The children in School-age 3 have been loving the nice weather. They have shown their enjoyment by asking to go back outside after snack. When the children are outside many of them are participating in gross motor activities such as soccer, playing catch with baseball gloves and riding the flat scooters. Some friends enjoy relaxing in the sunshine as they engage in drawing and journaling.
We learned in school age 3 that sometimes saying goodbye to the previous season can mean some change. We sadly had to say goodbye to our Conestoga College student, Subash, as his placement came to an end. The children were very eager to make and sign a card for Subash as a token of our appreciation. “You will come and visit right?” One friend asked. Many friends jumped into the conversation expressing hope and excitement for the idea of a visit. We hope to see Subash again soon.
Going forward into the warm weather ahead many friends have asked for different types of equipment to be brought outside. To allow for the children to expand their learning we are hoping to adapt the outside cart to have more equipment as the season continues. The warmer weather means we can spend more time outdoors. The children expressing their enjoyment of the nice weather means that we can enjoy our afternoon snack outside to extend their outside time. Having the option to go back outside allows the children to feel heard as we plan to continue our programming in the outdoor environment. We will provide provocations for the children to explore STEAM while using the environment as a third educator.
As the season continues we will be enjoying as much sunshine as we can get. We will be encouraging conversations about the children’s activities to ensure they don’t grow tired of the same games each day. Providing a variety of equipment allows the children to engage in new experiences, gain new skills and try new things they wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to try. Children may learn a new sport or game that becomes their favourite or they may find they don’t like the new game. Trying new activities can allow them to become more self aware by reflecting on whether they did enjoy the game or not.
