Joyful Math!

Every child must learn how to make a paper chain.
It is simply a rite of passage into true childhood from the preschool years.
My dear ones made that leap today,
some for the very first time.
Practicing their fine motor skills
and perfecting their ABA pattern skills,
my students had a wonderful afternoon.
Some struggled to get the required "ten" in their chain,
while others gleefully made chains that they declared to be,
"taller than" our tallest student.
I urged on the one tempted to give up
and assured him that it was an important
but admittedly sometimes tricky skill.

Everyone succeeded
and my students were extremely happy with their end products...
the feeling was mutual.
I love Kindergarten.

Sneaky

Out on the playground this morning,

the sun shone brightly on my energetic charges.

As my students began to play,

I noticed,

spread across the lawn,

teeny tiny chalk nubs,

left over,

from another happy day.

Giving into my impulse,

I bent over and gathered up a few hunks.

Knowing I was being watched,
I started to write on the sidewalk that circles our play structure.

A sly grin stole across my face as my audience grew.

Children began to read over my shoulder as I crouched writing a sentence.

The moment my kiddos finished reading what I had written,

I squealed and ran.

Thus,
a game was born.

For about fifteen minutes ,

a merry game of chase ensued,

while my kids and I "played" together.

I chuckled silently to myself as my students drifted in and out of the action.

I made a mental note to remember this activity

for another day's "free choice" fun.

When it was all over,
Everyone was content.
And (shhhh!) we'd all practiced our reading and running skills!

May your afternoon and evening be full of fun!

If you happen to learn something lovely along the way, consider it an added bonus!

Happy thoughts to you and yours

and may you be blessed,

Today,

Tomorrow,

Always.