Author: Ellen

Founder and Director of Early Childhood Education at The Montessori School of Essex
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Nature Walks

Suggested Activities:

  • Hiking Trails
    • West Essex Trail: walk or bike, easy 5 miles (or less), goes through Verona, Cedar Grove, and Little Falls. Put in at the rear of Verona High School tennis courts and ends in Little Falls at rail road tracks- I think the Boonton Line. Dog friendly and great jumps for your bike
    • South Mountain Reservation: hike to Hemlock Falls on the Lenape Trail. Various places to park, making the hike long or short. I park at 2-60 Bear Lane or Crest Drive at Bramhall Terrace. Dog friendly
    • Toilet break and wash your hands

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  • Set the table for lunch (placemats, dishes, utensils, glasses, napkins)
  • Light a candle
    • Sing a song
    • Child snuffs the flame or blow out
    • Enjoy your lunch
  • Toilet, wash hands, and change your clothes
  • Nap or quiet time (12-3pm)

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  • Wake-up sleepy heads!
  • Toileting and wash your hands
  • Snack
  • Choose work and/or go outside. Child decides- (3-5pm)

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April Fools Day

Jello

Happy April Fools Day have fun playing jokes all day!

We are taking long walks everyday, making lots of classroom material, and hanging out with Gaia and Van Gogh- they love all the attention.

We miss you and can’t wait to see you again! Use the toilet and wash your hands
Checkout!

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When the Red, Red Robbin…

Suggested Activities:

  • Rise and Shine!
  • Toileting, dressing
  • Feed pets
  • Enjoy making and eating delicious breakfast
  • Clear your dishes: rinse and load dishwasher
  • Clean the table and sweep the floor

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  • APRIL FOOLS! Family Friendly Pranks
  • Spring has sprung! Let’s take a look at spring babies. Keep a look out for some of these adorable babies while you play outside. Remember- always ask if you can pet
  • Gluing collage: Robin
    • Parent: Print robin picture and cut out feathers and head
    • Child glues the feathers onto the robin. Repeat
  • “When Red Red Robin Goes Bob Bopping’ Along”

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  • Set the table for a snack (placemats, dishes, utensils, glasses, napkins)
  • Light a candle
  • Sing a song “For the Golden Corn”
  • Child snuffs the flame or blow out

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  • Outside: 1-1.5 hrs.
  • unstructured play or take a walk 
  • Explore, great time for language and sensorial connections
  • Lunch and naptime (12-3pm)

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  • Wake-up sleepy heads!
  • Toileting
  • Snack
  • Choose work and/or go outside (3-5pm)
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Blossoms

Suggested Activities:

  • Rise and Shine!
  • Toileting, dressing
  • Feed pets
  • Enjoy making and eating a delicious breakfast
  • Clear your dishes: rinse and load dishwasher
  • Clean the table and sweep the floor

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  • Scavenger Hunt: Blossoms and Plants
    • Let’s take a walk and find these blossoms and plants (download language cards below)
    • Do you know the flower’s name? 
    • Color? Shape? Plant or tree?  
  • Collect some flowers and press them  in a book. When the flowers are dry, frame them, and give to grandmom on Mother’s Day
  • Gluing: Forsynthia- blue construction paper, yellow tissue paper
    • Parent: draw branches on the blue construction paper
    • Child: crumbles yellow tissue paper and glues it onto the branches
  • APRIL FOOLS is tomorrow, here are some Family Friendly Pranks
TMSE Lang Spring FlowersDownload
Forsynthia

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  • Toileting break and wash hands 
  • Food prep: Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary
  • Clear your dishes: rinse and load dishwasher or hand wash and dry
  • Clean the table and sweep the floor

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  • Set the table for a snack (placemats, dishes, utensils, glasses, napkins)
  • Light a candle
  • Sing a song “For the Golden Corn”
  • Child snuffs the flame or blows out

______

  • Outside: 1-1.5 hrs.
  • unstructured play or take a walk 
  • Explore, great time for language and sensorial connections
  • Lunch and naptime (12-3pm)

_______

  • Wake-up sleepy heads!
  • Toileting
  • Snack
  • Choose work and/or go outside
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Seasons

Suggested Activities:

  • Rise and Shine!
  • Toileting, dressing
  • Feed pets
  • Enjoy making and eating a delicious breakfast
  • Clear your dishes: rinse and load dishwasher
  • Clean the table and sweep the floor

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  • Bead stringing: large, medium, small or tiny beads- depends on age and skill level.
  • Wood polishing: non-toxic wood polish (beeswax, olive oil, vinegar mixture or at school we use the brand Wood Care Polish
Wood polishing
Large bead stringing
  • Arts & Craft: Seasons- dip q-tips or finger into paint and press on canvas or paper. Children need assistance to make this project successful. Children tend to begin by making dots, then go crazy and smudge and rip the paper- avoid it, wrong info.
TMSE Season triptych
Canvas triptych, 2017 toddler classroom

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  • Toileting break and wash hands
  • Food prep: biscuits and/or juicing orange-clean, slice orange in half, use manual (hand) juicer twist or press (however yours works). Pour juice into decanter and add water. Lemon/lime can be used too
  • Set the table for a snack (placemats, dishes, utensils, glasses, napkins)
  • Light a candle
  • Sing a song and child snuffs the candle flame or blows it out
  • Enjoy your meal, reflect/talk about your morning/week!
  • Toileting break and wash hands

______

  • Outside: 1-1.5 hrs.
  • Unstructured play or take a walk
  • Explore, great time for language and sensorial connections
  • Toileting break and wash hands

_______

  • Lunch and naptime (12-3pm)

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  • Wake-up sleepy heads!
  • Toileting
  • Snack
  • Choose work or go outside or both. Child decides- (3-5pm)