Creativity basket tips for the week:  plastic or paper plate to trace a circle, washable thick tipped marker for tracing the plate.  Things with circles: clocks, cups, wheels.

Celebrate shapes and get healthy!  To keep things simple, we feature one shape and number each week.  To keep things interesting, each day of the week offers an interesting theme, from nutrition to exercise.  Here is the framework:

1. Sunday:  finger play introduces the week's shape

2. Monday: meet the butterfly guide for the week

3. Tuesday: try a caterpillar exercise

4. Wednesday: help your butterfly guide find a shape

5. Thursday:  hygiene tips with the caterpillars

6. Friday:  good nutrition day

7. Saturday: caterpillar weather & safety lessons

From my kitchen table to yours . . . quick tips to make the most of this special Butterfly School session.

In my experience, children want to feel healthy and energetic.  They can understand the importance of healthy eating, resting and exercising.  It helps if we directly connect the nap a child takes with the renewed energy they feel after the nap.  In many ways, kids are more willing to accept healthy eating and exercise than adults.   We just need to explain things again and again!  Using the caterpillars offers a fun way to reinforce good health practices. 

1. I try to consistently offer healthy snacks and to present fruits as treats.  Apples, oranges and bananas are pretty popular here -- plums, which are harder to find, are a favorite. I vary the fruit and present them as special.  Fruit is truly delicious -- especially when it is not competing with sugary cookies and candy.

2. We dance a lot -- every day.  Any music -- classical, rock, my favorite Beatles, songs from musicals --.  Again, variety keeps it fun!

3. We have enjoyed a video tape called Kid Yoga -- it is a gentle introduction to some yoga stretches.  Offered in small segments, each pose is interesting.  Once we learned them, we can play at the yoga poses or stretches any time.

4. Walking:  when the weather is nice, we enjoy going for a walk.  It is a great way to break up a tense time -- if there is too much bickering, or if a friend cancels a play date.  Walk around the block!  At the high school track we pretend to be trains riding on trips to Grandma's house!

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You are ready for the Activity Sheets now; you can print them from here (Get Sheets), or go back to the Butterfly School home page.

From Butterfly Central,

-- Jessica Steigerwald

For more great ideas, check out the activities at our parent site www.shininghours.com.  

Building from Basics!

Teacher Tips
from Corinne Steigerwald

In our gardening materials, we explored the letters of the alphabet, simple counting, colors and shapes.  This month, you can reinforce these basics and build from them!  We have integrated several themes so you can keep the materials interesting for children working at different stages.  

One shape and one number are featured each week.  If your child has mastered the shape and the number, build from there.  

Extend-a-lesson tips:  Play Butterfly School on the Go! with simple games like:  who can find the shape hiding in the kitchen?  Where can you find the shape in the grocery aisles?  Make a shape inventory to count how many (rectangles) you can find in the car.  

More extend-a-lessons:

1. Bring out a ruler & measure the featured shape -- on the Activity Sheet or around the room.

2. Trace-a-shape -- extend motor skills lessons by helping your child trace a shape (perhaps a soup can for a circle).

3. Add a writing lesson for older children, encouraging them to print the shape's name every day.

Questions for Corinne: corinne@shininghours.com

Coordinated resources:

Play & sing in a circle . . .