CHOO CHOO !

This Arkansas weather is CRAZY. I should have taken better note of the weather this week.  Yesterday we did boats. Today we planned for trains and normally we walk to the tracks and almost always catch a train coming or going . I felt it was too chilly for that long of a walk today.  Yesterday would have been perfect.  Instead we used technology to watch a tour of a train. We heard words like conductor, locomotive, caboose and engineer.  We learned that some trains carry supplies  ( cargo ) while other trains are passenger trains and carry people.  There are even cars to sleep and eat in on some trains !

This is one of the most artistic groups we have had in a while . Even the 3’s love to use the markers to create pictures and honestly , they are pretty amazing.  ( Hint – our end of the year program MIGHT be an art show… stay tuned ! )

Art comes in many different forms.  For some littles it is dressing up.  For others , it might be the paint or the markers. For others , it is song  or dance.  We have some little girls that are really amazing  singers. If I hear Naomi sing ” Come join the Circle ” or ”  Let it go ” 2 times a day I hear it 100 .  Molly, likes to sing songs that sound more operatic or flamboyant .  She will climb atop a stump outside and sing to her hearts content.  Parker.. perfect pitch parker.  Parker’s voice is sweet and normally on key when she sings.  As a musician myself I do try to support these talents in any way I can. Some may call that egging it on.  🙂   I looked up a video of Idena Menzel the other day. I wanted Molly to see the lady behind the cartoon voice.   Another thing we do through the day for brain breaks and to get wiggles out is crank up the music and dance , dance , dance. Young children are natural dancers.  ( Think about a baby in an exersaucer.  )

To the naked eye looking or listening in it may appear as useless noise and chaos but it is so much more than that.  Littles are learning while they are doing the whip and nae nae.   They are working on balance and coordination .  Picture in your head a freeze dance . The kids almost always freeze with one leg in the air – its more fun that way.  Musical movement teachers rhythm and beat as they dance to the beat of the music. It even promotes their ability to predict what comes next by hearing repeated music patterns.  It is also an amazing tool for promoting self esteem and body and spacial awareness.

This is something you can do at home.  It is a little out of my comfort zone but periodically I do join them with some moves from the 80’s and they love it.  We have been exploring different styles of music since we have Alexa downstairs. Jazz, lullabies, kids music and blues have been our favorites.

So trains and kids bop were the  pillars of our fun day today. .