2010 Scrapbook |
Snowflakes Lee's Little Learners had frosty fun at their snowflake-inspired playgroup. We used our senses and explored whipped topping to create snow-themed pictures - that tasted good, too! We also used our large muscles as we bounced our way up and down the hall on the hippity hops!
Lee's Little Learners playgroups are centered around the five (5) developmental domains. These include cognitive development, language development, fine motor development, gross motor development and social / emotional development. Activities that the leaders plan for the various playgroups will encourage and enhance your child's development in the abovementioned areas.
The photos from the following playgroup provided a host of activities that encouraged learning! Toddlers used the tumbling mats to improve gross motor skill while preschool-aged children used scooters. We mixed colors, exploring what colors we could create when we mixed two (2) colors such as blue and yellow. We had the opportunity to refine our motor skills by coloring, painting on easels and using two (2) different types of blocks (Duplo and Magnatiles). An important component we imparted to parents was that unstructured activities can be duplicated at home. These unstructured activities assist young children in bolstering their porsocial development and their ability to work dynamically in a group of peers. Often times, structured activities (such as step-by-step arts and crafts projects and games with many rules) become confusing, stressful and severely limit the child's ability to explore the environment and places undue limits on his/her creativity.
February has been a very busy month for Lee's Little Learners. Our leaders have visited several families at their homes, as well as, holding some great playgroups. This month we have held groups with as many as twenty one (21) children! Children and parents are working and learning a great deal during the cold, snowy month of February!
Children and their families had the opportunity to make instruments at this February playgroup. They discovered the different sounds that they could create when they added beans or noodles to their tambourines. Then, they were able to decorate them with special foam stickers, feathers and jewels. Exploring color with color paddles on the light table and by mixing paint were two other activities that families enjoyed today!
This February playgroup encouraged some real discovery. Children and their parents used crayon shavings mixed with heat to make "stained glass" type pictures. The children learned about mixing colors, as well as, what happens when heat is applied to wax. Painting on salt dough, using clay, reading "Bear Snores On" and a host of other fun activities rounded out the playgroup.
At today's playgroup, art met science! The children blew bubbles that had paint in it, creating interesting pieces of art that they could take home and share with their families. Sensory experiences such as playdough and painting with Kool-Aid were two other ways that the children were able to mesh both science and art. We also had activities that encouraged both fine and gross motor development.
Playgroups this week included a variety of activities from all of the developmental areas. One group featured penguins. Children and their parents made penguins out of painted tongue depressors, created sparkling penguins with glitter and used tumbling mats, bikes and scooters. The other playgroup featured lamb-related activities such as creating fuzzy lamb pictures with cotton balls. We also spent time exploring shaving cream and strengthening our musces with various gross motor activities.
Today's playgroup celebrated St. Patrick's Day. Children and families created leprechaun puppets, made rainbows out of multi-colored hand die cuts, rode tricycles and enjoyed a yummy snack!
St. Patrick's Day was the theme for two more playgroups. The children and their parents had the opportunity to exercise their fine motor muscles by painting shamrocks and coloring rainbows. They also created leprechaun puppets, listened to stories about St. Patrick's Day and enjoyed some gross motor activities in the hall.
Taking advantage of the last nice day before we experienced more snow, Lee's Little Learners families spent an afternoon outdoors. Children and their families painted the sidewalk and spent time using their gross motor muscles on the preschool playground.
Today's Lee's Little Learners playgroup included a variety of activities ranging from sensory (exploring the water table) to fine motor (blocks and Legos) to gross motor (bikes and scooters). Children and families continue to gain new information on how to build fine and gross motor control and how they can encourage cognitive development at home.
At today's playgroup we celebrated Easter. Children and their parents made baskets out to paper, ripped tissue paper for the grass and were given a chick (peep) for their basket! We also m ade bunnies out of a wash cloth, rubber band, pompons and wiggly eyes. We listened to the story, "Rabbit Stew" and had the opportunity to play outside, too.
Today's playgroup focused on healthy eating and exercise. The children and their families had the opportunity to exercise their bodies and to enjoy a delicious and healthy snack!
Today's playgroup focused on butterflies and their lifecycle. We created butterflies whose wings were mirror images with paint and enjoyed the spring sunshine and warm weather by playing outside.
On Wednesday, May 5, author, poet and musician, Kevin Kammeraad joined us for our playgroup. While with us, we sang, danced and moved our bodies. We loved having him with us!
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