Chalk Board Blocks

       
Chalk board blocks are our newest toy. 
So simple to make.
Use blocks that you already have in your room and cover with chalk board paint.
I bought the black paint at Walmart. But I had the blue paint at home.
I had animal and people shapes pieces of wood too.
          
The blocks are available to play with in our play exploration area. 
The chalk was available all morning so the families could draw what they wished on the blocks.
 
As she was drawing she was telling us about the tree over the house and spots on the cow.  Storytelling is happening here.
 
He is drawing a face onto the little person.
Changing the drawings is easy with a simple wipe of a wet cloth.
 
A few marks on the wood adds a different perspective of what they are building.
             
Love this set up that was left by one of the families this morning. 
Very cleaver using the blue block as the sky and placing it behind the house.
Moments like this make me smile.

Story– Long Way Home

I have been an early childhood educator for over 30 years. 
My ECE education has allowed me to work in different settings along the way. 

Six years ago I began my journey in StrongStart and love it. 
But just prior to that I thought I was finished working with preschoolers
and got rid of most my resources. 
         
But one of the few things I did keep was a cassette tape titled
“I’ll tell you a Story” by Bev Bos. 
It had been buried in a box from when my girls were little. 
How thrilled I was to find it again.
It has so many wonderful, easy to tell stories.  Many I have posted about before.

The story I chose to tell (sing) today is called “Long Way Home”. 
It fits well into our transportation theme.

I printed pictures of each form of transportation to place on the felt board
so the families could retell it after.

Here is my attempt at singing.

This is the second time I've done this story this week and was very pleased with the
response from the families.  It will be worth repeating next week.

Here are the words:

Long Way Home

I was coming home (echo)

On a yellow bus (echo)

When the bus broke down (echo)

And stranded us (echo)

(sing all 4 lines together)

It’s a long, long, long, long, long way home.

So I jumped on a train

Coming down the line

The caboose broke loose

I got left behind

It’s a long, long, long, long, long way home.

So I jumped in a boat

By the river bank

But we hit a rock

And promptly sank

It’s a long, long, long, long, long way home.

But I got picked up

By a submarine

But they dropped me off

In the Philippines

It’s a long, long, long, long, long way home.

So I jumped on a jet

But I couldn’t pay

So they threw me out

Of the cargo bay

It’s a long, long, long, long, long way home.

But my parachute

Kept me safe from harm

When I landed in a tree

On the neighbours farm

It’s a long, long, long, long, long way home.

So I jumped on a horse

But he threw a shoe

And I had to walk

Back home to you

It’s a long, long, long, long, long way home

So I’m sorry mom

That I’m home so late

And that dinner’s cold

And I made you wait

It’s been a long, long, long, long, long way home

 

You can still buy the cd. It's available here.

 

Ambulance Visit

            StrongStart was very exciting this morning!

A paramedic named Jason brought an ambulance to the school so we could
climb inside and look around.
  
We stayed busy playing while we waited and when it arrived we couldn't wait
to get outside and see it.
          
                     We took turns looking inside.
     
Entering through the side door we saw the big stretcher and lots of
cupboards with glass doors. 
   
The glass doors made it easy to see the bandages and materials the
paramedics use to help people.
 
Jason invited us to sit on the long bench and tell him about any
experiences we have had in ambulances. 
      
              Luckily there were very few.
        
One family told us their story about when their grandmother went in an
ambulance to the hospital.  Before she left, the paramedics gave the children
teddy bears and it helped them feel more positive about the experience.
      
We climbed out and said thank you to Jason for coming all the way
to our school.
      
        Before he left he turned on the lights and the siren.
                               It was awesome!

How Do You Plan for a Very Busy Day?

           
StrongStart is a drop in program.  There is no pre-registration. 
There is no commitment to come on certain days at certain times. 
Families can come and go as it fits into their schedule. 
Our district has maintained an open door, no cap, policy.

Now as the weather becomes colder and wetter, more and more families are coming indoors. 
My attendance has been growing each week. 
How high? Let me just say that it becomes ‘very’ busy. 
I have a big room that some days doesn’t feel big enough.

The question I get most often from other facilitators, who are also facing high attendance, is...
"How do you plan for the numbers?”. 
I set up the areas of play so they are open to all and the children are encouraged to play and explore.  I watch and learn how I can change, improve or plan for the next visit.

But most of the time the question is referring to the art (craft) table.
My answer is that I try to keep it open ended and follow the rule of thumb that if it takes me longer to prep then a child to make it, it's not worth doing.

Today's art activity was perfect for the 46 children that attended.
             
             Cars, ramps, paint and room to move.
 
Offering opportunity to experiment and play with a favourite toy in paint.
  
 
 
Children came and went, playing, enjoying, sharing.
             
                             Investigating.
This type of activity gives me the time to watch and enjoy
but also to move around the rest of the room freely.

Ginger Kids Have Been Spotted

We have been wondering how our Ginger Kids have been doing on their
adventure. 
We have been waiting to hear any news.
          
 A mail box in the school office in case messages were sent.

Maps of Comox Valley, Vancouver Island and British Columbia
have been posted so we can track where the Ginger Kids have ventured.
                
So far we have received several notes and post cards from friends
who have seen evidence
of the ginger kids visiting their classrooms or community.
        
 
        
The messages vary from small handmade postcards, to purchased post cards,
to photos of children with a ginger kids cut out.

Keep watching and send us your messages because we love mail and learning
more about the world around us.
Thank you for participating.  

Send to:
                                   Brooklyn StrongStart
                                   1290 Guthrie Rd.,
                                   Comox, British Columbia
                                   V9M 4G2
                                   CANADA

Push Car Art

This is how we combined cars and markers to make art.
I saw this idea over at First Palette.
Loved it.
    
The table was  completely covered with paper.
From our block area I borrowed the push and pull vehicles. 
Left them on the table with markers and masking tape. 
 
The children didn’t even bother to wait to pull out a chair. 
Although this morning I had hesitated about putting chairs around the table.  For this type of activity I prefer for the children to have a full range of motion.  Being able to move around the table allows them to use their whole body.  It looks like they felt the same.
            
 
The marks on the paper showed their movements – some short pushes,
some very long pulls, others zigzagged and some spirals.
     
Then there was the two handed drawing.
 
Or crashing, tipping over, needing a tow truck to help start drawing again.
        
Didn’t even matter if it marked the paper. 
There was interest in how the combination of toy and marker worked together. 
Happy times. 
Art and mechanics together.