic) brown, white, and black paint and glue. Their inspiration piece was an owl family in a tree. Now....how are children 1-4 going to make something that resembles owls with those? It actually turned out beautifully.... I was asked to help on several occasions with cutting, mixing, holding this here or there while it dried. We had cotton and brown bags stuck to everything! Here we were talking about the dark and how things look different or "scary" because it is dark, but dark is just.....well....dark! In this "Invitation to Create and Play" we made "dark" animals (common ones that might be found in our room at night) with cut-outs from Mother Goose Time. These allowed us to have many conversations about dark and light and pretend and real. Every child needed my help creating these. Does it look like we are getting any less benefit from them because I didn't make the children, "do it themselves" so that it would be "their own creation?" I ask them to show me how they are creating their art, if they would like to do it together, if they would like help or to do it themselves. Their answers vary based on the idea in their heads. Helping a little one cut out a shape or use scissors, or create just the right shade of brown is not "doing it for them" and does not stunt growth. Helping with tape, glues, and glitter and assisting them in creating what they are wanting to rather than frustrated little ones quit because, "I can't." is an incredible experience in cooperation. .Rather, it creates a spirit of cooperation and confidence that they know if they cannot do it themselves, they do not have to sit frustrated. They can simply come to me and I am always willing to help. Isn't that what we all want? Someone to come along side us and lend a hand as we are reaching goals that may at first be out of reach? We still learn. Often, we learn more as we get to experience the help of an "expert" and watch and again and again allowing ourselves to be taught and coached. This is true for little ones as well. Being present. Being willing. Being a part of the "Invitation to Create" is a vital component to the education of young children whether one chooses to provide open ended, child-led play or project-based, teacher-facilitated materials. The MOST important part of the play is time and togetherness. As always, I wish you well and I hope YOU get to play today. -L Our study of force was probably my favorite day in Science Camp for the month of August by our curriculum partner, Mother Goose Time. When a science lesson is THIS fun, solid learning through sensory play is taking place and a love of learning is taking root in these little learners. We began our lesson on force by passing out straws and blowing air hard and slowly through the tube. Some straws went up noses and the children noticed they could blow that way too! I explained that when we blow hard or soft we are using air as force. I then passed out the paper and gave each little one a pile of colored sand. I wanted them to be able to experience "force" for themselves. I placed a glue barrier at the top of each paper so the sand would not be blown all the way across the table and into the face of another child. I then asked the children to move the sand using nothing but the straws. Some blew slowly and cautiously, others tore loose and the sand went flying! I explained that both were an example of "force." The "force" of the air is making the sand move. They asked for more and more and more sand. They practiced blowing at differing speeds and making designs in the sand by blowing very softly. They began to realize that when they were blowing soft, they maintained control of the direction of the sand as opposed to blowing hard. AMAZING!!! As you can see we have a mixed age large group from 6 months to 4.5 years. This lends itself to the little children being exposed to concepts that they may not get to do in a same age traditional preschool setting and for those children to advance at their own pace. Further, it allows the older children to help the younger children experience and understand by example. We are like a great big family and that's they way we like it!! There is a TON of research why a mixed age setting is actually a better way for children to learn over segregating children by age. One of my favorites is by https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200809/why-we-should-stop-segregating-children-age-part-iii "Older children are excellent teachers of younger ones, partly because they are not too far ahead of the younger ones." "Daniel Greenberg made this point in one of his books about Sudbury Valley, where he wrote: "Kids love to learn from other kids. First of all, it's often easier. The child teacher is closer than an adult to the student's difficulties, having gone through them somewhat more recently. The explanations are usually simpler, better. There's less pressure, less judgment." [2]" But that is for another post!!! Oh honey, this little guy has force down!!!![]() This little fella' is the very definition of force. He is force. He has force. He does everything with force!! He exudes energy and enthusiasm and makes each lesson more fun with his "outside of the box" thinking. He had enough of the straws and decided to experience the sand with his hands and face!! We will just pretend that was part of the lesson plans!!! He LOVES to get messy because he LOVES water and a mess always means he gets to wash up in the sink!!! (clever little learner!!) We are not afraid of messes around here. That is a sure sign of a valuable lesson that made it's mark.
