Exploring the World of Toddlers: Two Weeks of Growth, Fun, and Discovery

Dear parents,

We hope you’ve had a wonderful two weeks. Here in the toddlers class, we’ve been active as ever! The class has been busy working on various literacy, art, gymnastics, and many more activities. Read on to hear more about our delightful time together!

Large Group

Our large group was wonderful, as always! We started by sticking up family pictures, five stars, and pictures of an eye, ear, and nose on the whiteboard, all related to our weekly topic. Before we began, we had a discussion about families and the number five. Then, we sang the "Hello Song" and took attendance. After that, we read a story called “Clifford’s Family”. It was such a fun way to connect our lesson about family with the children, and the whole class loved it!

Gymnastics: Musical Dot Jump & Drop Challenge

Our gymnastics session was full of energy! Our most recent activity involved placing two colorful musical dots on the floor, with students taking turns to jump from one dot to the other. After completing the jump sequence, they would then pick up the first dot and move it forward, continuing the cycle by jumping on it again.

This engaging exercise was designed to help children focus, enhance their hand-eye coordination, and strengthen their gross motor skills. As they repeated the movements, they also developed balance, agility, and flexibility. The activity fostered teamwork, as students cheered each other on, while also promoting confidence in their physical abilities. It was a fun and dynamic way for the children to not only stay active but also sharpen their concentration, improve strength, and fine-tune their coordination, all within a supportive and exciting environment.

Literacy: Family Puzzle

Our literacy activity was exhilarating! We worked on a special project related to family, where we collected family pictures from each student’s parents. After gathering the photos, we laminated and cut them into two pieces. During our literacy session, we laid all the family pictures on the floor and called the students one by one.

Each student was asked to find and fix their own family picture. The children were incredibly excited and did a fantastic job, eagerly identifying and matching their pictures. Some even called out the names of the people in the photos as they put the pieces together, showing a wonderful sense of connection and recognition. It was a meaningful and enjoyable way for the students to engage with their families while practicing their focus and problem-solving skills.

Art

In our art session, we did a size related activity, where we created circles arranged in the order of small to big using pumpkin seeds. The students were so excited to get started! This activity was connected to our math lesson on shapes. The students chose the circle shape, and we related it to numbers. We started by counting as we placed four circles, and the pumpkin seeds were stuck by our children along the lines following specific directions. The students were very focused and engaged. Once the seeds were in place, we counted how many circles were created and discussed the differences between small and big circles.

Science

Our science activity continued with a focus on body parts and their uses. In this session, we explored different materials of different textures such as soft, hard, rough, and fluffy. We prepared these materials and attached them to a paper shaped like a hand. We then discussed the properties of each material as a group. In smaller groups, we placed the materials on the floor, and the students took turns choosing one by one to touch and feel the different textures. The teacher asked questions, and while most students recognized the soft materials, we didn't expect them to identify everything perfectly. The goal of the session was to help the students learn through the tactile experience, and even if they couldn't name the materials, they were able to recognize and show them when the teacher mentioned the word. This activity helped the students develop their fine motor skills, focus, vocabulary, and more.

Math

In our recent math sessions, we continued our focus on numbers, with a special emphasis on the number five. We began the session by reviewing the numbers from one to four to refresh the students' understanding and ensure they were comfortable with the previous concepts. After the revision, we introduced the number five, explaining its value and significance in a variety of contexts. To make the learning more engaging, we sang the song "Five Little Ducks," which tied directly into our theme and helped reinforce the concept of the number five in a fun, memorable way.

Following the song, we continued with a hands-on activity where the students counted various materials by touching and counting them one by one. This activity not only reinforced the concept of the number five but also helped the students practice their counting skills in a more tactile way. The session was both enjoyable and educational, allowing the children to connect numbers to real-world experiences and encouraging active participation.

Clay

In our clay sessions, we continued building upon the project we started last time. We put on our art smocks and began working together as a group to create our house. During the previous session, we hadn’t finished, but in this session, we completed the house. This time, we focused on adding the roof, windows, and door. The students were fully engaged in the process, and it was a great exercise in teamwork. Everyone contributed to shaping the different parts of the house, and it was exciting to see how the project came together. The collaboration and creativity made the session both fun and productive.