We had another super fun — and messy — week in preschool! The children absolutely loved learning about worms and discovering just how important they are to our Earth. Since we also celebrated Earth Day this week, we incorporated some fun themed activities that helped us learn about caring for the planet in exciting, hands-on ways.
This week’s stories gave us such a fun and meaningful look into the world of worms! In We Dig Worms by Kevin McCloskey, the children were introduced to different types of worms and learned fascinating facts about how they live and move. The simple, engaging style kept everyone interested, and we loved talking about how worms don’t have eyes but can still sense the world around them. Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin was a class favorite, full of humor and personality. The children giggled as we followed along with the worm’s daily adventures, while also learning about how worms help the soil and why they are such important helpers in nature.
We did some fun art this week, painting with rubber worms that looked so realistic! The children pulled each “wormie” through brown paint and watched as they slithered across their paper, creating wiggly, textured designs. It was such a fun and creative way to connect art with our theme, and the children absolutely loved the hands-on (and slightly messy) experience!
Our sensory bin was also a bit hit, filled with realistic-looking worms, soil, rakes, and cups for scooping. The children dug, scooped, poured, and explored as they pretended to be little gardeners and scientists. This type of play sparked so much imaginative thinking and conversation, as they talked about where worms live, how they move through the dirt, and what they might be doing underground. It was wonderful to see them so engaged and curious!
Because worms play such an important role in making our soil rich, we created our very own worm composting bin. The children helped layer gravel, sand, soil, damp paper, red wiggler worms, and even scraps left over from lunches into a clear container. It was amazing to see their excitement as we added the worms, and almost immediately, we observed them burrowing and tumbling down into the layers. We are so excited to continue observing them and watching the important work they do to break down the food and enrich the soil.
This tied in beautifully with our Earth Day celebration. We read a shortened version of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, and talked about the importance of taking care of our planet. The children helped clean up trash on our playground, taking pride in helping our Earth. We also created a special salt painting of the Earth using glue, salt, and watercolors. It was so. neat to watch the paint spread and blend as we gently dabbed the colors onto the salt, creating beautiful, textured artwork.
Miss Jenn led a meaningful oil spill simulation with our Tuesday/Thursday group. The children were challenged to clean up “oil” from water and quickly realized how dificult it is to fully remove. This activity helped them begin to understand the impact pollution can have on our environment in a simple, hands-on way.
Open play filled the remainder of our days, and it continues to be such a joy to watch. The children are building stronger friendships and working more cooperatively as they explore puzzles, create gardens, build with blocks and magnetiles, cook in the kitchen, and express themselves at the easel. Their creativity and collaboration are truly blossoming.
Although I was out on Friday, I was so excited to hear that one of our caterpillars emerged into a beautiful butterfly! It has been such a special experience watching this transformation, along with observing our “heads” of grass grow taller each day. Soon, they’ll be ready for some very fun “haircuts!”
We also had our spring concert this week, which was such a joy to see. The children did an amazing job and were so proud to share their songs with all of you. Thank you so much for coming out to support them — it meant so much to the children and to us!
As we wrap up this exciting week, we are so proud of the curiosity, teamwork, and enthusiasm the children showed in all that they did. From exploring worms to caring for our Earth, it has been a week full of discovery and meaningful learning. We can’t wait to see what new adventures next week will bring!
REMINDERS/UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 26th - Touch a Truck will be at the Friday Center. What a fun event this will be!
June 2nd - June 5th - SUMMER CAMP - Please remember to register your Ladybug! There is just 1 space left.
Have a wonderful weekend with your Ladybug!
Miss Lisa, Miss Phoenix, and Miss Jenn