The infant class had a busy first week back after the being away for two weeks. The transition back on Tuesday was an easy one for both children and teachers. The infant teachers worked hard during the workday getting the room prepared. The goal was to create a stimulating environment for the babies when the returned on Tuesday.
Before we left for break, we divided the classroom into three groups. The youngest group is comprised of the youngest infants in the class and Ms. Carina and Mrs. Susan work directly with them.The middle group is made up of older infants. Their ages range from 8 months-11 months, Ms. Corinda and Ms. Lenoir work with this group.The third group is for infants 12 months and older. We have several infants in the class that have recently turned 1! Their schedule will look differently than the rest of the class. We have changed their flow of the day to look like the schedule in the one-year-old class. It is our hope that when it is time for the older infants to transition to the Ones’ class, it will be an easy transition for them. Mrs. Amy and Ms. Shannon are working with this group. They are also working closely with the one’s teachers, and they plan together weekly.
The younger infant group spent their first week back focusing on building relationships. Building relationship with each others as well as materials.
Both the middle group and older group of infants have incorporated morning meetings into the day. During this time, they focus on music and movement, story time, and morning provocations.
Ms. Corinda and Ms. Lenoir open their morning meeting with “The Wheels On the Bus” The children were delighted with the song and were eager to join in.
Mrs. Amy and Ms. Shannon began their morning meeting with a lively rendition of “If Your Name Is” During this song the teachers go around and say each child’s name and asks them to jump up and down. The first time they sang it the teachers helped with the jumping, but the next time around they were determined to do it on their own. Storytime came after the morning song, and the older infants enjoyed helping to turn pages as well as lifting the flaps to discover what was underneath.
Looking Ahead:
This week, both the younger and middle groups are focusing on sensory exploration. Through observation, the teachers learned that the children have an interest in textures, and hot and cold. This week, ice will be the focus of their small group work. The children will explore ice in many different forms.
Sensory play encourages children to manipulate and mold materials, building up their fine motor skills and coordination. During sensory play, all five senses are used, but the sense of touch is often the most frequent. Children process information through their senses, and they learn through these explorations. The beauty of sensory exploration is that it is unstructured, open-ended, not product-oriented; and it is the purest sense of exploratory learning.
The older infant group will be focusing on sorting, circles, and routines. Sorting and circles have been a large thread with this group, and the teachers would like to continue to build on it. Both teachers and children are still adjusting to their new daily routine and will continue to get acclimated to the new flow of the day.
Reminders:
Bundle up! It is getting cold outside.
Please remember to wash both your hands and your child’s upon entering the class.
Check cubbies often!