Today was a fantastic day. Yoga Jenny managed to incorporate some Halloween fun into today's yoga practice. Ask your little yogi about the "short-necked buzzard" pose! Pickett and Melissa did creative play with all the groups. The blue group did a Halloween story and the yellow group was urban traffic and monkeys. Purple and red group did animals and family members who live on land and sea. We smelled applesauce cooking for the Halloween party on Friday.

Wednesday, Oct 28th

TODAY'S ACTIVITIES

Pumpkin Bread (To be eaten on Friday after the Parade.)
The children helped by grating cinnamon sticks and measuring & leveling; flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and ground cinnamon, as well as cracking eggs and mixing honey and pumpkin mix. There was a fair amount of sharing in responsibility and food play at the mixing table, and everything managed to get cleaned up.

Using Scissors
The skills at the scissor table ran a wide range from those who had never used scissors before to some seasoned pros. Everyone did a good job of cleaning up the scraps after they were done. More practice will be forthcoming.

Other Activities
After the rain let up, the children went out to the side yard an blew off steam on the bikes and running around. When the energy began settling down, Jose told two Halloween themed stories a story of 2 evil witches who's plot to put children to sleep was foiled by their sister, the good witch... and a story of a scare-crow who secretly came to life to help two children from some bad guys, who, out of fear, turned themselves in to the police. Another group played "BOO" by opening up windows in the play house and pretend-scaring the people inside.

A fair amount of time was spent at the magnetic-blocks light table, playing dress up in the play house and working with paper air-planes, not to mention, donning smocks and washing dishes at the water table. The play house time was exciting - we had a talking dog who ate cake from a green dish on the floor, we had a party and we baked a strawberry cake and sang "Happy Birthday." We also called California on our telephones and traded dress up clothes. There also was a stint of using blocks to build a bed, complete with block pillows and several cardboard blankets. We had fun pretending to sleep and wake up and go to sleep again. The grand finale was building walls around our bed to make a house.

Looking forward to seeing all the costumes and having some Pumpkin bread on Friday!

-Jon Fukuda (Kaiea's Dad) & Michelle Heelan (Edison's Mama)

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Today was a fun day at ALG. During the breaks in the rain, we played outside in the courtyard riding bikes and playing in the house. Inside, all the groups got a chance to play with Pickett. The kids pretended they were different animals and farmers, and played with colored scarves. Some kids pretended they were fish, and Pickett fed them fish food. Other kids pretended they were chickens. Some even hatched eggs. One co-oper pretended to be a pig, and all the kids fed her corn. She was a hungry pig who almost ate up Pickett's shoes, but luckily there was enough corn to keep her content. Meanwhile, other kids played with legos and blocks. Some kids made a bridge with the big blocks and hopped across streams filled with crocodiles. Other kids played dress-up on the stage.

Monday, October 26

What a great Monday we've had. Tiffany came and did Music Time with us. Ask us what a Whole Note is, we might be able to tell you. She taught us a very spooky song about Frankenstein too. Maeve's mom, Tessa made pumpkin hummus from scratch with us. First, we carved and cleaned the pumpkins. Then we roasted them. After they were cooked we took the flesh mashed it into hummus and ate it. It was delicious.

We played a lot of ball in the side yard, sang songs, played horsie and listened to a story about Peter Pan, as told by Jose.

Inside we sight drew corn husks, cut with scissors and played family.

Quiet Day in the Jungle

A few kids out sick or on vacation today, so lots of teachers and co-opers around to share the fun. Oran and Pickett took groups outside for creative play - one group created a rain forest, complete with umbrellas, birds, fairies, princesses, puppies, lions, and one nice crocodile. Inside Natasha helped kids plant pumpkin seeds, while Jose made witch and jack-o-lantern masks, Deborah read books, and some kids made play-dough pizza. Halloween is in the air!

