Small Wonders

Stacking Blocks

2010-09-29T07:49:00.001-07:00

Learning Colors

2010-09-24T11:16:00.001-07:00

Playdoh

2010-09-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

Legos

2010-09-15T07:44:00.001-07:00

A and His Faces!

2010-09-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Drumming

2010-09-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Lining Up

2010-09-15T07:23:00.001-07:00

Cutiosity!

2009-04-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Collage

2009-04-12T16:44:00.001-07:00

Collage work is a great way to explore shapes, color and spacial relationships. On this day we taped sticky white contact paper to the table (we did not want them to focus on the glue, but the shapes and space instead) and provided them with paper and foam shapes, rick rack, pom poms and feathers for a variety of shapes and textures. Each child worked in his or her own way - some grouped colors and shapes, others used a play theme (the bridge or bad guy) and GM and FF spent almost an hour working on theirs! We were surprised to see that nearly all of the children spread out the pieces and attempted to space them fairly evenly. FF and NK are still able to look at each collage now hanging in the room and tell us who made it!

Collaborative Castle

2009-04-12T16:27:00.001-07:00

This was one of those rare and special times when ALL the children connected to the play, even little CH! It began when we introduced the large Duplo blocks and the children asked us to help them start building a castle (note the Snow White dress and the castle theme). Soon all the children were carefully attempting to add to the structure. We are fascinated when the children seem to understand and respect an event such as this one, joining in the building in a constructive way, without breaking the structure or stepping on it. This is a huge step in young children's play and we are always working towards those type of respectful interactions.

AV's Favorite Toys

2009-04-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

AV especially enjoys playing with the animals but the giraffes are clearly her favorites. AV will carry the mom, dad and baby giraffes around for long periods of time, occasionally stopping to turn them towards each other and have them interact. They interact on the table, the floor, the windowsill and our laps! Sometimes one of us will enter her play and connect to the giraffe family world. We have some very interesting conversations!

Baby J Joins the Group!

2009-04-12T16:06:00.001-07:00

FF Organizes

2009-04-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

Princess Dance Party

2009-04-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

More of JM's Handiwork

2009-04-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Making Cookies

2009-04-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Leaves!

2009-04-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

2009-04-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

A and C

2009-04-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

A Treat for the Birds

2009-04-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

G Enjoys a Book

2009-04-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

Cutiosity!

2009-01-28T08:11:00.001-08:00

We Don't Know Either! : )

2009-01-28T08:06:00.000-08:00

Sensory

2009-01-28T07:54:00.000-08:00

Doctor

2009-01-28T07:53:00.000-08:00

FF Helps NK

2009-01-28T07:28:00.000-08:00

We'll Miss You, CM!

2009-01-28T06:48:00.000-08:00

We're sad to announce that CM is no longer with us. We've had CM for the last two years and her smile and personality always brightened our day. We will miss you, CM!

Hanging Around

2008-10-30T08:07:00.001-07:00

A Visit From OA

2008-10-30T07:46:00.001-07:00

We love when children who have moved on come back to visit! (hint hint!) It is always wonderful when children re-visit and get a chance to be ALUMNI! OA always enjoyed clay and playdough so we brought some out to assist him with re-connecting. Here we are having a discussion about things we have made in the past when OA was with us and that gave us a chance to go over the rolling movement used in clay work. Working with clay/playdough offers multiple avenues for creative thinking, fine motor work, language development and more. OA was a catalyst for many of our experiences.

Spaghetti Day!

2008-10-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Spaghetti is one of the children's favorite lunches. The children are making progress with utensils but spaghetti is tricky because of the noodles and sauce. They gave it their best try! Overall all the children are comfortable with forks, but spoons prove more of a challenge. We just continue to offer them and allow the children to practice.

