Celebrating Fall

We celebrated the abundance of fall by reading about apples, fall, and pumpkins,  painting pumpkins, and playing outside in the wonderful fall sunshine. We baked apple muffins (yummy!) . When we read Ten Apples Up on Top  by Theo Lesig, we created our own "apples up on top!" pictures and practiced counting how many!  We had a baking session and baked apple muffins.

All of our activities during our morning are presented as  choices to the children. The tables are set with theme related activities such as farm animals to sort, art activities that remind us of the season such as a gluing that is "red" on red, or eyedropper watercolors of fall leaf colors to drip onto a coffee filter. Even baking activities are a choice and the children come in and out of activities as they choose. As the children are deciding for themselves what they would like to do, we do not see children squirming or bouncing around, but rather children who are completely engaged and directing themselves whole-heartedly towards completing their chosen activity. They decide when they are done, as well, and develop their own ways of putting closure on an activity. The children at the marker table will pick up their drawing and ask if they might "put it in their cubbie." The children in the block corner tend to be more fluid in their building and play, rearranging their blocks, speaking to each other about their structures, engaging in pretend play, or watching others. When they are "done," they will leave the block area and move to another activity. We, as teachers, support the children in their independence and rather than direct them to an activity we will join them and enjoy the activity with them,  sometimes asking questions or enhancing the activity in another way. The children are allowed to take ownership of their time, and they always rise to the occasion.

Until Next Time,
Michele