Updated Blog

Hello parents!

My blog is now fixed -- still not sure what happened but everything seems to be lining up better now. Please remember to actually visit the blog as there are things on the sidebar - like dates I am closed - that are important to know.

The address is:

http://juliaschildcare.blogspot.com/

If you are having trouble accessing the blog, please let me know.

Some pictures of our week!

The children with their leaf wands! They had fun yelling pumpkin patch to make them smile!

Grady using the counting mats - well...Grady really enjoying playing with the pasta shells! Scarlett waiting patiently for her turn.

Ali and Addie showing their pattern strips.

Some fun things we have been doing....

I've been reading about the Montessori approach where children move from being undisciplined to disciplined, disordered to ordered, distracted to focused through the activities and their environment. I love the philosophy and hope to add experiences that help the children learn skills as well as feel a sense of accomplishment. While it's always important to foster self-esteem by praising our children, they also need to feel that "praise" inside without the constant approval from others.

For the next two weeks or so our theme will be fish and we will be reading The Rainbow Fish and The Pout-Pout Fish (CUTE book).

Here are a few of our activities....

This is "fish tracing." On the tray is paper, colored pencil and two fish stencils. The tray is placed on the counter and if it's free a child can choose this activity. They take it to the table, do the activity, put all the supplies back on the tray and return it to the counter for another child. There is independence...they choose the activity, concentration as they do the activity on their own (I have demonstrated at the beginning of the day), order as they put the supplies back on the tray and return the tray to the counter.....and accomplishment as they have started, created and finished an activity.

The tray with the supplies (LOVE the Dollar Tree).

Jocey tracing her fish.

Nolan with a fish he traced and colored.

Upcoming Days Off

Just a quick reminder....these have been posted on the board but I know sometimes they are easily missed. Closing at 3:00 this Friday, May 28 and closed next Friday, June 4. Thank you!

Happy Mother's Day!

This is take #425, give or take! Enjoy!

Doctor Appointment

Hi parents,

I have my follow-up appointment for my foot on May 18, 2010. I need to be in the Sherwood office by 4:10 for an x-ray prior to seeing the doctor at 4:50. I will need the children picked up early -- 3:30 if possible. Please let me know if that will not work for you. Thank you!

Spring Weather and Earth Day

Pictures from our daily activities....

The children made cloud and rain windsocks. They also made storm clouds using black, white and purple paint. Instead of using brushes the children used glue spreaders to move and swirl the paint. We haven't finished our suns yet...hopefully soon!

Today was Earth Day. We talked about using our resources and not being wasteful (remember how Julia always asks you to color on both sides of the paper?) - and then made the Earth using coffee filters, blue and green food coloring.

And playing....

Jocey doing something funny (over and over) and making Grady laugh...

Scarlett made a ramp for her car with the wooden blocks...

Addie doing what she loves....coloring!

A few pictures....

A couple of pictures of our week....

Nolan stringing the beads I bought from the Dollar Tree (not the best but the kiddos like them)....what's this?.....is that?......noooooooo can't be.........yellow and green? Even Jocey looks worried.........(hehe)........Hmmmmmmm.......I'm just sayin'..........:-)

The cloud and rain windsocks...they look beautiful in our window!

And last but not least.....this is the broken bone maker.....it is 5 x 2 x 1.....see the yellow sticker...it says CAUTION...do not STEP ON....I kid you not! (ok, maybe a little)....

Thank you, everyone...for being so understanding this week. I will need to make an appointment next week but will, hopefully, be able to get someone to come here and help with the children during that time.