Discovering An Airport

Yesterday and today we visited the local airport to learn

what happens there.

 

We met our tour guides Alex and Lesley.

 

We put on our official visitors badge and we're on our way.

 After watching the WestJet plane land

we went downstairs to the check in counter.

 We met Denise, she weighed and tagged our suitcases.

Then sent them into the back to be x-rayed.

Sorry we couldn't take any pictures but we saw the big machine

that each suitcase goes through and the pictures of what was inside.

It takes a lot of skill to read xrays.

 Off our cases went on a conveyor belt to the luggage handlers.

Their carts were stacked with the suitcases ready

for the next flight.

 But Steve had a minutes to show us some of the directions he gives

the pilot when they are parking the plane.

X means STOP!

 We were so lucky to be able to walk around the plane to see where 

they load the luggage.

We even heard some dogs, they were in crates being loaded too.

We stopped on parking spot #1 to wave at the pilot.

 

Back inside we learned that for some doors Alex needs to use 

his fingerprint to unlock them.

The children added their fingerprint to their badge.

 To end our tour I gave the children a little book.  It's made by folding a lunch bag.

I found the idea at Inner Child Fun.

I changed the inside to match our needs.

I wanted an opportunity for the children to reflect on our tour

and to see what stood out for them.

Now we have some ideas of what to include in our airport 

back at school.

Airport Project

It's that time of year when families are traveling or planning on traveling.

It's a time that we focus on the airport and flying.

 This year we started with asking the children what they know 

and what they wonder about airport and airplanes.

It took us about a week to get a good list of ideas.

In the meantime I contacted our local airport to arrange a tour.

As we waited for our field trip date, we got busy building a model of an airport.

This allowed us to visualize what they told me they know.

They told me they needed a runway and that it was dark so

needed lights.  We used star stickers down the runway for lights.

Simple cardboard boxes turned inside out worked as the buildings.

End of day one and this is what our model looked like.

The next day we drew parking lines and a helicopter pad.

I dug out a toy gas pump and some pylons.

The white jug, in the bottom left hand corner of the photo, is our control tower.

It's often foggy at our airport so there is a light in the top.

Next post I'll share the beginning of building our dramatic play airport.

Five Little Monkeys

Over the years I've gathered a collection of books about

the 5 little monkeys.

Plus the 5 little monkeys themselves.

After setting the books and monkeys out for play

I observed the families reading the books

and the children playing with the monkeys.

 A pillow was added for the bed which the children enjoyed making 

the monkeys jump on.

As one mother sang the song for the children

I thought "we need a phone".

The play continued now with a call to the doctor.

A bigger pillow made jumping even more fun.

Reusing Materials for a New Toy

A few weeks back I used several small boxes for our animal burrows.  

Once we were through I painted over the tops (to hide the printing)

to be used as a new toy.

 It still works as a great 'in and out' toy for the infants and toddlers.

But also as targets for throwing which is an interest for toddlers 

and older.

Gifts for our Grandfriends

We are still in flu season so we only see our grand friends once a month.  To try to keep in touch in between we made a little gift to deliver today for Valentine's Day.

 Our gift was a simple table centrepiece.

 We started with glass jars and spread glue all over each.

Next sticking tissue paper over the glue and spreading with another 

layer of glue to seal.

 After drying overnight they were ready for the candles.

 New candles often have a tag to pull out from the battery

and this child enjoyed the task.

 While this child experimented with the light in his shirt.

 At the end of the morning a few families joined me to surprise 

our grand friends by leaving a candle on each table.

And wishing them a Happy Valentines.

Art Spinning

Spin art done with salad spinners is so much fun

and the children love to use them.

Moving the spinner down to the floor made it accessible 

to the younger artists.

 

 A picture of curiosity.

 

I found a see through spinner.

Very exciting to be able to see what happens to the paint

when we make it spin.