Maps!

The facilities department gave us a campus map years ago. Each year I pull it out and we study it and talk about which building the preschool is in (Laban Peachey Center - named after former President Laban Peachey) and other buildings that we plan to visit. The MWF group got into creating maps of their own - I supplied them with paper, pencils, protractors (yes, geometry protractors - they are quite fun to use when you are drawing and not doing geometry math......), rulers and clip boards. And off the went - drawing away!!

This is China, he said.
Where is Kansas? I asked.

Here it is.
It was actually interesting to hear
them discuss the different parts of campus,
truly using their imagination and talking
about it as if they knew each place/building.

Drawing a map

The final draft

Drawing maps and completing other
tasks. We know how to
multi-task. 

Dorm visit - TR

We trekked across campus to Erb Hall (girls dormitory) today. The children were excited to see where Ms. Naomi and Ms. Renee live. We are glad to be so close to the campus and all that is has to offer. 

This was clearly an action shot.

Ms. Naomi's room on the 2nd floor.

Here we are! There was a lot to look
at in Ms. Naomi's room - that's why
everyone is looking everywhere else except
at the camera! :) 

Then we walked up to the 3rd floor to
Ms. Renee's room.

She let us sit on her couch for the picture.

Snack time!

We got a lot of attention in the Larks Nest. 

We kindly asked several college students
to let us sit in the booths. (They were
studying, but graciously let us take their
spot. We shared some snack with them.)

It was a fun day!!

Dorm visit - MWF

The preschool is very fortunate to have the college campus so close. There are so many awesome places to visit and it's just across the street! On Monday we visited the girls dormitory since Ms. Laura and Ms. Naomi are students and live there. It was quite the trek. Both of them live on the 2nd floor, but on opposite sides of the building. There were a lot of hall ways and doors between the two rooms. Good exercise! And we got to eat our snack in the Larks Nest (snack shop). 

In front of Erb Hall

Climbing stairs up to 2nd floor

Ms. Laura's room

Here we are.
(That is Ms. Laura's closet behind us)

Walking down one of many hall ways.

Ms. Naomi's room has a huge window.
We could see people walking around and
lots of trees!

Eating a snack at the Larks nest!
(One of the children asked where
the "nest" was...children are
very literal!)

In case we ever get lost, we have
a campus map to keep us on course.

We did a lot of walking, but it was sure fun to visit dorm rooms and
eat snack in the Larks Nest. We had a lot of curious college students
gawking at us. It was a great time!

Nature!

We live in such an amazing world with so many cool things to explore. Even the simplest of things, like pine cones. Children are fascinated with these hard, prickly, sticky things that fall out of the tree and into our playground. There are a lot of things one can do with pine cones. And children are super creative. What do they come up with? The options are endless. The best part is that nature is free!

Both sessions found unique ways to "play with" pine cones.

A little helper and I went to the other side of the fence to
collect more pine cones.
The children came running with their buckets to
collect! Such a thrill. 

And sometimes you improvise
if other buckets are being used!

And here you have dinosaur pie.
The child is describing all of the ingredients:
green onions, lettuce, etc.
Want some?

Get outside and enjoy this beautiful
Fall weather!!

Teachers

One of the many benefits of having a preschool on a college campus are the child/teacher ratios. This semester we have extra teachers in the TR sessions. 
Here is a list of the teachers in case you hear different names at home. 

Monday: Ms. Larisa, Ms. Laura, Ms. Naomi

Tuesday: Ms. Larisa, Ms. Naomi, Ms. Renee, Ms. Paige, 

Ms. Liz and Ms. Sierra

Wednesday: Ms. Larisa, Ms. Laura, Ms. Naomi

Thursday: Ms. Larisa, Ms. Laura, Ms. Renee, Ms. Chantel, 

Ms. Ally, Ms. Haley and Ms. Eva

Friday: Ms. Larisa, Ms. Laura, Ms. Naomi

Caps for Sale part 2 (TR class)

Another day of Caps for Sale. If you aren't familiar with this story, go to the library and check it out. It is a wonderful story about a peddler trying to sell caps and some silly monkeys......

During circle, Ms. Larisa narrated the story, Ms. Renee was the peddler, and the children were the monkeys. It went very well - their role was to imitate/copy whatever the peddler did. Some children also re-enacted it a lot during choice time. Each taking a turn to be the peddler or the monkeys. 

You monkeys you, you give me back my caps!!

Tsk, tsk, tsk the monkeys reply

Some monkeys waiting for their part.

The peddler asking the monkeys for her caps back....

A different peddler.....

Ms. Renee playing the monkey who took the caps....

Hello Mr. Peddler Man!

          

CAPS!!

Caps for Sale!

It's always enjoyable to act out stories instead of just read them from the book, especially stories that are familiar to the children. Today was cap day since we acted out "Caps for Sale", so most of the children wore a cap, just like the peddler in the story. I also made some mustache's for them as well. It was a really fun day with caps, mustaches and all kinds of fun!

Acting out, "Caps for Sale"
(Ms. Naomi was the peddler, Ms. Larisa the narrator,
Ms. Laura the photographer)

                                            

The peddler - Caps for Sale - 50 cents a cap!!

Aren't these mustache pictures just too much? 

It just slays me! 

CAPS!!