Summer Camp is So Much Fun!

 This summer we have been busy: Writing and illustrating our very own books and building fairy houses....

 we've welcomed some special visitors....

 and have enjoyed meeting and making new friends....

 it's been fun playing dress up and dramatic play...

& taking turns driving our train, The Helping Hands Express, on the playground...we are half way through the summer session with more fun on the way!  Thanks for the memories thus far kiddos. I can't post enough adorable photos....these kids are too cute!

Summer Time

Working the farm stand...

learning about the parts of a flower....

Showing off our group mural.......

making animal masks...........

hot day pool play.............

 

and toothy grins! 

Helping Hands Movie 2011 2012 email

Stained Glass Art

This week we worked on a new painting style.  Using painters tape we created areas to paint within.  We emphasized the importance of using different colors in each taped off area, although not every child did this, the effect was still beautiful.  On a smaller scale of this project we used crayons rather than paints.  This way the children could remove the tape right away so that they could see the white lines that were left behind without having to wait for the paint to dry.  Some of the children chose to color in the white lines using a different color than the crayons previously used; this resulted in a very interesting composition.  [no photos taken sorry]
I can't wait to see what these all look like displayed side by side!
PEACE ~ Jennifer

With a Little Help From Friends

During the preschool day, you should see children who are playing by themselves, but you should also see cooperative play, small groups or even the class as a whole working on a project. The amount of cooperative play increases as the children grow older. Some of this play may be child initiated, and some may be teacher directed.

Working together, whether it's on a block building or planning a tea party, helps children to learn to respect the ideas of others. They develop their social skills, and social competence is an underlying goal of early childhood education. Children in cooperative play learn to contribute to joint efforts. They also learn how to problem solve by working together to find a solution.

Even though research has proven the value of play, play is at risk.  With the over scheduling of young children lives and their parent's, nurturing time to play is even more important.   Here’s how you can support your child's need to play:

• Create safe play environments and toys; lobby for clean, safe outdoor play spaces for all children.
• Focus on the learning that happens through play; use play as the means to teach and foster development.
• Provide a wide variety of play experiences and materials through which young kids can try new things, experiment, ask questions, talk, read, sing, dance, get messy at times, explore, and listen.
• Fuel creativity, curiosity, and the desire to know more.
• Allow time for free play in which children are choosing and directing play, balanced with structured play.
• Monitor play and step in with an idea if a conflict arises, offer a new prop when enthusiasm wanes, or redirect play as needed. 
• Offer opportunities to play safely outdoors as well as indoors.
• Adopt a playful attitude, and model playing.
• Most importantly, value play! Notice and comment on children’s healthy play to show that you recognize the importance and meaning of play in their lives.

When children have this kind of support, the benefits include gaining confidence as well as self-esteem, building relationships, problem-solving, conflict resolution, expanding language, understanding rules and limits, discovering talents, sparking creativity, inspiring thinking, defining personality, and sorting out likes and dislikes. In fact, healthy, valuable play touches on every area of a child’s development. 

At Helping Hands we believe in the importance of play!  We hope to improve our outdoor play space with your help.  Please consider donating yard sale finds, such as:

trucks, balls, hula-hoops, shovels

aquarium gravel, geodes,

gems, sea shells, river stones,

fake flowers, durable plastic animals,  

funnels, strainers, baskets, 

wind chimes, galvanized buckets, 

lettuce spinners (for future art projects)....

While I making a wish list I guess I'll add:

tissues

school glue

markers

Thank you all!

PEACE

Jennifer  

Baby, baby...

Gone is the "baby stage" for all of our preschool friends BUT oh do they LOVE to play with babies!  Here are just a few photos from this week. Enjoy! Time how it flies.

Of course the most precious of all the babies new to our classroom, is Retta Lily, our dear friend Rowan's new little sister!  Congratulations to Ashley and Aaron on the birth of your second beautiful daughter & future Helping Hands student baby Retta.

On Retta's first visit to our classroom, the children gathered around her and Rowan.  Quietly they began to sing a lullaby called "The River".  I have to say, it was one of the most beautiful moments I have witnessed in all my 20 years of teaching.  A spontaneous and beautifully sung lullaby to welcome our newest Helping Hands family member!  Your kids are the BEST.
In PEACE,
Jennifer

Print Making

Styrofoam meat trays re-purposed.

Today we began making prints.  The children really enjoyed this art~full process. 

The trick was getting them to stop before repositioning the stamps.  If their print didn't look as they thought it should when they lifted the stamp the first time, they would press it down again and the result would be smudges and some sad faces.  This process is much like Montessori practical life pouring exercises.  Stopping when the glass is full, not when the pitcher is empty. It is often through our mistakes we learn. 

The prints came out wonderfully.