stuck inside

MGT cookie craft

MGT shapes and patterns activity

Rainy days and snow days kept us inside too much this week.  Snow should never keep us indoors, but sometimes proper weather gear is forgotten during the weather changes.  We’re wondering if winter weather is here to stay as we turn up the heat and enjoy hot cocoa. This week we continued to prep for winter and Christmas, and it was a good thing Mother Goose Time provided us with many active indoor activities for the days we were stuck inside.

MGT tea pot painting

MGT tea sandwiches

Mother Goose Time is one of the fun curriculums the children enjoy at Adventure Academy.  This weeks theme was “Sights and Sounds Found Indoors” and we spent many moments playing instruments, singing holiday songs and dancing to the the winter – Dance ‘n Beats DVD.  We also enjoyed calm activities learning basic social studies, science, language and math skills. It’s amazing how many skills were strengthened during day 1 – through baking cookies, making cookie crafts and exploring cookie shapes.  The next day we painted teapots with tea leaf colorings and enjoyed a tea party making tea sandwiches.

MGT bilingual music book

MGT – inviting friends math play

We discussed inviting others over for tea parties, Christmas parties, and play dates and practiced ways we would entertain our guests.  One house guest we wouldn’t want to invite is mice, but funny enough we were able to observe a family of mice trying to get inside through the window-well on “Mouse” day.  Mouse day was spent reading mouse-tales and playing mouse-math games. Real-life mouse observations led back to past discussions of animal adaptation, migration and hibernation.

combining mouse and math games -MGT

Sewing 2 stockings created pocket for candy cane treats – MGT

We practiced being as quiet as a mouse, and as still as a mouse, after reading the line “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” Then made our stockings to hang “by the chimney with care.” All of our cutout templates from the stockings back to cookie craft cutouts were reused as stencils and all our daily themes led to extended activities such as building warm shelters for people and animals, and decorating shelters for the holidays.  All of our 1-10 year old students enjoyed this weeks lessons and are excited for next weeks activities exploring light and dark – and getting ready for Christmas break!

building shelters

building grah’m cracker ginger-bread houses

If your a parent of a current student remember that Adventure Academy is CLOSED on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (and also New Years Eve and New Years Day * There will be some extra evening and weekend hours available for drop in care and tutor time options). If you have a child you’d like to enroll we will have some part time spaces available after the new year.  Email Christi@MiFamilies.com for more information.  For more information about all the programs Mi Families offers check out our WEBSITE.  To network with other parents or providers feel free to “like” and “follow” our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube sites.  To get updates on what we’ve been up to subscribe to our articles up on the right. Thanks for reading this article and I hope your keeping busy inside and outdoors this holiday season!