November has arrived, and, finally, some cooler weather. Some Florida trees are finally shedding their leaves, creating a perfect fall theme of leaves, squirrels, and turkeys.
With the national Thanksgiving holiday in mind, we will explore foods through cards and matching and stories. We also will recognize the Native American culture through songs and small representations.
At the end of the month, we’ll have a Thanksgiving Feast for snack, and we’ll have snack as a community, instead of an individual activity choice.
One of the highlights in the classroom are the many bracelets most children are making. This is an advanced fine motor skill requiring hand-eye coordination and a transfer from one hand to the other in order to slide the bead down, which is an advanced concept. Last year, I couldn’t offer this work because we had some children who loved to put these beads in their mouths. This year, none of the children do this. It would be age appropriate, and when it doesn’t happen, it’s remarkable!
Handwashing
We also have lots of hand-washing going on with the old-fashion handwashing bowl and bucket. In all my years, I didn’t make a water source available in fear of big bucket spills. But inspired by Instagram’s #montessoritoddler, I dared to give a water source for toddlers a try. A bucket with a spout and lid would create less of a chance for spills.
My husband helped me make one, and the water source became a great "point of interest" (a Montessori term indicating the child liking a certain aspect of what you’re offering). What started out as a bucket with a spout is now a bucket on the floor, and the children can scoop the water they need. It’s tucked in a corner, and, so far, knock on wood, no big bucket spills have occurred, however, we keep a big towel around just in case.
One of the things I love about toddlers is that the internal call toward development is often stronger than the call to follow rules. A good example of that is the strong urge to climb. Natural tendencies (also called “needs”) of the children are revealed to us through their behavior. The need for gross motor movement propels the child’s development. It wires the brain in new and stronger ways. It indirectly prepares the child for finer movement and thinking skills.
Follow the child
We often perform better cognitively after a workout, as well. By observing what activities the child is naturally attracted to, or interested in, we may realize what we can provide to support these needs or tendencies. Learning is always easiest when it follows our interest. For toddlers, the need to climb is universal, but interests vary. When you follow interests, learning often goes deeper, longer, and with more eagerness, which creates great habits and promotes a love for learning.
Dr. Maria Montessori said: “follow the child,” and this is what I feel it means.
Songs
The songs you may start to hear are:
(Tune: Frere Jaques)
Thanksgiving, thanksgiving,
Here it comes (2X)
_________ on the table, (mention a favorite food)
_________on the table, (mention another favorite food)
Yum, yum, yum (2X)
(Start by patting your legs rhythmically, then stop.)
Alligator pie, alligator pie.
There is nothing I like better then alligator pie.
You can take away the green grass, take away the sky,
But don’t take away my alligator pie.
(Substitute favorite foods for alligator.)
Like a leaf or a feather, in windy, windy weather,
(Twirl with a leaf.)
Twirl around, twirl around, and all fall down together!
(All falling down to the ground.)
My Lady Wind
My Lady wind…
Round and round the house she blows about
Trying to get in.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
Through the keyhole in the door,
Through the crack in the bedroom floor,
In and out she blows about,
And around the house she blows once more.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (repeat)
Earth, my body,
Water, my blood,
Air my breath and Fire (Clap hands to create a “spark”) my spirit!
The Earth is our Mother, we must take care of her (2x)
Chorus: Hey Yanna Ho Yanna Hey Yanna Ho Hey Yanna Ho Yanna Hey Yanna Ho
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
(Sit on your knees and pretend to move your tail from side to side.)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Crinkle up your little nose. (Crinkle up your little nose.)
Put a nut between your toes. (Pretend to place a nut between your knees.)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
A turkey is a funny bird.
His head goes wobble, wobble.
And he only says ONE word,
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble.
Earth who gives to us this food,
Sun that makes it ripe and good,
Dear Earth, Dear Sun,
By you we live,
Our loving thanks to you we give.
I’m a little busy squirrel, looking all around,
looking for a nut that’s nowhere to be found.
Did I put it in my pocket? No. No.
Did I put it in the ground? No. No.
Did I put it in my back pack? No. No.
Did I put it in the ground? Yes. Yes.
I’m a little busy squirrel, digging in the ground.
Digging, digging, digging, look what I found!
Hop old squirrel, eideldum, eideldum.
Hop old squirrel, eideldum, dee. (2x)
Dig old squirrel, eideldum, eideldum.
Dig old squirrel, eideldum, dee.(2x)
Climb old squirrel, eideldum, eideldum.
Climb old squirrel, eideldum, dee. (2x)
(Fill in your own movements.)
Down is the earth, up is the sky.
Here are my friends, and here am I.
Learn the coat flip
When the weather turns cold, and coats become part of our daily wear, consider practicing this coat flip with your children.
Lay the open jacket on the floor, the inside facing up. Have your child stand by the “hood”, “collar” or “tag.” Those are some clues that are easy to remember. The child puts a hand in each arm hole, and then flips the coat on, over the head, moving the arms up, then spreading them wide.
Coat flips may take some time to teach, but, with a little practice, your child will soon be able to put on his/her coat all by him/herself. See the video demonstration below:
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