Counting down the days

December is going so quickly with only one week left of school! The children are very active ensuring they are preparing for Christmas. They are getting their lyrics down so well and are very ready for our Christmas party next week.

We loved having that Christmas sparkle play dough so much; we had a mom help up make Gingerbread play dough! 

 

Here is the recipe:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• ½ cup water
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix the dry ingredients and then add water to mix. If too sticky knead in more flour.

The smell was outstanding but we refrained from eating it!

We did lots of cutting in the classroom this week. We talked about shapes, and used small shape templates to draw and cut out of coffee filters to make snow flakes! We also brought out “Frosty” so we cold cut wrapping paper to feed him.

The children love open ended cutting in our playschool. Exposing them to open ended cutting as often as possible helps me support them when we need to have defined goals for cutting down the road. I feel children succeed better when they really can relate to what you are asking from them, so with them cutting often without boarders it can make it easier on them in Kindergarten when the teachers ask for a specific outcome.

Another great way to get those little fingers ready for cutting, writing and other exciting Kindergarten exercises, is to strengthen those fine motor skills. The children really loved putting tiny three sided plastic beads onto pipe cleaners to make their own candy canes. The children were really good at identifying different patterns, and enjoyed the creativity they could do in to the various colours.

In class, we were lucky to have lots of different crafts set out for us to enjoy. Some children made Christmas shapes with cut outs, and some of us decided to make snow flake patterns with paper towel rolls and paint.

Our Librarian from Edmonton Public Library's Capilano Branch, came in to read to us some Christmas stories, play some Christmas finger plays, and sing some Christmas songs! We love when Alana comes in to pay with us!

Christian Note:

This week we lit the advent candle two and sang:

Light the Advent candle two
Think of humble shepherds who
Filled with wonder at the sight
Of the child on Christmas night.

Chorus:
Candle, candle burning bright
Shining in the cold winter night
Candle, candle burning bright

 We learned about the Shepard's coming to visit baby Jesus after the angels came to visit them in the fields.

We are really enjoying the felt Nativity set I made for the children, and were introduced to a new plastic, Little People Nativity set. It was a lot of fun.

During circle we also listened to the book The Friendly Beast by Rebecca St James and talked about the different kinds of animals that were in the stable when baby Jesus was born.

Sincerely,

Ms Asha