We interupt this vacation to write about Preschool

We moved here to Idaho in 2011. Within the first couple of months I met (walking down the street in a different subdivision) this energetic gal who mentioned doing a preschool. Not even knowing her I said, "I'm totally in!" At the time Jadon was 2 and Noelle was 4. We did preschool for two years. The next year Kristi had mercy on me and did it ALL ON HER OWN so that I could focus on my crazy calling. This year I joined in again, for Jadon's 4th and last year of preschool. Each year has been different. Different kids, different teachers, different dynamics. My involvement has been different every year. I have to say this year has been the perfect balance for me. I am grateful for the awesome AWESOME moms who participated this year. It makes all the difference. We had some really good teachers, and things went incredibly smooth.

Today was my last time teaching the group and I realised as I was planning it that I haven't taken pictures ONCE this year. In fact, I have felt so busy that even though I have put good effort into my turn, preschool has kind of been something that I just kitchen floor-slid-with-socks on. I showed up like Kramer and did my crazy thing and hoped for the best. It is a crazy feeling to know that I don't NEED to do preschool next year, and that this season of Jadon's life is passing. I still remember when he was the little 2 year old....

My unit this week was on bugs. The first day (No pictures) we played with mud playdough (choclate playdough) for about an hour. I gave them plastic bugs and just let them go at it. I showed them how to roll worms and then we measured them on a chart. We ate pudding cups and gummy worms and looked at a chart of bugs and compared/contrasted them.

Today we focused on bees and butterflies. I had a table set up of tools we use with our beehives. The kids picked things they thought were interesting and I explained it to them.

Jadon demonstrated the importance of a bee suit. He looks like Boo from Monsters Inc. here. What a cutie. :)

I showed them the smoker and how it worked. They didn't like the smell.

Sydney wasn't appreciative when I blew it on her, but everyone else thought it was funny.

 I showed them a bee frame, explained cells and what they put in them. Then we showed them bees wax and how I melt it down to make lotion. Obviously they had to try the honey. They liked that part. :)

 This is the whole crazy group from this year. Surpised we didn't see nuclear fission on that couch. There was a lot of energy there. :)

I also showed them a movie about catiplillars turning into butterlies. We colored a lifescycle chart and then the kids made a catipillar, a crysislys and butterfly to take home.

 Sydney's catipillar had big eyes like her. :)

Teaching preschool sometimes feels like a chore, but I'm already looking back feeling really grateful I did it. I've made some of my best friends and surprised myself with how much I enjoyed doing the projects with the kids. My house barely survived, but we made good memories and I feel like Jadon is VERY ready for kindergarten. The question is: Is Kindergarten ready for him?