A row and a tower; these are two words we use to describe building and stacking blocks. As we introduce our new big idea* of building and stacking, our Shale children have been using different shapes and sizes to explore multiple ways of building and stacking objects. After a couple of days, we noticed that…
This week in shale we started off our new big idea of building and stacking. We provided loose materials such as blocks, nuts and bolts, magnets, sensory bottles, books, small tree stumps, etc. We would place them out in a way that draws the children towards them and then facilitate stacking the materials. After a…
For the past two months, we have been discussing our adventures exploring movement with you – movement through materials, directions and actions. Throughout our journey, we have noticed that a lot of you have been reading and participating along with us at home. This is extremely exciting for us and a prime example of how…
Have you been exploring different materials at home? This has been an especially exciting week in Shale of discovery and playfulness. We’ve continued our exploration of different materials and this week our interests have lead us to exploring materials and objects through sound. By moving objects and materials in all sorts of directions such as…
Big. Small. Rough. Smooth. These are some ways we would describe the materials that we use in our programming for our young toddlers in Shale. Along with a multitude of others. Through the use of different materials, the children are encouraged to build on communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, problem solving, and introduce them…
Last week we talked about small spaces and climbing with you. Did you get a chance to try engaging in climbing activities at home? Our Shale friends are becoming much more adventurous in their climbing endeavours and they are showing their natural disposition of persistence. In the Alberta Curriculum Framework, the learning disposition of persisting…
Another week in Shale gone by so fast! This week we noticed a lot of our little Shale citizens really took a liking to climbing and exploring small spaces. Small Spaces Since we were doing a lot of locker exploring, we decided to set something up in our classroom to give the children a space…
Something that we are constantly working towards in our Shale community is having a responsive environment. In early learning, the environment is often referred to as the third teacher and is a crucial part of our planning and the children’s development. The Curriculum Framework for Alberta talks about how a responsive environment involves time, space,…
This week in Shale we explored lots of water, sand and sensory play. We also had the chance to explore the snow and make structures. We took a break focusing on movement and had decided to focus more on our new shale friends, routine and self regulation. What is self-regulation and why is it important? In the…
A lot of you have been wondering – what is rough and tumble play? We have been using the term more often here in Shale as our interest in movement grows. Generally, the term rough and tumble play has a negative connotation attached to it; however, in the early childhood setting we work to embrace…