The art activities that the children work on are process-oriented. This means that art is focused on the skills that the children are practicing and mastering rather than the product created.
Listen to our children singing their favourite songs! Music and singing are an integral part of our day, whether with children’s songs on electronic media, song stories or sing-a-longs with friends and teachers. We also move to music, dancing inside as well as in the playground.
Please click “Stars are Born Video!” to see the video!
Collaging is an independent and creative activity in the classroom. The children participate in this self-creative process by creating their own artwork.
A child’s desire for creative exploration and expression is fostered through a variety of mediums and tools. Playdough, paint, markers, crayons, pencils, glue, chalk, scissors and paper are always available. As children explore these mediums, they develop hand-eye coordination, co-ordinating two hands together, concentration, sequencing, and precision through molding, cutting, gluing, painting, and mark-making, all while having fun!
Please click “Creative Exploration” for more information.
We were excited to host our summer family BBQ and fundraising event in support of The Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto. The teachers and children together created Indigenous inspired artwork on canvases and garden stepping stones for our silent auction. We also had a food truck come to provide the delicious food. Fire It Up BBQ catering did an amazing job and everyone had a great time!
Please click “Miigwech (Thank You)” for more photos.
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.
During the month of May, the Under 3 community had the opportunity to observe the life cycle of a butterfly: from a small caterpillar to a large Painted Lady butterfly. In addition to examining the caterpillars, the children learned about the parts of the butterfly and the life cycle using nomenclature cards and jigsaw puzzles.
Please click “Butterflies!” to read more about our experience.
Practical Life is an area in which our Under 3 children learn real-life tasks such as scooping, pouring, sweeping, mopping, cooking and taking care of the self and environment. These activities allow the child to develop motor control, self-confidence, thinking outside the self, empathy for others and a feeling of being productive and belonging to the community.
In the Under 3 Community, sewing is one of the challenging activities as it includes a sequence of steps and the manipulation of two objects at the same time.
Please click “Sewing” to continue reading and view more photos.
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”.