JM Makes a House

2008-10-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

Occasionally a child will spend more time on an activity than usual. On this day JM began work on this Lego house and continued to return to the house and add to it. He would carefully add a Lego, evaluate it's use, and then either move it or try something else. JM has rich imaginative play ideas, and he took great care to explain to M who the man outside the house was and why he was there. We asked him where you enter the house and if he planned to add more items to it in the future. When a child is engaged over time on an activity we attempt to extend their ideas and challenge their thinking. It is a careful give and take that requires patience and listening. Young children will work a little harder at finding language to communicate if they feel you are truly interested and ask questions that are open ended. Here are some questions we use to help you get started:
What are your plans for .....
How will you do......
What if I wanted to....
What if you wanted to...

Cleaning Up, JM and AN Style

2008-10-30T07:25:00.000-07:00

Well, we asked and they did it! "Hey, A and J we need to clean up so we can go outside - would you clean everything up off the floor?" As you can see they did just that. : ) Even though this type of "cleaning up" can be frustrating, it is an attempt at organizing a large number of items. We had to take a photo of this because they worked a long time at getting all those toys to fit, looking at shapes and spaces that would fit, and we have to appreciate the process. After this, we decided to reduce the number of toys in the room and find better dedicated space for things, so that cleaning up and concentrating is easier for the children. Its an ongoing process!

Crawling Under

2008-10-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

Ever noticed that when children will nearly always find the smallest possible space to squeeze into? It seems to be human instinct to make a fort or hide away in a private space. On this day AB got some early training in early hide-n-seek. We loved the images from this day and wanted to share. Enjoy!

Helping a Friend

2008-10-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

On this day CM needed help putting on her shoes so that we could go outside. AN, who is usually willing to help the other children, is careful and patient with her. It's important to note that most of the time the children do not want anyone to touch their shoes! Shoes and personal items are usually off limits and only accessible to someone with whom they've formed a trusting relationship and AN is one of those friends.

More Glasses

2008-10-30T07:07:00.001-07:00

As promised, here's another post about sunglasses and this one has the added bonus of dancing! Have you ever noticed that dressing up is often accompanied by dancing? Changing outer appearances gives children the chance to try on a different persona - eyes are hidden or clothing offers a new identity. Of course children love to look at themselves when they look different so we created a dress-up corner dedicated to this activity.

A Very Sad Day

2008-09-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

This post will be out of order, but I wanted to write this while it's current. Today was AV's last day - her family is moving out of state. A has been with us since she was four months old and its been a pleasure to watch her as she's blossomed and grown over the past few years. AV will be missed a great deal, but we wish her and her family all the best in this new chapter of their lives

2008-09-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

Our Kids

2008-09-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

The Store

2008-09-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

Creating a store (the chair is the counter) is another popular play sequence. JL and AN are deepening their play with more complex interactions. They regularly set the chair on it's side, pile up toys behind it, and wait for customers. If none are forthcoming they will yell out "store!" Wesupport the play by giving baskets to other children for shopping, making signs, and supplying items to sell such as empty food boxes. Eventually the store is abandoned, but will be re-created at a later time. With mixed ages imaginary play is often transferred from the older to younger children and everyone benefits. Again, we use this play as a time to deepen thinking with questions like, "how many can I buy?" or "how much is this item?" or by asking them to offer solutions to problems: "I don't have any money, how can I get some?" We also encourage items in the store so we can shop more easily. The options are endless!

Hello? Hello?

2008-09-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

Mimicking adults is a common occurrence and one of the ways in which children learn how to behave and negotiate the world - its one of the highest forms of learning! Here AV grabs the play phone and reenacts a conversation. Because she sustained this for such a long period of time we chose to document. AV obviously realizes the phone has great potential for communication and emotional responses. Her animated facial expressions tell us that she enjoys this form of play, which like most children's play is rooted in real-life interactions. We take advantage of these opportunities to enhance language and increase vocabulary.

Lining Up

2008-07-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

We believe that lining up objects is one way that children can organize their world and it also often indicates a strength in mathematical/logical thinking. This is a frequent activity for AN, and here he has lined up the letters on the refrigerator as well as the larger buses and cars. Coming soon - AN opens a store!

Let's Draw!

