Thinking outside the "box"!

The possibilities are endless...what started out as a castle quickly morphed into an ice cream parlour and a cave. In other words a private and creative  gathering place for friends.
After the box had been in our classroom for a week, the play was extended. On their own accord the children began to extend the play by bringing a variety of resources from other areas in the classroom to the box. The box became a blank canvas for budding artists and a basic frame for the architects and builders in the classroom.
Sometimes all you need is box, some tape and a little imagination!

Popcorn, Pyjama and Stuffie Day

Before the Easter break we had another one of our patented "fun days". It was Popcorn, PJ and Stuffie Day, complete with hot chocolate at story time and an obstacle course in the gym. And did we forget to mention it was Music Day too? What a day!

Our hot chocolate even had marshmallows. Score!

Even the stuffies had a great time listening to stories

The teachers' pyjama game is on point

Showing some sweet balancing skills

Miss Heidi, Miss Karen and Miss Kate

Circletime Fun

Today we tried to predict which small toys would roll down a ramp. Each toy was held up to the group and we asked whether or not the toy would roll. We asked lots of questions:

What is the difference between "roll" and "slide"?

Can something with sharp edges roll?

Does it still count if it falls off the ramp?

Can some shapes both roll and not roll? How?

After the circle activity was over, we invited the kids to experiment with this on their own at a table. As you can see, the children were on a roll!

Miss Heidi. Miss Karen and Miss Kate

Trying to bring on a thaw

In the sensory bin this week we have some bugs suspended in a big chunk of ice. We've also provided some warm (for a few minutes, anyway) water and eye droppers as well as little tools to poke and prod at the ice. And the eventual reward? Tons of little plastic bugs to play with!

If only winter would melt away as quickly!

Miss Heidi, Miss Karen and Miss Kate

The sensory bin this week

We teachers are always on the hunt for interesting things to put in our sensory bin, This year alone we've had: water (every colour), cornmeal, lentils, beans, pencils, goop, babies, cars, snow, blocks, brushes, cranberries, dinosaurs, rice, pasta, sand, cylinders, ice, tongs, syringes... you name it!

This week we're trying something different. All kinds of colourful paper in different shapes, sizes and weights, ribbons, doilies and string, along with regular and zig zag scissors to cut them is the order of the day. This activity will strengthen fine motor muscles and work on the very precise movements you need when you do things like writing, eating and even using video game controllers (sorry!)

In short, this activity is cutting edge! (sorry again...)

Miss Heidi, Miss Karen and Miss Kate