ballet has begun

                                            

I have been reluctant to put a lot of set things in our schedule.  Partly because I do not want to over schedule my three year old.  And partly because I have trouble committing.  Two things I am committing to for this *school year* are the art group and ballet.  

Abby twirls and whirls around our house and has been begging to go to school.  I can't yet come to terms with an organized preschool for her so *ballet school* it is.  (Side note:  I love preschool.  I have nothing against preschool.  Besides some student teaching in high school emotional support and fourth grade, my experience has only been with preschoolers.  I'm just not ready for Abby to venture that far from me quite yet!) 

Anyway, to get ready for ballet we made a little bag for her to carry her shoes.  She picked the fabric herself. 

Sewed it up while Eleanor took her morning nap.

Packed it up with pennies, ballet shoes, and a toy for Eleanor.

Assumed first position.

Posed for her first day of ballet school and we were off!  

I was a little nervous when I continually heard Abby ask her instructor, "Teacher, when are we really going to dance?" during the class, but she says she loves it and wants to go back next week!

art group is up and running... and pretty awesome

Okay in my world, nothing is better than setting up art for little ones and then watching them go to town on the finger paint.

For some it was their first experience with paint.  Some were hesitant and did not want to touch the mysterious looking substance.  Some dove right in submerging their entire hands in the cool smooth paint.  It was equally thrilling (yes, thrilling to this former teacher) to watch both sets of children experience the finger painting process.

 It was also so much fun to watch the grown-ups interact with their children through the process.

So like any experience with young children, there was definitely some chaos and some kinks to work out (like rotating 25 children and their adults through an art space built for about 10), but for me, the first art group was a great success.  

I have to be honest.  I have not missed the ins and outs of teaching one day since I've been home with my two girls.  I am grateful for the experience, but I do not miss it.  Yet I realized today that I have missed planning and observing.  Yes, I plan for and observe my children aaaaaaall day, but there is something really special about getting to do that with a group of children.

I don't think Abby spent more than 3 minutes in the art area.  She was having a ball in the other areas of the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library... where the art group is taking place.  It is possibly the perfect place to have an art group.  There is a space for art and fun, developmentally appropriate *centers* to play before or after the art group - it looks like a very well thought out preschool.  There is even a designated area for snacking - love it.  

And here are the details of the Toddlers, Twos, and Threes Art Group.