A Day in the Life

A Day  in the Life

     We learn a lot during the first part of our day.  We play, work, sing, build, participate in story-telling and so much more.

     But what goes on in the afternoon, during Extended Day?  Take a look at our schedule:  we have a variety of Specialties and plenty of time to enjoy some togetherness.  We are a multi-age group when we go to Ivrit, yoga, tumbling and art/science.  We enjoy snack together in the Third Building, work on our art projects, listen to more stories with puppets and work as a team on the clean-up.  Then, we head outside.

     Sometimes when we are outside, our Morahs provide us with a specific invitation to play and build. Often, we come up with our very own games.  Here are some of the self-directed activities that we came up with today:

Activity No. 1:  The children prepare a balancing show.  They had noticed that if the building blocks are placed bumpy-side down, they can stand on them very carefully and balance themselves.  Avraham Chaim, Leah, Sylvia and Eli are the "balancers."

                                                                  

                                                           It’s the Balancing Show!
Sylvia:  Lets do a little dance!
Leah:  We started taking out blocks, then we started balancing.
Orli:  Adom will take my place if I’m sick.  (She’s the "main" announcer; Adom practices in case Orli is sick and can't participate in a future show.)
Eli:  We can use three at a time!  (Organizing the “balancing blocks.”)
Leah:  Then we can run that way! (The children move the blocks to make an obstacle course on the stage.)
Amiel, in the audience, wants to try this, and be a balancing teacher.
(In the audience, Leo, Amiel, Lily, Maya, Leona, Lily, Alex)

Activity No. 2: Liav helps his friends.  We decided to spend some additional time outside.  Finally, we had some cool weather!  Liav goes to the Third Building--with a Morah and some friends--and he brings down several bags and the girls' headbands.  They don't belong to him, but he's ready to help out.

Activity No. 3:  We're jumping on tree stumps!  This is a major old-school activity--who hasn't tried this at least once?  The children organized this game all by themselves, with just a tad bit of Morah assistance (Keep it safe, guys!  Only one at a time!  Look where you're jumping!)  There was some math involved, too.  We're not sure, are there five or six stumps?  We will count again.  Sam, Amiel, Leo and Hudson had a great time with this.

Hudson: It's a game, you get to jump!

Amiel:  I have wings, I can fly!

Activity No. 4:  Making believe.

Maya sat on a Morah's lap.  She had found two twigs and was now busy playing with them.  All of a sudden, she announced that they were scissors.  "Snip, snip, snip," she said as she opened and closed the "scissor blades."

     So, all this creativity and innovation goes on in one day--can you imagine what goes on in a week of the life of an Extended Day child?  Amazing!

The Extended Day Teachers and the Very Busy Extended Day  

Yeledim