2008-07-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

All of our children enjoy drawing, especially with easy-to-manipulate markers. Most of them are already gripping the marker and making marks in purposeful ways. While they do this, we usually we move from child to child and observe quietly. After a time we may ask them to tell us about a symbol that we recognize or the story behind the drawing. Here, JM was clearly was drawing people. Early writing usually begins with scribbles and then moves to mandalas (circles) and from there to more complex marks. Drawing images is a way to successfully communicate with others your ideas without having to write letters, and we celebrate their symbolic drawing. Though it can be messy, its a good idea to frequently offer writing utensils and paper to small children - you may be surprised at the results if the materials are out on a regular basis!

JL and Duplos

2008-07-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

This is an example of sustained focus, showing that very young children can remain engaged in a task or activity for long periods of time. Here JL has built a wall and is playing with Duplo people, creating a lengthy storyline and imaginary dialogue for his characters.

Ring Around the Rosie

2008-07-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

Ring Around the Rosie has been sung for hundreds of years and evidently holds a universal appeal for children. Whenever we sing Ring Around the Rosie the children immediately look for others to hold hands and take the fall! Their laughter is delightful. In our work with children we've found that singing simple lyrics and walking in a circle are something all children like to do...sing and spin! There is research on the benefits of spinning and the sensory input that it gives us, shedding light on why these small people do the things they do.

By the way, according to www.snopes.com, Ring Around the Rosie is most likely *not* related to the plague as most of us have been told.
http://www.snopes.com/language/literary/rosie.asps

Sunglasses

2008-07-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Sunglasses provide a never-ending source of amusement for us. Our laughter may be part of the reason the children enjoy attempting to wear them. When the children dress up we usually locate a mirror so they can see and they are delighted with their altered appearance. F has a great sense of humor that allows us to have more complex exchanges. Look for another series of sunglasses photos that took place recently.

Bug

2008-07-16T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hard as it may be, we try to resist the urge to brush off bugs when CM is around! She has absolutely no fear of them, and on this day she found a beetle and allowed it to crawl all over her. She was very careful with the bug, talking to it and placing it in different locations. As we have observed in the past, CM is completely fascinated by the natural world!

Back at the Salon...

2008-04-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

Over the course of several weeks, we have been watching AV approach different children and gently play with their hair. She is particularly interested in relationships and typically moves close and tries to join in whenever the children form a group. She likes to be involved with all the interactions she witnesses whether they are with materials or other children. On this day we were able to capture her lifting FF's hair while she finished eating. It was a purposeful exchange with F allowing it to happen and A being gentle and purposeful. We suspect that this exchange might have been triggered because we have spent a great deal of time showing how to touch others gently and softly. A seems to enjoy this exchange and tries it out frequently, stopping periodically to look in the other child's face and talk to them.

Baby Baths

2008-04-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

After noticing the children's interest in babies, we thought it might be a stimulating activity to wash the babies outside. It was actually AN's idea, as he is very interested in all babies, real or pretend! The baby bath was a huge hit and the children proceeded with great care and gentleness! Note that this interest developed shortly after AN joined our group of learners.

Basket Hat!

2008-04-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Caterpillar

2008-04-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and worms and caterpillars are everywhere! On this day we found a caterpillar (moth) and were able to observe it up close. Note that the children's facial expressions reflect disgust and curiosity at the same time. N, our neighbor and friend, spends a great deal of time working in her organic garden (if you get a chance ask to visit - it is fabulous! Mom is a Professor of Horticulture and Dad is a scientist at the CDC so we have wonderful experts about nature a few doors down!) and does not hesitate to touch the caterpillar. Mel attempted to keep the caterpillar on her arm for as long as she could so they could have look and take their time deciding if they wanted to touch the caterpillar. N's ease with touching it prompts the others to give it a try. We are thankful that we are able to use the environment right outside the door for experiences with nature.

Hugs

2008-04-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

During our time together we experience all types of physical play, which has meaning and purpose. Young children often use physical touch to communicate. In this series of photos, FF and JL, who are good buddies, were enjoying an embrace and maintained it for awhile.

