5-Day: Pick a Pumpkin!

Oct 12, 2019
2 min read

It's beginning to look a lot like fall in 5-Day. Fall is filled with so many fantastic ideas to explore. Our dramatic play center has turned into a farm. Filled with farm animals, colorful fall trees, a farmers market, a hayride and, of course, lots of pumpkins and gourds. The children love using their imaginations and bringing the farm to life. They especially enjoyed buying tickets to relax on a hayride around our farm.

This week, the children learned about pumpkins. They created a collaborative class mural based on the life cycle of a pumpkin. First, they painted the warm ground with dirt. Next, they added seeds and sprouts. The next day, they created vines with twirled streamers. Then, pumpkin flowers (created with droppers and coffee filters) blossomed. Finally, in the life cycle of a pumpkin, the blossom produces a small green pumpkin that grows and ripens to an orange pumpkin. The children exercised their fine motor skills by cutting circles for pumpkins. They, then, drew on faces. Our mural is hanging inside our classroom and it looks fantastic.

We continue to help the children build strong social skills and foster positive relationships. We have seen lots of children building new relationships. As they play, they are learning to do what other children may want to do and understanding the way others may feel. Playing group games and participating in group activities are some of the first strategies we are using to learn how to build and develop friendships. We also provide a variety of blocks and encourage the children to build together. This gives them the opportunity to work together, take turns and share the blocks given. We continue to have talks about what makes a good friend and we read friendship stories. Some points we are trying to convey are:

We are all friends in 5-Day.
Friends don’t always have to play together. We can play with different friends throughout our day. Just because they’re not next to their favorite person doesn’t mean the friendship is over. We may help them to say, “I’m playing with cars now, and I’ll play with you after.”
Friends can have other friends.
We care about everyone. If a child is having trouble, show that you care about them!
Friends can be mad at each other and still be friends. “You’re not my friend anymore” is a common thing to say at this age. We emphasize that being upset with someone doesn’t mean they’re not our friend anymore. We help them to say "I’m sorry" and forgive, and we also let them know their feelings are valid.

Sure, we can’t be friends with the whole world. But they don’t know that, and why ruin things for them? :)

Here are some of the books we read this week:

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

It's Pumpkin time

My New Friend is Fun

Bella's Fall Coat

Ship Shapes

The Biggest Leaf Pile

What am I?

Coming up: Special Visitor’s Day

Please check your child's basket for a special invitation!

Have a great long weekend!