Over the last couple of weeks, the toddlers have loved learning about fruits and vegetables, especially through reading the "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" book. During circle time today, we read the story again to see how well they knew the foods the caterpillar ate. The toddlers excitedly pointed out the familiar fruits and vegetables as the caterpillar devoured each one. They also improved their social and communication skills by discussing with their friends which fruits the caterpillar should eat next.
The children took turns feeding a toy caterpillar in the room sensory bins, communicating with their friends about the caterpillar's next meal. They were thrilled by their new interest in caterpillars, and we look forward to expanding on this theme.
The teachers put up a picture of a caterpillar for the toddlers to observe and explore. They communicated with their friends about the caterpillar and what it looks like, and how it looks similar to the ones they find in our playground and read about in books! Then the toddlers got to work, by using a pencil to start to sketch out their caterpillar in the way they think or see on their paper! While looking at the picture of the very hungry caterpillar our friends started the first step in creating their own. Using green paint and different circular materials our friends created the caterpillars body! The toddlers decided if they wanted to use a circular sponge, a cotton ball or a large cotton ball to create their caterpillars body. They enhanced their fine motor skills as they grasped the material and dipped it into green paint and onto their paper. They also practiced their communication skills as we spoke about all the different characteristics of a caterpillar.
The toddlers were proud of their finished caterpillars and are eager to continue learning about caterpillars and butterflies. Today, they started learning about the life cycle of a butterfly. They sat in a circle, learned the steps of the cycle, and communicated with their friends about what they learned. The teachers read a book about the life cycle of a butterfly, and the toddlers are excited to start creating butterflies next week. Stay tuned for more learning activities!
