Water and Gourds
November 1, 2017, 08:00 AM
Hello families,
Can you believe that we are nearly at the beginning of November?! We have already been together for 2 months. The children have been exploring many activities this month as you can see by our board out front.
Can you believe that we are nearly at the beginning of November?! We have already been together for 2 months. The children have been exploring many activities this month as you can see by our board out front.
Recently, we
coloured some water and added some natural objects, like gourds and chestnuts,
then added some ladles and bowls. Who
would think such a simple activity would keep our children stimulated for so
long. The children all took turns at the
sensory table to stir, pour, feel and splash the water around. Some children would pour water into bowls,
some would collect items in the water and some were content with just having
their hands in there. Children at this
age are very sensory driven especially to touch which is why we try to provide
activities that will involve using their hands to explore.
Why is this
sort of play important? It aids in
developing fine and gross motor skills that deals with exercising our small and
large muscle groups. These muscle groups
are important to build because it helps in coordination and the ability to
perform more intricate skills like picking up small objects, writing, buttoning
and zipping. Through this process it
will then provide a foundation to more complex tasks. It also, provides the children to learn about
using all their senses through examining, looking, touching and building new
ways of discovering the world around them.
A simple
activity that looks inviting, colourful and fun for the children have so many benefits
even though it looks like simple play, they are actually developing cognitive
growth, language development, social behaviour and much, much more.
Until next time,
Deanna
Comments
The tiny hands of two year olds
October 26, 2017, 06:30 AM
The more time that I spend
involved in the “Time for Two’s” program at West Richmond, the more I realize
how incredibly interesting this age group is!
Even though they are such
tiny little beings, they are already beginning to explore and enjoy the
experiences around them in so many amazing ways!
When we come together each
afternoon, I am excited to see their “tiny hands” engaged in many types of
activities afforded them. Some of them
always gravitate towards the types of tactile opportunities that allow them to
dig and splash, or pour and push different types of materials in a sensory
situation. Other children seem to always
speed towards the art activities, where they can paint, draw, dip or dab with
different materials set out each day.
Many children seem
mesmerized by materials that encourage building or grasping pieces of puzzles
or materials that can be moved in various directions, encouraging their fine
motor skills and hand-eye coordination effectively.
Reading interesting
materials also challenges the children to look as well as listen. Eating their provided snacks also seems to
encourage them to participate in rituals that require hand washing, opening and
closing containers, eating independently and closing up their chosen food.
Circle time also creates
an opportunity for the children to expand their listening, observation and
singing skills, as well as increasing their ability to take turns and share
materials that are provided to expand their learning.
Each of these daily
experiences help the children to discover and develop their own abilities,
even at such a young age.
We are very excited to see
your children growing and learning in the “Time for Two’s” environment. Looking forward to many more fun days ahead!
Sincerely,
Teacher Lori Moore
The many ways we can paint
October 13, 2017, 06:00 AM
Hello families, I am very pleased to say that we are all
getting settled into our class time together.
It has been a pretty smooth transition.
I would like to thank all the families for their support and patience
while we get to know your child. It is
so important to make the transition a positive time.
The creativity and curiosity of the children never ceases to amaze me. It truly makes teaching young children so gratifying.
Until next time,
Deanna
We have noticed the children this year enjoy painting. With that said, we will be using different
materials and tools to paint and create art.
Last week, we used shaving cream mixed with paint to create our
leaves. The texture of the paint really
attracted the attention of the children.
They liked to blend the colours and some even enjoyed feeling the paint
with their hands. Another week, we used
potato stamps to manipulate paint without any brushes. At first, the children used the potato stamps
like a brush and made strokes with it.
Once they observed a teacher stamping with the potatoes, they followed
and noticed that it left prints. It did
not take long for the children to create some pretty amazing art. This week will be working with water colour
paints and fusing paper to create an orchard of apples. I wonder what colour apples the children will
create?
The creativity and curiosity of the children never ceases to amaze me. It truly makes teaching young children so gratifying.
Until next time,
Deanna
Positive Parallel Play
September 28, 2017, 10:00 AMThe “Time for Twos” program is
usually a child’s first chance to be part of a collaborative learning
environment, away from their family.
Therefore, we as educators try to
make these moments together engaging and filled with new creative experiences
that will capture the attention of the young children in our care.
It has been wonderful to already see
the boys and girls settling into a fun-filled routine where they are able to
interact with each other as they play “side by side” within the many parallel
play situations provided to them.
In each class we are attempting to
challenge them with experiences such as sensory play, art opportunities,
literary challenges, musical moments and large motor movement play.
We are looking forward to seeing lots
of growth and development among these young children as we all explore and
learn together!
Sincerely,
Teacher Lori Moore
Fun in Time For Twos
December 2, 2016, 12:32 PM
Now that we've hit the 2 month mark the Twos have really started to settle into our program. Every day they make new discoveries and overcome challenges and I truly enjoy seeing their growth. Sometimes it's as simple as being handed a toy and being invited to 'bake' in their kitchen. Our class loves exploring the new activity areas we create for them each week. My favorite area of the room is the sensory section. 
Each week we bring out various touch stations and let everyone explore. Recently we added water to the mix.
It was exciting to see the initial hesitation turn into pure delight as each child explored the water in their own way.
Another awesome part of being 2 months in is the routines that have developed. Once all of our class has arrived we have formed a routine of morning circle. We use this time to greet everyone and sing a few songs. A fan favorite is "Icky Sticky Bubblegum." It's a wonderful song that uses our imagination in every part of the song.
After a morning spent exploring our classroom I personally enjoy finding ways to run around and expel some extra energy. My favorite way to do this is to take the class outside whenever the weather allows for it. The twos really enjoy the 'blue park' as we call it. They love the slide, after we dry it off, the swings and the teeter totter. The routine of lining up and heading back upstairs is becoming second nature to them. 
It's wonderful to see their growth in everything that we do each and every Tuesday and Thursday.Until next time,
Carolyn