Dear Little Stars Families,
I will be telling you more next week about the Little Stars’ new Music Curriculum (including an adorable musical parade around the school today singing “Wheels on the Bus” and playing assorted percussion instruments), but did want to update you on the recent focus on babies in the classroom. With all the new babies arriving in our Little Stars’ families, the teachers decided it would be meaningful for the Little Stars to focus on babies and what it’s like to become a big sibling. Some of the books the Little Stars have read include “The New Baby” by Fred Rogers (a.k.a. Mr. Rogers), “I’m a Big Sister” by Joanna Cole, and “I’m a Big Brother” also by Joanna Cole. They also had a wonderful time washing baby dolls in our plastic containers with water, liquid soap, and sponges, and then drying the babies off. Some songs they have sung are “Baby Bumblebee” and “Rock-A-Bye Baby” (though without the line about the cradle falling – we don’t want anything to happen to our babies). And a cooking project was making applesauce as it is a soft food that babies can eat. The teachers gave cooked chunks of apples for the Little Stars to mash with a masher, added a little sugar and cinnamon, and they all ate it together for a snack.
One day the Little Stars discussed what they know about babies. Their answers included:
“They are real tiny and they don’t walk but they learn to walk.”
“Babies can’t play golf.”
“They don’t talk. They don’t brush their teeth. They don’t have teeth.”
“Babies don’t eat ice cream.”
“I was holding my baby sister. I teach her how to say ‘baby.'”
A final “baby” activity for the Little Stars was to find and share their baby pictures in their “All About Me” books. The teachers took photos of our big Little Stars holding those pages open so they can all see the contrast between the babies they once were and the “big kids” they are now.
Some final news: Shameka will be on vacation next week so Molly will be working as a substitute teacher in the Little Stars.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Martha