Category: Room 1

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from your friends on the Older Pod Patio! Check out some of the fun and festive activities we did in December…

We enjoyed gingerbread playdough!

We worked our fine motor muscles using gel sensory bags!

We did some STEM building with cups and ornaments!

We read to our Christmas cats!

We built with magna-tiles and jingle bells!

We enjoyed making Christmas sticker creations!

We cut pine needles and explored snow dough in our sensory bin!

We worked with friends to decorate our Christmas tree using loose parts!

We mastered our gross motor skills for the month by practicing going over, under and through the jingle bells!

We enjoyed cheering on our friends as they made their way through our Christmas obstacle course!

Patio Pigs in the Mud

In the month of November, we explore life on the farm. We also focus on the colors yellow and brown. This week’s Older Pod Patio sensory bin is set up to intentionally highlight these three major curricular concepts.

Friends from Rooms 1, 2 and 3 explore brown oobleck—a solid substance that quickly oozes into a liquid. Checkout our little piggies playing in this perfect pretend mud!

Apple Pumpkin Days

October has been filled with lots of harvest fun! We’ve explored apples and pumpkins all month long and got to celebrate harvest the last 2 days; Apple Pumpkin Day!

We incorporate fun apple pumpkin activities during small group such as exploring what breaks done pumpkin faster: Dish soap, water, or tea.

Small group and free choice activities throughout October

Apple Pumpkin days were filled with Apple explosions, pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, apple pumpkin building and apple pumpkin fingerprints!

Thursday the Children wore red!
Friday the children wore orange!

November Nature Collages on the Patio

Collaborative projects teach children how to work toward a common goal, while fostering cooperation and flexibility. Collaborative activities also create social cohesion and build supportive environments.

When we create collaborative pieces together we’re practicing sharing space, taking turns, communicating and enjoying the process rather than focusing on a finished product.

Integrating natural materials into early childhood art projects enrich the overall learning experience. Exploring natural materials gives children the opportunity to experience an array of textures, shapes and colors. It also increases their knowledge of the world and objects in it, all while fostering a curiosity for the environment.

Friends from Rooms 1, 2 and 3 collected leaves, painted, assembled and glittered these collaborative masterpieces!

McGruff the Crime Dog, a Motorcycle, and More! The Pasadena Police Department stopped by the Preschool.

We were so excited to meet McGruff the Crime Dog today. Officer Hilda and McGruff explained what strangers are, who we should trust, how to stay safe if we trick-or-treat, plus how to safely ride our bikes. We even were able to take pictures with McGruff! The excitement didn’t stop there, however. After McGruff said goodbye we had a special visit from a Motorcycle Officer Meeks. The kids were able to get up close to check out his ride, ask him questions, and even pose for pictures. It was a fantastic visit!

A special thanks to the Pasadena Police Department for all of their hard work and for taking the time to be with us today.