The Nurturing Nest Family Child Care & Preschool April 2022   April's Theme - Bees and Butterflies   Week 1 - Bee Basics From birth, children naturally have the desire to learn and seek out solutions to problems. Children are curious beings and exposure to life science is a wonderful way to further their instinct for discovery. Life science concepts such as animal homes, behaviors, and traits are not only interesting for children to learn about; they can also be seen in their own backyard. For example, children can observe the behaviors of bees flying in and out of a beehive or pollinating flowers. These experiences can help children better understand and appreciate all the living things that share our environment. Teachers can foster life science learning by planning hands-on activities, exploring nature with children, and prompting them with open-ended questions about the world around them. Letter: Kk. Phonic Words: kits, kangaroo, kiwi. Basic Concepts: white, hexagon, respectful.   Home Food Babies Work Safety Week 2 - Bees and Wasps When experiencing nature, children can begin to form an appreciation for the world around them. These experiences include a variety of hands-on activities, rich opportunities to play, and engaging in inquiry and wonder. Even though children are young, they are able to have feelings of appreciation and empathy. For example, children can begin to understand that bees and butterflies are more than just insects; they are some of the world's best helpers. When discovering that bees and butterflies help grow our food by pollinating flowers and plants, children begin to learn that living things are important. Through this process, children can begin to value their immediate world and can generalize this knowledge into their daily lives. Letter: Mm. Phonic Words: mushroom, mouse, moon.   Honey Bee Bumble Bee Carpenter Bee Yellow Jacket Hornet Week 3 - Metamorphosis The idea of a caterpillar changing into a beautiful butterfly is fascinating to young learners. Learning about the life cycle of a butterfly during the early years is an important and basic life science concept. The life cycle is a wonderful way to show children how things grow and change into something different. From egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly; children begin to see how a life cycle works. This simple example of a complex concept allows children to explore the idea of beginning, middle, and end. As children learn and explore metamorphosis they can also begin to relate it back to themselves. They can reflect on how they were born, what changes they have seen, and how they will grow and change in the future. Letter: Xx. Phonic Words: x-ray, xylophone, X mars the spot.   Egg Caterpillar Chrysalis Butterfly Moth Week 4 - Butterflies Butterflies are loved and admired by children and adults. Their beauty and ability to pollinate makes them desirable animals to learn about. Butterflies have matching designs on their wings, which is a wonderful way to introduce symmetry. This math skill is important because it helps children learn about patterns, matching, spatial awareness, and general problem-solving. Butterflies also demonstrate the diversity found in our world. There are around 20,000 butterfly species; they look different, live in a variety of places, and have defining feature that help them survive. This can be related back to human diversity and the fact that there are billions of us with interesting similarities and differences to celebrate and explore. Letter Review: Kk, Mm, Xx. Phonic Words Review: kite, kangaroo, kiwi, mushroom, mouse, moon, x-ray fish, xylophone, X marks the spot. Basic Concepts Review: white, hexagon, respectful.   Monarch Swallowtail Blue Morpho Peacock Butterfly Butterfly House To learn more about what we will do in April, please use the buttons on the left.          Copyright - The Nurturing Nest All Rights Reserved