October 22

Today was extra special because we welcomed back Yoga Jenny! After circle time the purple and blue groups went in the back for yoga. Jenny led the kids in stretches and poses related to Halloween themes -- a witch went for a ride, a cat did scratches and stretches, etc. Then we switched and the yellow and red groups did yoga while the others played inside or had a snack. After yoga and snacktime, we all went outside to play in the beautiful sunshine. The yellow group stayed in the courtyard and did ladder climbing, bike riding, and playhouse playing. The other groups went to play in the side yard. Isiah and Harry threw the football; Maeve, Maia, and Leila dug a hole to plant some acorns in; and there was a monkey cage full of monkeys who broke out from time to time and ran around the yard. Then we came in for lunch and a very engaging story from Jose. All in all it was a great day.

October 21, 2009

Today we enjoyed the nice weather and the (literal) fruits of yesterday's field trip: kids got to help core apples and scoop out pumpkin seeds to roast.

outside, we played in the courtyard and the side yard. Almost everyone enjoyed riding tricycles, and several children took part in a fairy-tale themed game: Maia and Alice were both Snow White, Ellie alternated between playing the king and the queen, Noah and Eli C. were fire-breathing dragons, and Sophie was an evil queen who tried to trick everyone else into eating poisoned fruits and pudddings.

Inside, there were houses to build, cell phones to use and lion cubs to feed. All in all in was a great day!
Marcy

Monday, 19 October 2009

We had a singing good time with Tiffany in music class. We did the ABC song, the itsy bitsy spider in both English & Spanish, as well as learn about whole & half notes. We learned to clap the four beats of whole notes and the two beats of half notes. We took advantage of the sunshine and played in the side yard. Jose told a rendition of Peter Pan and the tick tock of the clock in the alligator's belly. Cara brought out a hammer and a nail and the children each had a chance to hammer the nail into a big tree stomp. We finished off singing happy birthday to Noah!

Another Rainy Day

As we head into a rainy weekend, more indoor play. The kids clearly had a lot of pent up energy from being inside so much, as the morning started with a massive pile up on a co-oper. After circle time, kids scattered to various parts of the room to play and some helped Natasha plant seeds. Oran and Pickett were in today to do some creative play - one set of kids decided to be princesses and dragons; the princesses had a party and danced around with their scarves, and this being ALG, the dragons were invited to the party and not left out of the fun. The second set of kids separated into urban and jungle creatures, with several hair dressers, a tree and lots of animals. The jungle seemed to encroach on the city, rather than the other way around, as the streets were invaded by monkeys, lions, and tigers, and the poor tree was given a hair cut and stripped of its leaves, branches, bark, and dignity. A wedding was held and a zookeeper eventually came and cleared the streets.

A cold and rainy day outside means a fun, cozy ALG day...all inside. Today we sang about pumpkins and learned how to draw them. We practiced wearing imaginary costumes and tried to trick-or-treat (mostly trick)Jose and Natasha. We pretended to be ghosts, witches, princesses, and Harry Potter. With blocks we managed to make such a long highway that we literally almost reached the "end of the road." That or we built the "road to nowhere" which was as much fun as Talking Heads song.
In the house space we had many babies that were very hungry and also many kiddies acting as kitties that needed imaginary milk. We also had several important and stern cat walkers who would take the kitties out on imaginary walks. Our kiddie kitties are a lot better listeners than any cat I ever met.

We played with purple play-dough and made pictures with water. We learned about cause and effect by using eye droppers to move drops of water between plastic eggshell cartons.

We tumbled on the triangular mats and learned that a "marometa" is somersault in Spanish. We danced to world beat tunes and did moves like the mashed potato, the giraffe, and ever popular elephant. Deborah and Zoey (who visited us from camp) read books. Pickett and Melissa took groups of kids to the back room to engage in creative play.

We ended the 1pm day with a very adventurous bear hunt story compliments of Natasha.

