At the beginning of the week, we told the Waterfall children, “We’re going to see a circus today!” Full of excitement, everyone climbed onto the bus, wondering where we were going. To their surprise, our destination was the gym!During the bus ride, some children began asking, “What is a circus?” They were excitedly imagining what the performers in colorful costumes might do to entertain them.As soon as the performance began, their eyes lit up with excitement. Throughout the show, we could hear enthusiastic reactions such as “Wow!! Amazing!!” The children were captivated by each performance, expressing their surprise and delight as they enjoyed the magical world of the circus.
We also continued exploring ways to express our feelings through the original monsters the children created last week. Each child used different colors to represent their feelings on their monster worksheet. Then, one by one, they shared their work with the class, talking about what emotion their monster represented and when they experienced that particular feeling.Some children spoke very softly because they felt shy, while others showed signs of nervousness. It was wonderful to see each child reflecting on their own feelings and trying to express them in their own words. We also had the opportunity to discover sides of the children that we do not always see during everyday play.There are many different ways to express ourselves. We would like to gradually create more opportunities for the children to share their thoughts and feelings in front of others, helping them discover the joy of expressing themselves. As we prepare for our Winter Show in December, we hope these experiences will also help build their confidence in performing in front of an audience.
On another beautiful autumn day, with clear blue skies above us, Waterfall had the entire playground to ourselves! We decided to make the most of this special opportunity by inviting the children to lie down on the ground and simply enjoy the moment.As they relaxed, we introduced the feeling of being calm, saying, “I think we’re feeling calm right now!” The children naturally began sharing comments such as “It feels so nice!” and “This is fun!”We then asked, “We can relax here, can’t we? What sounds can you hear?” The children listened carefully and noticed sounds around them, responding, “A truck!” and “I can hear birds singing, too!”By slowing down and listening carefully, the children became aware of the little sounds in nature that they might usually overlook. It was a lovely opportunity for them to experience what it feels like to be calm and relaxed, using their whole bodies and senses.
Starting next week, we will begin preparing for our Winter Show! The children will enjoy imaginative role-play as they decide on their characters and practice saying their lines. We look forward to seeing them build on their ideas together, develop their confidence, and discover even more joy in expressing themselves!
