Sunshine Friends

Which ones are on your list?!

Happy October 1st!
I enjoy this Fall weather for walks, and the kids love seeing all the decorations. Today, we went for a Leaf Walk. We talked about the changing season, how it feels outside, what clothes we wear, the crunching leaves. Then collected and compared leaves that had fallen from the tree.
Do you know how many educational boxes this 20 minute walk checked off? Totally impromptu & we weren't sitting in a classroom 😍

They All Saw the Cat Book-tivity 🐈
My mother-in-law for my daughter this beautiful book that illustrates how we all see the world in different ways.
This book happens to be in the perspective of a variety of animals.
Discussion questions (examples)
How do you think the mouse feels about seeing a cat?
Why do you think he feels that way?
Where does a fish live?
Why does the fish see the cat this way?
These pictures the kids painted are beautiful! Their own stroke of the brush as they thought about the cat 😻
If you get the chance to grab this book, I highly recommend!

Heart of Te Feti Necklaces!
🌊💚🌺
We had a week long forecast of rain, so I threw on one of my favorite summer movies. While the kids were watching I was brainstorming, as the music and story were inspiring me!
That afternoon we were making air dry clay shells and forming the Heart if Te Fiti for necklaces.
Directions: mix 1/2 c cornstarch, 1 C flours, 3/4 water on medium heat until mixture becomes the consistency of mashed potatoes. Remove from heat. Once cool enough to handle, knead dough and dorm ball.
I gave the kids shells and we experimented with sea shells. What worked for us was molding the clay over the shell and letting it stay there until dry.
Do you have any Moana themes ideas?! Let me know below.
More Hawaiian/Moana ideas in my blog!
https://sunshinefriendschildcare.blogspot.com/2020/07/moana-theme.html?m=1

I missed having the kids help me make a garden this year. They would help with the soil and seeds, watering and checking on them every day, excited to see signs of growth. They would be so proud to see little green stems grow leaves. And after a few months of hard word, they could literally eat the fruits of their labor. But now this year.
How those kids would care for and be enthusiastic about gardening, I feel about them. I love meeting their needs and caring for them. I love interacting and teaching and comforting and encouraging. I get excited to see the spark in their eye when they try something new. I jump for joy and cheer when they succeed, their faces so proud. Just like seeing/eating from the garden never gets old for them, seeing them grow and succeed and learn new things NEVER gets old for me either.

My kids make enough noise here, but I do miss the extra voices, songs, cheers and laughter from my "other kids."

Ok, kids! Pick up the pace!
Childcare has actually taught me to slow down and not speed them up. They like noticing the ants, and every grain of sand, a trillion blades of grass.

My goal is to create a safe space for kids to explore, learn and grow, with no restrictions on their growth and development. It is my passion to work with children and facilitate healthy, engaging, early learning experiences that aid in their future in a classroom beyond my home doors. I KNOW this is possible, I'm just navigating through HOW.