The days are going fast and many of our friends who are moving to kindergarten are saying goodbye. It is definitely is a bittersweet experience. No doubt we will miss them and friends keep asking about them. We know they are not here, but what to do...everybody is so used to their old friends that we forget about them not being around. I wish all the love and luck to my graduating friends and want to request they come visit us whenever they get a chance.
We started last week with a real tent in our classroom. Everybody who came in on Monday, and later during the week, was surprised and happy to see this new set up. Could you dare them not to go inside? I don't think so :) It was the most awaited moment. It was sweet to see them lay and relax. Some even chose to get in with their sleeping bags/ blankets!
Soon they discovered that the sunlight falling through our silly 'bye bye window' was casting a shadow on the tent. What could be more fun be a scary bear ;) They pretended to scare friends by making bear shadows and the friends sportingly participated and pretended to be really, really scared.
Discovery of shadows...
Bears in action!!!
Secret behind the bears...Tada!!!
Later in the week we pretended to use flashlights to create night time and friends pretended to walk on a trail, looking for bugs and treasures :) and some even went to find the bathroom using flashlights...
During the week, we did our circle time around the campfire where we sang camping songs, pretended to warm our hands and feet, and shared our camping experiences. Each friend got a chance to tell spooky stories around the campfire, do a solo performance inside the tent, and even read story books. The best book that they liked to date is, " The Scardy Squirrel Goes Camping!" It sure is an hilarious book and keeps our kids excited even after reading it so many times. They start laughing before we turn to the next page since now they know what is going to happen next!
After reading the book, we asked them to tell us some similarities and differences between living in a real house and a tent. Differences such as no bathroom, no kitchen, very little space, no beds, no lights, not beautiful inside, no wooden walls, and many more came up. The similarities that our friends said were we get to stay with our family, we can sit and sleep inside, we have to keep it clean. I really think it is so interesting to hear these generalization ideas coming from them.
Beginning last week, three children everyday get a turn to nap in the tent. We make sure that each one gets their fair turn and the children agreed to the plan as well.
During the week, one of our friends told us that they were going camping soon and were going to stay in a log cabin. Friends asked him what it looks like. After hearing the description, we went to work making our own log cabins using popsicle sticks and stacking them together.
There was a fun discovery made outside too. Our friends put the wooden plank inside the rainbow tunnel and discovered that when each one sat on an end, they could move it up and down like a see-saw! Neat! They also figured out how to push their legs if they wanted to go up and how to release their legs to go down.
We also discovered another thing. Static electricity! When we rubbed balloons and placed them on things, the balloons got stuck. We tried the walls, and children came up with trying it on different parts of their body as well.
Observing the balloon move from the forearm to the elbow!!!
Hope everyone had an awesome time on Father's Day. Thank you to all the fathers who came in and gave us an opportunity to serve breakfast and make your day. The children wanted to do a silly activity with dads. The idea of mustaches pleased everybody. So now let's play a guessing game. GUESS WHO!
I would like to thank everyone for giving us an opportunity to work with your wonderful kids! Together we are working to make a difference in each of our lives!
Keep seeing your around!
Hugs,
Rashida
