We really enjoyed all the Autumnal activities last week at The Children’s House, and this week will be another busy one! We will be talking about our families, bringing in photos to make a family display on the wall, philosophising about what makes our families so special and also naming the people who love us – verbalising these things aloud can help reinforce the children’s feelings of security and reassure them of all the love surrounding them – a lovely thing to do at any age! Then on Tuesday we will have Pet Visit Day!! The children can bring in a pet from home to visit (under supervision!) or alternatively bring in an animal teddy or a photo of an animal they particularly like, and we will talk about these at circle time.

We will also be doing a science experiment putting oil, water and food colouring to make an ocean bottle; the ocean bottle demonstrates how oil and water are immiscible, but can also act as a calming device – if a child is becoming agitated sometimes focusing on shaking the bottle then watching the droplets separate again can be very calming for them. Along this line, we have been doing deep calming breathing exercises at circle time, and will be starting our yoga this week – yoga is a great activity to do with young children as it’s physcially active, and it also gives them the idea that they can learn to use different strategies to regulate their emotions when needed. Lastly, this week we will be practising our first fire dril!!

Families

Some families are big                    (arms out wide)
Some families are small                (arms in close)
But I love my family                       (point at self)
Best of all!!                                       (throw arms up in air!)

It’s all about Autumn this week in The Children’s House!! The children will be learning about Autumn weather and we will be discussing how it’s getting colder and the nights are getting longer and the days shorter; we will making stewed apple with cooking apples – practising skills like peeling, chopping and stirring, as well as measuring, and studying how the apple changes from being cooked at heat – all very scientific as well as tasty!! Then later in the week we will go on a nature walk around the area to the rear – there are some birds nesting nearby so we might need to quietly go and explore, and see what else we can find on our walk. This is a good opportunity for us to practise crossing the road with the children, and encouraging them not to run across the road in the car park without looking and checking for traffic first.

We will also be making birthday displays and practising some mindfulness by sitting quietly listening to the sounds we can hear from outside when we open the windows, and finally we will be doing some Autumn leaf art at the end of the week….it’s going to be a busy one!!!

Duilleoga Deasa (Nice Leaves)

Duilleoga deasa, deasa                (Nice, nice leaves)
Duilleoga deasa, buí                    (Nice, yellow leaves)
Duilleoga deasa, deasa               (Nice, nice leaves)
Ag damhsa leis an ngaoth.        (Dancing with the wind)

Welcome to our first full week in The Children’s House!! This week we’ll be continuing to settle in and reassure the children, supporting them to become familiar with their new class and routine – we will do Practical Life activities such as carrying a chair and walking on a line, pouring grain, spooning rice etc. These activities help promote gross and fine motor movement as well as spatial awareness, and develop the children’s concentration and independence.

We will be making a jobs list for the children using their photos, and develop rules for their classrooms with them. We will also make a friendship tree with the children and put all their photos on them. Lastly, we will be doing drama using the book ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ – a firm favourite!!

Clean Up Song (tune of Twinkle Twinkle)

Twinkle twinkle little star,
Time to clean up where you are!
Put the toys back in their place,
Keep a smile upon your face,
Twinkle twinkle little star,
Time to clean up where you are!

A very warm welcome to The Children’s House to all our wonderful new and returning children and their families!! We have a short week to settle everyone back in, and we will be focusing on getting to know each other, learning each others’ names, practising how we walk slowly and talk quietly in the classroom, and lots of songs, games, and fun activities in circle time – we really can’t wait to get to know the classes!

Circle Time Song

Hello everyone and how are you today?
We’ve come to our circle time to sing and laugh and play!
And when we’re up we’re up, and when we’re down we’re down,
And when we’re only halfway up we’re neither up nor down.
So roll your hands so slowly, and roll your hands so fast –
Give your hands a clap clap clap,
And place them on your lap lap lap!

We are holding our open day on Monday 4th September, from 10am – 12pm, & 7 – 8pm

All are welcome to come in, view the school with your children and meet the teachers…

Can’t wait to see you there!!

There are only limited places still available in our 1pm and 1.15pm Monday to Friday ECCE classes starting this coming September

– please contact Sue on 087 6435895 / info@childrenshouse.ie if interested!!

The Children’s House is closed for summer holidays until Open Day on Monday 4th September,

re-opening on Wednesday 6th September for classes,

have a fantastic summer everyone!!

It’s hard to believe, but it’s the last few days of the school year….it’s not an easy thing to say goodbye to all the little people who are moving on to ‘big’ school after spending the year getting to know them and being part of their wonderful journey of growth & learning, but they’re heading in the right direction, and it’s an exciting time for them and for us all! With that in mind, this short week will be a relaxing and calm(ish!) one; we will be having a teddy bears’ picnic, dressing up, looking through our end of year All About Me photo books, group projects and most importantly, spending precious time with the children before finishing up with a party on Wednesday!

Many thanks to all of you who helped us out throughout the year whether by coming on nature walks/ sports day/ school tour etc, or coming into school with your child to read a story or celebrate their birthday, or in general just being such a supportive part of your child’s preschool experience! If you don’t have a child returning in the near future, we hope that you & your child will continue to visit any time – this year we had the first transition year student on work experience who is an ex-pupil of the Montessori, & 3 other secondary level ex-Montessori pupils also on work experience, so there’s no excuses – we can always find a space for your children!!

Teddy Bears’ Picnic

If you go down to the woods today,
You’re sure of a big surprise…
If you go down to the woods today,
You’d better go in disguise!

For all the bears that ever there was,
Will gather there for certain,
Because today’s the day the
Teddy bears have their picnic!

Our last full week in The Children’s House!!!! What a quick year it’s been….and we’re going to make the most of the time we have left!! After a wonderful week last week celebrating grandparents, philosophising about change and of course having our annual Sports Day, this week we will be focussing on the children’s emotions and possible concerns in a positive way; we will be making worry dolls, a traditional Guatemalan peg doll that the children can confide their worries in and the dolls are meant to take the worries away. We always reiterate to the children that they should always be able to tell their parents/guardians/teachers about their worries, but if for instance they are awake in the middle of the night and need a bit of comfort, the worry dolls are a lovely support. We will also be doing some mindfulness during the week, and getting the children to come up with different strategies they can use when they are feeling a bit worried or stressed – like deep breathing, yoga, jumping up & down….whatever suits that particular child to help them regulate their own behaviour and give them control!

We are continuing to learn sign language after huge success with If You’re Happy and You Know It last week – this week your children are learnign how to sign 5 Little Monkeys!!

5 Little Monkeys

5 little monkeys jumping on the bed,
1 fell off & bumped his head!
Mammy rang the doctor and the doctor said –
‘No more monkeys jumping on the bed!!’

4 little monkeys…

3 little monkeys…

2 little monkeys…

1 little monkey…