Puzzle making was a fun project and throughout the week our groups explored different varieties and styles of puzzles. Our first couple of days, Preschoolers cut shapes from paper and glued them to cardstock making their own designs. They we discussed the number of puzzle pieces we’d like to cut our puzzle into. We experimented with 3, 4, 5 and 6 piece puzzles and talked about who we would like to have try our puzzles when we took them home. Isaac decided to make his puzzle into 3 pieces so his little sister Maya could try it at home. Matea created a puzzle with more pieces two days in a row to try and stump her Dad! Toward the end of the week, we experimented with using contact paper to cover our colorful shapes and designs. This turned into a great science lesson about static electricity when we found that our foam shapes magically floated up toward the contact paper. During the end of our hour, we worked together to build large puzzles after I divided all puzzle pieces between each camper. We all worked on using our words and asking questions to work together and finally complete our group puzzle.
OBSTACLE COURSE with KERRY
All of room 6 was our oyster this week. I let them have free reign on everything they could think to use, cockroaches excluded, no matter how nicely they asked. We built tracks from mats, trampolines from pillows, mazes with blocks, caves with silks and tables. Their imaginations went wild, and every day was different. One day we built what could be considered the preschool version of Gotham City. We all wore capes and became super heroes. As I was the last to pick my alter ego, and all the greats had been taken, I had to settle for Super Pumpkin Girl. We raced through our mini city stopping for pumpkin seed snacks when we needed a break.
FRISBEE with CAIT
This week, we found a myriad of ways to play with frisbees. We explored different ways to throw them (front- and back-hand, as well as various tosses) and tried to aim them into a goal. As well as trying throw along a line, or as far across the parking lot as we could, we played with bouncing frisbees off of the ground and the walls. They also make interesting hats, and can be fun to balance on your head!
GOOP with SHAWN
Creating our own sensory experience, many friends joined in to mix, mold, and make goop. Some days we created a silly putty like substance, while on others we focused on creating oobleck with cornstarch, water, and food coloring. We would start each day by discussing as a group what type of goop we would like to create, and what materials we will need to make it. While the putty was exciting to personalize with an individual color and small amount, the oobleck brought a partner and larger group aspect to the experimentation, often letting the substance drip over a neighbors hand, mixing colors with a partner, or showing how slippery it makes the containers. Goop was an exciting material to create and manipulate for our preschool friends!
SLACKLINING with GRIFFIN
This week we had the most popular summer camp of ALL time! Slacklining in the yard. It was so popular that we extended the camp another week so that more friends would have the opportunity to try this, physically and mentally challenging task. We tied the line to the fence in the school yard and took turns walking across the slackline. It took a great deal of focus to balance our bodies and walk the line. Each person was given varied amounts of support to scaffold their ability to strengthen their core and improve their balance. Some friends wanted to hold a shoulder while others preferred one or two hands. Friends worked on putting one foot in front of the other in a heel-toe style, and others took a sideway-stance shuffling their feet side to side. Some friends worked so hard to maintain their balance so intensely that they broke out into a sweat from the physical challenge that walking across the slackline presented. Toddlers in the yard watched with awe as the preschoolers completed their summer camp task. Friends waited in line patiently to have many turns to go across the line throughout the hour. I sincerely encourage parents to head to a climbing gym and give friends more opportunities to work on this skill.
BOARD GAMES with BRIDGET
Many thanks to the David family who brought in board games for us to play. The most popular were Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, and the Hungry Hungry Caterpillar. A few kids had played board games before and enjoyed helping others learn them . For other kids it was a brand new experience. It was great practice in preschool skills like taking turns, and listening to directions, counting, and color identification.
DANCE with JILLIAN
I have had the opportunity to teach a dance camp several times this summer and this week I was so impressed by how well the campers remembered the songs and routines! Specifically, we incorporated some new songs and moves - stomping around to "We are the Dinosaurs" was a big hit - and friends requested old favorites like "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" and "Unpack Your Adjectives." Each day we began with a dance warm up and talked about the importance of stretching. Depending on the day we worked on ballet, jazz, or musical theatre dance steps and then chose a song to make up a dance to! At the end of each class friends put on costumes, practiced their new technique, and taught me a few new moves as well!
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