Lakewood Avenue Children's School

Preschool Ages 1-5

Lakewood at Home

Lakewood for Middlers: July 9

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Good morning! We are really excited to bring you three invitations for middlers today. Hope you are well.

Connecting with nature/Science Invitation: Get to know a plant

Today we hope your child can find some time to get to know a plant. It could be a plant outside, or a houseplant. We can think of at least two ways your child might approach this. First, they could do some scientific work: what does the plant look like, what shape are its leaves, how tall is it, what other creatures are living on or around it, etc. They might also go in a different direction: what kind of name would they give the plant, what do they think it likes (or dislikes), what is its favorite color, etc. Your child might want paper and colored pencils or crayons for their work, or perhaps access to a camera.

Fine Motor/Design Invitation: Light table work

Working on the light table, whether homemade or a tracing light pad, is very engaging for young children. It provides an opportunity to explore light and shadow, transparency, translucence, and color in different ways than a tabletop. You can set out a variety of materials for your child to explore on the light table. The teachers in the infant-toddler centers of Reggio Emilia sometimes spread a thin layer of sand on their light table and invite children to explore making marks with their fingers.

Fine Motor/Art Invitation: Contact paper collage

This invitation is related to the glue collage invitations we have offered in the past. Today we hope you have access to contact paper (sometimes called shelf paper). You could also create sticky paper by spreading a thin layer of glue on a piece of cardboard. Attach the sticky paper to a table or other flat surface with circles of tape on the back. Offer an array of small, lightweight materials such as pieces of tissue paper or fabric flower petals and invite your child to explore the materials.

Lakewood for Toddlers: July 9

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Good morning! Here are three invitation ideas for toddlers and their families today.

Outdoor/Science Invitation: Nature collection explorations

It looks like it will be cloudy, but not enormously hot this morning. We are wondering if your child has created a collection of natural materials over the past few months; pine cones, pieces of bark, leaves, rocks, sweet gum balls and the like. Today you might invite your child to explore those kinds of materials. What can they build with them? What designs can they create on the grass or the stoop? How do their hands explore the materials? What do they notice as they work?

Sensory Invitation: Sand cooking

At Lakewood, the toddlers spend a lot of time working with cooking utensils in the sand box. They use mini muffin pans, tiny tart pans, measuring cups and spoons. Sometimes in warm weather teachers will also offer buckets of water so children can explore wet, dry, and damp sand. Today you might pull together some similar materials and offer them to your child. What will they make for themselves, or for you?

Fine/Large Motor Invitation: Transporting offering

Today we are curious about how your child might like to explore transporting today. Are they interested in rolling a baby doll around in a stroller? Are they interested in filling a bag with items and carrying it to the other end of your home? Would they like to use their entire body to move pillows or couch cushions across the room? Pick one or two of these offerings to set up in your house (or yard) and see what your child would like to explore today. Remember that your child’s goal will likely be to move things from one point to another and not to do something with the items once they are moved.

Lakewood for PreK: July 9

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Good morning! It looks like another warm and possibly stormy day. Here are three invitations for preschoolers which can be adapted for indoor or outdoor exploration.

Outdoor/Large Motor Invitation: Tree adventure

This invitation can be offered outside or inside, it is linked to the other invitations for today which can be done indoors or outside as well. First, invite your child to go on a mini-adventure and select a tree. This can be done from inside, picking a tree they can see through the window, or by going outside and finding a nearby tree. Invite them to use all their senses to investigate the tree. What does each aspect of it look like? What do they smell? What do they hear when they are quiet? How does the bark feel? The leaves and branches? If you are inside or cannot get close to the tree, invite them to imagine these sensory experiences. What do they think/imagine this tree is like? What would they like to know about it? 

Connecting/Social Invitation: Make something for a tree

After your child has spent some time observing and connecting with a tree, ask them what they think the tree might like as a gift. You might consider sharing some of the work of British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy with them as inspiration. You can find a short video here. 

Fine Motor Invitation: Observational drawing/writing

Provide your child with some paper and a firm surface to write on such as a clipboard and a pencil or fine-line marker. Invite them to make some observational drawings of the tree they have selected. Invite them to look closely, like a scientist, to notice details. This type of drawing builds a related but slightly different set of skills from more free artistic drawing.

Lakewood for Toddlers: July 8

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Good morning! It’s Wednesday and looks like there may be more thunderstorms in store for us again today. Here are three invitations you might offer your toddler today.

Sensory Invitation: Sensory explorations with scoops

Today we invite you to get out what by now may have become your trusty sensory bin, add some sand and perhaps some water if it is a warm part of the day, and some tools for scooping. These could be measuring cups or spoons, small shovels, or regular spoons. Invite your child to explore what they can do with scoops, water and sand.

Art/Fine Motor Invitation: Contact paper collage

This invitation is related to the glue collage invitations we have offered in the past. Today we hope you have access to contact paper (sometimes called shelf paper). You could also create sticky paper by spreading a thin layer of glue on a piece of cardboard. Attach the sticky paper to a table or other flat surface with circles of tape on the back. Offer an array of small, lightweight materials such as pieces of tissue paper or fabric flower petals and invite your child to explore the materials. Toddlers are often fascinated by sticky paper and want to explore it with their fingers first.

Building Invitation: Blocks and small fabric swatches

At one point during Lakewood at Home, we suggested offering fabric as a block building accessory. Today we are curious about what toddlers will do with smaller pieces of fabric (about the size of one of the blocks or smaller). How will this change their building? Will it add a dimension of creativity or dramatic play to their work?