July 6, 2009
Today was the first day of MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) Day Camp at First United Methodist Church. Thanks to the hard work of three super ladies, this day camp was a booming success! We can't wait to come back next week (hopefully Becky will come too, so we'll have a big person for each of our little people). The day was divided into four sessions: story-telling and crafts (we made rolls today); sensory perception, music and movement and free play in the gym. What a fun way for these little ones to play with others their ages and Moms (and this Grammy) to meet others with little ones. It was great!
Making new friends. Maddox is just about the most social little boy I've ever known: wherever we go, he greets. He greets little babies, he greets other toddlers, youth, adults and old people. Doesn't matter.......if someone is breathing and will acknowledge his engaging smile and friendly wave, he greets. We laugh and say we could always get him a job as greeter as the local Walmart store. He loves people! What a gift, huh?
Maddox, reading to Lucy and his new little friend
Making homemade rolls
The more "stirrers", the better!
Snacking on the finished product. Um, um, good!
Exploring........
Lucy finds the Play Doh table
Tunnel vision!
"Camping? You mean we can go camping at this Day Camp?"
Making new friends. Maddox is just about the most social little boy I've ever known: wherever we go, he greets. He greets little babies, he greets other toddlers, youth, adults and old people. Doesn't matter.......if someone is breathing and will acknowledge his engaging smile and friendly wave, he greets. We laugh and say we could always get him a job as greeter as the local Walmart store. He loves people! What a gift, huh?
Maddox, reading to Lucy and his new little friend
Making homemade rolls
The more "stirrers", the better!
Snacking on the finished product. Um, um, good!
Exploring........
Lucy finds the Play Doh table
Tunnel vision!
"Camping? You mean we can go camping at this Day Camp?"Actually, one of the directors had zipped her little ones up in the tent! She saw that they were busy playing in it and she thought, "Hmmm, at least I won't have to worry about where they are for a few minutes." Good idea, Miss Laura! I wish we could have corraled my two in there for a few minutes........I could have used the break!
Sharing Play Doh
Sharing Play Doh (actually I'm not sure Maddox was even aware that Lucy was there; he was very intent on sticking his sticks into the play doh)
Bubbles station....even the smallest could make great bubbles!
Maddox checked out just about all the different stations in the Sensory Perception Room. I think it is fair to say that this was his favorite session today.
Tubs of rice and beans; kids loved the feel of it.
"Gosh, Emily, you make rolling that Play Doh out seem so easy." One of the very neatest things about this MOPS Day Camp is that 9 - 14 year olds were the "helpers". The little ones just loved them! They really were not so much bigger than the toddlers attending and they were so gentle and patient with the little ones. What a great idea! Seated next to Maddox is one of Amy's classmates of her pre-school days and her little daughter.
"Found a friend!" How cool is it that this new friend of Lucy's is the daughter of one of Becky's best little Dayschool friends during her pre-school days here at FUMC? I love it!
"Hmmm, this looks like it'd be pretty much fun."
"WOW! That is bright!
A swinging bridge! Perfect for a newly 2 yr. old to run across!
So much to see, so much to do; no time for standing still for this recently mobile girl!
Swiper, no swiping! Lucy found a sippy cup of juice in one of the Mom's diaper bags. This was her second attempt to swipe it. Luckily, she found the water station next.
This was one of the "stations" in the Sensory Perception room. A tub filled with water with big smooth black rocks in the bottom. Lucy's "cup of tea"
"OK, Grammy?"
OK!! What fun!
Sticking close. Though Maddox and Lucy definitely went in all directions within their group, they always "circled back" to check on one another. Sometimes, Lucy would seek Maddox out and sometimes it was he who would go to wherever she was. They never spent a lot of time with each other when they came checking, but it was fun for this Grammy to watch it happen.
Fishing for rocks. This was one of Lucy's favorite sensory play stations, which was very evident by her wet, wet dress when she finished "fishing".
"Yum............tasty rocks! Good catch!" (Thank goodness these smooth rocks were too big for little tikes to swallow or even get all the way into their mouths. Lucy had a good taste of one anyway, before it got thrown back into the "pond".)
Lucy has loved this first session of MOPS Day Camp! She was eager to be a part of any circle that she saw forming. In this circle, the boys and girls who had been playing in the sand box were getting their shoes put back on. Lucy sat, patiently awaiting her turn, until Miss Laura looked at her and said, "Lucy, you already have your shoes on." Didn't matter to Lucy, she just enjoyed sitting in the circle like a big girl........that is, until she was supposed to be sitting in a circle............see post about Music & Movement Class.
"SCISSORS!! My size.............and nobody is taking them away from me?! WOW, this place is too good to be true!"
