Blog: Middlers

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.

Good morning! It’s Monday again and we have three more invitations for Middlers.

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.

Art Invitation: Crayons and paper

At Lakewood, the middlers have access to art supplies for a significant portion of the day and there is often a group working with crayons or other mark-making tools and paper. Sometimes their ideas are too big for regular paper, so the teachers get out larger paper and cover a table or a section of the floor. If your child’s work needs more space, you can use the back of a large piece of wrapping paper, a large cardboard box, packing paper, or several sheets of paper taped together.

Good morning and happy Friday! We are so happy you spent some of your time with us this week. We only have a few more days of Lakewood at Home before we reopen the school building on August 5th. Here are three invitations for middlers today.

Art Invitation: NCMA City in the Grass

If you did not have a chance to see City in the Grass at NCMA, you can see it virtually through their website. It is in the outdoor sculpture park, so it is possible to go and see it in person, but the park tends to be very popular and it might be difficult to socially distance at certain times of day. We really enjoy this piece of art because it is so accessible for young children. It has texture, color, and is at their level. We hope the link above gives you and your child a sense of the piece. You can find additional activity ideas here. 

Building/Outdoor Invitation: Outdoor blocks

In thinking about City in the Grass and the other invitations we have suggested over the past few months, we wanted to suggest taking some blocks to a shady spot outside today. You can add animals, people, or other loose parts to this exploration as well. Block building uses motor skills and is a way for children to explore physics, architecture and engineering.

Sensory/Fine Motor Invitation: Scissors and grass (sensory and fine motor)

This could be an indoor invitation if you have access to some sod or cat grass, or you can offer it outside. Offer your child a pair of scissors and invite them to explore cutting the grass. This is an exercise in fine motor skills and exploring transformation schema.

Good morning! We have made it through over half of the week! Here are three invitations we hope will engage your middler-aged child today.

Fine Motor Invitation: Making binoculars

This invitation uses a paper towel tube, scissors, a hole punch, some string or yarn, and tape. You can also offer markers, pencils or crayons for customizing the binoculars.

Cut the paper towel tube into two equal cylinders and punch one hole at the top of each piece. Invite your child to connect the two tubes together using tape with the holes on the outside edges. This is the time to decorate them! 

To complete the binoculars, loop the string through the holes and adjust. To prevent creating a strangulation hazard, only tie the string through one of the holes. Even though there is no glass or magnification in these binoculars, they do narrow your vision and create a slightly different perspective.

Science/Nature Invitation: Birding adventure

Your child might want to take their new binoculars on this birding adventure, but they are completely optional. You will need a window with a view or an outdoor space, preferably in the shade. Along with their binoculars, your child might appreciate having a clipboard with a piece of paper and pencil/pen and a bird book if you have one. Invite them to sit quietly, listening and observing the world around them. What do they hear? What do they see? Are there any birds nearby? What do they look like? 

Sensory Invitation: Bird bath

This invitation is perfect for a kiddie pool or a large, shallow storage tub. Fill it with an inch or so of water and invite your child to pretend to be a bird and take a bath in the water. This video of flamingos dancing is a fun watch and might be inspirational. You can also find videos of birds bathing in puddles.