Week 1, Wednesday

Today's art choices were

 Object prints with glitter paint

Book making (sewing the binding)

Woodsies puppets

Pinch pots

A true Wisconsinite--gotta stay warm!

After art time and snack we read a story about the footprints animals make and headed back for our nature centers.  

We split into groups and rotated through to explore bones, snake skin, bugs, seeds, nests, feathers, rocks, shells, fossils and more!  Ask your child what their favorite part was!

Next we practiced our story for the week. The kids are cracking us up with their cuteness.

Last, we danced (played?) to Floating Down the River.

It begins with the quiet floating part, then one person jumps in the middle for the chorus.  Next time there's jumping that one chooses one more to join them.

We row our boats and float...

Then each person chooses another to join!

As the song goes on, the jumping group grows!

Until it's 16 in the middle...then the teachers get picked and "we're all in the middle!"

I couldn't help but grab a few pictures of our goodbye song.  :)

Week 1, Tuesday

 Today's art choices were

Marble painting

God's eyes

Wind catchers

Playdough, free play

Catching the wind.

After art time and snack we took a walk and focused on the textures in nature.  We pressed some bumpy, pokey, rough, and veiny things into clay to see how the texture would show.

Today we practiced lines a bit as we reviewed our week's story, A House for a Hermit Crab. It's a simplified version and the kids are catching on!

During dance time we reviewed Jump Jim Joe. This time we added a new element: two circles and facing a partner. 

The picture here is of the song, Floating Down the River. It has a calm quiet part, and a very jumpy part.  Consistently a favorite, it was a great day to imagine floating down a cold river. :)

See you all tomorrow!

Week 1, Monday

Welcome to Back Yard Club 2026!

I love to snatch pictures through the day and give parents a peek at what their kids are up to. 

Here's a little look at today!

Every day we start with stories and songs and then move into 45 minutes of free-choice art time.  We always have easels set up with paints, crayons, and chalk drawing.  We also have four other projects that change.  Today's choices were:

Veggie prints

Leather initial necklaces

Popsicle stick puppets

Playdough free play

Nature books are available for anyone who has some extra time.

Snack time!

Next we sat under the oak tree for a story and to introduce our nature walk.  We took a walk in small groups and looked for trees on our tree scavenger hunt list.

Here we found a tree on our list...a tree that is shorter that the kids!

These very special young oak trees are growing here because a squirrel so kindly planted acorns in pot a few years ago.  I separated out 3 from the 30 (!!) and planted them in the yard.  Many many bugs and caterpillars are especially adapted to oak trees so we're hoping to provide for them, and for the birds that eat them!

After our walk and water break we heard our story for the week and then we danced! 

Eliza got the kids started with Ring Around the Rosie.  

Next we learned Jump Jim Joe and Seven Jumps.

A little toe-tapping here. 

See you all tomorrow!