When we (Cheryl or Melinda) move to the floor the children each come to us to receive some form of touch (hug, sit on lap, touch hair, etc.). In many ways this physical contact deepens our relationships and it is a human need that is often overlooked or ignored. Children crave that contact and it helps them feel safe and grounded.

Muffin Tin

2008-04-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

We took this photo because CM enjoys finding just the right-sized items to fit into the muffin tin. We see this arrangement frequently and decided to document it. Each of the children do unique things that are specific to them. Watch for more posts on this topic as we observe each child's individual way of interpreting the world and representing their ideas and thoughts.

2008-04-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

The Box

2008-04-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

JL (and all the children) loves a box! On this day he spent a great deal of time putting items in it and carrying it around the room. Children seem to be fascinated with the idea that you can hide things and then reveal them again. You can take objects you have had in your environment for months that have held little or no interest for your child, hide them in a purse or box and they become fascinating! In this instance J choose to put in a book, car and block.

Utensil Practice

2008-04-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

Picking up on the interest generated by watching AB eat, the children responded to using utensils with a renewed interest. We talked about them growing older and eating by themselves. They are using utensils successfully, albeit a little messily, here.

Towers and Lines

2008-04-26T13:33:00.000-07:00

JL enjoys a rare solitary moment at the Lego table and builds his tower in order to knock it down, an activity he particularly enjoys. This is a fairly common pattern with almost all the children when they are working with Legos. Some build the line horizontally and then build a vertical tower, while others line the Legos up on the ground and later transfer that to the table. Its a good reimder that there are many wasy to do things and the children are showing us their thought processes. It is a privilege to observe their thinking and to learn from them in a reciprical relationship.

AB Eating

2008-04-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

AB is now eating food and its a great source of interest for the other children! While A eats, the others gather and watch intently. They are curious about the texture of his food so we discuss teeth and why his food is gooey. Everyone looked in A's mouth for teeth and then used a mirror to look his or her mouth. Each day they watch us feed AB and new questions surface. Its a great opportunity for discussions about things like food, teeth, tongues, utensils, nutrition and more.

Cutiosity!

2008-04-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Baby Play

2008-04-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

We've noticed an increased interest in baby play lately and extended this play by staging a baby wash outside. We noticed that several of the children were later attempting to change the doll's clothes and put them down for a nap. We joined in the play by talking quietly when the babies were "sleeping." We asked them if the babies were sick or just taking naps, and they told us that they were sleeping (great language practice). JL was the first to move his baby close to him for a 'snuggle.' AN placed his baby nearby for a nap. Once the babies woke up we talked about changing their diapers and keeping them clean. The boys immediately began to wipe and clean the dolls. Playing with dolls offers wonderful opportunities for the following types of growth:

-broadening perspective of others (babies need a caretaker)

-ceveloping compassion (Baby is hurt and crying - how can we help?)

-practicing complex thinking (what happens when the baby is hungry and we have no food?)

Small figures are great to take on trips too, for deep imaginative play in small spaces.

2008-04-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Fountain

2008-04-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

After seeing how much the children enjoy washing their hands and playing in the water as it trickles we decided to add a small fountain for them to use. After cleaning it (the brown on the bottom is paint, not dirt : ) ) we set it up and placed some smooth river rocks nearby. JL and AV were engaged immediately, but CM kept her distance, watching and waiting.

J was interested in the sound of the water at first and kept repeating, "the water falling, the water falling!" while AV said, "'sat, 'sat?" (what's that?). They picked up the rocks and held them under the falling water as AV tried to lick the wet stones. J then began to count the rocks that are there. J then says he is washing clothes and washing his hands.

Eventually C attempted to push the yellow stepstool close to the table and became frustrated that she didn't have the access that she wanted. She finally positioned the stool where she wanted it and grabbed a few rocks and shook them, which AV imitated. C hit the rocks against the side of fountain and then tried to lick them. C and AV held the rocks under the falling water and CM shook them near her ear afterward. From time to time the children were concentrating so intently that the room became quiet and all you could hear was the water trickling.

