Today we began the day popping bubbles from a whole bundle of bubble wrap!  It was noisy, but oh so much fun!!  The kids didn't realize it, but this is a wonderful way to strengthen the tiny muscles of the fingers and hands used when we write!  Functional and fun!!  That's The Speech Garden way!!

Our theme this week is snow!  We talked about some ways that snow and rain are alike and some ways that they are different.  The kids all made a chart about whether snow outside makes them happy or sad.  Everybody except one child wrote their name on the side that said that it made them happy.  We counted the kids names and talked about which side had more.  These are the beginning elements of graphing!  I never would have imagined that we would be this far in math skills compared to where we started at the beginning of the year!  SO much progress!

The book today was Here Comes the Snow by Angela Medearis.  It's a story about kids who get all dressed for snow, but when they head outside with their sled.....NO SNOW!  They go back inside and take off all their winter gear and while they are playing, one of them notices a few snowflakes.  They run outside and play with their friends, building snowmen, making snow angels, and sledding. 

Art for the day was a fun combination of science and painting.  We painted with "magic paint", which was actually a mixture of salt and hot water.  When we put it on our black paper, we couldn't really see anything.  Our paper got really wet, but no color!  I gave the kids a secret clue that when the "paint" dried, it would turn the color of snow!  Some of the kids knew right away, but they were so good and keeping the secret.  We will check the art tomorrow and see if our predictions were right!

Ms. Michelle was back today with some kid yoga and a brand new tunnel.  It was super soft and white, just like the snow we are talking about.  She even hid cotton balls inside to see who could find them on the long journey through the tunnel!  The kids were so happy to see her!  There were lots of questions about where she had been and if Santa brought her presents!  Very appropriate conversation!  She also had a new balance beam with lots of colors connected with ropes that made us stretch our legs and use our arms to help us not fall off.

The rain held off today for outside play, but tomorrow is supposed to a downpour!  Even a chance of thunderstorms!!  My grandmother always said that FIVE days after winter thunder.....you'll see snow!  A little cold weather and some big kid wishing could cause a long holiday weekend to be WHITE!!