The children love to build! They are often independent in selecting the materials they need and initiating their own projects. This is exactly the type of independence we love to see as the children grow and develop. By choosing activities that spark their interest, they take ownership of their learning, while we, as educators, support and extend their play through language, conversation, and thoughtful questioning that encourages deeper exploration.

Many children enjoy racing cars down ramps and recently worked together to create a ramp using the gross motor balance logs. As they built and experimented with different structures, they engaged in meaningful conversations with one another, sharing ideas, solving problems, and collaborating throughout the process.

Wow, we have been enjoying baking experiences this month, including making chocolate zucchini bread, banana bread, apple cinnamon muffins, and biscuits. Together we continue to develop our baking skills, especially when scooping and leveling flour. We are even becoming quite successful at cracking eggs without getting shells into the bowl. The growth in the children's patience as they wait for their turn to scoop, pour, or stir has been growing.

In the art area, we have explored a variety of creative experiences. One favorite activity was painting on plastic wrap stretched across a frame. They experimented with colors, patterns, and creative expression while developing their fine motor skills and sensory awareness. Another popular experience was leaf rubbing, where children placed leaves underneath paper and colored over them with crayons. As the leaf patterns appeared, they explored textures, shapes, and the details found in nature. We have also experimented with painting using rocks. Some painted directly onto the rocks, while others used rocks to move paint across the paper and create unique designs. As they shared watercolor paints, they practiced communication and cooperation. Conversations often centered around favorite colors and what happened when different colors were mixed together.

Water play continued to be a favorite throughout the month. During our Alphabet Soup water table activity, the children explored floating and sinking letters, which sparked excitement around letter recognition. When children found letters from their names, they proudly exclaimed, “Here is a K for Kendall!” and “I found an A for Apple!” Another engaging water table experience included a variety of scoops, tubes, and funnels. Some tubes had holes in the bottom, while others contained spinning elements. The children were surprised and delighted as they discovered how the water moved through each one. They worked together, helping one another pour water and explore the different effects.

Outside, we have been discovering many different bugs as they emerge throughout the season. Worms have been a particular favorite! The children excitedly call out, “Look! I found a worm!” Some children felt brave enough to hold them, while others preferred to observe from a distance while still participating in the experience. We have started to visit the garden, where they learned about growing and caring for plants. It's amazing  that such small plants will eventually produce tomatoes, peppers, and even watermelons. Together we dug in the soil to search for worms and compared the sizes of their discoveries with their friends. Throughout the summer, we will continue caring for our garden and observing how plants grow when they are nurtured and looked after.

In the courtyard, the children have especially enjoyed spending time in our sandbox. They love scooping, digging, and creating different shapes in the sand. The trucks have become a favorite addition, inspiring the children to create their own construction sites and imaginative building projects. As they play together, they engage in many conversations, share materials, and work collaboratively, strengthening their social skills and friendships. We have also enjoyed using spray bottles to create shapes and patterns on the ground. It’s fascinating the visible outlines of the water left behind, we have enjoyed experimenting with different designs and creations. 

With all the worms and caterpillars the children have been noticing outdoors, we read an interactive felt-board version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar during gathering time. The children were highly engaged in discussions about what the caterpillar ate and enjoyed counting along with the story. This led to deeper conversations about caterpillars and their life cycle. To extend this learning, we used chalk outdoors to draw caterpillars and created colorful butterflies by decorating paper plates and spraying them with water to create a blended effect. Our art board on the Eagles side is now filled with a wonderful display of the children's artwork from throughout the month.

With all the worms and caterpillars the children have been noticing outdoors, we read an interactive felt-board version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar during gathering time. The children were highly engaged in discussions about what the caterpillar ate and enjoyed counting along with the story. This led to deeper conversations about caterpillars and their life cycle. To extend this learning, we used chalk outdoors to draw caterpillars and created colorful butterflies by decorating paper plates and spraying them with water to create a blended effect. Our art board on the Eagles side is now filled with a wonderful display of the children's artwork from throughout the month.

We ended June with our fundraiser hot lunch, which was a great success. We enjoyed celebrating Indigenous people day with tasty Métis hamburger soup, bannock, and berry crisp, and there were many happy and full tummies. A special thank you to Ms. Sharon for preparing such a delicious meal.