Love is all you need...

Homegrown Bear Cub Love

This is a short week with Inservice Days, so even though we've been working on wonderful learning projects, in today's blog we're going to feature our loving celebration on Valentine's Day.

We began the day with centers where the children could explore and create...



printing with heart stampers was most popular!




Every project starts with writing your name.

The names with lots of letters take longer to learn... now how do all those letters go together?




Comparing and contrasting images, sizes and colors keep us wondering and thinking about our choices as we print.






We also had a Valentine book reading center, which the children thorougly enjoyed. Every child had their own book to take home... but first we read it together, discovering more heart shapes found in the natural world! (We've been on the look-out lately for "hearts" in nature...The children sense that they are a sure sign of affirmation and goodness!)

(oops, lost an image... Sorry S, K, V,and E!)





We played our circle game, "Will You Be My Valentine?" We noticed such wonderful singing and skipping! We have played this game a number of times in the past week... the children enthusiastically request it!

Life intertwined in brotherly love from the very first moment for our much loved dynamic duo (double the love x 3 = the third successive generation of twins in their family!)

Look at that skipping... that's a high level skill for this age! Our whole class is now able to skip---- in this educator's decades of teaching, that's a first for a group of 4 and 5 year olds! (We have been working on skipping in P.E. and during our everyday large motor times.)

Snack was so healthy and pretty... "tea sandwiches," heart shaped cheese slices and pink smoothies in red cups. Everyone was delighted!

(This photo was taken before second helpings were served... then the remaining food and the smoothies were devoured with gusto!)

And finally it was time for the highlight of the day, our Valentine exchange. Every child created one beautiful handmade Valentine at home to place in our classroom "mailbox." Then we each reached in (with eyes closed) and picked a card. Every card was special, and each child was so pleased with their unique and special surprise Valentine.

Anticipation...

Big Thoughts on Love...

Who do you love? How do you show love?

"I love my mommy and daddy because I just do. I give them hugs and kisses."

"I love my dad and mom and brother and Grandma and Grandpa and Nana and Poppa and Cathy and Judith. Love is when somebody loves someone. You say,

'I love you,' or hug or kiss them."

"I love my mommy because she worries about me. You give love to your family. You give your family a hug."

"I love my sister because she's my best sister. Love means that you love each other by giving cards, chocolate or hearts. Or you can buy heart necklaces!"

"I love my mommy and daddy because I love them. I love Astrid, Nana and Papa, Auntie, Karl... that's all! I give them hugs."

"I love Mom, Dad and Ellery because I like to play with them. I think love is that you, like, make Valentines and monster trucks."

"I love my mom and dad because they're so special. Love is something when you love somebody and it's really great. Love is the best thing in the world! And if you're shy and don't want to say 'I love you,' you can do the signs." [demonstrates with hands the sign language expression of "I love you."]

Love makes our world go 'round!

Judith