Kaili and the Classroom {beach/ocean theme}

August 6, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

Aren’t my blog titles catchy?

So this happened….Preschool initiation some would call it.

The bite didn’t break the skin but it came close. They told me she didn’t even cry. Funny because this is what I get when I don’t give her a cookie at 4:00 p.m.

Meanwhile in my classroom….last weeks theme was beach/ocean. After reading Rainbow Fish and Swimmy I put out paint for the kids to paint pre-cut fish.

They made an Octopus craft with cheerios. There wasn’t much crafting going on but they enjoyed glueing one cheerio and then eating one cheerio, so on and so forth. ( <–did you catch that? Pun intended. )

You can make Sea turtles with paper bowls or paper plates cut in half.

I took the fishing poles out of the magnetic fishing set , I wrote the letters of the alphabet on index cards and then taped paper clips to the back. After scattering them on the floor I directed the kids to “fish” for a letter. Fishing for the alphabet.

Using the same fishing poles, we tied on a paint brush and had them use motor skills to dip the paint brush into the paint and then paint their whales. Fishing pole painting.

Sea salt painting was my favorite. The way these dried left a salty ocean effect, the kids got into it.

Flip flop art. I traced a kiddos shoes and then let them water paint and decorate the sandal part however they chose.

This is my last month working, unless….well unless they just can’t live without me. We’ll see.

A Glimpse of the Classroom

July 30, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

We have been busy and looking at my calendar I noticed we only have one weekend that doesn’t have anything scheduled through the first half of September. Now all of the sudden it’s August and I should be writing up the school newsletter and getting next months curriculum done but I have been bad about getting blog posts up so that will have to wait.

The last week at school we talked about light and colors. The kids became scientists as they discovered how light travels, they created colorful kaleidoscopes and mixed colors in different ways, the results were surprising and they seemed to have a blast.

I filled 3 empty jars with water and added liquid water colors, red, blue and yellow. They took the lead using a medicine dropper to mix different colors in an empty ice tray. They did this activity for 3 straight days, patiently taking turns.

Painting with 2 of the primary colors each day resulted in color changing fun.

Torn paper rainbow collage. I brought this activity out each day until it was finished. They worked hard.

Kaili enjoys herself at school. She loves her little friend Kaedyn, a girlfriend of mine and fellow teachers daughter.

Next weeks curriculum is Beach and Ocean, stay tuned for some fun ideas!

I just got back from a girls weekend away and I will tell you all about it!

Kaili Days and a Phone Dump

June 20, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

It’s week three at school for us and things are great. She’s adjusted fine, she is excited to go in the morning and will give me a hug and kiss and line up with her class all by herself, no tears. I’ve been told that she does great in the classroom. She is communicating well, can recognize her name and doesn’t have to be asked to follow directions. She even said “pee pee” and then proceeded to go to the bathroom and sit on the potty. We are moving in the right direction.
The only problem is she hasn’t been napping at school. So three out of seven days she goes without a nap, gets overtired and it just rolls into the next day and so on. She is waking up earlier than she ever has, no matter what time she goes to bed. You could say bedtime has become a shit storm. You don’t know how she will handle it. Some days when she naps at home she goes down just fine for bed at her regular time, other days she is up fighting it until 8:00 pm. On the days she doesn’t nap at school she is asleep by 6:30. There is no rhyme or reason. She was so used to her schedule and it’s all up in the air without those naps. BUT today, she napped! I don’t want to jinx it but I sure hope that this is the start of something beautiful. Even if we can get her a one hour nap, it’s bound to help…right?

As for me, I just love being in the classroom. I love those 6 hours doing my own thing, knowing someone else is taking care of Kaili and I don’t have to worry about her.

Shaving cream on the table is not only a fun sensory activity for the kids but it will take off any dried glue, marker or crayon marks and paint. I like to do this at the end of class, it’s a great way to clean the tables! They can also practice writing their letters or make tracks with cars.

Shape art. We were talking about transportation so they were making shape vehicles.

Tracing. I needed to see where these kids were with their writing. I like to have them trace over a highlighter or a yellow marker. *If they need the help.

Cutting. Another thing I wasn’t sure about. I had them cut on the black lines I drew, stopping at the dot. Also tells a lot about their ability to follow directions.

Sensory tubs. One water, one cornmeal. Motor skills at work.

Tray activities.

IMG_20130613_103820 — Animal play in dirt. The boys loved this.

IMG_20130613_103833 — water colors on coffee filters. The colors bleed beautifully.

IMG_20130613_103903 — Shaving cream with a little liquid water color. As they mix, the color blends. Fun to watch their reaction.

I was impressed with this train track they built. I wish I could have kept it there all week.

