J is for jumping, jogging and jaguars!



 Kids carry another bigger branch together.



Today was a J kind of day.  We began with making J's out of playdough.  This is something you can do for fun at home also!  The kids liked rolling out the playdough into snakes and then making letters. As we were talking about what we do during circle time and our TOP song-the kids broke out into the song spontaneously!  They really impressed us teachers with knowing a lot of the words and actions.  Since we were in the barn area, they all kept their voices really quiet so we wouldn't disturb the ponies.  We were so proud of the kids to remember the animals while they were singing!

As we headed out to the field for circle time, the kids found some large, downed limbs and wanted to carry them to their pile on the other side of the field.  They organized themselves so that they had enough kids to move the big branches as teams.  Team work!  Yeah!  Some of the kids were mesmerized by the squirrels who were hopping all over the lawn eating from the newly fallen pinecones.  The kids also played "wolf" and "kitties" in their "nest" they have made with fallen branches.  We even got in a game of "Red Light, Green Light!"

Kids around the nest they have made.

Pretty soon everyone was hungry for snack. Since it was sunny, we sat out on a picnic table and the kids participated in books about animals and where they live.  Everyone had a guess about what animals live in a cave and eat berries (bears) or live in a hole and eat mice (snakes).  We also read a book about a Jungle.  Another J word!

We still had time for a long hike today over to the grass and mud on the opposite side of the park.  All of the kids stomped and explored along the way.

It was a great day at TOP!

Snack and story time in the sun.