J asked where the water goes and we told him that there is a small motor that cycles the water through--no new water comes in. J said that it is rain. C moved away from the table and began to dance, possibly to the sound of the water trickling as there was no music playing at the time. She continued to dance around the room until AV and J left the fountain area, when she returned to the fountain and began taking rocks out and placing them on the rocking chair. AV found them so C moved them to another hiding spot. J moved back to the fountain and asked how the water was falling down.

Later in the day, when we announced that is was naptime, C immediately picked up a basket, placed the rocks inside, said "Night night!" and walked into the den where she sleeps. We didn't have the heart to take them from her and so she slept with her beloved rocks. : )

We extend this play outside by placing the rocks in a large tub of water and are looking at ways we can help the children create their own waterfall. Any ideas are always welcome!

Bubbles!

2008-04-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

The children never tire of bubbles. They love to spend time reaching for them, chasing them and popping them. It's a great activity with which to share space and enjoyment.

We look forward to our neighbor N's visits when we're outside. It's always nice when the children can expand their circle of friends!

More Funky Fashion

2008-04-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

The Salon

2008-04-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

AV: JL, What would you like to have done today, the usual?

AV: Ut oh, here comes my two o'clock appointment! She's early and I'm not sure what to do with those curls.

AV: Okay now J, do you want it a little fuller on top or would you rather I thin it out?

AV: I'll give you a little eye massage while you think about it.

JL: That feels great! Let's go with the fuller look.

FF and Her Beloved Tree

2008-04-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

We just found these photos beautiful. Mom is in the background and F is in her favorite spot- the red bud tree. She absolutely loves to climb and sit on this tree and spends a great deal of time on or under it.

In the spring this tree is covered in beatuiful purple blooms and we felt these were too nice to keep to ourselves. As we mentioned in the Dirt post the children are deeply drawn to the earth's playground and we allow them plenty of time for play and discovery.

Playing in the Dirt!

2008-04-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

The relationship that children have with the natural world is obvious to the casual observer, and these pictures illustrate beautifully the desire that children have to explore natural materials. Unfortunately, we can't always allow dirt play as it can get tracked inside so we like to set up the environment ahead of time.

CM in particular is quite happy if she's playing with dirt, rocks, bugs or twigs! On this day the gate that blocks off this former garden area wasn't in place and C was immediately drawn to the exposed dirt, sitting down in the middle of it. Once we saw the joy she was experiencing we didn't have the heart to put a stop to it and she was soon joined by AV. Together they sat and slowly sifted dirt onto their skin and clothes. They seemed to be most interested in the way the dirt felt falling and layng on their skin and would rub each others dirt-covered arms. FF eventually joined in, having watched the other two children for awhile, which is how she typically likes to approach new experiences.

We are intriugued with the situations/materials that bring the children together and dirt, water, light or any natural/organic material are powerful uniters. We almost never have to direct their attention - just expose them to the environment. There has been a great deal of research on the benefit of organic materials to developing children. These benefits range from sensory input for the brain to helping the eye to distinguish color. You can support this at home by simply offering a small box of dirt, rocks, and a few spoons or other digging implements. A small fountain or tub of water is good too. Another wonderful organic play idea is to offer driftwood or large branches and fabric for making small forts and enclosures or to just drape fabric over low-hanging tree limbs.

Taking a Shower

2008-04-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

We added this yellow stepstool to the daycare setting after observing that the children like to have something to stand on at the window, in the bathroom and even the play kitchen. On this day JL, who often instigates symbolic play, tells us that he is going to take a shower. We tell him to go ahead and get started because he's dirty and will need to go to work soon. He looks at the stool and then positions it in the middle of room. He stands on the top step and begins to act out taking a shower, using soap and paying particular attention the the armpits. When he's finished he steps down and goes to work.

This construction of reality is and important developmental step and we are always intrigued by J's ability to create an imaginary world where he can control and test out whatever is on his mind. We support this symbolic play as it is the foundation of abstract thinking. It also allows us to connect other children to this type of play so that they can all engage in this important process.

