It’s been a great beginning here on the farm! Sunny/cloudy, warm weather has allowed mostly outdoor play, with playing in the classroom a few times due to rain. By now children are beginning to know and to feel comfortable with the teachers and their classmates. Each day has varied, but has included some of the following: individual choice time, from activities which may change each day, or which may be repetitive, like painting or wood pounding.
October plans
- Hayloft play on blustery or rainy days.
- Raking leaves, getting the garden ready for winter, harvesting seeds for next year.
- Harvesting pumpkins for cooking and baking.
- Observing animal tracks.
- Group stories about our hikes and observations.
- Observing and talking about colors in leaves, flowers, and sky. A walk out to the beautiful red sumac patch.
- Corn week-shelling and grinding corn for snacks.
- Walking through the corn field.
September activities have included:
- Getting to know the animals, feeding, and watering them.
- Collecting and packaging eggs.
- Picking and eating garden vegetables: salad, carrots, zucchini.
- Walking to the ridge and rope swings.
- Cleaning up the garden, throwing old veggies to the chickens, pigs, and goats.
- Learning to write your name, or initial, in order to find your project at the end of the day
Reminders
- NO SCHOOL OCTOBER 20 & 21
- If you are out of town, please let us know with a quick email so we know whom to call in case of emergency.
- The Little Free Library in the parking lot is empty! If you have children’s books you are done with please consider added them there.
- Thank you for the many Amazon donations! See our Amazon wishlist here.
Favorite Books
Oats and Wild Apples by Frank Asch
I Went Walking by Sue Williams
Favorite Songs
Let’s go Walking on the Farm, Farm (Woody Guthrie’s tune, “Ridin in the car, car”)
Let’s go walking on the farm, farm, Let’s go walking on the farm, farm,…to see what we can see. We saw a deer footprint, we saw a deer footprint…etc.
We saw a…(Children volunteer what they saw)
The Old Grey Cat is sleeping, sleeping, sleeping.
The Old Grey Cat is sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. The old grey cat is sleeping, on the farm. The little mice come creeping, creeping, creeping. The little mice come creeping, on the farm. The old grey cat comes stalking, stalking, stalking. The old grey cat comes stalking, on the farm. The little mice all scatter, scatter, scatter. The little mice all scatter, on the farm. The old grey cat is sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. The old grey cat is sleeping, on the farm. (This is acted out with sleeping, little fingers for mice, and stalking motions for the cat.)
Recipe
Zucchini Muffins:
Bake at 350 degrees, 12-15 min.
3 cups grated zucchini 1 t salt
3 eggs 3 t cinnamon
1/4 c oil 2 t baking soda
1 c sugar (brown or white) 1 t baking powder
3 c flour (white or wheat)
Also, now that we are settling in, you are always welcome to come and visit for a while. We recommend a visit of a half hour or 45 minutes, so that your child still has time to be with their class and playmates. Please call or email us to let us know which day you’ll come, so that we won’t schedule any other visitors at that time.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Please feel free to call or email and talk with us any time. 651-439-7745 or office@childrensfarm.org
We are encouraged by the positive start of the school year, and are looking forward to a full year of learning and growth for your children. Thanks for your confidence in us.
Jenny, Kris, Mickey, Amelia, Jeanne and Nancy
