House-wiches!

Want to put a creative spin on lunch?  The kids loved making these 'house-wiches' with almond butter and honey sandwiches and various foodie shapes to create their own dream house!

The Construction and Architecture theme emerged so naturally this month. We were really inspired to build and create after reading these great books:

We drafted our own blue prints and used all kinds of tools and shapes to plan out our houses and buildings.

Then we used our blue prints to help us make a 3-D model of our design.

We love these Magna-Tiles!

These Tegu blocks are awesome magnetic blocks as well.

"What are you making?"

"I'm building my house and I'm making stairs that go really high."

Block challenge! Build a city using every block and train track in the schoolhouse!

Check out the article Ten Things Children Learn from Block Play by the NAEYC:

1. ​Problem solving. Sometimes it is intentional: “I want to build X. How do I do that?” Other times it is in-the-moment: “To go higher and add to one side, what can I use?”—Peter Pizzolongo
2. Imagination. Children can follow their own plan, or they can share a friend’s vision and work together to create something they never dreamed of.—Karen Cairone
3. Self-expression. Blocks offer many ways for young dual language learners to explore, express themselves, and demonstrate what they are learning across languages.—Karen Nemeth
4. Mathematics. Important concepts and skills are practiced and strengthened through block play, including length, measurement, comparison, number, estimation, symmetry, balance.—Kristen Kemple
5. Continuity and permanence. Block play engages spatial sense and motor abilities; it can be a solo or a group effort; block creations can stand for an indefinite period of time.—Lawrence Balter 
6. Creativity. Blocks and other loose parts can be moved freely by children, to be combined and recombined in countless ways.—Angela Eckhoff 
7. Science. Blocks offer opportunities to test hypotheses and build scientific reasoning.—Gayle Mindes
8. Self-esteem. Children discover that they have ideas and that they can bring their ideas to life by creating, transforming, demolishing, and re-creating something unique.—Holly Bohart
9. Social and emotional growth. Blocks help children learn to take turns and share materials, develop new friendships, become self-reliant, increase attention span, cooperate with others, and develop self-esteem.—Kathleen Harris
10. Development in all areas. Block play requires fine and gross motor skills. Blocks enhance children’s problem-solving abilities, mathematics skills, and language and literacy abilities. And constructing “creations” builds self-esteem and feelings of success. —Linda Taylor 

Building with popsicle sticks!

Building fairy houses!

Building forts!

Building models with real wood glue!

Sanding and building!

Dado Planks!

Marble Run!

Contraptions!

Building with Spielgaben!

Cheese and Pretzel Cubes!

Wood chopper pose!

1.Stand straight with your legs wide apart and your shoulders squared. 

2.Now raise your hands above your head and clasp them as if you are holding an axe.

3.Breathe in and while exhaling, bend down with full force as if you are chopping wood. Exhale with a loud 'ha' sound.

4.Pass your hands and head in between your legs when you bend down.

5.Raise yourself to the standing position and start all over again.

This pose is great for releasing stress and a wonderful breathing exercise.

Breathing exercises are fun with this Hoberman Sphere:

We love No Stress Chess!

Got more than 2 kids?  That's OK... "we can play in teams!".

Sweet friends!

See you next time!