All Early Years – Groups

Landmark 5 (Garden/Care for Animal)

Transplanting of the bean seeds we started a couple of weeks ago. The children were given a tray of soil to explore while we planted the beans into larger cups. We did this on April 8th. We also discussed how plants make the food we eat. But, it is not tangible now, so they were more interested in the soil.

Trent Child Care at St Luke’s – April 7, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Our pinecone size sorting experience. The children were interested in smelling them and disassembling them. We listened to the cracking sound that was made while they took pieces off the pinecones.

Trent Child Care at St Luke’s – April 7, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Well on a walk today the children gathered sticks. We came to an open field and one of the children suggested that we build a fire. Together the children strategically placed their sticks on the ground then found dried leaves and grass to add to the sticks so they would stay in place.

Northern Lights Children’s Daycare – April 9, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

As part of a family engagement initiative for our organization we will be sending home a bag with bird feeder materials for families to implement at home on their own time. We are encouraging families to share photos of their experience on a see-saw.

Trent Child Care at St Luke’s – March 30, 2021

Landmark 3 (Exercise Senses Daily)

Explored their senses while looking out for signs of spring.

Trent Child Care at St Luke’s – April 8, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

These friends are figuring out how to get the water from the puddle into the truck- some great problem-solving!!

Sunshine Daycare – April 13, 2021

Landmark 3 (Exercise Senses Daily)

Kaiden loves listening to the sound of the rocks dropping into the sensory bin. And he found out they make a different sound if he drops them on the ground

Sunshine Daycare – April 13, 2021

Landmark 2 (Animal Friends Monthly)

This morning Ms. Talapatra’s and Mrs. Lockett’s Kindergarten class had a visit with Nature Nancy! We spent time together singing songs, playing a sensory dice game, reading a story about a bat and a squirrel and playing a game called Creature Feature! The students tried to figure out which creature these features belonged to by looking at skulls, scat, tracks, and antlers. They were pretty quick with the deer scat, the beaver track, and the big deer antler. Their activity was to create tracks for their family outside using water and a paintbrush. I can hardly wait to find out how many parents figured out what creature was visiting their yard/outside space.

Think Outside with Nature Nancy – April 9, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Isabelle loves climbing.

Sunshine Daycare – April 8, 2021

Landmark 4 (Favourite Place Weekly)

Mia is so creative. She found a piece of corn stalk and is sweeping up our playground! Thanks, Mia, for keeping our space clean and safe

Sunshine Daycare – April 8, 2021

Landmark 8 (Nature Art Weekly)

We are learning about spiders. We read the story “The Very Busy Spider”. Our art for the week was making a fence with a spiderweb and spider. Colouring with markers, making a web, colouring with pencil crayons, and cutting. We were very busy spiders.

Mrs. Booth and Mrs. Mason’s kindergarten class – April 7, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Today we used our imaginations to make a meal using items we found in our yard. Stones became meatballs, sticks were spaghetti, wraps and hotdogs. We had salads and even a meal for a snail. It is great to explore stones, sticks, leaves (dried ones), and dirt.

Mrs. Booth and Mrs. Mason’s kindergarten class – April 8, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Today while exploring in one of our favourite spots a group of children noticed some sort of bug on a large rock they were climbing on. I asked the children what they thought they were. One child said “ants.” We talked about how nature is their home and that we have to respect them and not harm them. The children sat for a long time wondering why the ants kept going up and down the rock. Next time we go back to that spot the children want to bring magnifying glasses to get a closer look.

Northern Lights Children’s Daycare – April 8, 2021

Landmark 5 (Garden/Care for Animal)

Even pets love to get new things! Cadbury loved his new bed. This lead to a great conversation about what kind of bed kids sleep in and how that differs from how animals sleep.

Sunshine Daycare – April 6, 2021

Landmark 2 (Animal Friends Monthly)

Spring is the BEST time of year to find bugs. We learn to be gentle and not to squish them. Also, we learn we don’t have to be afraid of bugs. We can all be friends!

Sunshine Daycare – April 7, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

Our placement student made a cool music wall for us to play on outside. We used pots and pans, a wire shelf, and a whisk to create a concert!

Sunshine Daycare – April 4, 2021

Landmark 3 (Exercise Senses Daily)

Peek a boo! I see you! Our friends love the big spools.

Sunshine Daycare – April 5, 2021

Landmark 6 (Play in Nature a Full Hour)

Alex had a great time playing soccer in the big field near our centre. He spent the whole morning outside with his friends!

Sunshine Daycare – April 5, 2021

Landmark 8 (Nature Art Weekly)

Quinn found lots of sticks. He is going to bring them back to the centre and make a ‘creation’.

Sunshine Daycare – April 5, 2021

Landmark 5 (Garden/Care for Animal)

We met our neighbour’s dog on our walk. We were very gentle when we touched him. Maybe he will stop by our centre to visit.

Sunshine Daycare – April 5, 2021

Landmark 5 (Garden/Care for Animal)

Hunting for bugs but we found a worm! We left him alone though so he could squirm away to his friends.

