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

Yoga in the Classroom!

As one of our field trips, we brought in Melissa from True Yoga in Edmonton. She came for two sessions in a row, and I was so happy to see the children get down on the floor and have some fun.

Yoga is very good for children for various reasons.

·         It helps children reach full potential of flexibility and encourages them to keep flexible for life

·         Strengthens the core of your body for good posture, strong bodies, and better balance, body awareness and coordination

·         Offers pressure on parts of the body that doesn’t often get pressure (top of the head) and offers stretches to body parts that aren’t easy to stretch (shoulders, hips, etc)

·         Encourages a calming affect on children’s bodies and mind

·         Develops a strong and flexible body

·         Reduces stress and anxiety

The children and families really enjoyed spending time with Melissa doing yoga.

My favourite part of both sessions over all was the amount of laughter I heard from the parents and children. It was rewarding and very much music to my ears. I also enjoyed the confidence I saw build in the children when they realised what their bodies were capable of doing and how flexible they were.

Melissa was AWESOME! She really understood how to entertain the children while enjoying yoga

Sincerely,

Ms Asha

Setting up Christmas

We have been very busy in the classroom to prepare for the Christmas holidays!

The children have been active learning lyrics to perform at our Christmas party next week. They are learning actions, and doing an outstanding job.

The kids used sparkly play dough to roll and make snowmen, or use to cut and mould.

Mixing white glue and shaving cream we made “puffy paint.” We used it to create snowmen for us to decorate.

We put up a Christmas tree in our class for the children to decorate. They have done an excellent job being careful with our class tree taking off and putting on the garland, and using the ordainment's.

I love giving children the opportunity to be creative with our class tree. I hope all of the decorating has put us in the Christmas spirit! We also decorated Dora's house, the house center, and have been wearing fun Santa and reindeer costumes.

It has defiantly been a busy week, and we can not wait for the exciting events December has left for us.

Christian Note:

With the Christmas spirit, comes a very exciting celebration of Jesus’ birth.

On Monday we lit our first advent candle and learn a new song:

Light the Advent candle one

Now the waiting has begun

We have started on our way

Time to think of Christmas day.

Chorus:

Candle, candle burning bright

Shining in the cold winter night

Candle, candle burning bright

Fill our hearts with Christmas light.

Each week we will light the next candle, and learn a new verse to our candle song.

We also made our own wreaths that the children can put their own candles on each week.

Our first devotion about the birth of Jesus, was the travel Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem, and how tough it was for them to find a place to stay.

We had a tough time finding the perfect nativity set for the children to enjoy in the class. While we waited to find the right set for the school I made the children a felt set.

Thankfully, Jenny and her husband found us the most amazing Little People’s set, that the children will play with this week.

Sincerely,

Ms Asha