Truthfully, this could have been Maddox's only Christmas present and he would have been one HAPPY boy! He has loved and wanted scissors for the longest time, prompting us to take great care in having all scissors in our houses out of his reach. And this is what I had to pry him away from to go to the Music & Movement Class. Not good................
Whew! We came from the Sensory Perception room to this Music and Movement room. While each child was free to "do his/her thing" in the sensory room, in this room each child was supposed to be sitting in a circle with their Mom/Grammy. I had Maddox securely perched in my lap, ready for the music to start, when I reached for Lulu and found her in the center of the circle! Hmmm, well, she is kinda used to being the center of attention; I guess that's where she thought she belonged! Help! I need another lap for this class!
Can you guess which baby is in my lap now? Whew! This class is very hard for this Grammy, trying to corral 2 fast-moving toddlers.
Maddox didn't have to be invited twice to "get your instruments" for the music and movement class; he had been trying to get one since we first got into the room!
This was our last "hurrah" at the first session of MOPS Day Camp. Shortly after getting this instrument for the rhythm band we had to leave. Both babies were SO tired. I hate that we missed the last session which was free play in the gym, but we'll come again next week when we've had more rest.
Bubbles station....even the smallest could make great bubbles!
Maddox checked out just about all the different stations in the Sensory Perception Room. I think it is fair to say that this was his favorite session today.
Tubs of rice and beans; kids loved the feel of it.
"Gosh, Emily, you make rolling that Play Doh out seem so easy." One of the very neatest things about this MOPS Day Camp is that 9 - 14 year olds were the "helpers". The little ones just loved them! They really were not so much bigger than the toddlers attending and they were so gentle and patient with the little ones. What a great idea! Seated next to Maddox is one of Amy's classmates of her pre-school days and her little daughter.
"Found a friend!" How cool is it that this new friend of Lucy's is the daughter of one of Becky's best little Dayschool friends during her pre-school days here at FUMC? I love it!
"Hmmm, this looks like it'd be pretty much fun."
"WOW! That is bright!
A swinging bridge! Perfect for a newly 2 yr. old to run across!
So much to see, so much to do; no time for standing still for this recently mobile girl!
Swiper, no swiping! Lucy found a sippy cup of juice in one of the Mom's diaper bags. This was her second attempt to swipe it. Luckily, she found the water station next.
This was one of the "stations" in the Sensory Perception room. A tub filled with water with big smooth black rocks in the bottom. Lucy's "cup of tea"
"OK, Grammy?"
OK!! What fun!
Sticking close. Though Maddox and Lucy definitely went in all directions within their group, they always "circled back" to check on one another. Sometimes, Lucy would seek Maddox out and sometimes it was he who would go to wherever she was. They never spent a lot of time with each other when they came checking, but it was fun for this Grammy to watch it happen.
Fishing for rocks. This was one of Lucy's favorite sensory play stations, which was very evident by her wet, wet dress when she finished "fishing".
"Yum............tasty rocks! Good catch!" (Thank goodness these smooth rocks were too big for little tikes to swallow or even get all the way into their mouths. Lucy had a good taste of one anyway, before it got thrown back into the "pond".)
Lucy has loved this first session of MOPS Day Camp! She was eager to be a part of any circle that she saw forming. In this circle, the boys and girls who had been playing in the sand box were getting their shoes put back on. Lucy sat, patiently awaiting her turn, until Miss Laura looked at her and said, "Lucy, you already have your shoes on." Didn't matter to Lucy, she just enjoyed sitting in the circle like a big girl........that is, until she was supposed to be sitting in a circle............see post about Music & Movement Class.
"SCISSORS!! My size.............and nobody is taking them away from me?! WOW, this place is too good to be true!"
Truthfully, this could have been Maddox's only Christmas present and he would have been one HAPPY boy! He has loved and wanted scissors for the longest time, prompting us to take great care in having all scissors in our houses out of his reach. And this is what I had to pry him away from to go to the Music & Movement Class. Not good................
Whew! We came from the Sensory Perception room to this Music and Movement room. While each child was free to "do his/her thing" in the sensory room, in this room each child was supposed to be sitting in a circle with their Mom/Grammy. I had Maddox securely perched in my lap, ready for the music to start, when I reached for Lulu and found her in the center of the circle! Hmmm, well, she is kinda used to being the center of attention; I guess that's where she thought she belonged! Help! I need another lap for this class!
Can you guess which baby is in my lap now? Whew! This class is very hard for this Grammy, trying to corral 2 fast-moving toddlers.
Maddox didn't have to be invited twice to "get your instruments" for the music and movement class; he had been trying to get one since we first got into the room!
This was our last "hurrah" at the first session of MOPS Day Camp. Shortly after getting this instrument for the rhythm band we had to leave. Both babies were SO tired. I hate that we missed the last session which was free play in the gym, but we'll come again next week when we've had more rest.
No comments:
Post a Comment