Arkansas Children’s Week 2017

Every year we have a week that we celebrate children .  The nationwide event is hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.   Arkansas always has a special spin on it with a special theme as well.  Being the overachiever that I am – I am trying to combine the two efforts ( national and state ) with my own lesson plans.

NAEYC is celebrating today with Music Monday !

We have a lot of music all the time but I thought as our state theme encouraged us to get out and explore the outdoors perhaps I could take an extra look at what we have available outside in our music area .  Does it need revamping ? Are there missing pieces ?   We got to work.  We added a few things and cleaned up our music area.

Molly, our resident rockstar enjoyed the new pieces.

We also read a book outside about Curious George. This week our regular plans included construction.  Curious George watched a homing pigeon and decided he needed to build a tree inside his apartment for the pigeon to roost in.  First he made a plan.  That’s a smart idea and something we ask here a lot. ” What is your plan ?”

The kids made a plan to build a tree ( like George ) from blocks.

We had two teams – the building and the block deliverers.   One important note is that I called one little boy a leader of a team  He was so proud to be called a leader he almost forgot what his job was.  It made me think… we do speak words of affirmation over our littles enough ?

It was interesting to watch the teams work together and to try and make the  ” tree ” stand up.   It really didn’t look like a tree when they were finished but that isn’t important.  It was about so much more than looking like a tree.

When I asked how we can make this work Molly sang ” We can use teamwork ! ”

And last but not least because it was a popular place all day – the tool bench area.  We have always had this area  but I have gotten lax at making sure all the materials were there.  Not long ago we had a head and a tool come together in a not so pleasant experience .  Thankfully, it was not a major incident but because of that I took the tools and put them away until we had reorganized the area.  HINT-  If children don’t have the correct materials to use tools ( or anything ) in the proper way, they will find a new way to use them. It may not be what you are hoping for.    Today we added more materials. We moved the tool bench out in the open.  ( Supervision for this type of fun is important ! )  We talked about how we would use the tools and how many friends could be at the bench at a time .We were reminded that the tools stay at the tool bench .  Everyone got a chance to practice at the bench today while closely supervised.  Take a deep breath.  Tomorrow we are adding a small saw.  It will be ok.   Kids- construction. They love it.

Arkansas Children’s Week 2017 day one is in the books !