The month of September brought about the reacquaintance of familiar faces returning from summer holidays and the welcoming of some new members to the Tod squad.
Out on the playground, the educators provided lots of opportunities for play and exploration as we became comfortable in our new surroundings. We were encouraged to use our whole bodies to run, roll, climb and jump throughout the natural environment. On the hill we used our bodies to dance with the hula hoops, look at storybooks, play Peekaboo, Sleeping Bunnies and Wheels on the Bus. On the bike path you could find friends using their leg and arm muscles to maneuver the scooters and tricycles around and around. The sandbox was also full of curious toddlers as they used their eye hand coordination to dig, dump and transfer sand from shovels to buckets to bowls.
Outdoor play is very important for our toddler friends. It is beneficial for their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth. It encourages healthy physical development, social skills, emotional well-being, and stimulates cognitive development through exploration and interaction with their natural world.
Bubble play was also a hit this month because who doesn’t love bubbles!?! The educators thought what better way to spend a very rainy afternoon with friends, than by creating our own soapy bubble art and turn the fun splattered pops into a colourful collage. This sensory bubble experience had the toddlers working on their fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination as they used their hands to explore and manipulate with the bubbles.
Some friends used their fingers to pop the bubbles, while other friends, took the two-hand approach and banged on the bubbles with their open hands, creating a loud sound.
“What’s happening to the bubbles? Do they feel so soft? Are they popping? Pop, pop, pop go the bubbles” said the educators.
This calming activity had the toddlers engaged and focused on the task at hand, which appeared to be to scoop up and pop all the bubbles that they could get their hands on!
This experience helped soothe our anxious or overstimulated toddler friends, as we assisted them in recognizing and regulating their emotions.
