First day of 2014! September week 1....

New friend Kate likes the scooping jingle bells tray (I'm experimenting w/ some Montessori ideas ;0))

Sofe - and really everyone - love love love the Picasso Tiles.  Such a versatile toy & I love them on our desk where the sun can shine through them!

Kai-Kai made a cool ship w/ people inside!  He is also new this year :0)

We briefly retold the story of the 3 Little Pigs - then read a new version called "The 3 Little Wolves & the Big Bad Pig"!  We talked a bit about houses & Miss Jamie helped children to cut & glue & draw our own houses....at storytime we also made a list of all our friends at Countryside, and played "Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?" to help learn each other's names.  We even ate some peanut butter & chocolate chip cookies w/ 3 chocolate chips on top!

We marble painted in 3's, too: Papa Bear golf ball, Mama Bear big marble, and Baby Bear little marble

One of our new friends, Adley!

Adley is doing another Montessori-type tray: squeezing small sponges w/ a garlic press - great fine motor work!  New friend Zach takes a turn w/ the scooping tray

Another new friend, Emma!

Kai-Kai & Zach D. loved building together w/ the Picasso Tiles!

Here is Kai-Kai's younger sister Sofe - just a wee bit shy ;0)

Allana is Emma & Zach's sister - and she has a loose tooth!  See next picture....

Here she is showing Josie how wiggly it is :0)

Lunch bunch downstairs in the fellowship hall - much more room to spread out & bathrooms are handy!

We take up TWO big tables now!

Ezra giving new friends Adley & Zach a big push

The rain stopped in time for us to go out for a bit - Emma & Josie didn't seem to mind the cloudy weather :0)

Koley loved the rings - she is so strong!  Big sister is Adley

Zach D. looking tough with the periscope ;0)

Hi Ruth!

Sofe got a little chilly so Miss Jamie warmed her up in her jacket, & Ezra gets a turn on the swingy horse

It started raining again so we dashed back inside for one more quick playtime & water color painting before time to go home

We had such a fun day - busy with a wonderful large group but oh so fun!  I look forward to getting to know all our new friends & watching everyone grow & learn this semester :0)  It is a blessing to know each of you & your precious children!

Miss Shannon & Miss Jamie

Pics from August play day!

It stopped raining just in time for us to get outside!  Everyone was so excited to find the cattails....

We have such a great place to ride bikes!

And of course lots of time for moms to visit :0)

Mud kitchen play

Just enough water to make it interesting!

 I am trying to figure out how to make room for everyone - if I take everyone on the waiting list & our friends from last year we would have 24 children!  We have a couple of weeks to work it out though - looking forward to getting started up again :0)

See you all soon!
Miss Shannon & Miss Jamie

Pics from July lake play day!

Silas squirting the clouds!

Ruthie enjoying the freshly smoothed sand

Brianna came to play!

One of the best parts is always when the moms get to visit :0)

Ben working on a sand castle

Clara the fish!

I think Liam enjoyed the sand just as much as the water

Warming up in the sand

Sweet pals!

Sweet mamas

What a gorgeous day for the lake!  I'm so thankful for each of these sweet families & their children :0)  Looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!!

August Playday!

 

 

 

We have one more playday coming up before we 'officially' begin in September! 

This is open to anyone interested in coming to Countryside, as well as anyone who just wants to get out of the house for a bit & have some social time :0)  This is not a structured regular day like we would normally have, so while Abbie & I will be there, we will not have a planned story time or planned activities.  Lots of free play, painting, outside time - wear play clothes & bring a bike or riding toy! 

We will meet from 10-12 on Wednesday, August 20th at the Playschool: St. John's Cathedral on Payson Rd (just east of s. 36th).  Registration forms & handbooks will be available at that time, too.  Call 573-288-0099 if you want more info, and check out our blog at countrysideplayschool.blogspot.com

See you soon!
Shannon

Fall session coming in September!

Summer days at the lake beach still stretch in front of us....but September will soon be here!  We are planning to have 3 sessions this fall: September, October, November.  There is a $20 registration/supplies fee & the cost per 4 week session is $36 per child.  I want to give homeschool mamas a morning out at a reasonable cost - I charged $14 per 3 hour day when I ran a small program in Columbia!  Most of this goes to paying my co-teacher, gas & a love offering to the church.  I would like to hold our class to 12 again this year; that seemed to be just right :0)  With our wide age range of 2-8 we also plan to offer more challenges to our older ones....possibly learning to knit, acrylic paint on canvas, more cooking, etc. Either Miss Abbie or Miss Jamie will be co-teaching again!  Both are a joy & my right hands.  See you all soon!
Miss Shannon