Nature Preschool was so excited for our love party! The children created love notes for each other, delivered them into mailboxes they created with reused containers and everyone contributed a special snack for a friendship feast! At circle time we asked a important question. “What is love?” The answers the children came up with were beyond precious. “Love is when you hug your mommy and snuggle with your stuffed animal.”, “Love is when you really, really care about something.”, “Love with when you have a friend and you play with them!” We discussed ways we express our love and made “love lists”: people you love, places you love, and things you love!
Out on the trails we let the children lead the hikes to their most loved spots at Irvine! We visited the fairy circle, the Woodland Garden and, of course, the outdoor classroom! The children made bird feeders to hang throughout the forest to spread our love to birds and other woodland critters. We fought off the cold through animal movement races, tracing hearts in the snow, playing games and performing shows on the stage!
Favorite Class Moments:
– The Bears were excited by treasure this week! They explored the treasure box in their classroom and made a nature treasure box outside from discoveries found in the outdoor classroom. It was filled with ice chunks, tulip poplar blooms, shiny rocks and more!
-The Chipmunks used strawberry play dough and pretended to make bubblegum, investigated the globe and created treasure maps and learned about Canada from family visitors. The children were given oars and pretended to be in a canoe!
-After making love lists the Rabbits each shared kind words about their classmates at circle time. They had a shortened week due to snow so they created their mailboxes at home! They had some super creative and inspirational ideas!
-The Foxes created party decorations that they hung from the ceiling and all over the walls in the upstairs classroom. They finished off their celebration with a huge dance party!
-The Coyotes hiked to the lower meadow and found algae, interesting ice patterns, and spotted several voles scurrying into holes! They also had a special Show and Tell where they brought in something they love!
-The Flying Squirrels had a blast making love potions while exploring chemical reactions with vinegar, baking soda and watercolors. They expressed love families cards and artwork.
Mother Nature, we sure do love winter, and we are grateful for the signs of the changing season! We are looking forward to maple sugaring next week!
In Late Winter,
Nature Preschool at Irvine Nature Center
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- A bear friend is using his stick as a drill and is breaking through snow and ice!
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- The bear class rearranged some items on the stage! How lovely!
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- Thumbs up for snow!
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- Bears creating shapes with picture blocks!
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- Wet chalk on bark!
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- Having fun at the playdough table!
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- Experimenting in the sensory bin! Test tubes, eye droppers, vinegar and baking soda!
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- Miss Emily and some chipmunk friends are investigating the globe! This inspired them to create maps of their own!
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- Paper mache transforms these cereal boxes and tin cans into mailboxes for love note deliveries!
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- Delivering love notes!
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- The Chipmunk class wrote a story inspired by the letter R!
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- Sorting natural materials in the woodland garden!
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- The Chipmunks listen on the edge of their seats!
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- A story shared by Miss Jessica!
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- A family visitor joined the Chipmunk class to share information about Canada!
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- The Chipmunks loved pretending to row on a Canadian lake!
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- Acting out animal friendships!
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- Move and Stretch!
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- A coyote found amazing ice chunks in the lower meadow!
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- We discovered that grass creates beautiful patterns under the ice!
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- Feeling the ridges in the ice left by embedded grass!
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- Ice in one hand, a chrysalis in the other!
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- Checking out the birds of prey!
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- The coyotes found water trapped under this ice!
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- Miss Meghan points out discoveries in stagnate water!
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- Trench Jumping
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- Coyotes investigating algae in stagnant puddles!
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- More algae investigations!
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- The Coyotes uses teamwork to move this giant ice chunk!
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- Tracing hearts in snow!
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- The symbol of love!
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- Coyote friends in the outdoor classroom!
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- A sneaky coyote peeking from a log!
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- The Flying Squirrels are experimenting with pipettes, baking soda and vinegar!
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- Color Matching- Great for fine motor skills and color awareness!
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- A flying squirrel peeking from the loft!
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- Dress up time in the Flying Squirrel class!
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- This little fox is working hard to create decorations for our love party!
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- She is stacking stickers into a tower for her decoration!
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- Miss Monica and the foxes having fun making decorations!
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- Ooh it’s cold! The Foxes are working hard to break up the ice in our sandbox!
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- Miss Erin and the Foxes get ready to hike to the Woodland Garden!
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- A beautiful light provocation in the Rabbit class!
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- The Rabbit class was asked to make mailboxes at home, due to snow days, this was a big hit!
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- Love party! Looks like fun!