Sand, straws, glue and paper - simple ingredients that equaled another great day of play! As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today!! -L ![]() Got S.T.E.A.M.? This little guy does!! All......the......time!!! Seriously though, if you have a little one around, teaching S.T.E.A.M. is natural, abundant, and caters to their innate curiosity about the world around them. Let me show you just how easy it is! What is S.T.E.A.M.? Why all the fuss about it?"STEAM is a movement championed by Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and widely adopted by institutions, corporations and individuals. The objectives of the STEAM movement are to:
Let me answer that... AWESOME!!! Here is what just a few days of S.T.E.A.M. looks like for the Family Childcare and Preschool sSetting.The materials are simple, but the concepts are complex. Allowing children to work with everyday items brings these lessons home and makes them concrete. This was just 4 days of our Science Camp with Mother Goose Time. We are learned new words, new concepts, new "laws" and even what a "law" is! The best part about incorporating S.T.E.A.M. into preschool is that it is such an easy fit. The children LOVE asking questions like, "Why?" and "How come?" and this gives them many opportunities to do so. From connections to circuits, from magnets to molecules, it is all in a day of play with Woolsey Academy! As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! - L ![]() Pure joy! That is what a month of art study with Mother Goose Time's #artcamp has done for my littles. We have not missed a day to paint. We have not missed an opportunity to immerse in colors, with hands, brushes, and found materials. Look at that face. Is there any more proof needed that daily art must be a part of any great curriculum? I think that smile says it all!! When joy is the result does the reason really matter? Water Lilies Under A Japanese BridgeLOOK AT THESE!!!Have you EVER seen anything more amazing?? These were painted by children ages 1-5 years!! (Breathe, breathe, breathe...the readers may not understand that you get hyper about art!) We began with variations of blue; light blue, dark blue, and aquamarine, and the children and I observed and discussed those differences in light and dark. We added greens to our paint palettes as we carefully looked at the original artists work. Our preschool curriculum partner, Mother Goose Time,created a masterpiece (oh yes, pun intended!!) with July's thematic Art Camp unit. These were painted over the course of three days because the children kept begging, "Can we paint 'Water Lilies' again, Ms. Donna?" "PAAAAAALEASE?" Drop the mic. We are done here...they asked to paint it by NAME!!! So,,,a couple of things that just get me all giddy about that. First, they REMEMBERED the name of the painting!! Second, they had a genuine desire to create it again and again and again. I imagine that is what Claude Monet himself felt as he painted "Water Lilies" 250 times over the course of 30 years. (cool fact :)) But why bother? Why not just let them paint? Do they really need to know who painted what and what the painting really is??? YES!!! It is vital to the development of young minds to expose them to all forms of art. It gives them confidence in their own abilities to create and creativity is at the core of who we are as human beings. “Exposing children ... to art is absolutely essential in the development of their sense of self,” Amanda Selwyn, Director of Community Arts at the West Side Y, explained to HuffPost. “As well as observation skills, a sense of creative self-expression, self-confidence, collaboration, physical movement and vocal skills." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/16/kids-talking-about-art_n_5806614.html The cutest little artists around!It was interesting to watch them work. Those that were older liked order and sequence to their paintings. They took liberties, like painting the bridge and this little artist even added people to her bridge! See that one on the bottom right? See the little people? She has taken the original artists work one step further and added people enjoying the view of the water lilies from the bridge. I love all the unique views from the original painting. I can see how their little minds work, the stages of emergent writing they are in, and their level of interest. It is also amazing that all our artists from the oldest (6) to the youngest (1) observed and recreated the foliage at the top (green) and the water at the bottom (blue). But notice the bottom right....it depicts a more 3d scene of water that goes under the bridge and keeps flowing past the bridge with the land masses at either side. This artist has understood the depiction of the art to real life settings. Just give it time...As educators, parents and caregivers, we must give children time. Time is the greatest gift you can give any child.
They must have the time to create, to think, to make sense of what the world is and their place in it. When we do this, we give them the freedom to form opinions, test those and interpret results. It is amazing to observe. Stepping back and watching will give us insight. From that insight, we can effectively teach what THEY need to learn. This will be different for each child and that is where the job of teaching becomes real. Exposing young, even very young, children to great works of art gives us the opportunity to observe their interpretation. We get to see the art with the freshness of a child. Encouraging them to recreate it gives us a window to how they view the world around them. Giving them the time and materials to create art again and again without imposing our ideas and agendas and without trying to move them along gives them the freedom to express their thoughts, stories, and emotions and create their own masterpiece. From this conversations about how they feel, what they believe, and how they see things will enlighten our understanding about who they are and individuals. Isn't this the true meaning of art? Self-expression... As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! - L ![]() I love introducing young minds to great concepts of math, literature and science. Art holds a special place in my heart. I love to watch children create something they are proud of. I love to watch their little hands explore and mix colors, textures, and concepts. Today, we recreated the masterpiece, "The Girl With The Pearl Earring," by 17th-century Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer. We practiced saying his name. We