Brrrr! As winter dawns, the temperatures are beginning to go south. Our Starlight friends have been investigating the concept of hibernation, learning all about the habits of bears, snakes and even bees. One child asked, “But what do the birdies do?” Excellent question! The girls and boys explored numerous non-fiction books and discovered that some of our local, feathery friends migrate while others brave the cold. Our bird neighbors still need to eat! So, the Starlight children began crafting treats for our campus pals. During a recent afternoon session, children strung breakfast cereal onto pipe cleaners, creating makeshift feeders while practicing counting and patterning. On another day, our kiddos filled wreath molds with fruit and seeds, added some water, let them freeze and hung them in nearby trees. Check out these terrific snapshots! Tweet, tweet!

The afternoon Twilight crew has their heads in the clouds. Literally! The current fascination has been airplanes. Our students offered their input during a recent Circle Time brainstorming session. All their hands rocketed into the air! One boy said, “A plane is something that flies in the sky with two wings. Some have propellers in the front and some have propellers on the side.” Another student said, “I love airplanes because I love going places, and pancakes…they give me pancakes!” After a construction/crafting session, our Twilight children built their own classroom aircraft, using cardboard boxes and art supplies. Later, a Magic Garden alum (and master airplane enthusiast) led the class in making their own paper airplanes. Markers, oil pastels, glitter and stickers were just some materials utilized. Twilight then ventured outside to send their creations into flight! Alongside all the fun, our students explored weight, speed and factors of ascension! Fasten your seatbelts and check it out!

 In November, there are so many things to be thankful for. At Magic Garden, that means friends, fun and learning! The afternoon Starlight crew has enjoyed cozy story times with our current featured selection, The Thank You Book by Mary Lyn Ray. This book perfectly compliments social emotional development, mindfulness education and our annual community partnership with the Concord Museum’s Literacy Tree Exhibit. The Starlight girls and boys took the lead, assisting Ms. Maria in designing and crafting a wonderful wreath for display. This includes collage birds and even some expressions from our students.  Please look for our very special wreath on display from November 21st through January 1st. Find details at www.concordmuseum.org!

The afternoon Twilight friends always enjoy a sensory-driven learning activity. Their latest endeavor? Sensory bottles! The girls and boys helped Ms. Elizabeth fill up their bottles with water and then, added two different color sticks of their choice. Always ready to release some of those wiggles, the Twilight kids had a ball shake, shake, shaking their bottles until a new color had been created!