Lakewood Avenue Children's School

Preschool Ages 1-5

Lakewood for PreK: July 21

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Good morning! The weather today is going to be much like yesterday, so we suggest spending some time outside in the early part of the day.

Science Invitation: Making potions or perfumes

This invitation is another exploration for the senses as well as for science. You will need a selection of small, clear containers, some water, herbs and possibly spices or edible flowers for perfumes, or vinegar and baking soda and other edible, non-toxic odds and ends for potions. Invite your child to experiment with and explore these materials using small spoons, a mortar and pestle, or other gadgets like a garlic press. This will probably be fairly messy, so it might be wise to set it up on a tray.

Nature Invitation: Checking in on your tree, examining its leaves

There has been some extremely hot weather and heavy rains lately, how is your child’s tree friend doing? This is also an opportunity to look closely at your tree’s leaves. You can supply paper and colored pencils, a magnifying glass, or a camera for documenting your child’s tree’s leaves.

Art Invitation: Exploring balance with mobiles

For this invitation you will need a stick or clothing hanger, wire or string, and some objects like shells, stones, or beads. Invite your child to explore connecting the objects to the stick so they hang down in interesting ways. You can explore the work of artist Alexander Calder for inspiration as well.

Lakewood for Middlers: July 21

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Good morning! Today is going to be hot and humid again. We hope you are finding ways to stay cool this summer!

Science Invitation: Making potions or perfumes

This invitation is another exploration for the senses as well as for science. You will need a selection of small, clear containers, some water, herbs and possibly spices or edible flowers for perfumes, or vinegar and baking soda (always exciting) and other edible, non-toxic odds and ends for potions. Invite your child to experiment with and explore these materials using small spoons, a mortar and pestle, or other gadgets like a garlic press. This will probably be fairly messy, so it might be wise to set it up on a tray.

Nature Invitation: Checking in on your plant

The hot weather and heavy rains we have been experiencing have brought many changes to the natural world. Today we suggest inviting your child to check on the plant they selected previously. How is it looking today? Has it changed in any way? What do they think their plant might need or like as it continues to grow and chang?

Sensory Invitation: Water play

The weather continues to be hot, and water play can offer an opportunity to use large muscles while staying cool. Today we suggest using a sprinkler or mister to create arcs and rainbows. Invite your child to try to run under the water, through the water, or jump over it as it nears the ground.

Lakewood for Toddlers: July 21

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Good morning! Here are three invitations for toddlers today, including an idea for cooling off on another hot July day.

Fine Motor Invitation: Tubes and clothespins

We recommend setting up this offering on a low table or a tray on the floor. Set out some clothespins and sections of empty paper towel tubes and invite your child to explore the materials. If you have clothespins with springs, you might demonstrate how they work. We wonder what your child will do with these materials, especially if they took part in the laundry day water play invitation we shared recently.

Art Invitation: Crayons and boxes

This is a wonderful way to invite your child to explore three-dimensional art. Offer an empty cardboard box and some crayons and invite your child to make marks and designs on the box. They may also want to explore mark-making on the inside of the box. If the box is large enough, they may want to explore mark-making on the box while sitting in the box.

Sensory Invitation: Water play

The weather continues to be hot, and water play can offer an opportunity to use large muscles while staying cool. Today we suggest using a sprinkler or mister to create arcs and rainbows. Invite your child to try to run under the water, through the water, or jump over it as it nears the ground.

Lakewood for Toddlers: July 20

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Good morning! It’s Monday again and we have three more invitation ideas for toddlers.

Dramatic Play Invitation: Laundry day water play

This invitation offers opportunities to explore water and sensory schema and build fine motor skills. You will need a couple of containers for water (one for soapy water and one for rinsing) and something to use as a clothesline or drying rack. You can also add clothespins or clothes pegs to the laundry line. You can set out doll clothes or small clothing items, or a stack of wash cloths, or invite your child to find some things to wash. Invite them to put the items into the soapy water and swish them around, then rinse, wring them out, and hang them up to dry. This invitation is an opportunity for children to explore this process that happens in machines with their own two hands.

Language/Literacy Invitation: Laundry Day by Jessixa Bagley

Durham County Library has several children’s books about doing laundry, you can view a read aloud of Laundry Day by Jessixa Bagley using this link. Or try Monday is Wash Day by MaryAnn Sundby or Mrs. McNosh Hangs up her Wash by Sarah Weeks. Any of these stories will connect with your child’s experience of watching or helping with the laundry.

Fine Motor Invitation: Playing with Everyday Objects

We really appreciate the thought and work that Reggio Children put into their resources. The link above will take you to their invitation for “Playing with Everyday Objects.” We hope you and your child are as enchanted with it as we are.