On Friday we celebrated Mother's Day at Sweet Smiles Preschool! In every box of curriculum there is always an extra bag full of supplies and lesson ideas for every holiday in that particular month. I really appreciate that Mother Goose does this, as holidays are important to us around here. Mother's Day is a special day to honor all Mothers for all that they have done, and continue to do for so many of us!
Each "Bonus Day" packet has songs, questions to ask, group activities, craft ideas, suggested books, etc...
We sang this song:
"Mommy loves me, Mommy loves me.
I love her, too, yes I do!
We spend time together,
in any kind of weather.
How about you? What do you do?"
(Sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques.")
The kids shared what they like best about their Mom and what they like doing with her.
The kids and I have been counting down the days on the calendar! Mother's Day is just two days away!
I started by reading this special book: "My Mother is Mine."
It is a story about animal mothers and their babies. It was interesting to read how even animals love and comfort their babies in some of the same ways humans do!
Mother Goose Time provided us with these "Matching Mothers" Memory cards...
The kids played Memory and matched up each mother to its baby...
Next, I provided the kids with a template to make their Mother's Day cards!
I helped some of the kids write what they wanted to say to their Mom, or I wrote some of the kids ideas for them (depending on their skill level).
Then the kids colored the outside and inside of their card...
Mother Goose provided us with these items for our Mother's Day gift!
I painted each child's hand green and made their handprint on the paper for the stems of a plant...
(We made our handprints on Thursday.)
I LOVE the poem that was already printed on the pot for us! It is so great that Mother Goose also includes the year it was completed! This will be a keepsake for the Mom's for many years!
I set out the silk flowers and let the kids explore and play with them before we attached them to our craft.
J worked on balancing flowers on his fingers...
A few of the kids placed the flowers on their fingertips...
S liked lining up her flowers...
After a while the kids thought to sort them by their color...
J realized he could blow on the flowers and make them move...
Then everyone wanted to blow on the flowers...
It got wild pretty quickly, and the kids wanted to see what it would be like to throw them up in the air. They floated down slowly!
The kids LOVED this! They started screaming and giggling loudly! Can you tell? My nephew was plugging his ears. (My sister's family is staying with us this weekend.)
Once the kids settled down again, they glued their flowers to their craft...
I posted Mother's Day words on our pocket chart word wall. I encouraged the kids to color on the front and back of their artwork and write words or sentences...
All the kids did a really great job!
They are all so proud and excited to surprise their Mom's!
For our next activity, I set I bought pink pipe cleaners and beads. The kids made bracelets for their Mom!
Their faces show so much concentration! I love it!
Look! Even her tongue is out! Hee hee!
I found it interesting to see what beads each child chose for their Mom. S chose all star shaped beads for her Mommy...
So proud, and a little jealous! Some of the girls wanted to keep their bracelets!
Even boys can sport these "SUPER COOL" bracelets! Oh yeah! Watch out!
I also interviewed each child about their Mom. I filled in the blanks to this questionnaire...
These are all of our special gifts! The kids are proud they made them all by themselves!
When we went outside, I taught the kids how to play a version of "Simon Says." This version was "Mother Says!" We talked about how important it is to respect and listen to our Mom's!
Later in the day we checked back on our grass seed gardens. They have grown almost two inches in two days!!!!! Wow! The kids were so amazed!
The kids measured their tallest and shortest blades of grass...
...and then drew one more observation on their "Growing Gardens Observation Record!" (This was Day 8 for us.)
One child accidentally dropped their grass seed garden. Unfortunately, I didn't have more seeds for her to replant, but we are very curious to see if it will still grow or not. Another science experiment for us to predict and watch!
We read a number of Mother's Day themed books today! We didn't read them all at one time..just throughout the day.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!! I am so thankful I have so many children to care for, and their Mother's are all AMAZING! I have gained so many friendships, and learned so much from the preschool Mom's over the years!!!! I am so soooooo grateful!
