Learning From Each Other

Today was a great day.

StrongStart facilitators from the North Island came together to share thoughts, ideas, impressions and experiences from their centres.

We started by sharing provocations that we have used in our centres.

Here are a few.


We spent time working on our “Reflecting on Quality”booklet. 
It’s a tool, created through the Ministry of Education, to help guide
us plan our programs.
                

In the afternoon the facilitators from my district shared outdoor activities
that we did during the Canada's 30x30 Nature Challenge.

                         
     
It’s was inspiring and gave me that little lift I need to continue to offer a quality program, for my families, in the remaining weeks before summer break.

Painted Butterflies

             
Today we released our butterflies but before doing that we made a special snack.
   
        
Using coloured milk and small paint brushes the children painted a slice of bread.
  
     Then placed their painted bread into the toaster and waited.
  
             Using a cookie cutter they made their butterfly.
            
                 Enjoying our Painted Butterfly toast.
              
                  Saying goodbye to our Painted Ladies.

Bear Hunt Sound Walk

   
Today was our annual Picnic at the Gardens.  Here is this year’s version of Going on a Bear Hunt.

I cut up a book and laminated the pages for the families to read as they walked from spot to spot. 
   
 
          Ribbons to go swishy, swashy as the long grass.
      
 
Bottles of water for the splish, splash of walking through the river.
        
    
        Slinkys for squelch, squerch of walking through mud.
         
   
    Rhythm sticks for walking and tripping through the forest.
         
    
        Bubbles to make the Hooo wooo for the snow storm.
        
 
          Finally leading to a cave where you’ll find a BEAR!

Butterfly Snack

   This morning our butterflies began to emerge from their chrysalis.
                 
         We celebrated by making a butterfly to eat for snack.
      
Offering mandarin orange sections, pretzel sticks and craisins the children
                    were encouraged to design a butterfly.
                   
                     
                      Orange pieces make perfect wings.

Bead Threading

            
I saw this idea on another site, I think Teach Preschool, but I couldn’t
find the link so I apologize for not giving correct credit.
  
I’ve been collecting beads at thrift stores for awhile so was able to offer
a variety, wooden, plastic, round, oblong, letters for threading.
     
The children were so focused on threading the beads on to the wire.
And quickly learned to hold the wire while threading.
        
The children’s first reaction to the beads was running their fingers through them and dumping the bowls which meant my biggest concern was to keep them on the table, safe from little one’s mouths.
                
                
This activity has been out for two weeks and the families have been awesome
in keeping it safe for and enjoyable for all.