2008-04-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Making Predictions

2008-04-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

AV and CM worked together placing blocks on top of the transparent container and then taking them off, repeating this routine over and over with changes in the block structure. This was a new way of using this container and was of interest to us because the girls worked side by side to try to get the blocks balanced and in place. This took some effort as the container is rounded on the side and the blocks would slip off. They communicated back and forth through the use of hand motions and facial expressions. Chloe continued to work with it AV lost interest and left the area. Notice FF's fashion influence!

These Boots Are Made for Lining Up

2008-04-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

The act of lining things up seems to be transferring to other areas. Here, AN has lined up the boots in descending order from largest to smallest. We have seen an increase in the children creating lines (legos) and placing objects in order (boots, blocks). You can support this at home by providing similar objects of graduated size placing them where they can be easily accessed.

AB Rolls Over!

2008-04-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

We had been told that AB rolls over, but he choose not to do it in front of us! : ) We finally got to see him in action AV decided to join in. Again, each child connects to AB in his or her own way.

A Different Perspective

2008-04-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

We wanted to title this "Caged" but thought that might not sound so great on a daycare blog :) The small foyer that leads into the bathroom is always a great source of interest and play for the children. The majority of the time we don't let them close the door because we're afaid of smashed fingers, but on this day we sat right by the door and allowed them to close it, trapping themselves in the small space. JM was immediately energized and began to scream with delight and turn around, inspiring the other children to join in. The younger ones started to get uncomfortable so Mel moved them out of the room and pushed closer to the door so they could see her. This was a source of new excitment to the older children and they ran to the window and pressed their faces against the glass, looking at CM and Mel. This allowed the younger ones to feel safe and still share in the play.

We guessed that the children felt some sort of power over the sensation of being trapped. There was just enough security (windows and Mel) that they could enjoy their new sense of power and control over the closed-in space. It is important to provide opportunities for children to have the opportunity to experience facing things that are scary or uncomfortable with a supportive adult nearby.

Fashion Forward FF

2008-04-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

For a period of several months, FF would pull her arm through the neckhole of her shirt, exposing her shoulder. One day when she had done this, we noticed CM imitating her and pulling her arm out of her shirt too, so Mel joined in the fun. The children thought this was funny and it was a great opportunity for shared laughter and understanding. This type of interaction also gives the adults a chance to use higher language with the children as they work hard to connect what is said to the exchange.

Toddler "Sharing"

2008-04-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

Engaging in one of her favorite activites, CM filled her basket with three small items and began transferring them back and forth between the basket and a metal pot. This attracted the attention of AV who moved closer so she could join in. Children at this age sometime prefer solitary activities and friends are not always welcome but on this particular day C was open to sharing her items. A first communicated with C via jabber and eye contact, and then reached down into one of the containers and assisted with the transfer. C joined her and they took turns for several minutes before moving on to something else.

Egg Hunt

2008-04-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

The children really enjoyed the egg hunt! We hid plastic eggs (some with candy inside) before the children went outside on this day. We had to model how to search for the smaller children but they quickly caught on and hunted with enthusiasm. F found the ones hidden in the tree and spent lots of time putting them back in the crook between the branches while JL was more interested in filling his bucket to the top. CM was the first to shake the eggs and notice that something was inside. Once the children realized that it was candy, JM dropped his bucket and took off - he was on a mission! He ran to each egg and shook it and if it was empty he threw it down and moved on.

AN and AB Connect

2008-04-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

In this series of photos AN, who is fascinated with babies and often asks his mother for a baby brother or sister, connects with AB in a variety of ways. He lies very close to AB and it appears that he has positioned himself there in order to encourage AB to reach out to him. AN hands the sponge to AB and holds it just at the right distance for his short reach, then pretends to stoke AB softly with it. We found it interesting that AN seems to intuit how to best interact with AB (AN doesn't ever act aggressively or move too quickly and he uses a gentle touch).

