Day 2!

Today was a whole lot cooler! 

We read the "Peace Book" by Todd Parr and I introduced our Peace Corner.   I like to think of this cozy spot as a place to have a "time-in" in order to avoid a "time-out".  I taught a simple lesson to teach the kids about their brains and then compared their brains to the engine of a train.  Sometimes kids engines can run too fast and they act "wired, or too slow and they act tired.  Taking breaks can help our "engines" run "just-right" so we can learn and grow happily ever-after.
I also introduced some simple tools to help with high/low engines. These tools help us to "come to our senses".  These are fidget toys for the sense of touch and kaleidoscopes for the sense of sight.  We also have a sound machine that makes the sound of gentle ocean waves or gentle rain. And we take regular movement breaks throughout the day along with long, slow deep breaths.   We learned a simple song to help us think about our engine level during the day so that we can  learn to "self regulate". When a child is self regulating, they are able to learn more!

We also read the book "The Dot" by Peter Reynolds

This is a sweet, simple story about a little girl that feels she can not draw.  The moral of the story is to simply do your personal best and it will be beautiful!  After reading, the kids painted dots with watercolors in the style of the main character - Vashti.  

We are surely becoming a Kindergarten Family!

Our Kindergarten Family Portrait 

(Yesterdays self portraits)