Easy Homemade Play-dough

June 13, 2013June 13, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

In all honestly it’s been years since I have made play dough, I always seemed to have an abundance of store bought tucked away. But my classroom was in dire need of some and instead of buying it I thought I would make some because it is so easy . Chances are you have all the ingredients in your pantry but if for some reason you don’t have cream of tartar at home or if you have never heard of it, it is a baking item and you can find it next to the spices. It is not tartar sauce, don’t be that person.

Recipe

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoon cream of tartar (find it in the spice section)
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water
food coloring

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a pan, then add the water, mix well.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 – 5 minutes {took me closer to 3 minutes} The dough will become difficult to stir and form a big clump. Remove from stove and knead by hand for 5 minutes.

Add the food coloring during the kneading process, enough to reach your desired shade. Keep Play dough stored in a covered plastic container or plastic bag.

Back To Work

June 6, 2013June 6, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

Oh you guys, it’s so nice to be working again, granted it’s only been two days but it’s been nice.

It’s nice to have a reason to take a shower in the morning. It’s nice to not wonder if I am providing enough stimulation for K’s little brain.It’s nice to have some time away from Kaili and out of the house. It’s nice to not feel guilty for letting her watch cartoons since I know she will be busy learning and playing most of the day. It’s nice to not change diapers for a few hours. It’s nice to focus on something other than “what in the hell am I going to do today?” And it’s nice to be busy doing what I love.

Teaching is like second nature, what is interesting is doing it all again but this time with a 2 year old. This was my classroom back in 2007, before she was even a thought. Now she is painting in it, it’s surreal.

busy painting while I get things ready for the day.

I was worried it would be hard for both Kaili and I to be away from each other but it’s not, it’s fine. She whimpers a bit when I say goodbye to her in the morning but that’s the extent of it. I was worried that when she saw me during the day, either walking by her classroom or outside that she would want to be with me, not the case so far.

watching her through the classroom window.

I was worried that she wouldn’t nap and the teachers would have a hell of a time keeping her on her cot. This part is true. She hasn’t napped and isn’t showing any signs of doing so. They have to sit with her to keep her quiet but they say she is doing fine. One day it will take a toll on her and she will just crash…right? one day?

Luckily these non-nap days aren’t a cause for meltdown city in the afternoon, she seems to handle it pretty well. I got to say things went as well as I could have hoped for. We’ll see how it goes from here.

What Did I Get Myself Into?

April 26, 2013April 26, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

The last I left off on the preschool hunt for Kaili was that I found a place I really liked but I hadn’t ruled out my old school. Well I got an offer I couldn’t refuse… I am going to go back to teaching for a little bit. A teacher friend of mine wants some time off so I have decided to take her class part time. Kaili will be joining the 2 year old class while I teach the older kids, right next door…sigh. I am excited, anxious and will admit a tad nervous, for all of us involved.

I am happy to be getting back in the classroom, ready to get out out of the house and talk to anyone other than Kaili, her conversations skills just aren’t cutting it for me. She really needs this, socially, emotionally and cognitively, so I know it will be great for her. Her speech teacher is also recommending one-on-one speech therapy throughout the summer. Being alone with me is making it too easy for her not to use the language that I know she has. Now she will be forced to communicate.

I am nervous, nervous about having her see me throughout the day but not be able to be with me. It’s me and her 98% of the time, all day everyday. This is sure to be hard on both of us. I am also really anxious about nap time. She is still in her crib and showing no signs of trying to crawl out so I am in no hurry to transition her to a toddler bed. At school she will be napping on a cot, god help those teachers. She doesn’t and hasn’t slept anywhere but her crib or her pack n play. I planned it like that and my strict routine has made for easy breezy naps and bed times. Here is where the hard part will come in and I have laid awake thinking about this.

I have watched other mothers go through this for years so it isn’t new stuff to me. But other peoples children don’t pull at your heartstrings, so in a way, it is all new to me. I’ve got a month to sort myself out before we jump in with both feet.

Painting With Pom Poms

April 9, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

Painting with craft pom poms is a lot like painting with cotton balls but the poms hold up a lot better in paint. If you use a clothespin you save little fingers from getting drenched in paint. The choice to use them is yours, some kids like it getting messy, some moms don’t.

Pinch a pom pom with a clothespin..

I put out primary colors so we could talk about the colors in the rainbow, a lot easier then putting out 6 separate colors.

This was a fun activity to do. K got excited when the colors “changed” once I helped her mix them.

The pom poms leave a sponge paint look. I dig it!

In Search Of A Preschool

April 3, 2013April 3, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

I have been on the search for a good Preschool with a toddler/2 year old program for Kaili to join next Fall. You’re probably thinking “but you worked at a preschool for years” Am I right?” So why would I need to look around? Well, as much as I loved the school I taught at…..there were things I didn’t love. One was the director, but she is no longer there, so that doesn’t count, does it? Second is that the classrooms don’t have bathrooms in them. That was a huge adjustment for me when I started working there, not having a bathroom in the classroom,crazy! Third , the learning part of the A.M. curriculum is a little shorter than other programs due to an early lunch and once a week chapel visits.

