Red Room

THE RED ROOM REPORTER
JANUARY 6 – 10, 13 – 17, AND 20 – 24
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful break. My break was restful, but I am ready to get back to a normal schedule. I know the Red Roomers will be glad to see both their human and animal friends and get back into our routine. 
The past few months have been a flurry of activity. The start of the new school year, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all the celebrations in December have kept all of us busy at both school and home. Now it is January and the days tend to be cold and cloudy. I know that I struggle to get out of bed on some of those cold mornings and I bet moms and dads do to. Please keep this in mind as we come back from Winter Break and your little one might have a hard time during morning drop offs. Some of the children feel the January blues just as the adults do and sometimes the way they express it is to cry or cling to mom or dad in the morning. Once we get back into the routine and the daylight hours get longer it will get better.
We will spend the next three weeks on a winter unit and learning about Martin Luther King. Please note that Share Days are January 16 and 24.
Kinderfarm will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday.
Please be sure that your child wears winter appropriate clothing to school. Children should be dressed in layers so that they can take off and put on clothing items as needed throughout the day. Temperatures in the building can change drastically during high traffic times when the front door is opened many times. Also, please continue to send snowpants with your child each time they attend Kinderfarm even if there is no snow. As I have mentioned many times, it is colder at Kinderfarm and it is almost always windy and snowpants offer an extra layer of warmth. We can spend upwards of an hour outdoors and so the extra layer is a must.
Information about summer/fall registration will be posted on the Kinderfarm website beginning January 20. Families of children already enrolled at Kinderfarm may begin enrolling January 21. Open enrollment for families not currently enrolled will begin February 1. If you would like to enroll your child for either/both summer sessions and/or fall, please download the paperwork, complete the forms, and return them with the necessary deposits. Spaces do tend to fill up quickly, so it is recommended that you return the paperwork as soon as possible in order to secure a space for your child. Feel free to call Kinderfarm with any questions you might have about summer/fall registration.
MONDAY – A new month means it is time for us to make something for the coatroom bulletin board. Be sure to ask your child what they made for everyone to enjoy as they come into the building.
TUESDAY – We will begin our day reading the book The Mitten. After reading the story the children will cut out a paper mitten and paint it using something rather unique. Be sure to ask your child what they used.
WEDNESDAY – The weatherman is calling for a huge snowstorm in the Red Room today! Be sure to ask your child about it!
THURSDAY – Sequencing skills will be put to the test as the children cut out and glue pictures of a snowman being built in the correct order. A game of Snag a Snowball is also on our agenda.
FRIDAY – Red Roomers will practice shape recognition skills as they create a penguin. Be sure to ask your child which penguin sits on the egg. Surprised?
The boys and girls will also be learning all sorts of new things about penguins as they participate in some easy science experiments. The activities will demonstrate how Emperor penguins keep their eggs warm and how they stay warm in the cold climate.
JANUARY 13 – 17
MONDAY – This morning the children will be making bird feeders for our feathered friends out of piper cleaners threaded with Cheerios. The feeders will be hung in trees around the Kinderfarm campus.
Counting skills will be put to the test this afternoon as the children glue buttons on a paper snowman that correspond with the number on the snowman’s hat. The Freeze Dance will round out our time together.
TUESDAY – Today’s activity will bring the beauty of icicles indoors using torn pieces of blue construction paper, tissue paper, and aluminum foil.
WEDNESDAY – Our activity this morning will be so tasty that the boys and girls will not realize that they are working on their size discrimination skills. Ask your child to tell you what we made.
This afternoon Red Roomers will be practicing their fine motor skills and observation skills as they drop colored saltwater onto a block of ice. What happened? Ask your child.
THURSDAY – TODAY IS SHARE DAY!
FRIDAY – Math skills will snowball with today’s cool counting activity. The activity involves paint, so it might not come home until next week. A game or two of Snowflake Bingo is also on today’s agenda.
JANUARY 20 – 24
MONDAY – NO SCHOOL
TUESDAY – Martin Luther King gave a speech in which he said, “I have a dream”. After reading a book about Dr. King the boys and girls will complete an art project illustrating their dream for the future.
This afternoon we will have an egg cracking activity. The children will examine both brown and white eggs. After discussing the obvious outside difference each child will get to crack one open and examine the inside. Are the insides different? Now what to do with all the cracked eggs…. why, scrambled eggs of course! Today’s activity might be a great opener for more discussion at home.
WEDNESDAY – The white dove is a sign of peace. The Red Roomers will be making a dove to share with you at home. The children will also be bringing home a treat with a message to share at home.
THURSDAY – Today we will be discussing how words or actions can harm a heart, make someone feel bad, and takes time to heal. Our art activity will illustrate this discussion.
FRIDAY – TODAY IS SHARE DAY!

SENDING YOU ALL WARM WISHES!
Mrs. Norman