Man in the Moon Snack

We have been singing an old Scottish folk song called Aiken Drum.
So this week we used moon biscuits to make our own Aiken Drum
                           to eat.
  
The moon biscuits are cheese scones.  I found the recipe at bbc Good Food.

        
Food choices for the facial features were raisins, cheerios and mixed
vegetable (peas, corn, carrots and green beans).  The vegetables were
not the top choice to add to their man in the moon though.

We sang the song as the children built their Aiken Drum.
“There was a man that lived in the moon, in the moon, in the moon.
There was a man that lived in the moon and his name was Aiken Drum."
      
"His eyes were made of cheerios, cheerios, cheerios.  His eyes were
made of cheerios and his name was Aiken Drum."

"There was a man that lived in the moon and his name was Aiken Drum."

Scan the qr code to hear me singing the song.  If you don't have a smart phone or ipad you can copy this address and paste it into the search window at the top of your screen.
http://www.recordmp3.org/gmAs9.mp3

Rocketship Blastoff

We finally got a BIG box to finish our rocketship.
              
We wrapped the box around the slide then started adding features
                  from recycled pieces.

               Windows and control switch board.
  
                       We played for a bit.
  
       Then made costume pieces; booster packs and helmets.
                           Then played some more.

                     Next came lights
    
   and hanging planets to help us pretend that we are flying in space.


     Today we added arms for collecting rock samples
 
                          and continued playing.

QR Codes

I’m very excited to have learned how to embed audio
                 recordings in a  QR code. 
          
I’ve recorded myself singing songs that we use in the program and
attached the qr code to the lyrics.  By using an ipad or smart phone
the parents, grandparents and others can take the piece of paper
home and play the recording for their child and themselves to learn
the song.

You can try listening to my recording yourself by using a qr scanner
app, like RedLaser.

You can learn how to do your own by visiting Interact Cafe.

Step by Step Creating

      Last week we moved our workbench to the art area. 
  
      The week started with a child who wanted to make a sign. 
   He sawed the wood into two pieces then hammered them together. 

              
He painted it and as it was drying he worked at he easel with his mom
learning how to print the letters.  I watched how they worked together to
sound out the word ‘stop’.  Mom would paint a letter and he copied it.
                 
But when he tried to paint STOP on his sign, he realized that the
              wood was too small.


He made a larger one.  By then other children were interested in what
                 he was doing and started to build.

 
      
All week I observed children learning how to use different tools;
saw, screw driver, hammers and glue gun.  I watched as the grown ups
became comfortable letting their children explore these adult tools.


     
Moving the work bench in to the art area encouraged the children to
work their project from start to finish, making it a fuller experience.

Our New Buddies

Each year we have new buddies.  Last year's buddies have graduated and moved on to high school.  This year we are matched up with a grade 6/7 class.  We’ve had three meetings so far.  
  
For our first get together we invited the buddies to come and play in our room.  It gave them an opportunity to see what the little buddies are interested in and to help them remember what it was like to be a preschooler.
  
     After introducing themselves to each other they found a place to play.

            
                        
The second time we met was in the multi-purpose room.  It has no toys and allowed the children to focus on each other.
                 
Our task was to trace each other’s hands.  This activity helped us notice some of our similarities and differences.


              
Today we made gingerbread cookies, as the beginning of our annual creation.  This activity helped us learn a bit more about how to work together.

    
An important part of our time together is to share stories.  Our big buddies read to the little buddies.
                      
      
Our big buddies are enthusiastic in singing our songs and to listen to stories. They are great role models for the little buddies.
        
Our time together is special.  It is creating bonds that are developing and becoming stronger on each visit.  Children that begin shy are making connections and opening up. The older buddies are learning empathy, showing kindness and patience.  The grown ups are learning more about pre-teens and how they can interact genuinely with their children.