Chinese Pattern Necklaces
A turkey is a funny bird
The children have been using bright and beautiful water colors to create turkey feathers. This week we have been talking about the Thanksgiving holiday and they couldn’t wait to create their own turkeys! Here is a song we have been singing that you can try to sing at home!
(to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel”)
A Turkey is a funny bird
His head goes Wobble, Wobble
He only knows one word…
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!
sensory table colored pasta
This week our sensory table is full of colorful noodles! The kids have been digging their hands in this colorful pasta and scooping and dumping it! They have been using spoons to scoop the noodles into the bowls and pretend they are making soup! Since all of the noodles are different colors this has been a great way to practice our color recognition as well!
children created and extended their own patterns
Our focus in math during the month of November is patterning. The children were introduced to patterning last year during their preschool classes and this year the children are creating their own patterns and extending them independently. The children used different types of manipulatives today to create various patterns. Some children were still most comfortable doing a simple AB pattern based on color while some children created more complicated patterns based on size or type of animal (using the pet manipulatives set). Using everyday objects in the kitchen are a great way to reinforce patterning at home.
This afternoon during small group time, the kids worked on patterning and letter matching. In Miss Darcy’s patterning group, they used little pom poms to make the AB patterns on their cards. In the letter matching group, the kids got to take turns picking a piece of clothing and matching it with the same letter clothes pin. They loved hanging up the clothes on the clothes line!
more sneak preview art show work
This afternoon the children used sponges to paint circles. We used all different colors to make our beautiful circles! These circles will be used for a special project for the art show! They also had fun painting all over their pumpkins!
This week we have some creepy, crawly, colorful spiders in our sensory table. There are over 100 spiders hiding in the table and the children love searching for the small creatures. Once they’ve found a colorful spider they place it in the corresponding color bucket with the tongs. This spooky spider activity is great for a our fine motor skills!
Today in small groups we used our fine motor skills to string a bead pattern onto our halloween necklaces. Fine motor muscles are very important small muscles located in your child’s hands that need to be developed in order to hold a pencil properly and attain the ability to write successfully and without difficulty. Scissor activities also help build these muscles needed to write. If you find your child having trouble holding scissors properly, holding a crayon or large marker incorrectly, small muscles activities are needed to help build the muscles. We include these activities into our daily curriculum through scissor “skill” activities, prewriting activities, playdough activities, through the use of stickers (it takes these small muscles in the hand to peel the stickers off the paper), beading, and the use of tongs in the sensory tables and center games…etc. Click on any of the pictures for other small motor activity ideas. Have fun!
Reading My Pattern
I did it!
Checking My Work
Stringing a Pattern
We are making great progress in our patterning skills. Some children have progressed into extending their patterns much further this week while others began making more difficult patterns independently. We observed some of the children choosing to create their own patterns at the art center this week with the halloween stickers available. In small groups we used our fall felt stickers to create fun fall patterns to take home and share our progress with you. We will be wrapping up our patterning unit next week and will revisit it at the end of the year.
patterning independently
Preschoolers are ready for many mathematical discoveries. If you provide them with opportunities, then they will learn. Preschool is a terrific time to lay the groundwork for mathematical thinking and understanding. One core mathematical understanding is patterning. We continued to practice our patterning skills today with Halloween Bats and Ghosts! The children are gaining a better understanding of patterning but it is still a work in progress! Practice makes perfect 
ABB Pattern
AAB Pattern
AB Patter
ABB Pattern
AB Pattern
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