The first week of summer vacation is here!
Well a partial week, but I filled it so full that it is only Thursday night (day two) and I am pooped, exhausted and I am sure, quite stinky :) We have one more very full day tomorrow and then just ten more weeks to go... um mm, lets not focus on that right now.
Today I took my Puddle Jumpers on a walk to the Tacoma Nature Center. Yeah, seriously, we walked a round trip of 4.5 miles plus the one hour hike we enjoyed during our "Wetland Wonders class" .
It was a beautiful day and the kids did really good on the long walk, no complaints, other then my Audrey who is 6 and really, really had to go... on the way home. She wasn't up for a trip to the bushes so we booked it to the local espresso shop and fortunately made it in time (it was questionable if we were gonna make it). There truly is no bigger urgency then when a child needs to use the restroom and you are in the middle of no-where!
It was a beautiful day and the kids did really good on the long walk, no complaints, other then my Audrey who is 6 and really, really had to go... on the way home. She wasn't up for a trip to the bushes so we booked it to the local espresso shop and fortunately made it in time (it was questionable if we were gonna make it). There truly is no bigger urgency then when a child needs to use the restroom and you are in the middle of no-where!
We had so much fun touching animal pelts, inspecting skat (poop) for berries, fur and bones (makes you wish you could have been there too, huh?) We also walked the trails and found a Red Breasted Robin, a squirrel, several ducks, birds of prey and a couple of lazy turtles sunning themselves.
Oh and we couldn't leave out the countless GIANT ant hills, I am talking HUGE three to four feet tall ant hills!
Oh and we couldn't leave out the countless GIANT ant hills, I am talking HUGE three to four feet tall ant hills!
We also were able to get plankton from the Snake Lake (wetland) and look at the organisms under the microscopes.
The kids had fun, learned something new and I got some much needed exercise and sun. Tomorrow we head to the local bird sanctuary to look at birds and play in tree houses and tire swings. Can you guess this weeks theme?
The kids had fun, learned something new and I got some much needed exercise and sun. Tomorrow we head to the local bird sanctuary to look at birds and play in tree houses and tire swings. Can you guess this weeks theme?
Tonight I will rest , I am gonna need it!
Gee Cindy, You must be one of the greatest day-care providers in the Greater SeaTac area. How nice that you actually treat them like a class instead of just plunking them down in front of the TV, then sending them out for an hour of play and then snack time, then of course repeat that cycle until it's time for them to go.
ReplyDeleteI have one question. Was Plankton up to any of his naughty deeds when you guys were observing him under the microscope?
Thanks Suzan, I certainly try! I got rid of teh TV and video games in my daycare over a year ago. That is all the kids want to do if its there. I figured they get enough of that at home,I want them to play and interact with each other when they are here. It must be working because I have parents tell me that their kids ask them to get jobs so they can be Puddle Jumpers HA-HA! My job is alot of work but SO rewarding,I feel blessed to be able to work from home and impact so many kids.
ReplyDeleteShe's not kidding!! For the last few years, there have been kids who don't even NEED daycare who ask their parents if they can be Puddle Jumpers!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pretty awesome thing to be a part of. My part?? I'm Cindy's IT Guy... =)
Well, I am thinking that if there was an award given for daycare provider of the year it would go to ..............CINDY!!!
ReplyDeleteI am overly impressed with your ambition. What a wonderful experience for those children :)
I want to be in the Puddle Jumpers too. What is the age limit?
ReplyDeleteI need adventure and fun in my life. You can provide that for me Cindy. I just know you can. But you would probably need a time out chair for me. Just letting you know up front.
Sorry Jan, no time out chair here! I just squeeze their necks till their little eyeballs POP out! HAHA! My daycare kids are ages
ReplyDelete5-11, the fun yet destructive years. Trust me everything is hammered down or I expect to replace it!