Toilet Time and Wash Time

Today was my first day as a co-oper. I think the day was pretty standard, and playing with the kids was great. But the centerpiece of my day was in the bathroom. I asked one little boy if he wanted to wash his hands (as the sniffles were getting all over him) and when he expressed a willingness, we headed to the bathroom. Once he climbed the step stool and turned on the water, I noticed that another kid had come in behind him. Suddenly there were 5, then 8, then 10. They were all clammoring for the toilet or the sink. Some pulling down their pants, some telling me that they had to go to the bathroom. Everyone needed a turn. I noticed that some each kid had a diffrent idea of how to wash, or how to use the toilet. Some needed help buttoning pants, and others wanted to left alone. The lesson for me was realizing that they were all proud of their bathroom experiences. No child was looking for attention or seeking acknowledgement. Each child was doing for his or her self. It was more about building mastery over their own bodies. I was humbled to witness this amazing and simple joy.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

This morning we had an unexpected fire drill with the real [loud!] bell; everyone got out quickly and safely and answered roll call. Jay and Athena and Anna and Penelope played with the new purple play dough; Oliver and Daisy and Sophia did a lot of block work. The yellow group played in the courtyard with Pickett and Melissa, and after snack we went out to the side yard to enjoy the crisp sunny weather. Rusty received some extra special attention, also. Noah, Margo, Sophia, Sydney, Maeve and a few others had a chance to hold her and feed her tufts of hay and apple. Natasha had some bird bones to inspect.

The nice weather allowed for a lot of outdoor play. Jose became a sea monster and chased everyone, some kids were monkeys in a cage, and we also played restaurant under the trees. We had some good rounds of ring around the rosy with an extra verse Tania imported from Australia.

October 9

Today was a fun day for all of the kids at ALG. During Circle Time we sang the firetruck song and talked again about what to do in case of fire. Then Cameron, Alice and Colette played in the play house pretending to be fireman and washing their firetruck. Maeve, Pace, Ruby, Henry and Harry played with blocks, making roads and bridges. Jose made paper airplanes, butterflies and bats. And some kids painted.
It was a beautiful day outside so after a snack we went out to play. Everyone rode bicycles in the courtyard. Then all groups except for purple went to the side yard - purple stayed to have some time as a group in the courtyard. The kids in the side yard listened to wonderful stories told by Jose. We also pretended to be princesses, dragons and dinosaurs - and even made some good food out of dirt.
The purple group had a lot of fun riding bikes, and then we decided to be lion cubs, a giraffe, a house, and a hungry hippo. We ran around while the hippo tried to eat the other animals. If anyone was hurt by the hippo there was a veterinarian on hand to help. Then we enjoyed some hippo dancing.
Finally, everyone came in for lunch and clean up. It was another great day at ALG! Have a good, long weekend.

October 8

There was some sad news at circle time today as Natasha told about how Smokey the guinea pig had died. She said he was a very old guinea pig and that the temperature change might have made him sick. It was decided that Rusty, the remaining guinea pig, would need lots of extra attention to make up for the loss of his buddy. After circle time, everyone went to play. Maeve, Clara, Sophia, Athena, and Sophie helped Natasha mix up some new play dough, which they colored with purple food coloring. There was also a lot of activity at the lego table. Another group also made a very intricate set of roads and ramps for the cars to drive, complete with tunnels that were very dark inside. It was a beautiful day, so we all went out to play. The blue, yellow, and purple groups went to the side yard, while the red group stayed in the courtyard with Deborah and rode bikes. There was also some make-believe play involving a hot chocolate stand. Oliver, Callahan, Sophie, and Alice took turns telling Deborah stories and she wrote them all down. In the side yard, Clara and Edison found acorns on the ground and we talked about how the trees drop the acorns to the ground in Fall. We learned about how we never eat acorns - instead we put them back after we are finished playing with them and then the squirrels eat them. Maeve helped push the swing and Eli was our traffic light telling us when we could go and when we needed to stop. Jay, Eli and Isiah saw the leaves on one of the trees are all red instead of green and we discussed how soon they will drop to the ground. There were also very spirited games with the basketball, soccerball and baseball - and even a visit from the ticklemonster. Some lunch when we returned made for a great day! - Kathi & Michelle

