We Love Babies!

Monday was great! During circle time we talked about the months of the year, the name of this month’s month, talked about how each day has a number, and added those numbers to our calendar to update it! We also read some books, and in the tradition of our yoga classes, acted out parts of the book in order to understand it better and have more fun! We had a chance to help carry some materials as we headed outside to work on our first recycling project of the month, which was bringing attention and love to our recycling bin! Later in the afternoon, we hung out on the deck and drove cars. Then, Ms. Liz came to share her calm energy with us, and we had a great Yoga time!

Tuesday during circle time, our friend Fischer came to visit us! In line with our Reggio Emelia philosophy, Ashley and I have been taking notice of our class’s interest in playing with babies. We’ve been feeding them, washing them with cloth, putting them to sleep, carrying them gently, and of course, changing their diapers! And so it was extra special to have a baby friend come and visit us! We know Livio has a baby sister on the way, just one other important reason to talk about babies! We looked at old pictures of ourselves and reflected on our own history as a baby! In the afternoon, Ms. Vanessa did Yoga with us! We did fun poses where we stretched out both legs at the same time (it’s tricky!) and passed around the breathing ball! In the afternoon, we had a cleaning party to clean the recyclables to be used for one of our projects honoring our Earth!

Wednesday morning, we took “field trips” to the baby room to deepen our understanding and curiosity about babies! We read books to them, gave them gentle touches on the head, tickled their feet, held their bottles for them, and watched them get their diapers changed! After these trips, it was show and tell time! For show and tell, we each hold an object we brought from home. We’re encouraged to stand up and talk about our item, or just show us how it might be used! Then we had Montessori work time and headed outside. In the afternoon, Ms. Daphne came to share Spanish time with us, and we read a story about a “cocodrilo” that goes “snap!” We headed outside and Cherokee led an awesome outside song time!

Thursday morning we painted recycled materials using blue and green acrylic paint. Every one got to choose the item they wanted to paint! We went inside and had an optional circle time, then ate snack and headed out once more. We had a fire-drill, and used a rope to help us stick together! In the afternoon, Daphne brought bubbles and we had fun blowing and popping “burbujas.” We talked about “burbujas grandes y pequenas” and had a chance to use the bubble gun ourselves.

Friday started off with awesome dance party at drop off! We had story time with Ms. Cherokee, and had a chance to decorate some of our recycled materials with glitter. Ashley and I put the recycled Earth together, and it’s on display in the entrance! In the afternoon, Chef Mike helped us find leaves from the garden for our “lettuce wraps.” We picked the leaves and washed them carefully before using them with rice and carrots.  It was a great week!

"They [children] are autonomously capable of making meaning from their daily life experiences through mental acts involving planning, coordination of ideas, and abstraction.... The central act of adults, therefore, is to activate, especially indirectly, the meaning-making competencies of children as a basis of all learning. They must try to capture the right moments, and then find the right approaches, for bringing together, into a fruitful dialogue, their meanings and interpretations with those children" - Loris Malaguzzi