How did you celebrate Thanksgiving? As for the children of Neshaminy Montessori, they came together for a Friendship Feast! Native Americans and Pilgrims first greeted each other and then sat down for a delicious meal together. They enjoyed corn, turkey, mashed potatoes, corn bread with butter they “churned” themselves and some pumpkin pie for dessert. It was such a wonderful way to be thankful for our friends in school, and to show appreciation for how the Thanksgiving traditions began.
Neshaminy Montessori began celebrating Thanksgiving this week with a visit from Pilgrim Chris from Quiver Farms. Pilgrim Chris shared the story of the first Thanksgiving with all the children. He also brought along some foods the pilgrims would have eaten and the tools they would have used. Each child had the opportunity to grind up corn, smash cranberries, pet rabbit pelts and so much more! The morning ended with an extra special guest, Susan the turkey! Everyone had a chance to say hello and pet her!
Food preparation and cooking are some of the most fun practical life activities in a Montessori environment!
Mrs. King's and Mrs. Stanley's class joined together to prepare a tasty and festive treat. The children were so excited to make tortilla bats! This is an easy baking project that allows the children to do all the steps themselves, from using the cookie cutter, to brushing on melted butter, and sprinkling them with cinnamon sugar.
Most children have phases during childhood when baking or cooking is a keen interest. This natural curiosity provides parents with the perfect opportunity to capitalize on a great learning experience: the art and science of cooking.
10 Benefits of Cooking with Kids
Increases Language Development.
Enhances Fine Motor Skills.
Increases Math Ability.
Improves Reading Skills.
Introduces Children to Scientific Concepts.
Increases Focus and Attention.
Teaches Life Skills.
Promotes Healthy Eating.
Boosts Self-Confidence.
Promotes Family Bonding.
Try this recipe with your kids at home!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cut each into fun shapes using cookie cutters and place on ungreased baking sheets.
Brush tortillas with melted butter. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and evenly sprinkle over tortillas.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the chips are lightly browned and crisp.
Since 1922, the NFPA (National Fire Prevention Agency) has been educating America about the dangers of home fires.
After all, it only takes a few seconds for a house fire to spread. That is why it is so essential to teach your children about fire safety. And, the staff and students of Neshaminy Montessori invited Bensalem Fire Department to school to do just that on Thursday.
The firefighters showed the children what they look like if there ever were a fire at home, so the kids would know that there is a good guy coming to help them. They also learned the importance of helping mom and dad change the batteries in their smoke detectors, and how to test these detectors to make sure they are all working. Our firefighter friends reviewed how to call 911 and ways to stay safe until help comes. Lastly, the firefighters demonstrated how to do Stop, Drop and Roll.
Children under five are in the highest risk category of death or injury during a fire. That is why it is very important to teach your children while they are young. The sooner you begin to teach them the better. We encourage all of you parents to take the time to talk about fire safety with your young ones and practice fire drills at home. It could save their life one day.
Montessori campers had a blast creating sculptures out of shaving cream and foam blocks this past week. Their creativity ran wild while they enjoyed the cool sensory experience. When all of this creating finished, campers started to "finger paint" on tables in all the shaving cream, continuing their creative streak!
Mrs. Hines and Ms. Briggs Montessori class enjoyed a trip to Paws Discovery Farm this past week.
There’s a reason “Old MacDonald” is one of the most beloved songs of the toddler years: little kids love animals. At Paws Discovery Farm, our children crossed paths with more than 80 different kinds of animals. The children were excited to be able to pet many animals like goats, a donkey and even a horse. The kids even fed the animals snacks, too!
The children visited barnyard animals, explored amazing play structures and tested imaginations in a hands-on, minds-on Discovery Barn where they "rode horses" and "milked cows." The farm is home to pigs, tortoises, hedgehogs, and other small woodland and farm animals, such as a beautiful peacock that they got to see up close.
The children also had their own Discovery Farm Theatre Production of "The Frog Princess":
Thelma is a lost frog who wants to explore life
outside the swamp. With a little help from her
friends, she becomes a princess and realizes
life on the bog is exactly what she was missing
In honor of Earth Day, parents sent in fruits and vegetables for a yummy and healthy snack for all the children.
Story time took place outside by the chickens and bunnies. The students loved having feathered and furry reading buddies! In addition to reading alongside the animals, students took caring of feeding their furry friends, too. Refillable feeders were created using pipe cleaners and cheerios, which were then hung on the tree and along the fence.
For more than a week, the students have been collecting paper scraps that were then used to create recycled paper. And using this paper, students will make gift tags and cards for Mother’s Day.
Painted large rocks will be used to create a garden at the top of the playground. Not only will this add color to our school yard and show off their unique creations, but it will help stop some of the erosion that can happen on that side of the playground.
The older students had so much fun helping our youngest learners. They also thought using rakes to clean up the yard was great fun.
Students showed excitement when spending their day outside, taking care of their school and showing commitment to preserving their environment! We will continue our outside studies and take care of the planet with weekly “Outdoor Classroom” themes. Next week’s theme involves learning how to feed and take care of composting worms!
As seen on Patch.com and BucksCountyAlive.com:
How much does it mean for Americans to participate in protecting their planet?
There’s a Parisian summit that meets annually in wintertime, featuring representatives from every participating country who debate on issues relating to the preservation of our planet, such as the ongoing concern of climate change. Then there’s Earth Day, known as “the world’s largest environmental movement,” which is taking place on Sunday, April 22. The latter emphasizes eliminating plastics from waste, and usage all together. Trevose Day School and Neshaminy Montessori, both landmark educational institutions in Bucks County, PA, for more than 45 years, will honor the movement and more.
The study body will participate in Earth Day-friendly activities, eat healthy snacks and pack waste-free lunches. The school has announced new events this year to include: Cleaning the yard of unnecessary debris and leaves, weeding and mulching on-site gardens, planting donated cabbage plants, launching a kitchen scrap garden (produce that is starting to go bad that contains seed and various vegetable scraps with spoiled seeds start rooting in containers, which focuses on making the most of food), recycling relay races to sort what is and isn’t recyclable, participating in arts and crafts using only recycled paper, and last but not least, painting pre-existing rocks to make the garden even more colorful and enjoyable by all.
“The children even design and draw their own Earth Day shirts, which you can see on Trevose Day School’s website,” says Head of School Gwynne Frischmann, who has helped carry out this initiative for the so far 12 years that she’s held her post. “We love doing outdoor learning opportunities during school and for our summer camp.”
What Frischmann’s students learn about Earth Day and its true meaning parlay well into students’ summer activities, perhaps without the kids even knowing it. Nearly all summer activities will have outdoor features in the toddler and “Young Explorers” camps. A lot of this summer’s curriculum will include outdoorsy activities, many of which depend on the quality nature provides. By raising our students to be connected with nature, this creates sensitivity to their environment, and helps them want to take care of the earth, its wildlife and nature as a whole, and then the next generation could feel the impact as well. This, among other reasons, is why Frischmann ensures her students learn early on about the importance of environmental preservation.
The Trevose Day School and Neshaminy Montessori schools have been a staple of the Bucks County educational community since the early ‘70s. The former enrolls children from pre-k through 5th grade, while its sister Montessori school welcomes kids between the ages of 2.5 and 6 years old. Both also offer summer camps depending on age and activities that children are interested in. For more information on upcoming programs, visit trevosedayschool.org and neshaminymontessori.org.
Neshaminy Montessori welcomes families who receive CCIS funding
