While most of our children can say their numbers 1-10 or even higher, knowing what each number means is another thing entirely. This week we introduced some games and story problems that can give the children a little practice with counting objects in an engaging way. At our puzzle table I’ve introduced dot cards; these cards each have one numeral and a corresponding number of dots as well as a cup of wee colored teddy bear counters to cover the dots with. This gives each child an opportunity to practice counting independently. During our Morning Gathering, we’ve been using toys and other objects to create stories which invite counting. On Tuesday, we had a family of three bears who started off at their cottage and then traveled around a drawing (cottage, forest, pond, fruit tree and meadow) to do things such as collect honey, go fishing, or look for apples. Sometimes one bear stayed back while the others ventured out, so counting practice included variables of One, Two and Three. We worked up through Four this week; and this allowed me to see each child’s ability in both sight counting and pointing-and-counting items.
Along with counting shells, cars and bears, we had a lot of imaginative play happening this week. On Tuesday, the playdough table was full of different creations and plenty of conversation.
S- “Want some scissors? Here are some scissors for you!”
J- “I have two holes for the lollipop.”
T- “It’s good to play with it in your hand.”
S- “I’m making a pancake.” (presses a pattern into it) “It’s a waffle. Here, Hazel.”
J- “I’m making T some food.”
T- “Look. I made it into a snowboard.” A minute later: “Here’s some ice cream for you. It’s for licking. It’s sausage. And it has spiders in it. I tricked you!”
Sometimes children inspire each other. On Wednesday, J was using a block as a straight-edge for drawing lines with a pencil on one of the restaurant ordering pads. I offered him a ruler, markers and paper and this piqued the curiosity of the other children. As we have only two rulers, bringing out a handful of craft sticks accommodated everyone’s needs. Soon everyone had a stick or straight-edge and they were drawing lines, coloring their paper or coloring the craft sticks.
On Thursday, Train Play and Baby Play crossed paths. S pushed the train, loaded with ‘treasures’, around the room while V followed along, playing baby and making baby noises. S brought over pieces of the small foam puzzles for her baby to play with and then asked me a rather serious question.
S: “My baby is coughing. What should I do?”
Me: “Take her to the doctor.”
S: (looking squarely at me) “I did.”
V: Cough. Baby cry.
Me: “Oh, am I the doctor?”
S: “Yes.”
Me: “Give your baby lots of water and lots of hugs.”
The baby play continued throughout the day, with S as the Mommy and V as the Baby.
This week, the rice bin was the place to be. On Tuesday, we worked on coloring up some fresh rice to add in. T and J both chose green, then added some yellow to it later. S wanted purple to start, then added in a little red later. On Thursday, S was making cupcakes. V used her finger to alternately poke rice through the hole at the top of the mill or to stop it up like a plug.
Some other glimpses into our little world:
Unpredictable weather drove us indoors on Tuesday, so we tried out a cooperative game called Harvest Time.While the game itself was a little too long, the children easily took turns and had fun ‘harvesting’ the veggies indicated on the color-dot dice they rolled.
On Wednesday we headed out for a dandelion walk, picking the yellow flowers around the block. Once we returned to the school, we had time to try some Dandelion Painting, rubbing the flowers onto white sheets of paper. There was quite a bit of enthusiasm as the children saw the color appearing as if by magic.
We painted little craft paper birdhouses on Tuesday and created little treasure boxes on Thursday, with markers, stickers and pictures. One child stickered on a picture of flowers, and then slowly began to cut it off, completely uncommitted to any sort of idea of a finished product. Just goes to show us that once again, their art is often not about the product but the process!
T explains to S and V which mallets go to which drums, which is can be a complicated sorting task. Then they all play together singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Motor Car” while J jams on a guitar fashioned from a long block. Soon the drums are abandoned and an all-block-guitar band has been formed.
S and V colored a corner of a cedar round with chalk, making a “rainbow” of mostly yellow.
Lots of great storytimes this week, and lots of good questions to go with the stories. Reading “Truck Driver Tom” by Monica Wellington, S noticed a car carrier. With all the cars jumbled up, she asked “Is that an accident?” T noticed that Tom pays for his gas and snack with dollar bills, and asked about the paper money. While I’m reluctant to initiate money play at school (it’s fine if the children do), we’ll definitely be spending some time next week exploring trains, cars, and other vehicles. And we’ll check our carrots to see if they’ve started sprouting yet. See you then!