2008-04-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Taking "No, David!" Outside

2008-03-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

Re-representing is one way in which young children can proceed to more abstract thinking. On this day we decided to re-represent David outside in by drawing a large picture of him on the driveway. At first none of the children seemed to notice so we added the words "No David," and read them aloud. This sparked their interest and they all came over and studied the drawing. They all wanted to stand and dance on his face and rarely moved to the body. A few times they would walk up to the over-sized words and read them out loud. A while later, several of the children picked up chalk and began to draw on the face. We continually look for ways in which we can transfer one concept to another medium.

Getting Ready

2008-03-23T14:52:00.000-07:00

Careful Concentration

2008-03-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

CM continues to make strides (as all the children do) in her mastery of blocks and small objects. On this day, over the course of about 20 minutes, she carried blocks over to the table and using her right hand, carefully placed them in an arrangement that looked similar to a small cluster of buildings. If one fell, she would patiently pick the block up and re-position it. She left her arrangement for awhile and did something else only to return to the blocks and re-position them again. There was a purpose to the placing of each block and we watched with interest as she concentrated on the careful placement of her creation. Sometimes, when a child is deeply focused like C was, the other children will grow quiet as they begin to observe what's going on. Often, interest is sparked in one or more of the other children and they will attempt to replicate or expand on their friend's work.

2008-03-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

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Parental Involvement

2008-03-13T06:59:00.002-07:00

One of our goals is to join parents more thoughtfully into the child care setting. We chose this picture because JL's dad maintains a daily ritual that is very important to J. Each morning they share an intimate exchange before dad leaves. J will engage dad with something from the daycare setting (book or toy) and they spend anywhere from 10-20 minutes together, usually on the floor. Other parents have developed their own transitional exchange each day, and we respect and value that time. Some children fare better with a short drop-off period and we respect that as well. Child care is about shared responsibility and mutual trust that is built over time through interactions between parents, children and care givers.

Transitions

2008-03-13T06:59:00.001-07:00

Workng with small children, we continually dedicate part of our day to various transitions. CM requires a good deal of sleep and she has been struggling with losing her morning nap. Over time, we have tried various methods to ease this step by shortening the nap, replacing it with a quiet activity such as rocking (as in this photo), and offering a snack during what would have been nap time. We share a powerful partnership with our parents and feel strongly that these exchanges are important and relevant to share. This blog is an excellent vehicle for communicating with parents and families.

2008-03-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Bellybutton Pride

2008-03-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

AV works hard at connecting with the other children. She will try to engage them with a variety of methods, and this one was one too good not to share! She spent several days using the display of her bellybutton to either gain attention or interact with the other children and it worked very well for her. As you can see, in this particular instance JL was drumming and it appeared that AV wanted to be near him and to gain his attention. She was succesful and they shared a tender moment.

Tree Huggers

2008-03-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

The children often gather at the red bud tree for physical play. Neighbors Natasha and N often join us outside and Natasha patiently helps any child who wants to hang from the lowest branch. FF deeply enjoys the advanced control she has over her body and would climb to the top of the tree if we let her! JL joins in and will work hard to follow F. The children will spend anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes clamboring over the base of the tree and waiting to hang on the branch. They also climb the middle section because the branches are close to ground which makes it a great climbing tree (magnolia's are good climbing trees as well). As you've noticed in the past, we also like to hang fabric pieces from the branches and the children enjoy pushing their faces through the fabric or standing under the them as they blow in the breeze. Outside time is one of the most important and valued parts of our day. We feel strongly that it is crucial that children have plenty of time to explore and play outdoors and are saddened that many children don't have that opportunity.

Window to the World

2008-03-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

On this paticular day it had rained and we were unable to go outside. We opened the window which is at a perfect level for our little ones and let the wind and moist air blow against our faces. The children love to point out the things they see. In this instance they all seemed to share in the experience equally (lots of language between them). We keep this area open and have small step stools nearby so that they can elevate themselves and look at the the world from a new perspective. After all, looking at the world from multiple perspectives can be the foundation for compassion, and we try to encourage that every day. The environment we prepare can assist this process.

