We've been out this week for fall break and I'm a bit late writing this as I've been enjoying some time with my own family. I hope all of my Appleseeds families are enjoying some time together as well.
I've been researching the importance of movement in young children and the need to allow children to climb, balance, and overall maneuver their body around. Of course, for the most part, children do this on their own given the time and a little space. But for fun we set up a little obstacle course with the blocks for the children to climb up and down and also balance on a board.
I've been researching the importance of movement in young children and the need to allow children to climb, balance, and overall maneuver their body around. Of course, for the most part, children do this on their own given the time and a little space. But for fun we set up a little obstacle course with the blocks for the children to climb up and down and also balance on a board.
An extra challenge was when we made the board into an incline and it was exciting to watch children play on this. The first few times they would use both hands to help get up, then eventually they would do it by walking slowly. Eventually, they would sometimes bring over a toy truck and carefully walk behind it while pushing it in front of them. You can imagine the degree of concentration and care this takes on the part of the child, but they do it! Without encouragement, they will repeat this over and over until they have mastered it.
We made some play dough last week. It is tempting to make some that I've seen made with delicious pumpkin pie spices, or even chocolate pudding playdough (really!), but that seems a bit torturous to all involved. Who wouldn't want to eat that? So we stuck with plain old homemade flour and salt dough. The children kneaded in the color themselves. It's a wonderful way to really have to work the dough, and it feels delightful because the dough is still warm. They loved watching the orange color finally appear from the yellow and red.
We added a new, very silly part to our morning circle. It's our scarecrow song!
When all the cows are sleeping
And the sun has gone to bed...
UP!!! Jumps the scarecrow, and this is what he said...
I'm. A. Dingle, dangle scarecrow with my flippy floppy hat
I can shake my hands like this, I can shake my feet like that.
(Note: our friend pictured to the left is NOT doing the dingle dangle scarecrow as she carefully walks the logs!)
When all the cows are sleeping
And the sun has gone to bed...
UP!!! Jumps the scarecrow, and this is what he said...
I'm. A. Dingle, dangle scarecrow with my flippy floppy hat
I can shake my hands like this, I can shake my feet like that.
(Note: our friend pictured to the left is NOT doing the dingle dangle scarecrow as she carefully walks the logs!)
Some of you asked for our bread recipe, so here it is:
2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups white flour
Cinnamon, raisins, seeds, etc. (optional)
Combine the flours, salt, and optional extras in a bowl. Dissolve your yeast and honey in the water until the yeast is frothy. Pour it into the flour mix. Then add the oil in. Mix it all together and add more water or flour as necessary. Let it rise for at least 30 minutes in a warm spot. After rising, divide the dough and knead for 5 minutes. We add our raisins and seeds at this time. Shape, put it on your pan and let rise for at least another 30 minutes. Bake at 350 until it's looking done!
2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups white flour
Cinnamon, raisins, seeds, etc. (optional)
Combine the flours, salt, and optional extras in a bowl. Dissolve your yeast and honey in the water until the yeast is frothy. Pour it into the flour mix. Then add the oil in. Mix it all together and add more water or flour as necessary. Let it rise for at least 30 minutes in a warm spot. After rising, divide the dough and knead for 5 minutes. We add our raisins and seeds at this time. Shape, put it on your pan and let rise for at least another 30 minutes. Bake at 350 until it's looking done!
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