Water Table

It started with corn, moved to wheat, then sand, and now....

 

 

The water table is open!  Oh, this has been a highlight over the past week!  We've been giving kids the chance to explore at the water table.  We have boats, funnels, large and small cups, eye droppers, turkey basters, and tubes.

 

We encourage the kids to explore capacity, objects that sink and float, and experiment with the way water moves.

 

If you volunteer in the classroom during our center time, I will probably ask you to supervise the water table.  The kids LOVE it but, as you can imagine, it can get a little out of hand without an extra pair of eyes. 

 

As the weather warms up, especially when it gets to be pool season, I would like to encourage you to break out the measuring cups and other plastic kitchen utensils for kids to experiment with!

 

Happy water play!

Fall (or maybe Winter) Stations

We had some really fun Fall stations planned for the day before Thanksgiving. We the snow that came, school was closed and the stations had to be postponed.


When we returned from the long break we had our station day, with a few changes.
Instead of making gumdrop turkeys, we made gumdrop snowmen.

Instead of decorating leaf cookies, we decorated snowmen cookies.

We also made special necklaces with beads, fruitloops, and noodles.

Thanks to all of the parents who helped out, dontated materials, and helped with preparations ahead of time!

A Child's Work

Once upon a time, play was King (or Queen) of kindergarten. A child's first experience in school was all about social development, learning to interact as a community member, and developmental play. Teachers set up wonderful play experiences for children and sought out every teachable moment they could.

Gone are the days when play ruled in kindergarten. Standards, workbooks, accountability, and district mandated testing are the buzz words you'll hear. But, every single kindergarten teacher you talk to will affirm that there is a place for rigor in the classroom and there is a place for PLAY.

Today, I'm sharing a few pictures from our center time. It's the time of the day where we just play. Yes, there is learning involved in these centers. I promise to dissect them one by one and explain what is happening in later posts. Today, just enjoy getting a glimpse into play in our class.











If you are interested in reading more about the importance of play in early childhood, I have a great book to suggest. A Child's Work by Vivian Gussin Paley, is a wonderful book about the importance of fantasy play. She has several other wonderful books on the topic.

Thanks for taking the time to read this... now go out and PLAY! :)