Utopia Preschool

In the afternoon, the children collaborated and shared their ideas when they designed their obstacle courses and worked with new tools. They worked on fixing the bikes and the house while listening and singing When I Build My House.

This week we are taste testing different types of stone fruit, or as Garrison has described, “A fruit with a big seed inside!” On Tuesday we compared peaches and plums, first by drawing predictions of what the seed would look like, next by opening it up and seeing the actual seed! Then we all had a chance to taste both fruits.

Today we incorporated actual coffee shop cups into our House Area. The children have been exploring how to run a cafe and restaurant! Emery was the manager and cashier who helped come up with a menu as well as seat customers at tables! She would then communicate with her kitchen staff about what was ordered. Emery:  Hello! What can I get for you today? Isaiah: Waffles please Emery: Okay! Table 17! Emery: Hi, what would you like to order? Teacher Theresa: I will have a muffin and a coffee please Emery: Okay, Table 6! Muffin, no onions! Ayden: Coffee! Milk! Emery: In 9-3 I have to go on my break! 

Yesterday the children found a variety of activities to do. Some got together to construct a park with paper and tape, others had a dance party to show off there cool dance moves and the afternoon group made hot cocoa with Teacher Theresa.

We have been trying different tastes in the afternoon! This week we tried foods like grapefruit, pomelo and dark chocolate. Some of the children also bit into the grapefruit PEEL! They described it the taste as “disgusting” “yucky, and ”revolting!” Now we have new ways of describing this taste as “bitter!”

For group time today, the children sang Row Row Row Your Boat with a friend! They picked a partner to sit and hold hands with as they swayed their bodies back and forth to “row” their boat! The children were able to pick an animal and pretend to scream when the animal was near their boat! This song is a fun way for the children to build on their friendships and cooperate with a partner, sing, and name different sea animals that they know!

Using both old and new materials in the block area, the children have been exploring new ways to build. Today, Matteo, Grayson, Caleb and Daryn built a castle for the little balls. Caleb called it the “Macy’s Castle”. They put all the balls in one spot of their magnatile castle. Then we started to discuss what mazes are and Matteo said he’s seen a maze before. This led them to try and create a maze and blow the balls through the maze. It’s amazing to see them collaborating with one another.

Today the children helped our puppets with a problem: They were running at PE and accidentally bumped into each other! The children took turns sharing ideas of how the puppets could resolve their problem. Dylan: They can tell the teacher and the teacher can tell them to keep their hands and feet to themselves. Emery: The puppet can say sorry and ask the teacher for a ice pack. Brendan: My idea is they can find a open space to run so they don’t crash into each other. Ellie: They can just take break and get some space until they feel better later. Colin: They can ask each other to be their best friend.

For group today, the children walked in a circle and took turns going under the limbo stick! They practiced turn taking, safety skills, and gross motor movement as they figured out different ways to get their bodies over and under the limbo stick. They all giggled with each other after each turn.

It has been so exciting to see all the children engaged in all areas of the classroom individually or with friends. We have seen creative clay pieces being sculpted and painted, tunnels and ramp structures being built, and secret messages and drawings being revealed with watercolors.