Parent Infant Center infant and young toddler classrooms are mixed-age groups. Working with mixed-age groups can be challenging, but also extremely rewarding. In the Bumblebee classroom our children range from 2-months old to 21-months old. Whew! That is a vast difference! Sometimes older children...

Exploring fall Its fall and the perfect time for exploring nature! During this season we can explore the changes in the plants, weather, and animals. The green leaves that once provided us shade on hot summer days are now turning into beautiful hues of red, orange, yellow, and brown before gently...

written by Lead Teacher Nicole Williams Mushy, gritty, oozing mud! Mud Day 2017 was everything I knew it would be and more! This year, I was prepared. I made sure to wear water shoes, a short sleeve shirt, and pants that I could roll up to my knees. I was ready to get down and dirty. As we entered...

Did you Hear That? For the past weeks, the Bees have been studying sounds and exploring where they come from. We did not have to search far for sound, because sound is literally bursting all around us. As we open our classroom windows we hear dogs barking as they trot down the street, children...

Coping With Toddler’s Possessive Stage One of our older bumblebees was in the kitchen area with a bowl and a spoon in hand, mixing away at his latest culinary creation. He placed the bowl and spoon down on a nearby table to gather more ingredients, when a friend reached out to grab his bowl. Our...

written by Michelle Gueco Babies caring for babies Summer has been a time for many transitions in the Bumblebees. We are saying goodbye to older toddlers that are moving up or moving away, and we are also welcoming many new children to our classroom. This month we welcomed four new babies - Hannah...

For the past month the Bumblebees have been exploring the five senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. All of these senses help children get to know and understand the world around them. For the sense of sight, we added bright water colors inside of a squeeze bottle and placed a...

The Bees are on the Move! We have witnessed a huge sprout in gross motor skills in the Bumblebee classroom. Our once non-mobile babies are sitting up and reaching and grasping for toys; our former crawlers are standing and taking steps; and our walkers are now running! Gross motor skills include the...

written by Bumblebee Lead teacher Nicole Williams The Joy of Mud As a kid growing up, I was taught never to play in mud. It was described as being dirty, nasty, and messy. Needless to say that when I heard about International Mud Day, I was less than thrilled. I had an image of mud flying everywhere...

Playing to Learn! Playing is defined as “engaging in activities for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” However, playing is an intricate aspect in child development. Play is a dynamic, ever-changing process that is multi-sensory, interactive, creative, and...