Conquering the Snow Mountain

Last week we FINALLY had enough plowable snow to have playtime on our snow mountain. This is one of the few reasons i love preschool in the winter. There is just something so exciting for preschoolers to be up high and above the rest of the world.  Thrilling and dangerous.

Our neighborhood teenagers have been enjoying our snow mountain too. In this picture
this kids are playing on the snowboarding jump that was carefully created at the bottom of our mountain

Who needs sleds!

Just like the penguins do it!

Making Tracks

Snow angels while the snow is still fresh

Quite a hike

Again and Again!

This Week: Our snow is melting. After all the rain and a lot of use, the grass is starting to show through. I'm certainly not going to complain about 50 degree weather in January.

I highly recommend these little sled for smooth hills!

Some of us just prefer to watch.



Since the snow mountain was starting to look a little to grungy, we decided to move on to the untouched playground.

Top three reasons that I love snowperson building on the playground.
1.) Great exercise pushing those snowballs through the deep fresh snow. (Great exercise = Great naptime)
2.) It leaves the playground nice and smooth, easier for the little legs to tromp around ( = less crying)
3.) Its FUN! And they get so excited and amazed staring after they are complete.

Toot Toot

You can do it!

A baby snowperson is born

Helppppp!!!

"Its a worker man baby"

New Feedburner Email Subscription

I am testing it out! But I believe you will now be able to subsribe for blog updates to come directly to your email!  Testing testing 1 2 3 . :)

Martin Luther King Jr. ~ Happy Birthday!

On Monday we had a very small group for the holiday.  I spent the morning circle time talking to them about Martin Luther King and his dream/wish for everybody to get along and be friendly.  I explained to them that when he was alive there were a lot of mean things happening in our world. People were being mean to other people, they wouldn't let some people eat in their restaurants or sit in certain seats on the bus.  We read two books.  One book is a silly book about how everybody is different and thats OKAY! The other book that we read is a little heavier. Its about a town that is divided by a fence. Both groups of children have been told by their parents not to play on the other side of the fence.  Two little girls (on the right side of picture below) decide that nobody said they couldn't sit ON the fence. They spend the whole summer up there becoming friends. The kids I discussed both books and how we would feel if it was us.

Its Okay  To Be Different

The interesting part of this whole lesson, which I come across time and time again, is the lack of attention to skin color.  I don't address it, unless the children address it first. They never do.  They don't notice that MLK is brown or that the two kids in the story are different because their skin is different colors. In fact during those rare times that we have been fortunate enough to have racial diversity in our classroom, they haven't noticed it then either.  I choose to leave this piece of the lesson out, because frankly it doesn't even occur to them.  Someday it will and someday they can learn all the sad details of MLK and the era that he represents, but for now we can just celebrate our differences.

Now let me tell you another interesting little fact about the book "The Other Side" with the fence. I was very fortunate to meet the author Jacqueline Woodson and hear her speak about her different books.  As an African American woman she wrote this story, NOT with the intention of it taking place anywhere but the present.  However, the illustrator (E.B. Lewis) chose to illustrate the book with the style of the 1950's/60's. Ms. Woodson expressed strongly how this is not an issue of the past and could easily  have been illustrated in the present.  She was a very powerful speaker and inspiring woman and I was so happy to share this book with the children!

 "Someday somebody's going to come along and knock this old fence down," Annie said. 
 And I nodded. "Yeah," I said. "Someday."

The Building Area

My love for open ended materials goes beyond words can express.  I am always in awe of the designs and constructions that the kids create with these loose parts. If you think you might have anything to contribute please let me know. If you have smooth board scraps or pvc/elbows or large boxes lying around we always like those!

Very Puzzling

Puzzles are an important part of preschool development. This group of kids has been puzzle-crazy over the last few weeks. I feel like the last few groups of kids I have had, have not been as interested in puzzles.  The amazing part is seeing the huge range of abilities, which often seem to have no connection to their ages. It often seems that puzzle solving is more natural to some than others, while others need more guidance and practice.  We are lucky to have a wide selection of puzzles with different difficulty levels and styles.  They have mastered all our small puzzles and I think it is time to start moving them towards the harder and more complex floor puzzles.

All Shapes and Sizes

Teamwork

With some puzzles there are many ways to put it together

Hooray! I did it.

Exploration

This puzzle always seems to be a work in progress. :)