As the Nature Preschool’s year comes to a close the classes are revisiting all of their favorite things! Throughout the year, the children form connections to the people, places and things at Irvine. They often ask to hike to a favorite spot or somewhere we recently spotted wildlife. We re-read the same stories over and over upon request and bring back toys that revolve throughout the classrooms. Through our reflection, we always learn something new. This past week was full of stream exploration, treasure hunts and mud cakes!
We ended our week with our 2nd trip to Hammerman Beach. An old favorite for some, and brand new to some of our teachers and families. It was a beautiful day to wade, or swim (as some preschoolers did) in the Gunpowder river. Nature was all around us! We spotted an osprey on her nest, several great blue herons, collected seashells and relaxed in the sand.
We look forward to our last week together before we say goodbye at our Flower Ceremony. Take a look at our favorite moments in our picture galleries below.
In Spring,
Nature Preschool at Irvine Nature Center
Outdoor Exploration
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- Out in the woods we spot some rabbit friends!
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- Chipmunks chatter in the meadow.
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- Meadow Sunshine
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- The Flying Squirrels spread out in the meadow and bask in the sun!
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- Muddy Smiles
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- So many tools. Which would you choose?
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- The access road is the perfect spot to trace our friends with sidewalk chalk.
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- The Bears wander in the meadow.
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- The Bears walk the campfire turtle mosaic.
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- Digging in the wetlands!
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- The Bears gather in a circle for an activity.
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- Building with loose materials. What could this little explorers be up to!
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- Hunting for shells in the outdoor classroom!
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- The Chipmunks make a silly face.
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- Making the letter of the week with sticks and yarn.
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- We noticed the patterns in our hands and highlighted them with markers. We tried to find patterns in nature that were the same as our natural patterns.
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- She found a match!
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- We gathered sticks and created a map of our surroundings.
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- The Foxes chase Miss Paula! Thank you for visiting us!
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- Caterpillar Queen
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- Coyotes ears up!
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- He draws what he hears: a bird, his friends playing.
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- These coyotes are using their listening ears to make a map of their surroundings.
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- Hiking back for lunch!
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- The Rabbits go on a spring scavenger hunt.
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- The Flying Squirrels chatter together in the meadow.
Discoveries In Nature
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- Nature Preschool stumbled across this beetle in the Outdoor Classroom.
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- This chipmunk takes a closer look.
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- A frog in a log.
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- Wood sorrel is an edible plant found in the forest. It tastes like lemon?
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- Caterpillars
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- A one finger touch is just gentle enough for a caterpillar.
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- Spice Bush Leaves
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- Take a whiff!
In The Classroom
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- How high can you build a tower with treeblocks and playdough? We had our measuring sticks handy to help us figure it out!
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- The Flying Squirrels work on their costumes for the flower ceremony!
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- Spaghetti “worms” in the sensory bin are inspired from our rainy weather.
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- This mirror and paint provocation was inspired by the symmetry of the butterfly’s wing.
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- With all the symmetry in the classroom, she was excited to share her symmetrical building!
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- Playdough Pizza
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- Can you guess what our letter of the week was? The Chipmunk class is giving you a clue!
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- The Chipmunks love maps and treasure hunting. These two collaborate on their work.
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- The fruit market is a downstairs classroom favorite! Spring fruit is fresh and ready!
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- This lovely provocation has flowers, paint, and paper for…. printing perhaps?
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- The children print and paint!
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- Chipmunk friends read a story together in the book nook.
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- We used recycled materials and made boats. We tried them out in the sensory bin to see if they would float!
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- Smashing spices with a mortar and pestle is one of our favorite activities. The classroom fills with the spicy aroma of fun!
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- After a visit from a family member, the Chipmunk class builds a sculpture with clothespins and clay.
Hammerman Beach Field Trip
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- Miss Karen, Nature Preschool Director, and some students have fun on the sand!
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- The Coyotes gather to bury a friend in the sand.
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- Swimming in the Gunpowder River
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- Sand Builder
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- “Bath Baby”
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- She found this caterpillar in her sand castle. The children noticed it does not look like the caterpillars we find at Irvine.
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- As osprey on her nest.
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- Splashing in the river.
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- Sandcastle
