Sledding Day rescheduled

After looking at several popular sledding hills yesterday, I feel it would be best if we reschedule our Doodlebugs Sledding Day. I will look towards January after a good snowfall. I am sorry for this change in plans. I know our families were really looking forward to this fun event. Thank you for your understanding.

December Book Nook

This month there are several books that I just had to include in our Book Nook. Each story is unique and full of heart. I must warn you, some are tear jerkers. Have a tissue close at hand and enjoy these picks!

This first book is titled The Broken Ornament by, Tony Diterlizzi. This is a story about a little boy that wanted the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! After a special ornament was broken, he learns that what would make the perfect Christmas wasn't what he thought. I heart warming story about family and the moments we share. 

The next book is titled Night Tree by, Eve Bunting. This story tells of a family that has a very special Christmas Eve tradition of decorating their tree. Told from a child's perspective, this is a book that had me questioning how I could start this tradition with my own family. A must read!

In Maple and Willow's Christmas Tree by, Lori Nichols, sisters are so excited that they finally get to have a real tree to decorate for Christmas. When one sister learns that she is allergic to the tree, she is worried that she ruined Christmas. Find out what the other does to create a special tree that her sister can enjoy! A heartwarming story of sisters and the love they share.

The final book that I want to share is When Christmas Feels Like Home by, Gretchen Griffith. This story follows a young boy who feels misplaced after moving to a different country. The only thing that connects him to his home is a box he calls his Christmas box. While waiting the year to open the box, he finds that his new surroundings are beginning to feel more and more like home. 

Happy reading! Let me know which titles you enjoyed this month.

Family Sledding Day!

Doodlebugs Daycare

When: Sunday, December 16th, 2018 at 3:00pm

(subject to weather conditions)

Where: Location to be determined

Bring your families and your sleds for a fun time! Doodlebugs will provide Hot Chocolate and cookies. What a great opportunity for some winter family fun! If the weather drastically changes (i.e. no more snow or too cold), we will reschedule event. Let me know if your family plans to attend. Hope to see you there!!

*Please note that you sled at your own risk. Doodlebugs Daycare will not be liable for injuries related to this voluntary activity.

Book Nook

I will be starting a recommended read section titled: Book Nook in the resource section of this blog. Once a month (or more) I will feature a children's book that I recommend and then add it to the Book Nook list. I do hope that you find these titles enjoyable to read and to share with your children. Please leave a comment about what you thought of the book of if you have another book to recommend. Happy reading!

Our first Book Nook selection is: I AM HUMAN by, Susan Verde and illustrated by, Peter H. Reynolds. This a book about Empathy. "Being human means we are full of possibility. We learn, we dream, we wonder at the world around us. But we also make mistakes and can feel fearful or sad. I am Human affirms that we can make good choices by acting with compassion and having empathy for others and ourselves."

What we are thnkful for

This is our very first podcast! As we read the story "biscuit is thankful" the children created sound effects to go along. Then at the end, the children had the opportunity to say what they are thankful for. Podcast

My little photographers!

So today I came across my two toddlers bringing Mr. Potato Head pieces over to the table and taking pictures of them with their toy cameras:

I decided to get them their own camera and teach them how to take real pictures. This was the first that was taken as I showed them how to hold the camera and press the button. Not bad!

Then they took the camera into the block play area where they posed animals and cars and took their picture, I love that they took the pictures looking down and that you can see their little feet!!

There were many pictures taken. Most of them had a finger over the picture, but they did not mind in the least. It was the process that they loved! This last shot was taken as we were sitting and looking through all of the pictures that the kiddos took. What a great experience!!

Program Policies

THEY ARE FINALLY HERE!!!
Here are the updated program policies for Doodlebugs Daycare. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. CLICK HERE FOR POLICY HANDBOOK

Thanks'giving' back to our community

Every year some of the Missoula Early Care and Learning programs get together and donate meals to families in need for Thanksgiving. Doodlebugs has donated makings for candied yams one year and the makings for green bean casserole last year. This year we will be donating the makings for an apple pie!

I would really like for my Doodlebug families to get involved this year if they can. If you could donate to any part of a thanksgiving meal it would truly help those in our community. It could be as simple as providing a couple of cans of corn or a jug of apple cider. If you are unable to donate this year, we would like to know if you are aware of a family that is need of a helping hand this holiday. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are able to help in any way. The kiddos will be creating cards to go along with the meals that will be given out.
Thank you!!

A touch of Fall in the Classroom

Today we mixed paint colors for our fall leaves. We also explored the different colors that leaves change to (or don't change) based on the type of tree. What a great exploration as we begin to rake up all of the fallen leaves from our Red Maple and Aspen tress as well as examine our evergreen bushes.

Virtual Tour

Ever wonder what to do in the winter with your family? 

This is a Google Earth virtual tour of fun kid friendly activities that I highly recommend. Please let me know if others should be added!

Open in Google Earth and click on "Virtual Tour"

Calen the Pumpkin

Meet Calen the Pumpkin. To see the many ways we view Calen, click HERE

Fall Colors

Here is a picture project that the kiddos and I created. They were very interested in all of the different colors of the leaves on the trees and on the ground. The final video contains photos that I took of many of the different things we see when we are outside. The color descriptions are from the kiddos. It is very exciting to see their reactions to the videos we are creating.

Geoboard Applications

Many of our families have asked about geoboards. The kiddos really enjoy using them. Here is a short video that the kiddos and I have created to demonstrate how we create and explore shapes using geoboards. 

Family Time Survey

Please take a few moments to complete this survey.

Family Time Survey

This survey explores different types of families, what they do with the time spent together, where they look to for advice, and what they feel is important for children to learn. These questions are also tied in to technology for the purposes of my professional development. For this survey, the definition of family are those you spend the most time with on a regular basis. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

Welcome

Welcome to Our Doodlebugs Community blog page!  

Doodlebugs Daycare is a family program whose purpose is to maintain a safe and nurturing environment while providing engaging learning opportunities based upon each child’s interests and needs. Our Mission is for Children to gain confidence, independence, and academic knowledge through well planned play opportunities, social interactions, and developmentally-appropriate explorations. 

Through this blog I hope to provide valuable resources for my families and our community. This blog will also serve as a way in which to communicate with families, build professional development, and advocate for high-quality child care. Please take a moment to explore some of the resources linked. There are early childhood blog feeds at the bottom of this page that provide excellent activity ideas. I am very open to suggestions and new ideas to help develop this blog page into a wealth of reference.