Bed and Bath Time Week & Hair Salon Week

Bed and Bath Time Week provided a forum within which the children could reflect upon and share their thoughts regarding their Bed and Bath Time routines.  In addition to our discussions, the children took great pleasure in the wonderful bed and bath time books that were read daily at Story Time.  As the photos illustrate, the children also engaged in multiple theme related activities.  Most notable were bathing dolls in the water table, as well as making and eating French Toast.  Of course the long awaited highlight was wearing pajamas to school, making popcorn, and finally enjoying our Pajama Party!

Hair Salon Week was a great vehicle through which we continued several educational objectives.  First, as the photos so beautifully illustrate, it was an excellent catalyst for interactive play as the children took on various roles within the play environment.  Secondly, it was a continuation of self-exploration as the children reflected upon and shared their experiences of visiting a Hair Salon for a hair-cut.  Thirdly the theme was rooted in Social Studies as it extended our study of Community Helpers.  The theme was  brought to the art table as the children painted with combs and brushes.  

The children also enjoyed an "Author Study" this week, as we read exclusively from the work of Keiko Kasza.  The children loved her stories and readily declared their "favorite book".  They also learned that Keiko Kasza is both the author and illustrator of her books.  They can tell you that she likes to write stories about animals, and that her illustrations give you hints about the story.  They made me promise that we will read her books over and over again!

Many thanks to Evvie's mom, Erin for coming in as our Guest Reader this week!

Looking Deeper: Exploration and Learning Through Play

This week I would like to once again take a closer look at Block Play.

At its most basic level, Block Play provides exercise of fine and gross motor skills.  Block building provides the children with opportunities to think, plan, collaborate and problem solve while moving freely and working with their whole body.  Mathematically, building with blocks helps the children to understand and practice classification as they observe and sort blocks according to size and shape.  They learn about cause and effect, spatial relationships, balance, area, length, width, weight, and quantity, as they select, build, and put away blocks.  Blocks help children learn through experience the purpose of number.  In terms of stages, children begin by carrying blocks and simply piling them up.  As their development progresses, layering begins, leading to connecting blocks, facilitating the emergence of roads, towers, enclosures and unique building designs.  Block Play is also a catalyst for social interaction and language development, as the children work, share, collaborate and problem solve as they construct.

The above excerpt first appeared in my blog back in November during Brown Week!  At that time the children were exploring and building with Unit Blocks.  In late November our Unit Blocks were replaced with Waffle Blocks, and the week prior to February Break, we rotated our large Hollow Blocks into the room!  Each of these sets of blocks are very different, however the stages of use, as well as the skill base that is reinforced and extended remains the same for each of them. Providing the children with a variety of blocks helps to keep them interested in, focused on, and engaged with block play which is such a valuable catalyst for the children's growth and development in so many physical, social and cognitive areas. As a result of their continued engagement in a myriad of activities, not the least of which being a variety of block play, the children have experienced a great deal of growth within the classroom since November.  Interactive play is now abounding in all areas of the room, and this is quite evident within Block Play.  There is limitless planning and collaboration going on in the gross motor area as the children build roads for their cars and trucks, and structures for themselves!  Ultimately, play begets learning, learning begets greater sophistication in play, and greater sophistication in play begets greater sophistication in learning! 

Have a fun and restful weekend!