Thursday and Friday Fun!

 Happy Friday!  We ended this week with an introduction to our exploration of Home and Family. 

We closed out or exploration of transportation on Thursday. The children enjoyed letting the cars run down the ramp. Some of the cars went really fast and some were incredibly slow. 

We brought the bubble machine outside today for some extra fun. The ground was so wet that the bubbles stayed around a long time! The children had so much fun stomping on the bubbles on the ground and running after the ones that were flying through the air!

Back inside, we took some time to take care of our babies. We pretended to give them a bath in the sensory table and gave them some snuggles. Playing with dolls is a great way for our littlest friends to learn empathy.

We used shapes to make houses today! We had picture of houses on the table as inspiration and named the shapes as we glued them to the paper. We will revisit this invitation throughout our exploration as the children learn more about houses!

We hope you all have a safe weekend!

Indiana Early Learning Foundations:

MA4.2: Use names of two-dimensional shapes (e.g., square; triangle; circle) when identifying objects

M5.1: Follow steps in a simple routine

SE1.2: Imitate comforting behaviors of caregivers

APL1.2: Demonstrate enthusiasm for new learning (may be within familiar contexts)

APL2.1: Use objects for real or imagined purposes

APL3.1: Focus on an activity for short periods of time despite distractions

APL4.1: Participate in play activities with a small group of children for short periods of time

SC1.1: Use simple words to describe sensory experiences, objects, and how objects move

SC4.1: Use complex motions to play with simple machines

SS1.1:Use simple words to show recognition of family members and familiar adults

SS3.1:Describe the characteristics of home and surroundings

SS4.1: Imitate familiar roles and routines

CA3.1: Enjoy repetition of materials and experiences

CA3.3: Look at pictures, photographs, and illustrations

CA4.1: Engage in parallel play

PHG1.1: Imitate personal health practices

There's More Than Toddlers On the Go in Katon!

We've had a couple of incredibly busy days the past two days! We've explored gears, tunnels, and ramps. We've begun work on matching shapes and matching the fronts and backs of various vehicles.  

Painting with gears on Tuesday was a fun way to explore this toy in a new way! The children not only stamped with the gears, but made them turn on the paper.

Today we used the construction vehicles to move "mud" around in plastic baggies. The children also figured out that the paint felt squishy in the bags and some used their fingers to push it around. A few friends were not satisfied with mess-free painting, so they indicated that they wanted to use paint and paintbrushes to add to the activity.

We also worked on matching and naming shapes today. The children were asked to park the cars in the garages with the matching shape. We are still very much in the beginning stages of this kind of activity, but we did have a few friends who are able to name and match. We also got to see some of the children's silly sides coming out as they mixed the cars up. Those giggles were priceless!

Indiana Early Learning Foundations:

ELA1.2: Use gestures and actions to communicate

ELA3.1: Experiment with a variety of writing tools, materials, and surfaces

M4.1: Complete basic shape interlocking puzzle with most pieces accurately in place with some assistance

M4.2: Match identical simple shapes

SE1.2:Express both positive and negative feelings about participating in activities

APL1.2: guidance

CA3.1:Enjoy repetition of materials and experiences

CA3.2: Use a variety of media

 

Wheels Are Turning and Our Brains Are Chuggin' Along

 It was a rainy day outside, but we kept busy inside continuing to explore transportation! 

The children have all been very curious about the salad spinners in the Atelier. Today we brought them into the classroom for an exploration. Each child choose two primary colors that were poured onto a paper plate "wheel" inside the salad spinner. Then we showed them how to make the spinner spin. They got to see what happened when the colors mixed after we removed our wheels from the salad spinner.

Ms. Rose brought in a new tunnel today! The children had a great time exploring the tunnel. Some were a little wary at first but pretty soon they were crawling through the tunnel, rolling balls through, and pushing cars through the tunnel.

As teachers, we are always excited to see our children explore the invitations in new ways. This activity was meant as a lesson in number relations using the book Freight Train by Donald Crews . They did work on telling us what color came next in the train, but also turned it into a toddler obstacle course using the blocks as a stepping stones and incorporating the tunnel.

Our light studio has allowed our Katon littles to continue exploring fall while also exploring some farm vehicles. They were so busy in the studio today! 

We got in some gross motor work in the gym this morning. A few of our friends worked on climbing up to the bottom bleacher to take a break. We also had friends encouraging each other to climb up the ramp and slide back down. 

Indiana Early Learning Foundations:

ELA1.2: Use gestures and actions to communicate

ELA2.4: With adult support, respond to simple questions about a story

M1.3: Begin to identify first and last

SE4.1: Engage in parallel play

APL1.1: Select desired object from several options

APL1.2: Use active exploration to solve a problem

APL2.1: Show creativity, inventiveness, and flexibility in approach to play with adult guidance

APL3.1: Repeat an activity many times in order to master it, even if setbacks occur

SC1.1: Identify and solve problems in the environment through active exploration

SC4.1: Use complex motions to play with simple machines

SS3.1: Experiment with materials to represent objects in play

CA3.2: Use a variety of media

CA3.3: Express likes or dislikes of certain colors or patterns

PHG1.2: Respond to adult direction to change behavior in order to avoid danger or prevent injuries

PHG3.1: Develop gross motor control for a range of physical activities