Red and Blue Birds

It's been a few weeks since we began our new morning schedule and we all love it! Spending time with the small groups is allowing us to work individually with each child and focus our curriculum to be more age appropriate for the group. Each morning the Blue Birds (under 3.5) and Red Birds (3.5 to Pre-K)  spend about 35 minutes with their group.

This morning we explored apples 

First, we gathered as a large group to examine the apples; touching, smelling and talking about them.

Brandy cut them up to find out what might be inside. 

We then separated into small groups. Blue Birds sang a song about apples and then made apple print patterns on strips of paper. 

The Redbirds began their group time by reading the book Amazing Apples.

They then rotated through two stations. At one they looked at the book and colored in their own "parts of the apple" picture. We didn't label them but ask them as they should know all of the parts.

The second station allowed them the opportunity to create an apple tree (or anything they wanted) with melting crayons.

We concluded the morning by eating apples for snack! Unfortunately we also celebrated Camelia's Birthday so talk of apples ceased the minute they saw cupcakes. (which were very yummy)

Our exploration of apples will continue for the next few weeks as part of the larger theme of Autumn and Farm. If you have apples, related books or games or the like please bring them in to share.

Thank You!

Tania (Lulu) and Nina (Kylie) for the mason jars. 

They are the perfect size for crayons.

Allow Time For Repetition

"We often equate repetition with a person who is mentally slow. If someone requires multiple repetitions to remember something, we think they are not as smart as someone who gets it right away. This assumption does not apply with young children. When a young child repeats an activity, they are opening brain nerve connections and building brain architecture." John Bowman

I know we are often live hurried lives but allowing children the time needed to master a task is very important. We encourage repetition in our every day routines at school. Everything is a learning opportunity .... learning to drink from a cup, wash a table, take turns with an activity, use the potty. All of which take repetition to master. These social and self-help skills are foundational to later academic learning. The child in the video above is not being told by an adult that she is doing something wrong ... she is given time and space to explore and figure it out. It is through repetition that children make connections, discover their own errors, learn how to correct them, and master a skill.

Welcome Ripley

We have another new friend today

 

 Ripley is 16 months and will be here 3 days a week. Although he is not too sure about all of the crazy kids this morning he was happy to play outside and watch them intently.

Sonoma on the Cheap and other FB pages for families

I think most of us are active on Facebook :)  Below are a few local pages to help you connect with the wonderful events and activities Sonoma County has to offer. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sonoma-on-the-Cheap/344062908643

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000845106678

 

http://www.facebook.com/sonomacountydeals

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/101-Things-To-Do-Sonoma-County/147514351950463

 

 

http://www.facebook.com/sweetpeacotati

http://www.facebook.com/RohnertParkPatch

 

 

 

Scholastic Book Orders

One of our ongoing goals is to nurture a lifelong love of books in all of the kids. You can help by reading regularly with your child. We will again be offering Scholastic Book Club orders this year.

Septembers Honeybee order form went out last week and are due by Wednesday Aug 31st.

The easiest way to order is to do so on-line. Anyone (parents, grandparents, friends) can order using our class code.

Web address: http://pcool.scholastic.com/parentordering/login.jsp 
Class Activation Code: GLH9F 

With online ordering from Scholastic Book Clubs, you can choose from a much wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card.

Best of all, we earn a FREE book every time a parent places their order online.

It's so simple! Here's how it works:

• SIGN UP at www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Don't have a User Name and Password?" link, then register for your own username and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This code ensures that your order is sent to us.
• SELECT the books you'd like to order from over 500 titles available online...and take advantage of online-only specials and discounts.
• SEND your order to us online by the due date. Books will be delivered directly to us.

Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flier by returning the paper order and check made payable to Scholastic Books.

New Communitry Resource: Infant SOS

I think we've all been there ... an unhappy baby who won't sleep, eat or "relax". Infant SOS is a free, county-wide program that provides support to parents (and caregivers) of difficult to comfort, "fussy" babies during their first year of life.

Services include: phone consultation, home visits, access to community resources & support, and support groups. Whether your baby is hard to comfort, has feeding or sleeping issues, or you have questions about development, they are here to help!

Downloads
   * Infant S.O.S. flyer
   * Tips and Techniques for Fussy Babies

Caring for a fussy baby can be exhausting, frustrating, and isolating, but you are not alone! 

Call ELI at 707.591.0170.

Toys R Us Trade-in Event

The Great Trade-In event is a national program offered by Babies“R”Us and Toys“R”Us that provides the opportunity to trade-in any used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards, high chairs, walkers, swings, bouncers, entertainers or kids’ beds in exchange for savings on any new item from one of these product categories from participating manufacturers.

We have a family who is need of a new car seat. If you have one of the above items and are not going to use the trade-in yourself, I know they would appreciate your donation.

Praise Effort, Not Personality

"One of the main ways we can change children's views about themselves and their world is by how we comment on their accomplishments or failures," writes Ellen Galinsky, in Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs, Galinksy continues...

"Rather than praising their personalities or intelligence ('You are so smart' or 'artistic' or 'athletic'), criticizing them ('You are so stupid' or 'uncoordinated'), or attributing their accomplishments to luck, we can praise their efforts or strategies.  I watched this process at work in the Bing Nursery School at Stanford University. Children were given a very difficult puzzle to work on, and most agonized over it.  The teachers' comments continued to reinforce their problem-solving strategies:  'Look, you turned that piece around and around to see where it would fit' or 'You looked for a place where that was the same color as the piece you are holding.'  The children struggled, but they didn't walk away;  they didn't give up.  They were taking on challenges!"
 

From: http://www.childcareexchange.com/

Welcome Nicholas

We have another new friend today

Nicholas is almost 2 too! He was very excited to play with 2 year old boys today.