At circle time, parents were asked to write their kids' names in coats so the teachers can keep them straight. We also learned the sad news that Smoky the guinea pig isn't feeling well. She has been taken out of the main cage and put in a smaller cage in the office. Natasha will keep us posted.
Rusty is feeling fine, however, so she got to play on the floor for quite a while. Margo and Eli R. got into her floor pen and played with her a bit. Before heading outside, the kids all told Deborah their favorite thing about visiting the firehouse, and Deborah wrote it all down on a big drawing of a firetruck (done by Natasha) to be presented as a thank you to the fire fighters.
After a quick bite, the yellow and red groups went outside and had some circle fun with Pickett and Melissa. It was decided that we would put on a circus, so Pickett and the elephants helped put up the tent and Melissa served as the ringleader. Maia was Ariel the mermaid, Sophie was a trapeze artist, Margo was a cat-dog hybrid, Leila was Harry Potter, and there were lots of lions, elephants, cats, and animal trainers.
Victor had fun playing outside in the house and with one of the baby strollers. Later, he pretended to slide down the fire pole with Eli R., Athena, and Sloane. Oliver and Edison rode tricycles like pros around the courtyard.
Another fun day at ALG!

Today was another fun day at ALG. Tiffany, our music teacher, was here. The red and blue groups had some time with her first thing after circle time while the yellow group stayed in the big room and played. After a 1/2 hour or so they switched. We sang some familiar tunes like Wheels on the Bus, Old McDonald, HEad, Shoulders, Knees and Toes just to name a few. We also sang some songs in French and Spanish. After music/playtime we ate snacks and then headed outside. It was a gorgeous sunny fall day and the kids had fun riding bikes and playing house before we all headed uip to the side yard. There was lots of tree climbing, hide and go seek, cake making and stories from Jose. THen it was lunch time and more playing indoors. All in all, it was a great start to the week!

October 2

Today was a fun filled and productive day.
All of the baby dolls got a soapy bath and we're toweled off, diapered, and put to bed.

There were many large paintings made and a play-dough birthday party.
We spent most of the late morning playing outside, both in the courtyard - where the new tricycles got lots of exercise; and then the side yard, where Jose told everyone the story of Hansel and Gretel.

We played in the sandbox until we started to feel a few drops of rain.
Luckily the rain held off and we made back inside dry and happy.

October 1

Today was the first day of October at ALG! There are a lot of new things to explore....marbles and rings on the light table, wooden people in the block area, and clay at the art table to name a few.....

Athena helped Natasha water all the plants, because they were really really thirsty. Since it was such a sunny day, we spent most of it outside pretending we were in a circus, or were a lion in a cave.

The babies had a busy day in the courtyard, they were carried a lot and had many big sisters and brothers to help make them feel better when they got cold or had stinky diapers.

Lots of us played on the new tricycles in the courtyard, they go really fast.

On Wed, Sept 30, the yellow and purple groups got a chance to go to the firehouse and meet firefighter Reggie. They got to go upstairs and see where the firefighters sleep, climb on the fire engine, see the computer room where the calls come in, and watch Firefighter Taylor dress up in his firefighting gear. He even showed everyone what he looks like when his oxygen mask is on. Lt. Kelly taught all the children important tips on fire safety including: Stay close to the floor and crawl if you see or small smoke. Go to the closest window or door and yell for help. feel all doors before opening them, and if the door is hot do NOT go outside it. If you catch on fire: STOP, DROP & ROLL. and, remember to pick a safe place to run to if you need to get out of the house quick. Finally, Firefighter Reggie zoomed down the firepole! Edison's dad, Gregory, got all the action on tape, so watch for a youtube posting soon!

The blue and red groups stayed at ALG where they played firefighters in the courtyard with Pickett. When everyone was back together again, we had a chance to draw self portraits while looking in a mirror. We also built with blocks, played with playdough (new color for October) and dressed up!