A Heartfelt Valentines Week at Little Squirrels Childcare

This past week at Little Squirrels Childcare was truly special as we celebrated Valentines Day with the children. The joy and enthusiasm they brought to each activity made every moment memorable.

Exploring Science with Fizzy Candy Hearts

Our STEM project this week was a hit! We combined baking soda, candy hearts, and vinegar tinted with food coloring to create a fizzy, colorful reaction. The children used pipettes to drop the vinegar onto the baking soda and candy hearts, their eyes widening in amazement as bubbles erupted.

Learning Through Play: Colors and Letters

Continuing our educational journey, we introduced new heart-shaped letters to enhance letter recognition. The children eagerly participated in hanging new letters and practicing the sound of each letter. We also explored colors a bit more, as well basic stages of categorization by sorting small hearts into muffin tins based on their hues. While we missed capturing photos of this activity, the enthusiasm and learning were evident in every child's engagement. Maybe next week we’ll do this activity again so that I can get a few pictures.

Story-time: Tales of Kindness and Sharing

Our story sessions featured “The Biggest Valentine Ever” a charming tale about collaboration and friendship, “Under the Lemon Moon”, which imparts lessons on sharing and kindness even with people we don’t know, or like, and “What does it mean to be kind” a simple story showing easy ways to be kind to others. The children were captivated, and the stories prompted meaningful discussions about empathy and generosity

Our Joyful Valentines Day party.

We started the day by decorating our Valentine’s Day bags. This was a simple and rewarding process our project where the kids were able to decorate their bags however they wanted with the supplies I provided. Making a wonderful creation that was unique, and festive. For some, this was the first time learning how to use a glue stick. For the really Littles, I added the glue on the back of each heart and let them stick them onto their bag where they wanted them. I intended to do this with stickers but forgot to purchase any so we opted to learn how to use a glue stick instead. Working with toddlers is all about improvising in the moment.

While I don’t usually serve this type of food regularly, it was hard to resist all the fun valentines heart-shaped finds from Aldi that perfectly complemented our Valentines theme. The children were thrilled to enjoy heart-shaped Fruit Loops, adding a colorful and festive touch to their breakfast. For lunch, heart-Shaped Chicken Nuggets and heart-shaped potato puffs, and some cucumbers cut into hearts. We were also touched by the generosity of our parents, who contributed an assortment of delicious homemade and store-bought treats, making our celebration truly a community effort filled with love and joy.

One of my absolute favorite traditions to do with the kids is making chocolate covered strawberries each year on Valentine’s Day. It’s messy and delicious and everything A child loves. Each child dipped their fresh strawberries into melted chocolate, their eyes widening with anticipation. Some children chose to save them for their parents and some children ate them all as quickly as they made them. And if you decided to just eat their strawberries and drink the chocolate straight out of their cup lol. Each creation unique and delicious. Witnessing their pride in crafting their own treats was heartwarming.

The gift exchange was a beautiful display of generosity. The children exchanged small tokens of friendship, their faces lighting up with each heartfelt gesture. It’s moments like these that highlight the kindness and camaraderie within our Little Squirrels family.

To channel the days excitement (and a bit of extra sugar energy), we turned up the music for a lively dance party. The children showcased their best moves, laughter echoing through the room. It was a joyous way to conclude our celebration, leaving everyone with cherished memories.

Looking Ahead: Our Collaborative Art Project

I had planned to create a giant cardboard heart painting together, fostering teamwork and creativity. Although time slipped away this week, im excited to embark on this artistic adventure next week. Even though Valentines Day has passed, the spirit of love and collaboration continues to thrive at Little Squirrels.

Reflecting on this week, my heart is full of gratitude for the joy, learning, and love that permeate our days at Little Squirrels Childcare. We eagerly anticipate the adventures and growth that the coming weeks will bring as we continue with more adventures of kindness, friendship, sharing, and gratitude.

Warmly,

Ms Sarah

May the world be filled with beautiful, peaceful little children.

Book Wishlist

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Supplies Wishlist

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