Dear Hummingbird Families,
Our lovely Hummingbirds fluttered their way through the first week of school with much grace, resilience, and curiousity. After only a few days’ time, it is wonderful to see how the daily rhythm of the class provides a sturdy, reliable foundation from which they can freely play and explore. This week the children met a special classroom friend, “Sherman”. Sherman is our beloved swallow bird who flies ahead of the children as we transition into and out of the forest each day. Many of the children have become endeared to him already and sweetly greet him each day before we set off to “Follow the Swallow” to our Hummingbird nest amongst the trees.
Other highlights from this week included our Tuesday and Friday visits to the farm. This week, we greeted our animal friends from the fence and observed their different sounds and movements as the children familiarized themselves with that environment. Indoors, the children put their creativity on display as they made an initial entry in their seasonal art notebooks with beeswax crayon drawings. They also kneaded, rolled, and “baked” with homemade playdough.
This week, the children will hear the Bunny’s Tale during storytime. This sweet story about a bunny learning to love her short, fluffy tail was introduced last week and with additional repetition, will really begin to come alive to the children this week. We anticipate the highlight of the week will be engaging with the farm animals up close as we venture past the gate and into the farm. Another new addition this week is our shared snack, served daily alongside snack items brought from home. As a reminder, we will enjoy gluten free crackers on Mondays, rice on Tuesdays, vegetable soup on Wednesdays, fruit on Thursdays, and rice cakes with fruit spread on Fridays.
Announcements and Reminders for the Hummingbirds:
If your child attends school Monday through Wednesday, please send a vegetable to chop for soup each Monday.
If your child attends school Thursday and Friday, please send a fruit to chop for fruit salad each Thursday.
Please consider the best option of bug repellent for your child. There are many natural bug sprays available and bug bands are another great option for children with sensitive skin. We want our Hummingbirds to be comfortable and free to play in the forest!
Consider creating a short, goodbye ritual with your child for morning drop-off. As we all know, it can be hard for our tiny friends to part with their grown ups. A special handshake or thoughtful, consistent exchange of words can help to smooth the bumpiness of that transition.
Thank you for sharing your children with us, and for being part of our community.
With gratitude,
Ki Alycia and Ki Angela
