Marble Mazes

We had the traditional marble maze out this week.

Which is great for challenging the children to build and rebuild 

the pathways for the marbles to follow.

But we also expanded on the marble mazes we did a few weeks ago.

Again, thanks to TeachPreschool for the marble maze idea.

My husband made a bigger one for us to use.

The children loved the challenge.

Many used their fingers to push the marble through the maze.

But others lifted the box to roll the marble.

 They learned how to lift and lower the box from side to side

and end to end to make it roll where they wanted it to.

Another maze challenge we tried was inspired by a post

over at Creative Connections for Kids.

 Instead of rolling the marble around the obstacles they had

to go through the tubes.

The marbles didn't work as smoothly so we switched to 

plastic golf balls.

It took a lot of patience and  control to help a moving object 

go through a tube then out.

This little boy got the ball to roll into the tube but it wouldn't come out.

It was easier to lift the tube to get it out.

Story - A Bunny Called Nat

This story is similar to Joey the Ghost that I told at Hallowe'en.

The bunny isn't happy with how he looks and he wants to be different from everyone else.

So he changes colours and discovers that there are consequences to each

colour he chooses.

Till he finally decides that his original colour was the best for him.

And he's happy with who he is.

Our First Woods Walk

Today we went for our first venture into the woods behind our new school.

We are so lucky to have this beautiful woodland so close.

Our big buddies joined us.

We searched for colours.

 Look at all the orange we found in nature (some garbage too).

 Red was a hard one but we found some leaves.

Lots of black and dark colours.

 We also climbed on the big rock,

played with sticks

and found interesting designs on trees

where bugs had been.

It was an awesome way to enjoy the outdoors

and enjoy each others company.

Magic Beans

Today we planted Magic Beans.

It started after our story of Jack and the Beanstalk.

I'll show you the video of the story later in this post.

Thanks to PreK Pages for the printable pictures for this story.

The beanstalk is made from a very long paint stir stick that I painted green,

glued on foam leaves and velcro for the pictures to stick to.

After the story I told the children that on my way to school 

I found some Magic Beans.

I wondered if we planted them today, what would grow.

Of course since we just heard the story they said a 'beanstalk'.

 But as we started planting I encouraged the children

 to look at the colour of their bean (jelly beans) 

and think of what might grow of the same colour.

I heard...green lettuce, red cherry, pink cotton candy.

Now that was better.

We'll watch them grow all week and see what comes up.

Here is the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.

At the art table we painted with Mighty Beans.

They are shaped like beans and have a little ball in them that makes them wobble

rather than roll.

We dropped paint on to our egg shaped paper

then lifted the tray to let the beans wobble around.

Some children preferred to get right in there and use their hands.

 Two handed,

 one finger at a time,

or the roll and wipe.

 

They look wonderful.

It was another fun day.

See what happens after our beans grow here.

Story - Rainbow Stew

I saw this poem linked on Flannel Friday.

It was posted by rovingfiddlehead kitlit.

I liked it right away.

So this is my version of Rainbow Stew.

Wacky Hair Day

Wacky hair day at our school brought the inner Marge out of me.

Plus she had to help with repairs, hence the hard hat.

 At the craft table we made Wacky Hair pencil toppers.

 I found plain wood pencils,

so the children could colour them.

 Hair and googly eyes were added.

Then we showed them how to twirl the pencil

to make the hair wackier.

 What delight for the children when they could do it on their own.

They will tickle your nose if they get too close.

Some children decided to draw with their pencil after making it.

 She is drawing herself

with wacky hair.

Hope you had a wacky day.

Tray Play This Week

This week's trays included some Easter activities.

Sorting eggs into egg cups.

The cups have the numbers 1-5 printed on them.

Some preferred to sort the eggs by colour.

Matching coloured pom poms to coloured egg baskets.

They used tongs to pick up the pom poms.

 The favourite tray with the older children.

Building a rabbit tower.

 Then roll the coloured die,

Then try to pull out the same coloured bunny from the tower.

Ooops, without knocking it down.