Writing

2008-03-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

We are intrigued by the interest the children show when we begin to take notes. As soon as the pen or pencil and notebook appear we get a multitude of responses. In the first photo, CM brought her favorite pot with cars in it and placed it like an offering on the notebook. It's as if the children sense the importance of writing already. Then JL takes the pen and holds it firmly while he writes! They all seem to make attempts at writing with the pen or pencil when we have our notebooks out. We decided to stop writing and allow them to draw and use the writing utensils as long as it held their interest.

Hands Off Approach

2008-03-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Whenever possible, we allow the children to work out conflicts themselves, hovering nearby in case we are needed. In this exchange, AV had a bridge that JL wanted. After a brief chase, A ended up in the tent with the bridge in her possession while J attempted to grab it from her. Melinda moved close to the interaction and encouraged J to wait it out (asked him to hold out his hands and see what happened). After A played show it and hide it a few times while J waited by the chair, she finally dropped it and went on to something else. We have observed that with support, the children can and do work out conflicts on their own, many times emplying humor. We attempt to support this type of resolution between tug of war over objects and find that many times we all end up laughing and getting what we need.

Getting to Know You 4.0

2008-03-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

It's CM turn to engage AB! We enjoy watching each child greet and communicate with our youngest, AB. Here, CM moves in close and makes eye contact with A. She talks some and then begins to sing "A rum sum sum..." She stays for a long time and M moves A's arms as if he too is miming the motions (hammering movement) of the song. These spontaneous interactions are alwasy a delight to watch!

Teletubby Time

2008-03-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

The only time the television is on during the day is for a 15-minute period after lunch and before nap, which is when Teletubbies comes on. We often observe each child join together and move to the music as well as laugh at the characters. It became obvious that this was something the children *all* connected too and found shared enjoyment from it. We chose to embrace it and felt like it was also a great way to help the children to predict their schedule and have their own "Teletubby Party" before nap. We have supported this interest with a few stuffed Teletubbies and one toy and the children usually grab these when the show comes on. This series of photos does not show the 'running' that they all do when the Tubbies run. JL starts it and they all follow him, running to the door and back to see what comes next. Usually, they mimick the dance of the Teletubbies and sing along with the theme song. We watch the show as well and notice that the Teletubbies' moves are very similar to those of a toddler and that the voices are also similar in pitch and intonation to that of a 1-3 year old. AB even joins by straighting his arms and legs and laughing with the older children.

JL and Blocks

2008-03-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

Obstacle Course

2008-03-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

Remember tumble time? This time the children put together their own obstacle course and we believe that it was inspired by our previous tumble times. These images convey the ability of young children to hold events in their mind and build on them later.

FF Stacking Blocks

2008-03-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

FF captured our attention when she began to work with the blocks. We were interested in the size she chose and how carefully she worked to build and balance the tower. She carefully stacked each block and held it or adjusted it every so slightly so that it would balance. We watched as it fell over once and she patiently built it back up again using the same controlled process. We noted that her control and patience with the materials was more that some adults could manage. :)

Pool, Continued

2008-03-13T05:55:00.000-07:00

We want to post the changes we make with the pool over time. After we brought it inside, the children began putting material and stuffed animals in it, which they would lay on. We are brainstorming other ideas for the pool, so stay tuned.

Cutiosity!

2008-03-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

What can we say? These images are too cute not to post! JL wanted his feet pictured so that's what we did. The children enjoy looking at the images after we take a picture.

Touching

2008-02-23T09:12:00.002-08:00

During outside time this week, CM would sometimes stand by the gate and cry. We decided to explore the area with her and found that she was trying to get to the garden stepping stone! We placed the stone outside of the gate so she could explore it further and she spent a good deal of time carefully touching each stone and rubbing her hand across the top. This seems to connect with her interest in touching and manipulating small objects.

Getting to Know You 3.0

2008-02-23T09:12:00.001-08:00

F took some time out from her play to come over and sit and interact with AB. For the most part the children play without without taking notice of AD, but from time to time they take notice and deliberately come visit with him. We are interested in the way that each child comes greets him in his/her own way.