Wednesday, September 12, 2012

PeeWees: Not a Box (week 2)


This week we continued where we left off.  There was box playing.  Much of it.



When, during circle time, the kids started tipping out of their boxes for fun, and someone bonked his head on the wood floor, it was a good time to introduce and distract with Not a Stick.
 

Everyone got a piggie.  Or two.  We talked about pigs' ears and tail, learned the word "snout", and definitely practiced our snorting.  We did not give everyone a stick.  But we had a great time reading the book and finding out all the things Pig pretended his stick to be.  Then we went back and examined the two pages they were most interested in - the dragon, and the dark cave.

Snack - Boxes of raisins, boxes of pretzel sticks.  Loose discussion about other foods that look like sticks, and what we like to do with sticks or pretend them to be (mostly dragons since we really liked that page in the book.)


Art - Riding on the success of last week, more painting.  This time painting sticks I'd glued onto cardboard, with blue glittery paint.


Poppy said hers was a "scary movie." 
 Activity - One of our favorites from the Crazy Box - sorting toothpicks into Parmesan cheese shakers.  Each child  got an empty shaker and a bowl full of toothpicks.  One or two at a time, drop them in the holes.  You will not believe how it holds their focus, even the most active and distractible of the bunch.  And I gave them a lot of toothpicks.  They did it for over ten minutes.  Then when they were done, they emptied them out and did it again.  Hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills for sure.  Plus it's just fun.  If you have a two- or three-year-old, you've got to try this! 


But there is no question that BY FAR the most popular activity at PeeWees is running the loop in my house to music on the computer, instruments in hand.  I led them out in a little marching and galloping, but mostly I stepped aside and let them do their thing.  Ran them for about 10 minutes, then we gathered for closing circle time - reread our books, goodbye song, clean up the rug squares.  Then more running to music until the Moms came.  I think next time we may even do this more often, between transitions.  For 2-year-olds, it's the best.


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