Valentines for Our Grandfriends

This morning our grand friends were coming to visit.

The children were invited to make a card to give to them.

Hearts, doilies, sparkly gems and confetti

encouraged the children to create.

The grand friends arrived while we were in gym so they watched us play.

Then we enjoyed story time together where we shared our songs

and a story.

Before the grand friends left the children handed them their 

Valentine cards.

Valentines Collage

Everything pink, red and white today.

Small, large, sparkly, soft, smooth...

lots to explore.

When I was planning this activity I worried that it would 

be one big mess as the children discovered what was in each basket.

I was impressed that they took their time and carefully

chose each item they wanted to use.

I like that some children brought other elements to the table.

This child picked a different coloured paper and used paint.

Hope you had a fun Valentine's Day.

Buddy Letters

Last week during our visit with our big buddies they shared a story with us.

They read The Jolly Postman and Other People's Letters.

They we wrote Valentine letters to each other.

We soon learned that many of our big buddies did not know their full address.

A casualty of technology possibly.

As they were busy making their cards I took pictures of the buddies.

With their card, the photo and Valentine card their envelopes were stuffed.

Will they arrive at their homes by Valentines Day?

Fairy Lane is Snowed In

We have been hit pretty hard with snow this past week.

Some of you are thinking "yes Maureen it is winter"

but we live on the rainy west coast of Canada

where we rarely see snow,

except on the mountain.

This is my place.

From Saturday to today almost two feet of snow.

I managed to walk over to Fairy Lane during the week

and it looks far worse there.

Their tiny little homes buried, some just peeking out.

Not a single sign of fairies in the Lane.

No teeny foot prints or wing dustings.

I hope their snug and cozy inside.

Not like this little guy buried up to his chin.

Sewing Hearts

I found these felt hearts at Michaels

and thought they would be perfect to practice sewing.

I attached a plastic needle to the end of piece of yarn

and tied the other end of yarn to the heart.

It's a great activity to involve the grown up.

The little ones need the extra set of hands to hold the heart for them

while they concentrate on putting the needle through

the hole.

I left the piece of yarn long so they could sew all the way 

around the heart.

But it gets in the way and tangles.

Again with an adult there they can help guide the yarn

straight.

A few of the older children were able to continue sewing on their own

after their parent got them started.

Ice Fishing

Ice fishing inside has been inspired by the terrific amount of snow that

has fallen in the past four days.

Simply made from a cardboard box with a small laundry basket

to fit the hole in the middle.

I covered it with white paper and reinforced all the cut edges

with tape knowing they will take a lot of use.

Taping the edges of the paper also makes it harder to fold which happens

when the children become impatient and try to move the paper out of the way.

Fishing nets were added because the fish were falling off as they

brushed against the paper.

They also helped to carry the fish to the kitchen to be fried.

Groundhog Day

It's Groundhog Day and we went looking for shadows.

Inside, behind our screen the children play with the overhead projector.

Not all of them notice the shadows that they are making on the larger screen

but once they do they tend to add more.

At the art table they tried to make their own shadows using small toys

and flashlights.

That was very simple, the hard part was documenting that shadow.

Paint, brush and water were provided 

but it was hard to make the shadow and paint it.

This process made for a good cooperative activity with their grown up.

Off to the side was another area to explore.

 Then we went outside.

We first we stood close to the school where the sun couldn't find us.

After looking and not seeing our shadows

we walked into the sun.

Using chalk we traced each other's shadows.

Before we went out we read the book "The Black Rabbit"

by Philippa Leathers.

At the end of the book rabbit and the Black Rabbit hold hands

and walk off together.

Some children tried to trace their grown ups shadow.

It took her a while but she persisted and finished it.