Peek a Boo

The game of Peek-a-Boo is a very simple way to build connections.  The predictability of the game, its rhythm, the anticipation of the "boo!", and the giggles that follow add up to a connection between the players.  Sophie certainly enjoyed a few rounds this morning.  Look at the joy on her face - priceless!

Adamah's first day of Lunch Bunch!

Adamah had a fun day in Lunch Bunch! We ate lunch, played with play dough, pretended to be "princesses" in the dramatic play center, explored with fruit, and vegetables in the sensory table and last but not least, enjoyed some well needed outside play!

Taking Care of our Babies

Piper, Maya, Abby and Eva were very busy today taking care of their babies.  They made sure the babies were fed, diapers changed and that they were all comfy in their beds.  There was a lot of sharing of bottles and waiting to have their turn.  Both the mommies and the babies cooperated so nicely.

Muffins, Cupcakes, and Cookies Oh My!

What do you get when you put out white playdough, mini muffin tins, and spoons? Bakers of course! The children in Adom were baking up a storm today! The children made muffins, cupcakes, and cookies with the playdough! At first the children used the muffin tins and playdough at the round table, but then realized that if they were making muffins they would need to bake them in the oven! The children grabbed their muffin tins and move to the dramatic play area where they carefully placed the muffins in the oven. It smelled delicious as they were baking in the oven. Then the children shared the muffins with everyone in the class! What a delicious, dramatic play experience!

Building together

The Keshet children found a very large basket of magna-tiles when they arrived this morning.  We saw various individuals and groups doing a lot of experimenting with them.    There were multi level buildings where each floor contained open space, solid towers, AND a superhero rescue from the top of a tower.  Last but not least, it seems that Ethan may have created a new wing for the Natick Collection!

Focus, determination, and teamwork were all evident as the children worked.  Physics lessons are learned in our experimentation as well.

Puzzling

Many of the Keshet children are enjoying puzzles these days. Some children like to work on smaller puzzles at a table, sometimes sharing a puzzle with another child and sometimes working side by side but on their own. Today Ethan and Ben spent a lot of fun time on the floor together, completing a large alligator floor puzzle. The boys passed pieces back and forth, trying them at different angles while chatting a little and enjoying one another's company. This illustrates the growth of cooperative play among the Keshet children, and also the increasing time and attention that the children invest in their chosen activities.

Reaching New Heights

The Keshet children explored in some new ways with Legos today. Two friends began playing on the rug, constructing individual  towers. They then joined together to help one another build a very tall tower, even getting a stepping block to help them add to the top. Others children were understandably attracted to this activity, and with just a little teacher support were able to take turns adding to the tower, and holding and straightening the Legos for one another. This cooperative venture was so satisfying that the children remained together in a circle for quite a while, working on  new, smaller projects of their own. 

The Snowy Day

Despite the late start and a smaller number of friends in school today, there was no shortage of activities going on in the Keshet class today.  Ethan and Harrison brought in their new SteveSongs CD which provided our beautiful background music.

 The children built towers with the magnetiles...

...Made necklaces with the cheerios,

 

...and even helped prepare our snack by peeling clementines with a special visitor.

We ended the day by going down to the community room and playing with the Levana class.  Not bad for a short day!   We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday.

Playing with Balloons in Simon Hall

 

Thanks to Lauri and her Curriculum Night gross motor activities, the Levana children had some wonderful balloons to play with this snowy morning. There were games of catch and lots of cooperative play among the children.

Look who is caring for the baby!

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Josie(Mom) and Noah(Dad) enjoyed playing and taking care of their baby today.  They fed the baby, put him in a blanket and bounced the baby up and down.  As they shook the blanket they said, "Weeeeee" as the baby bounced around! 

When it was time to clean up and go to Simon Hall to play, Noah did not want to put his baby away for the day.  I told him first we will clean up, and then he could bring the baby to play with us in Simon Hall.  Noah got right to work cleaning the classroom with his friends.

Indoor Play!

We are not going to let the cold weather stop us from moving and grooving!  In the Community Room had a lot of action this week!  We scooted on the dollies on our tushes, bellies and knees.  Bounced on balls, ran up and down the ramp/stairs,  jumped and rolled on the matted cylinder.  In the classroom we played "Squirrel in the Tree".  Which is a non competitive movement game that encourages cooperation, problem solving and sharing.

Hopefully this cold weather will "brake" over the weekend!

Tel Aviv/Etzim Play

We don't get to play with the Tel Aviv class nearly as much as we'd like, but a freezing day provided us with a great opportunity to slide, climb, and hang out! What a fun day!

Shamayim Construction Co.

We turned our classroom into a construction site today.  There were wooden blocks and cars, larger cardboard boxes and hammer and "nails" to bang.

Josh had a fabulous time moving from one renovation site to the next.  He and Max worked together at two different projects and made very cool race tracks with the wooden blocks and the larger cardboard boxes.

Squirrel in a Tree

Squirrel in a Tree is a game that teaches cooperation, sharing, and following directions .  The children are the squirrels, the chairs are the trees.  When the music is on we ask the children to run, jump, leap, fly or gallop around the room following a leader.  When the music stops the children have find a tree to sit in.  Each time the music stops the teacher takes 1 chair away.  Soon there are a lot more squirrels then trees.  The squirrels are asked to make room in their tree for the other squirrels.

Conversation & Cooperation!

The children in the Levana class are having great chats as they play in pairs!  They are beginning to have logical conversations about all kinds of different topics.  Here are a couple of fun examples. 

During a conversation about separating dreidels from colored pasta in the sensory table...

Abby:  "We're sharing, Gabi!"

Lindsey:  "Do you want this? (asked as she held up a dreidel to put into Abby's container)  How about this one?"

Abby:  "Yes!  Yes!"

Meanwhile, at the easel, while Avi and Graham were drawing together with crayons...

Avi: "I'm making a bug!"

Graham: "I'm making spots on my challah.  You need spots for your bug to eat!"

Avi: "Yeah!"

play!

Cooperative play is blossoming in the Shamayim classroom.  During cooperative play, children orient toward a common goal, interacting regularly with each other to achieve this goal.

Sydney, Bella and Victoria spent time in our kitchen area today.  They bought and sold food to each other.  They took turns using the register and communicated their needs and ideas.

Sonia and Rose worked cooperatively to create an ellaborate building to house some of our figures.  The girls negotiated the space so that their structure remained intact and communicated throughout their play time to problem solve together.

Josh, Ilan and Bennett played imaginatively with the magnatiles and each other.  They played good guy/bad guy using the magnatiles as laser beams that changed color.  The boys moved from one area in the room to another while maintaining regular conversation of their next move and idea.