APRIL SHOWERS . . . BRING MAY FLOWERS

we've had a lot of interest in our little play school group so i figured i'd answer a few of your questions before launching into the last play school we hosted.

we hold our play school during the school months (september through june) for kids aged 2-3. we meet every tuesday from 10:30 till about noon, and each mom takes hosting duties one month at a time. those of us who have studio apartments host in the warmer months at the park. there are usually eight kids in attendance, give or take a vacation or a runny nose, and babies and big siblings who aren't in school yet usually come too. they just know all the answers that much faster, and are so helpful at keeping the little kids interested and focused.

the basic layout is: free play as everyone arrives (usually 15 minutes or so), a quick 5-10 minute lesson (this can be a book, a quick discussion, even short educational videos), then craft time. then we usually have an activity, something physical to get some wiggles out, and then another craft, or another short story book, depending on time. lunch is served around 11:30, and then free play goes down until the kids need to be home for naps.

we have a box of craft supplies we all went in on together that we've passed around as each mom takes on hosting duties. it's got glue, washable markers, safety scissors, construction paper, a few stickers . . . your basic toddler crafting supplies.

for our last play school we learned about april showers. 

▲▲▲ our craft project was an umbrella made from paper plates (oh paper plates you genius craft medium you), craft paper and yarn for the rain drops, and paper straws for the handle. paper straws aren't really for drinking from, are they? they have such a funky texture.

▲▲▲ we talked about rain and weather and what we wear on rainy days (here in the city, rain gear is a ne-ces-si-ty), and then i had each child make and decorate a few raindrops for playing "pin the rain drop under the rain cloud." evan's mom had the genius idea to add a lightning bolt at the end.

▲▲▲ lunch and then free play. and then our apartment was sad and empty. we love having all of huck's friends over! this apartment was made for a party.

▲▲▲ p.s. this would have been our ". . . brings may flowers" follow up craft for the week of play school  following (p.s. smash on in the background, rude that it got canceled just when i was getting into it), but 6/8ths of our class called in sick that morning so we decided to cancel.