Walking a mile in someone elses shoes

Well perhaps not a mile - but we sure had fun trying to walk in these wooden shoes.
Here are a couple of links with information on the wooden shoe!

http://library.thinkquest.org/11318/thinkqGB.html
http://www.squidoo.com/wooden-clogs
http://www.ehow.com/about_5438931_history-dutch-wooden-clogs.html

We talked about whether or not it was easy to walk in the shoes. Would they like to wear these shoes all the time. A bit of history (simplified) and what they were made of and what they felt like.
Everyone was anxious to try them on but soon found out they were difficult to walk in and quickly went back to their comfy shoes that Mom and Dad bought them.

She Speaks!

Today during nap time I kept hearing this little voice chatting away to themselves. The voice was not familiar. Wanting to 'hush' the child so others would stay asleep, I cruised the room looking to the 'new' children who are in my room for the summer camps. They were all sleeping soundly! Who's voice was I hearing? As I crossed the room, this cherub of a girl, who had been in my classroom all school year, was having quite a conversation with herself! I was shocked and amazed because she had NEVER said a single thing all year - never changed her facial expression or got involved in any activity without proding! Today she was chatting with me, looking through books with me and describing all she was seeing, answering all my questions and doing so with full sentences! OMG her Mother had told me she was talking, but I never thought it was going to be like this! I was over the moon! I was so excited to tell her Mother she finally spoke to me! To top the excitement off she didn't want to leave at the end of the day, and her Mom told me that when she was at home during her weeks off, she took her school shoes from the cupboard and asked to come to see me!
These breakthrough moments are why I love toddlers. I get to see them move from tiny tots who are scared and uncertain, to bold and brassen - willing to share who they are in a moment when they feel comfortable enough to make that connection.
Now I can't wait to get to school tomorrow to have another conversation - with this very special little girl!

Oh and BTW we got up an half hour early today - because she was talking so much - she woke everyone up - but that's OK!! :)

I am hoping this stoic facade will turn to smiles in no time!

A Place of your own!

Sometimes being at school can be overwhelming - even a little tike needs to get away from things. Stealing a private moment requires the right space to stow away. Those places can be almost anywhere, seemingly hidden away for a toddler, but in safe view of the adults in care. Here are a few places my kids like to go!

Inside spaces!

The kids call this 'the orange chair' - the top comes down and then you feel all alone and hidden away!

The Library area with cushions.

On a large stuffed catapillar!

Some of the really little ones take their bottle there and lay quietly!

Outside spaces!

In the bus tent - sitting on a tire!

Sometimes sitting quitely in the covered cars give one a moment alone.

Stowing away under the slide.

Playing in the playhouse.

Under the mini slide.

So one may not think of these areas as private - but a little one sees these spaces as hidden and intimate - a place alone!

Castle Building

Last week was our Knights and Princess theme for summer camp - one of the older classes made this great castle from a large cardboard box! Here are some pictures of it in progress!
I will post updated pictures of the finished product this week - they took it outside to play with!

Links to view

Ok over on our facebook page I have been going link crazy - Hubby is watching soccer so I need to keep busy - LOL
Seriously - go and take a look - I have found some interesting activities and articles!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kreative-Resources/212611188777184?sk=wall

While you are over there please click 'like' to stay connected and up to date!

Garage sale finds for the Classroom - continues!

Well it's Saturday and you know what that means - Garage Sales!! I just have to show off what I got today!

OK I am so going to have fun with this one - it blows hundreds of bubbles in one dip of the wand! The kids will squeal with delight! We do bubble blowing almost everyday - for 25 cents this is a steal! :)

Wipe clean books - always popular! 50cents

Melamine coasters - for a matching activity - why not! :) 25 cents.

PUPPETS! The bull was FREE and the other 2 - 50 cents

Books - always good!

Flag for Anthem during circle! Plus an extra for the Bulletin board! $1

For us this is a must have - I got the machine and 2 filters for $2.

Maybe now the diaper smell will leave our room for good! :)

25 cents for 3 aprons!

I have a plan for this and other great finds - 50 cents!

Hen pecking motion toys! 1 FREE and 25 cents!

Hats for dramatic play - $1.50

A whole lot of cookie cutters! $1.25

Oh and lets not forget - a carpet for my library area - 50 cents - a road carpet to drive cars on - $1 - 2 soaker hoses for our gardens - $2 - a dolly cart for heavy moving - $2 - a FREE 20 inch TV and a TV/VCR built in for a steal! :)

Hehehehe I am over the moon!

Special visitors

We had special visitors come to our classroom - Knights and a Princess! Great idea for the older children - 3 and up - but my toddlers didn't quite get it! LOL Thank goodness our visitors could improvise and simply hang out with the tots. I find that this happens a lot with the toddlers  - money is spent to entertain them and then after about 3 minutes they are losts in their own world. Not many people can keep a toddlers interest longer than a couple of minutes - even the pros! So I gotta pat myself on the back and give myself credit for being able to be someone who can keep their interest for the greater part of the day! :)
So a big shout out to all those Toddler teachers who can 'bring it' for those little ones day in and day out!

 Princess Ashley

... and the knights!