Practical Life

Germinating Seeds With Sam!

Watch how Sam and her friend germinate some vegetable seeds in a bag. It will be fun to watch them grow, and then plant them later in the spring. We love growing our own vegetables! Please click to see the video and the progress at 5 days!

View

Sprouting Seeds With Brianne!

Let’s watch Brianne and her daughter prepare green bean seeds to sprout in a baggie with a wet paper towel. Put the baggie near the window and watch the magic of nature! Please click to see the video!

View

Practical Life With Blanca!

Watch Blanca’s son take care of his home environment by using a sweeper and dustpan, watering a plant, misting a plant, cleaning furniture, and feeding the fish. Great helping! Click to see the video!

View

Sprouting Green Lentils With Bhoomi!

Watch what happens when Bhoomi from our Casa classroom scoops lentils into a cup, drizzles some water on top, and leaves it for a couple of days. Now you can make a delicious meal! Click to see the video!

View

Spring Planting With Abeba!

Watch Abeba from our Under 2 classroom show us how to plant flower seeds in pots. Later in the Spring, we can help her plant the flowers in our gardens and planters. Way to grow. Click to watch the video!

View

Washing a Table

Practical life activities allow the child to develop fine and gross motor control, self-confidence, thinking outside the self, and a feeling of being productive and belonging to the community. Practical Life involves care of the self, the environment, and grace and courtesy. Here, a child is using a sponge and bucket of water to clean a table. Very helpful!

View

Polishing a Mirror

Practical life activities give children the opportunity to participate and contribute to their community. They involve care of the self as well as the indoor and outdoor environment, grace and courtesy, and control and refinement of movement. Taking care of our classroom by polishing a mirror gives us a sense of belonging and being a productive citizen in our community.

View

Self-Help and Independence

After the children in the Under 2 classroom have their snack or lunch, they learn to clean up after themselves, which gives them a great sense of productivity and ownership as they are encouraged to take care of their environment.

Please click “Self-Help and Independence” for more information and pictures.

View

Meal Times

Meal times not only encourage children’s social interactions, but also provide them the opportunity to gain and build their independence. As the children in our Under Two community eat lunch around our child-size tables, a teacher sits with the group to assist anyone needing assistance. Size and age appropriate furniture, dishes, and utensils are used to promote self-feeding, self-help, and confidence.

Please click “Meal Times” for more details and photos.

View

Dressing for the Outdoors

Children observe many practical life actions in their everyday lives such as dressing and undressing. With this in mind, one of the best ways of nurturing children’s positive self esteem is to encourage their already strong interest in doing things on their own.

Please click “Dressing for the Outdoors” for more details and photos.

View