Isabel and I have been attending an Early Childhood and Family Education (ECFE) class on Tuesday mornings since last fall. The class runs from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The mommies spend the first half an hour in the room with the kids. Then at 11:30, the kids gather for a snack while we trot across the hall for 45 minutes of adult time to discuss child development, joys and concerns of parenting, etc. When we return, the kids are usually playing in the sandbox. Finally, we gather in a circle and sing a few songs, and it's time to go home.
It's been fun to watch all the kids progress and develop throughout the year. Last fall when we started, Isabel was just taking her first tentative steps, and another little girl wasn't walking at all. Now they are all walking (make that running) and talking. Play is still fairly independent though they have begun to notice each other a little more, and from time to time there can be a little territorial tussle over one toy or another. There used to be a lot of crying when the mommies would separate and go across the hall. Now the kids actually gather around the snack table without being told and barely notice when we walk out the door. Every once in awhile a little one will cry at separation time, but not very often.
Here are just a couple of pictures I snapped the other day right after we mommies came back into the room. The kids usually greet us happily, but then they gather around the sand box for some fun. The teachers fill it will couscous or cream of wheat or oatmeal, and the kids just love it. In fact, I made a mini sandbox for at home play. I filled an underbed container with a large box of couscous and a strainer, some measuring spoons, a few funnels, and a couple of scoops. We can play with it indoors on a rainy day (just lay down some plastic...the couscous stays fairly contained unless you have a couscous tosser), and sometimes we even take it outside if I don't want to have to bathe Isabel after playing (which I have to do after she plays in the real sandbox).
Here is Miss Ibby at school:
Thursday, April 16, 2009
School Days
Posted by Pam at 12:32 PM
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4 comments:
2 pictures? That's it?? I need more. :) 9 more days!!!
What a great idea. You are a very smart Mommy!
I have learned that playdoe is better outside. Don't even get me started on moonsand! Let's just say the one time we did that it ended with me having to strip the girls and literally hose them off in the backyard BEFORE we could even make it to the tub!
Sounds like a great class. And I bet Isabel love the independence from mommy --- but just for a little while -- of course.
Okay tell me this, where do you have your mini sandbox set up at home??? Lynn thought I was being brave with the play dough this week, but man a sand box in the house takes the prize!
Love the idea and I need to look into a class like that for Maiya and I. That sounds awesome and I would love to do it asap! She and I both could use something like that once a week. Thanks for the inspiration!
xxoo-
Susan
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