Pop-Up Activities
Pop-up activities gratify a young child’s curiosity to explore how things work while reinforcing their eye-hand coordination and understanding of spatial orientation and cause and effect.
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Latest Dispatches
Coatsworth
Colour Box #3
While using Colour Box #3, children can develop their perception of colours and visual acuity. By following a pattern, such as a star or rainbow snake, the child gains a sense of order which they will be able to carry with them as they move on to more complicated activities.
Please click on “Colour Box #3” for more information.
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Summer Fun!
This summer has been a delight for those who enjoy the heat! We have had fun staying cool while running through the sprinkler, going down our ‘water slide’ and playing at the water table. The children have also enjoyed basking in the sun to dry off and having a little rest before running back to the sprinkler to cool down again. Let’s keep hydrated!
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Butterflies With a Wish
After watching our caterpillars undergo a metamorphosis into butterflies, we released them into our garden and beyond. We wished them well and added our wishes for world peace, and for everyone around the world to have enough food to eat; clean, plentiful water; somewhere safe to live; and to have people to love and to love them. Maybe the butterflies will come back to visit!
Please click “Butterflies With a Wish” for the Ancient Aboriginal Butterfly Legend and more photos.
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Metamorphosis of a Butterfly
We had the opportunity to witness the metamorphosis of a butterfly. We received many containers with a caterpillar in each. In the days following, we observed each of the caterpillars molt and evolve into a chrysalis and then emerge as a beautiful Painted Lady Butterfly. The butterflies dried their wings and we were able to watch their proboscis (tongue) uncoil as they sipped the Gatorade from the mesh. Later we gathered in the playground to set the butterflies free into their natural habitat. What an amazing experience!
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Math: The Dot Game
The Dot Game is one of the most advanced Casa math materials. The child must be very familiar with the hierarchy of the decimal system in order to process various mathematical operations. In particular, carrying over becomes visual and manual, which solidifies the child’s understanding.
Please click on “Math: The Dot Game” for more information.
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Yoga Class
The children take part in a weekly yoga class with Cheeba. In this picture, the children are working together to form a flower with their bodies! Yoga is an ancient form of exercise and meditation that involves slow movements and deep breathing. It helps the children become aware of and gain control of their bodies, aids in relaxation, balance, a sense of calmness, and the development of self-discipline.
Please click “Yoga Class” to see more photos.
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Winter Fun!
Our outdoor environment allows children to enhance their equilibrium, gross motor and fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and to coordinate the whole body working together while developing independence. It allows children to form a relationship with nature, to enjoy and care for it and discover our interdependence with nature.
The children are encouraged to discover and preserve the beauty around them while experiencing inner peace and tranquility, a process Dr. Montessori called “cosmic education”.
Please click “Winter Fun!” for more photos.
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Refinement of Movement
Placing cubes on a vertical dowel aids a child’s growing ability to use the small muscles of their hands, sharpen hand-eye coordination, and explore different finger grasps.
Please click on “Refinement of Movement” to see more information and photos.
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Music Class with Adriana
In our Montessori environment, it is important that the children have a well-rounded array of experiences, giving them the opportunity to find their passion in life. Our music teacher Adriana creates fun and engaging classes consisting of three components. The children work in small groups to learn the ukulele and others work with the bells. We then have all of the children come together to sing, learn musical vocabulary, notes, rhythms and play instruments.
Please click on “Music Class with Adriana” to see more photos.
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