Layla loves playing “music class”. We have a portable CD player she carries around (shaped like Lightning McQeen), and she puts in her CD which has the music from the music class she has at school. She talks to her “class”, pauses the music to set the class straight, hands out props, etc. It’s fun to watch her be the class instructor – you can see her teachers coming through in the things she says, like, “Ok, friends! Now we’re going to…” She uses the word “friends” a lot which must be something she hears at Primrose a lot. Luckily the things I hear when she is channeling her teachers are funny or sweet.
Lego Club
Hayden was selected to be in the Lego Club at school (so many kids want to do it they have to have a lottery system). He’s been loving that. It’s 5 weeks, and it’s once a week after school. He can make anything he wants along with the other kids, and he’s always so excited afterwards, describing what he made. They keep the constructions up in the library for a week so parents can come see what they made. He’s made some fun things – a “police trap” (yes, that’s a trap for the bad guys to catch the police), a helicopter (with no propellers), a “spooky entrance”, and a space ship. The last one is next week and I’ll be a parent volunteer for that one which will be fun.
Hayden also loves Lego Club days because he goes to ESE, which is the after school care where you stay at school instead of going to Primrose which is what he normally does. He seems to love ESE, which is probably because he’s only done it a few times and hasn’t had a chance to get bored of it yet. 🙂
Reading
Hayden has learned soooo much in Kindergarten, and I think the area which stands out the most is reading. Math has always come really naturally to Hayden – he hasn’t needed to be taught it as much as to talk it through so he can figure it out. Reading however has been something he has had to spend time learning, and it’s been incredible to watch him get better and better at it. It’s really exciting to read with him before bed and have him be the one reading. He’s enjoying it more as well. When he was first starting to learn to read he would protest a little about wanting to try it at bedtime. He’s definitely more open now about reading to us. They have a “100 book club” at school where the parents track the books which are read at home (either by or to the child), and after 10 books they get a little treat like wearing socks in the classroom, choosing their job, choosing who they sit by at lunch, etc. Hayden’s been really into that and it’s been a great incentive to keep him reading (although both kids always love bedtime books regardless).
Layla’s Sleeping Buddy
Abbey has been sleeping in Layla’s room at night, which is soooo cute. We had trouble for a while with Layla getting out of bed before she fell asleep, thinking of a million excuses ranging from needing to potty to something hurting to being thirsty. Abbey started cuddling up during reading time before bed, and we started encouraging Layla to be quiet and still after the book was over so as not to disturb Abbey. Low and behold, Abbey stayed and that really helped to break that bad habit of Layla’s of getting out of bed. Even when Abbey doesn’t come straight in (Layla accepts that sometimes Abbey is having dinner at bedtime), Layla is still pretty good at staying in bed now – waiting for her. 🙂
It’s really sweet to go check on her later in the evening and see Abbey curled up next to Layla, with Layla’s hand still on her where she’d fallen asleep petting her.
Hayden and Layla's Place 