It’s been another whirlwind Wednesday, which is just the way we like it here at Harbor City School.  “Busy” often equals “fun,” and that was certainly the case today!  We were excited to have Antonella’s dad, John, join us–and during J-Week, no less!  John is always popular during dramatic play and playground time, but today he was especially helpful in carving out a new role for the parent teacher:  Lunch Bunch reader.  While the full-day children get ready for rest time, John found a comfy space on the bench with the children who would be leaving at 1:00 so that they could read stories together until their parents arrived.  It was a huge success!

During project time, we decided to get a little messy with our letter decoration.  We typically use stickers or stamps that relate to the letter of the week, but had a tough time generating J ideas.  When I realized how many jars of jam we had in the refrigerator, I had a brilliant but potentially dangerous idea:  Jam Js!  It’s always a treat for us to be able to give the children experiences you’d rather they not have at home–and we can see why!  We gave each child a try to contain the mess, as well as smocks and some assistance securing their rolled-up sleeves.  We then scooped a spoonful of jam onto their Js and let them have a ball!  As usually happens, we saw a variety of interest level in the activity.  Some children really relished the idea of playing with food and making a big, sticky mess!  Others disliked the texture and feeling of the jam on their fingers, so they didn’t do much spreading or “painting.”  Despite these differences, I think everyone discovered a new-found appreciation for the amount of clean-up we do after snack and lunch!  What a mess!