April 2026
You may hear how busy our classroom has been, and it only gets busier as the children’s skills continue to grow. So much happens every day: art, painting, beading, and sewing. We even see small groups form organically, like Montessori-style “social sewing bees.” We introduce new activities and materials every week to support skill building, and spark curiosity in these wonderfully absorbent minds. The children continue to explore lacing, colour mixing, math boards, and language boards, all of which are helping to build both confidence and independence. Before we know it, summer will be here … and every year we are still surprised how fast the time goes by.
Continents and Seasons. Our studies of Europe concluded last month with a focus on northern Europe, the Viking people, and their explorations. Viking studies included learning to recognize and write names using the ancient rune alphabet. We left Europe and began our travels around Asia. Asia concludes our continent studies for this school year. We will journey to the southern hemisphere in September.
The wonders of Spring. Spring has truly sprung, bringing with it vibrant learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Spring lessons explored new growth, plants, food, insects, animals, and even how bees see the world. An annual highlight is our sunflower project. Last September, we harvested seeds from our classroom sunflower, continuing a tradition that began 25 years ago with the original seed collected in 2001. This spring, we germinated those seeds, planted them in soil, and carefully observed their growth. Each child took home at least one seedling, with the hope of watching them grow. We look forward to harvesting again this coming September, continuing the sunflower’s life cycle.
With the arrival of beautiful weather, we’ve also enjoyed more time outdoors. Activities have included al fresco lunches at school, picnics at the park, cherry blossom art, shadow drawing, and neighbourhood walks. We encourage families to look into something deemed as “risky play”, when you have family time outdoors. Back in the day “risky play” was simply called playing. Some children are very naturally adventurous, but we find that a few are afraid and intimidated with play that isn’t insulated. We encourage play that develops coordination (gross motor), confidence and decision-making skills through supervised exploration. But more than that, play develops resilience when life hands you lemons. We are aiming for lemonade makers.
Earth Day and Recycling. We spent time exploring Earth awareness in connection with Earth Day. During our circle discussions, we talked about ways we can help keep our planet healthy, including recycling, composting, and planting trees. We discussed what the Mobius Loop symbol and what the numbers on the bottom of containers mean. Thank you for sending recycling items from home, this adds wonderful variety, creates a personal connection, and makes our circle activities more interactive and engaging. Recycling and composting are part of our daily routine throughout the year, reinforcing the habits you’re building at home. We also use picture cards of different items (garbage, food waste, and more) for sorting games, which the children find both fun and meaningful. Caring for the planet seems to come naturally to the class, as we begin each September with a focus on recycling and composting. Each child also coloured their own small Earth Day booklet. In addition, we set up a collage station filled with scraps of paper, fabric, and other “found” materials, encouraging the children to create unique collages. This was a creative scavenger hunt made from toss aways, and they all went wild for it. Activities do not need to be expensive, but they do need to engage creativity. Which brings us to …. I’m bored!
I’m bored! It’s good to be busy, but not all the time. Boredom can be productive, but maybe not in the usual sense. Constant busyness can crowd out the mental space where ideas actually form. When your mind isn’t being pulled in ten directions, it starts to wander, and that wandering is often where creative connections happen. Consider boredom as a mental reset instead of a lack of activity. Quiet time allows the brain time to process, reflect, and imagine without pressure. Some of the best ideas tend to show up in those quiet moments. Turn the TV off, put the tablets away, and hide the phones. Look for activities that promote quiet reflection and creativity. Have the kids lie on the grass and name the shape of the clouds. Allow the freedom and space to be creative without pressure. This is a great thing for overworked adult brains too. Join in!
Scholastic Books. A reminder that Scholastic book orders are due this Friday, May 8th. If you’re hoping to order books or gifts for summer reading, please be sure to submit your order by then. All orders will be delivered to the school by the end of May. Every purchase helps our classroom earn points, which we use to bring in more books for students. Thank you for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated. We LOVE books!
Dates to note:
- May 8th (Fri) … The final Scholastic orders for the year are due
- May 18th (Mon) … Victoria Day Holiday (school will be closed)
- July 1st (Wed) … Canada Day Holiday (school will be closed)
- July 30th & July 31st (Thu & Fri) … Last days of school and the annual ice cream sundae bar
- August … School is closed for the month of August
- September 8th (Tues) … First Tuesday after Labour Day we open for the 2026-2027 school year
Wow … it’s May already.
