Spreading Cheer with a Giving Heart

I came across an article this week that is just perfect for my family. I think that it could be helpful to you too. We have our 'elf on the shelf'' and my kids like him. But, as the holidays quickly approach, I am feeling a sense of urgency to help my girls understand the importance of kindness, helpfulness, community, and giving (as opposed to greed and getting and stuff and me, me, me that is so easy to slip into).

This idea of Kindness Elves, or Santa's Helper, or whatever you want to call it, is what we will be doing with our 'Elf on the Shelf'' this year. He will arrive December 1st and will be with us to show how to share the sweetness of the season. I particularly liked the authors idea about having the elf leave notes to the children highlighting something positive they did the previous day. I also liked that her elves would line up shoes or fix a broken toy to directly model kindness and helpfulness. Of course, I loved the idea of the elf being placed near a mixing bowl to make cookies for a neighbor or near the toy box with a note to pick out a few toys to donate. I can't wait to expand on these ideas and I know my girls will have a blast looking for the elf each day and even more fun finding out how we will warm someones heart each day.

Cultural Celebration

Thank you so much to everyone who helped out with our Cultural Celebrations! We had so much fun learning a little more about each of your families, and it was so nice to start off the season knowing how much we all have to be thankful for. Here is what our wonderful days looked like!

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the extra family time you get this coming week!
THANK YOU THANK YOU so much for the generous teacher gifts! We are so lucky to get to teach your awesome kids and work with all of you each day!

This Beautiful Fall!

We have been so lucky this Fall to enjoy such beautiful weather! Our backyard is such a great place to run, swing, ride, find leaves, explore the apples from the tree, and play with our friends! Here is some of the fun we have been having lately!

Some Fun Holiday Family Time

Here are some fun activities that you could enjoy with your preschooler!

A Gingerbread Cookie Making Tea with There With Care

Switch on the Holidays event in downtown Boulder

Saint Nick on the Bricks in downtown Boulder

Holiday Parade and Santa Visit in Niwot

Catch the Glow Parade in Estes Park

Lights of December Parade in Boulder

The Nutcracker in Boulder

Have fun taking in the Holidays with your families!

Painting from nature

Miss Candice made some amazing natural paints with the cupcakes last week! They had so much fun and learned how the Native Americans may have made paint to decorate their pots, walls, or even themselves!

Here is the recipe for the paints so you can try it at home!

2 T dried herb (we used turmeric, spirulina, and chili powder)

2 T bentonite clay

mix with water and egg white until it reaches a paint like consistency

Paint a masterpiece!

And look at the fun we had using the new paints!

Turkey Run

Here are some fun races happening on Saturday, November 22 and Thursday, November 27. These all are nearby and have a fun kids run involved! These would be so fun to do as a family!

The Panicking Poultry Turkey Trot at the Boulder Reservoir

10k Turkey Trek and 2k Turkey Toddle in Arvada

Anthem Turkey Day 5k in Broomfield

Community Food Share 5k Turkey Trot in Boulder

Redline Turkey Day 5k/10k in Broomfield

The Pilgrimage Run in Erie

Native Americans

Our school has new work out and our lessons have moved on to learning about Native Americans! The students are having so much fun discovering all of the new things! Here are some of the highlights from our first week!

Making Rain Sticks

Making decorative sticks!

 Creating petroglyph stories!

 Checking out all of the new work!

 Cooking corn muffins!

 Look at this awesome display!

Learning about different Native American homes! 

 Making Pinch Pots!

Thanks for sharing your kiddos with us each day! We are having so much fun!