Ms. Amy's Blog @Child Central Station

I'm creating a new training for folks in Michigan, as we are going through a Quality Improvement Program. One of the "point" areas in the assessment includes using one state approved curriculum.  The list of approved curriculum is currently as follows: Bank Street Creative Curriculum (PreSchool) Creative Curriculum (Infant and Toddler) Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care High Scope (PreSchool) High Scope (Infant and Toddler) Jackson Early Head Start Curriculum Guide Parents as Teachers Project Approach Thematic Approach from MSU (Mississippi State University) Montessori Partners for a Healthy Baby Reggio Emilia Tools of the Mind I would love to share insight from folks who are actively using one of these curriculum in your center/program/home. OF course I will give you credit and send folks to find out more from your websites/blogs (if you have one). I intend to make this training session available online for those looking to make a change in order to meet a hig...

Yes, the rumors are true. For those of you in the local area, you may have already heard. There are big changes coming on the horizon around here. I have a new job. I actually started already (part time for the summer, will be full time in the fall).  My new position is a Quality Improvement Consultant for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation and the Upper Peninsula Great Start Quality Resource Center.  Life as we know it is going to be very different,  but I am excited about the upcoming challenges and adventures. Don't worry... I'll still be blogging, my focus may shift a bit...  and if you don't see me online for awhile don't worry .... I'll be back, after I finish juggling all of the real life adventures! Oh, and I'm still providing training sessions. With this new position, I will have some more flexibility and may even be taking some of my training sessions on the road!

Let's face it.... You don't need the book to know that EVERYONE POOPS.... everyone farts, everyone burps....  and for young children, especially boys ... "poop" is one of the funniest, most giggle producing word you can share with your friends. So, how do you handle potty talk? I've heard a lot of different perspectives. Some places require that potty talk remain in the room with the potty... other places try to discourage it completely. Around here, we have another philosophy... WE EMBRACE it! Seriously folks... EVERYONE POOPS. It is a bodily function and when it is such a HUGE interest of the children why not embrace it and use it as a learning opportunity? Right now, we are raising monarch caterpillars.  Did you know that their poop is called FRASS???  Caterpillars poop A LOT, and they tend to poop on your hand when you hold them.  Their poop is fairly dry and it will roll right off your hand if you tilt it.   The children love to obse...

We interrupt this blog already in progress for an extended get away into REAL life.  There are many changes on the horizon, but I'm not moving, the blog is not disappearing, and eventually.... When time permits, I'll be back.... With all kinds of news and updates to share! Until then, enjoy the archives,  take a look at some of the other amazing blogs out there, OR GET OUTSIDE! I'll be back when I can.

We hit the mother load of monarch caterpillars tonight! Between the first 2 plants we inspected, we found 9 teeny tiny caterpillars! Typically, it is June before we start to find the monarch eggs around here.... So, you can imagine how excited we are!!!! We have observed the life cycle of our monarch friends for quite a few years now.  Here is a round up of some of our previous Butterfly and Caterpillar posts: DIY: Caterpillar and Butterfly Observation Station Finding Monarch Eggs and Larva Caterpillars and Butterflies! Emergence of the Painted Ladies And Then Came the Monarchs We Can't Find Fat Fred! Farewell Fat Fred! More Monarchs Emerge  (Videos included) And.... Away Blows the Milkweed Caterpillar Cork Printing Painted Pasta Butterflies and Caterpillars Fingerprint/Handprints as Caterpillars and Butterflies Hungry Caterpillar Shape Collage Chenille Stem Sculpture ...

So, the other morning.... as I was making breakfast, I only heard bits and pieces of a conversation that was going on in the toy room. I was a little concerned, as at first.... it sounded like someone was saying "pile of sh..." I was mistaken, obviously I need to have my hearing checked.... The children were having a delightful conversation about a pirate ship!  And well, it has been all pirates ever since. Fortunately, we have a lot of props that are fantastic for our young aspiring pirates!  Plenty of crowns for the pirate princesses..... And hats, and wigs... etc. However, it was quickly brought to my attention that pirates only have one eye and that we needed some patches. So, I whipped up a couple of eye patches in a jiffy.... I took a piece of craft foam, cut it into shape, used a hole punch to make 2 holes and attached 2 lengths of ribbon.... and viola! Instant eye patches! It was also brought to my attention that pirates need parrots.....  So, of...

One of my very favorite songs that we listen to over and over again is sung by Bev Bos, Michael Leeman, and Tom Hunter.   It called Build It Up, and you can find it on the album "We've Been Waiting for You"   "Build it up, and knock it down, and build it up again...."  When our new pet turtle arrived, I needed to rearrange the classroom in order to find a place for our new friend, and rearranging often means that the children have a new found interest in materials simply because they are in a new location. That was definitely the case with our large hollow blocks. They have been building...  and building....  and building.... These large hollow blocks are perfect for the children to play with! I love to watch how creative they are in their structures and the interactions they have while working together to build it up! Sometimes as high as they can..... Sometimes as BIG as they can.... flat on the floor.......