Sunshine Daycare – April 5, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Taking advantage of the sun and exploring our neighbourhood!

Sunshine Daycare – April 5, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

Chalk hand tracing in the sun!

Sunshine Daycare – April 5, 2021

Landmark 3 (Exercise Senses Daily)

Gunter exploring the crunchy leaves!

Sunshine Daycare – April 1 , 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Want to make snow angels but there’s no snow??? Make rock angels!!!

Sunshine Daycare – March 30, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

Since we love to be outside, we put up some greenery in our book nook.

Sunshine Daycare – March 30, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

As part of a family engagement initiative for our Organization we will be sending home a bag with bird feeder materials for families to implement at home on their own time. We are encouraging families to share photos of their experience on see-saw.

Trent Child Care at St Luke’s – March 30, 2021

Landmark 1 ( Explore Together Weekly)

We just can’t get enough of water play. Even though we are splashing, water can be a very calming, self-regulating activity.
Some of our friends that do not like other sensory play will play in the water every time!!

Sunshine Daycare – March 29, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

We did some bean planting. We talked about how we can grow our own vegetables and touched the dirt.

Trent Child Care at St Luke’s – March 22, 2021

Landmark 6 (Play in Nature a Full Hour)

Read a book about spring and students then engaged in exploratory play in the outdoors.

R.F. Downey Public School – March 29, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

We enjoyed another visit with Melody Crowe, Native Education Liaison Person, on a sunny spring morning! Melody read Water Dance by Thomas Locker. We talked about the season of spring and how water is important to all living things. The students then drew pictures of what they remembered from the story. This week we are retelling the water cycle story through pictures and our own words.

Kindergarten Explorers – March 29, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

What’s gonna work?? Team work!!!

Sunshine Daycare – March 25, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

We love playing peek a boo with our neighbour, Jeff. We are so lucky to have neighbours who love to interact with us. It creates a great sense of community.

Sunshine Daycare – March 25, /2021

Landmark 3 (Exercise Senses Daily)

Who doesn’t love catching raindrops on their tongue!!

Sunshine Daycare – March 26, 2021

Landmark 2 (Animal Friends Monthly)

Practicing ‘gentle hands’ with Cadbury our class bunny.

Sunshine Daycare – March 26, 2021

Landmark 6 (Play in Nature a Full Hour)

So much fun to be had outside, even in the rain!

Sunshine Daycare – March 26, 2021

Landmark 2 (Animal Friends Monthly)

We found a friend in our classroom. We are going to research him and learn all about him.

Sunshine Daycare – March 26, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

Loose parts make for a great drumming circle.

Sunshine Daycare – March 25, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

Alaya and her friend are counting rocks. How high can they count????

Sunshine Daycare – March 25, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Compass ELC Home Child Care programs had a virtual visit with Neil and Jacob, from Camp Kawartha today. We talked about how to make maple syrup and where it comes from. How to tap the trees and how much sap you need to make 1 cup of syrup as well as how to identify maple trees. Afterward, some of the children continued their exploration in their own neighbourhoods. This group of littles went out “lookin’ for maple syrup”…how cute is this!!

Compass HCC Providers – March 25, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

That’s a big truck!!!!! We love connecting with our community.

Sunshine Daycare – March 24, 2021

Landmark 1 ( Explore Together Weekly)

Blake loves practicing her jumping skills outside!!

Sunshine Daycare – March 24, 2021

Landmark 6 (Play in Nature a Full Hour)

Even when it’s raining we LOVE to be outside!!!

Sunshine Daycare – March 24, 2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

Practicing our gross motor skills on our outdoor obstacle course. We have tires, logs, and hay bales, so many possibilities!!

Sunshine Daycare – March 24, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

The last two weeks we have been watching for and talking excitedly about signs of spring! We saw grass instead of snow in our backyards, sap dripping into buckets, snow and ice melting, robins in trees, bees, ladybugs, robins hopping in the grass, rain, and robins eating worms! We’ve also heard birds singing and have been singing our own songs about birds as well!

Kindergarten Explorers – 03/24/2021

Landmark 1 (Explore Together Weekly)

We went exploring with our “cameras” taking pictures of nature. We found buds, trees, blue sky, each other, gardens and more. Once we each took 10 “pictures” we gathered and shared one item that we took a picture of.

Mrs. Booth and Mrs. Mason’s kindergarten class – March 19, 2021

Landmark 5 (Garden/Care for Animal)

Over the past 4 weeks our class has participated in a ‘virtual pet’ experience with the Riverview Zoo. Each week we checked in with the zookeepers and learn about three crested gecko sisters, Chai, Paprika, and Cinnamon. We got to watch the zookeepers feed and care for the geckos and asked them lots of questions. On our last visit, we got to see some of the other animal exhibits, including the curious camels!

The One Two Crew – March 19, 2021

Landmark 7 (Books, Songs, Games Weekly)

Students were read the book, ‘An egg is Quiet.’. We talked about different eggs and creatures we might see in the forest. Students then explored the Enchanted Forest and looked for eggs. A few friends found rocks that they pretended were eggs.

R.F. Downey Public School – March 24, 2021