Dogs and Cats

This week we started our third week with Mother Goose Time's me and my family theme.  This time it's all about pets.  We spent the first 2 days learning about dogs and cats.

We reread the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the Lonely Wolf.  Included in the day bag for dogs was a very sturdy puzzle with a picture from the book.  Elli loves puzzles, so this was especially fun for her.

The girls made dog shakers filed with rice.  We listened to music while they shook them to the beat.

Elli has really been enjoying the invitations to create, which are new this month.  She used the included supplies to make her own cat picture.  

The girls worked together to give their stuffed animals check-ups.  They both love playing veterinarian, and actually play this all the time. 

We talked about how cats lick to clean themselves and also to drink and eat.  We mixed up fruit and yogurt in the blender and then froze it in cups with a stick, perfect for licking.

Elli collected different colored nature items outside.  I placed them in a paper towel and then she smashed it with a rock.  When she was done we opened it to see what colors were left behind.

We playd the included cat and rat game.  Elli and I took turns rolling a dice and moving the right number of spaces.  We each had a card with words and would cover the word that started with the same letter that we landed on.  This was a good way to get Elli used to recognizing letters.

Elli had so much fun playing cat and rat that I brought out a game we have, Feed the Kitty.  She did really well with taking turns and we worked on counting out the wooden mice.  We'll finish up the week with fish, birds, and rabbits. 

Grandparents

We finished up week one of Mother Goose Time's me and my family theme by learning about grandparents. 

During circle time Elli pointed out the similarities and differences between the grandparents on the monthly theme poster.  

 The recommended book for the day was Thunder Cake, which I was able to find on youtube.

After hearing the story Elli got to make storm cakes.  It took a very long time for her to peel the potato, but she was so proud that she did it all herself.  I boiled the potato and some carrots until they were soft.  Elli used her hands to crush and pound the food in a plastic bag until it was like a pancake, then we fried it up.  She said it was delicious and now wants them every day with lunch.

We talked about why people might wear glasses.  Then Elli got to design her own pair of "Grandma's Glasses."  She loved wearing these around the house and showing them off once they were done.

We played a few round of family dominoes together.  Elli had fun matching the pictures.  It's also great practice for taking turns.

Every day has a tinker and scrap idea.  These are times when you can leave out materials and the kids get to use them however they want.  Today I left out a tray of pipe-cleaners, beads and other odds and ends.  The girls used them to make jewelry.

Elli worked on completing the letter a in her my little journal.  Next week we'll be learning all about feelings.

Dad

Day 4 of Mother Goose Time's me and my family theme was Dad.

We always start our school day with circle time.  We go over the weather and calendar.  Elli also looked at the monthly theme poster and found the dad, who was buried under a bunch of buttons.  

We used the buttons for a math game.  We took turns rolling the included dice and adding the corresponding number of buttons to our shirts until we had 10.  After that Elli separated the buttons by color.

Every month we get the dance n' beats add on.  Elli loves getting up and moving to the catchy songs.

Elli decorated clothespins to look like people and built them houses.  She played with these for a very long time and also wound up building an apartment building for them.  She had so much fun with her newly made people that she asked to add them to her block bin to use all the time.  Such a simple idea and it will be sure to provide hours of entertainment in the future.

 I saved the invitation to create for when Addie would be home from school, since I know how much she loves art.  The girls looked at a picture of keys for inspiration and made their own pictures.  They both cut doors with key holes out of paper.  Addie attached hers to another piece of paper so they could open like real doors.  The glittery door was the entrance to a magical world.

The girls played Father May I.  They would roll the provided cube and then ask to do the funny walk.  They had a lot of fun with this game and we played it for a very long time.

We finished up with a book.

Mom

We just finished up our third day with Mother Goose Time's me and my family theme.  So far the girls and I are loving it.  During circle time the girls used the looking glasses to find different things on the monthly theme poster.  The back of each looking glass has prompts for the kids, such as bark like a dog.  Every monthly box comes with a new poster and looking glasses, and my girls always love them.

Each month also comes with a new book.  This months story was Little Red Riding Hood and the Lonely Wolf.  It was a cute story about the wolf wanting a family, with adorable pictures.

After we read the book the girls used the cookie cutters from this months box to make play dough cookies.

The girls also made with own picnic baskets.  We took them outside and they took turns pretending to be Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf chasing her.

The girls also completed the covers of their my little journals, which they will work on all month.

We finished up with reading a library book about moms and dads.

Brother and Sisters

This week with Mother Goose Time we're learning all about family.  Today the topic was brothers and sisters.  We talked about the difference between a brother and a sister.  During circle time the girls looked at the monthly theme poster and decided who could be a brother and who could be a sister.

The book for the day was Owl Babies, which we were able to watch on youtube.

After watching the video the girls studied an owl photo ans used the provided materials for their invitation to create.  These are open ended art stations that let the kids use their imaginations.  This is the second one we've done so far and the girls are loving them.  For today they were both given a piece of black paper and then a pile of cotton balls, a paper bag, sticks and some brown paint.  Both girls made their bags into owl puppets.  Addie used sticks to add a nest for her owl.  Elli glued a bunch of cotton balls on her paper and said it was a bonfire to keep her owl puppet warm.  

Next the girls played design a sibling.  They would roll the included cube and then put whatever shape it landed on into the provided magnetic puzzle.

The monthly rhyme time poster was Jack and Jill.  Addie read the poster out loud and Elli worked on identifying words that rhyme.