Shane was all “why does she need to go to a preschool? You are a teacher, you can teach her at home.” Nope. People, you can’t homeschool preschool. You can’t homeschool socialization.

With that said I had a few preschools in mind that I knew I wanted to check out and a couple that have been recently recommended. I loved all of them! Well almost all of them. The first one I went to was great, so great I wondered how I didn’t know about this place when I first moved down here and was looking for a new teaching position. I left that school thinking it was going to be hard to beat, I mean the place seemed great.

The next day I had a morning appointment with another school, they had already sent me a packet in the mail with the do’s and don’ts, wont’s and wants of the school, one of the requirements is that every child enrolled HAS to be potty trained by September. Now, this isn’t a huge issue because I hope to have my daughter potty trained by then HOWEVER, If I don’t…….then what? Well, I wasn’t promised my registration fee back in full so I am not sure that is the best route to take. I really liked the director of the school and ended up talking to her for awhile, the school was nice and it seemed like a great place to enroll your child and a great place to teach. I gave away some amazing teaching ideas { if i do say so myself } I will somehow take full credit for them.

I headed on down to the next preschool, and this one was recommended by a friend who has her daughter in the 2 year old class, she loves it. As I was parking in the lot I realized how really awesome the view was.

This school has a bay view, palm trees, ocean, SeaWorld. I have envied the teachers, students and anyone who attended this place because of the view for years. So when I parked, I stopped to take a picture so I could share the view with you.

IMG_20130328_101115

When I walked in I wasn’t greeted by anyone. …..crickets. Also there wasn’t a security gate or door, the place was wide open. So I found my own way to the messy office and was looked at strangely by a disheveled lady who was clearly annoyed I was there. When I told her who I was she seemed confused. I asked her if she could give me a tuition sheet and a quick tour of the classrooms. She reluctantly said yes and took me around but it “had to be quick” because it was a “very busy day”, I was clearly an inconvenience. She showed me classroom to classroom and it was..ugh, it was bad! When we poked into the 2 year old classroom the teacher had kids crawling on her, a couple boys were on the floor crying and the room smelled. In another room we walked into, a little girl threw a plastic ball at us and the lady { I assume she was either the director or assistant director, she never did introduce herself} shot the kid a death look. The teacher never did say anything to the little girl for throwing a ball at visitors, too busy I guess.

Back in the office she took my name and gave me the tuition pamphlet and as I was leaving I actually said “sorry for bothering you” then I looked down at their pamphlet and I realized THIS WAS NOT THE RIGHT FUCKING PRESCHOOL! THANK GOD!

So it turns out I just wanted that school with the view to be the awesome school my friend was talking about but it wasn’t. The school she was really recommending was as great as could be. They do have a wait list so we will have to see if we can get her in.

I haven’t given up on my old school, this is still an option. I am planning on taking Kaili in to play while I talk to the director, you never know.

Stringing Noodles

March 14, 2013 ~ Girlmom ~ Leave a comment

I lieu of St. Patricks day I thought I would have Kaili do a {non-messy} activity for a change. Ok, well for today at least. We spent the entire day in the sunshine and the last thing I wanted to do was get messy, which really means I didn’t want to have a big mess to clean up.

I dyed some Rigatoni noodles green. {to do this- mix dry noodles with some food coloring and a few drops of rubbing alcohol and shake, shake, shake in a ziploc bag.}Then lay the noodles out to air dry.

Next I took a long piece of green string and tied a noodle to one end of the string and taped the other end tight with masking tape. This will make stringing a whole lot easier for the child, or the parent or the dog…whomever.

*AWESOME TIP* You can also dip one end of string in melted wax. I actually recommend this method if you have a whole brood of children you are going to do this activity with. But for just one child, taping one piece of string ain’t NO big thing.

Once you are ready to introduce this activity, grab yourself a green container to put the noodles in. This IS a St. Patrick’s day craft, so yes green is a must.

Once we sat down I showed K how to push the string through the noodle and pull it at the other end and then let her take the lead. The younger the child the more guidance they will need. Kaili started to get the hang of it after a few noodles and decided she was going to do it herself. All the while I was saying “green, green green green, Kaili’s stringing green noodles. What color are the noodles? Green, green green!” Annoying huh? Well that is what you gotta do!

Once the noodles were gone I tied the string together to make a necklace. You may choose to let the child take all the noodles off and start again and again and again, it’s your prerogative.

Voila! A green necklace for your favorite beer drinking holiday.

The Art of Thyming

A Life Blog

early childhood activities

Kaili and the Classroom {beach/ocean theme}

A Glimpse of the Classroom

Kaili Days and a Phone Dump

Easy Homemade Play-dough

Back To Work

What Did I Get Myself Into?

Painting With Pom Poms

In Search Of A Preschool

Stringing Noodles

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