looked up where he lived on our beach ball sized inflatable globe from Mother Goose Time that the children LOVE! (want to get kiddos interested in geography, by a blow up globe!) It was quite challenging for 2's and 3's to say, "Vermeer." It comes out more like "wormer" (not exactly the same...but adorable!) Who wouldn't want to play with this?! It just says, "Squeeze ME!" "Ask questions about my colors!" "Play with me!" Seriously cute!!!Our "Girl With The Pearl Earring" recreations turned out beautifully...We received these amazing little stick on pearl earrings from Mother Goose Time, blue napkins for the servant's "scarf", brown paper bags for the brown scarf portion, some pre-cut ovals for the face, and black "canvas." As I was placing the art in the center of the table for everyone to see, little minds were already at work making placement choices for the earrings, drawing eyes, and observing the servant girl's smile was "serious" and "sad" as one of my little ones described. They wondered what she was doing?? "Is she mad?? Is she sad??" they surmised as we discussed the possibilities. But we didn't stop there! We extended the art into our Dramatic Play area with blue scarves and stick on pearls (from Mother Goose Time...btw, can you send me about 200 more?? Those were a MAJOR hit!!)Just look at those little beauties!! Think this lesson is making an impact?? I sure do!!! One might wonder why even expose young children to great works of art? Are they ready to appreciate it? Do they care? Why even bother??This thought crossed my mind as I was laying out the month of July for our "Art Camp" theme with Mother Goose Time. If you have read very many of my posts, you know that I love to introduce big concepts. Children do have the capacity to understand when we take the time to show them that even big ideas come from simple beginnings. "... when gifted kids solve problems in their areas of giftedness, there is increased electrical activity in both hemispheres. It appears that for the brain to be efficient, the two hemispheres of the brains must work together. By stimulating and exercising the right hemisphere of the brain, the arts strengthen the connection between the hemispheres. Kids should be exposed to the arts as their cognitive skills mature so that their right brain will be as developed as the left, and both hemispheres work in tandem, thus achieving the full potential of the mind." http://www.raisesmartkid.com/3-to-6-years-old/4-articles/33-benefits-of-arts-to-kids So...basically, if you want to raise smart kiddos, you must give them experiences in art that go beyond the crayons. These must be significant and make an impression. The New York Center for Arts Education says:
And my favorite reason of all....because it makes them smarter!! (I think I said that already.)"Researchers from the Michigan State University have found a very strong correlation between childhood engagement in the creative arts and measurable success later in life. Children who were exposed to a wide variety of arts and crafts were more likely to create unique inventions that is worthy of patents, come up with ideas good enough to start a new company, or publish provocative papers on science and technology." http://www.raisesmartkid.com/3-to-6-years-old/4-articles/33-benefits-of-arts-to-kids Big concepts, simple lessons, and amazing results. All in a day of play at Woolsey Academy for Young Learners.
As always, I wish you well and I hope you get to play today! - L ![]() Happy Independence Day from Woolsey Academy! Independence Day celebrations can be confusing, overwhelming, and scary for young children. When I know we are coming upon a holiday that may produce results other than, "Ooohhhh and Ahhhh..." I do my BEST to prepare our little ones with stories, songs, conversations, and art that they can understand and participate in. This gives them a sense of control over what is happening. This inspired our very own take home "fireworks"! We made our own "fireworks" with this simple Creative Arts project using our prickly "urchins" from Mother Goose Time "U is for Urchin" lesson during our A-Z Animals theme! I LOVE to manipulatives and the children do too! They are perfect for building fine motor skills and always come in handy for dough, paint, and sensory play. The "urchins" fit little hands beautifully and encouraged exploration at the sand and water tables. They were just right for making "fireworks" that our preschool babes could take home! We began our day outside with PERFECT 70 degree weather, paper, red and blue paints, and these SWEEEEET little "urchins" that we adapted into "fireworks!" Sweet Gum tree. Ugh....![]() If you look closely you will see that no sooner did I set out the plastic spiky balls, the children returned with some made by Mother Nature (instead of Mother Goose!)!! We have a beautiful Sweet Gum tree that completely shades our outdoor classroom. Truth be known, I DESPISE this tree and it's spiky green balls. We literally have thousands of them. The children LOVE them. They play with them daily. They become tea party "food." Balls for target practices, currency for shopping, math manipulatives for adding, subtracting and making into rows, and perfect for making towers that stick together. I hate the tree because I can rake and rake and rake and still have thousands Sweet Gum balls littering the yard. Today, I welcomed them and the results were fantastic! |
S.T.E.M. is the money word in Pre-k these days. How do we implement more of it? How do we ensure that our littlest learners are receiving Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in a day of play? EASY..... Just let them play.... Children, especially small children, are naturally drawn to science, technology,engineering and math. The issue, more often than not, is that WE fail to realize that is what THEY are doing... Big advances come from small beginnings. |
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"There isn't anything more full of hope, joy and peace than a child's smile... It captures the mundane and makes it extraordinary." - LaDonna Woolsey
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A Little Bit Of This And That!
A View You Can Use!
A-Z Alphabet Theme
C Is For Cookie!
Continents And Countries
Curiosity
Curriculum
Dandelions And Darlings...
Happy Halloween!
Help For Tired Mommas...
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Letter M Monkey
Letter N Newts
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Letter Q Is For Queen
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