Want to cluck a little ?

Some pictures from yesterday when I was being a whine bag and didnt post. :)

Cutting lanterns is a great fine motor activity and great for teaching how important it is to listen and follow directions. If you dont stop on the line your lantern gets smaller and smaller. I was really impressed with the improved cutting skills I saw.



Mr Randy helped us play a song with the bells today !





Today we talked about Russia and how they celebrate Christmas . I found two traditions that I thought the kids would find very interesting. First they spread hay all over the floor for their horses to eat in hopes that they will grow larger the next year. And second, to wish many eggs on their chickens they go around clucking... yes clucking. I am sure many of the modern families do not do this but I knew the kids would find it funny.

Today has been a drama free day - so thankful. The carpet cleaner is coming this afternoon incase there was any bacteria left on the floor from the plumbing incident yesterday.

Estimation ....we just dont get it yet

The halloween fun has already begun...

Sharpening fine motor and math skills can be fun !

Gross motor ( large muscles) - tossing a pumpkin in the can.

Geneviette and Rosanna built a pet shop. Rosanna is the pet ! :)

Emeri holding our pumpkin to try and guess how much it weighed. Estimation is an important skill but one that usually just comes with experience, not teaching. Today we weighed a few of the kids and talked about the numbers. Then we compared the pumpkin by holding it and each took guesses of how much it weighed. I got numbers from 5 to 105. The correct weight was 12.4 lbs.

With all the excitement about building going on we are lucky to have someone here painting our house . He is doing an excellent job. The kids were able to sit and watch him work for a while today.








Today .. as always was a good day.

Every day is packed full of learning

We learn so much every day. We learn how to communicate with each other . We gain confidence in our ability to get along with each other in a social setting.

Below are Emeri and Orrin. They rode the horse together through the house and when Emeri stopped she said " Now, get off and go to work." Do you see that steak in Orrins hand ? He told me he brought that incase his horse gets hungry.
Audrey teaching Cohen his ABC's .
Even boys play house. Dillion was the cook.
Problem solving ! Danny made art from this old Pork Rinds container and wanted to take it home. He rushed over to his cubby to put it away and it wouldnt fit. Kayla stood there trying to figure out how to make his art fit in his cubby. Sure, I could jump in and grab it and say " Just let me put it up here" and place it on the cubbies but why.. when there is so much to learn with them working it out together !
These blocks have set on the shelf since school started and someone may have taken them off once. I took them down and put them on the table and started building myself. Look what happened!

Sometimes kids just need a little encouragement to try something new or forgotten.

We had a licensing inspection today! It was unannounced and went really well. I usually post the form on the door or table for you all to see. DHS has went to a paperless system now . There is a website you can go to but as of right now it does not look functional. I will tell you that there were no violations - which is our goal every time!

All things that creep , crawl and fly

Happy Monday! I love when I change out units and the children are so involved in exploring all the new things ! About half way through the morning Randy said, " It sure doesnt sound like there are 15 kids in here !" Yes, I know. If you rotate materials enough to keep the children engaged , your potential for classroom problems drops dramatically. This weekend I changed out all the spring stuff for BUGS! The boys had put up with the flowers and the like for far too long... and they are loving the change. Below you can see a bee hard at work. There is also a dragon. Geneviette came early this morning and found this costume. She had already seen the table set up for bugs so she questioned " why do you have a dragon if we are talking about bugs?" hmm.. I dont know, I just LIKE him ! :)

Tone those fine motor skills by sorting paper clips and attaching them to the matching foam book mark.

Ellen, Anna's mom gave me these boxes a while back. The kids have been playing with them a lot. I had Randy attach them to the wall in the loft. The one is a little high for them to reach while sitting so it will be adjusted, but they love them up there. They take tiny figures and pretend to their hearts content.

Caterpillar self help teacher ! ZIPPING, TYING AND BUTTONING !

The butterfly tray is numbered and Anna is picking bugs out of the cricket box and placing the correct number in each section.

Check out the butterfly near my plant!

The Little Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.

Even boys want to do puzzles if they are magnetic !

BUZZZZZZZZ

I wonder what they are up to ?

Clara enjoying some alone time.

Today we read the book, I Love Bugs. Then we took large cut outs of bugs and sorted them by how they move - flying or crawling.

Then they made the cutest bugs out of playdoh, chenelle stems and googly eyes.

During outside time , Randy took the kids on a bug hunt .


I would say we had a pretty busy day. In the middle of all that, the Health Department came in for an inspection. We did fine. Whew.. is it time to be off yet? :)