The 7 Continents

We have been a little under the weather... first me and then Aidan. We are healthy now and we are back to business as usual. ;0) A couple of weeks ago we had another Moms and Munchkins meet up at the zoo. This months theme was "The 7 Continents". As usual Ms. Desiree and Ms. Leigh did an amazing job! They started by showing the kids a globe and map of the continents. She also talked about habitats and how they are like neighborhoods. We then boarded the chicken bus ( if any of you are guatemamas this was a Guatemalan Chicken bus that they refurbished) and we drove around looking at the animals and discussed which Continent they lived on and why. The kids listened intently. We ended with story time on the Chicken Bus and singing a song about the Continents. I just LOVE this program because it is so educational and experiential. Aidan practiced saying them a couple of times on the way home. Today I wanted to see if he had retained the information and asked him if he could name them and he said " sure" and rattled them off- North America, South America, Antarctica, Australia, Africa, Asia, and Europe." PROOF that experiential learning works ( or that Aidan has a a memory like a steel trap) lol. But seriously, I don't know if he was taught about the continents in a class room just using a globe, animal models, maps, etc... if he would have remembered them. It is amazing how we can learn when we have something tangible and real to connect our experiences. This is why I have spent the past 4 1/2 years giving him as many real life experiences as possible. I feel each experience has created a little "hook" in his little brain to attach knowledge.

I think I have figured out what we are going to do next year for Kindergarten! I toured a Montessori School this week and LOVED it! I think it is a perfect fit for Aidan Kai! It may require me going back to work part time to pay for the tuition but I think it will be totally worth it!

Arriving at the zoo- This is for Grandma Helen!
Ms. Desiree teaching the kiddos...

The Guatemalan Chicken Bus! lol. It is used for the preschool program that we do each month.

I just took a picture of the Hippo because he is usually never out of the water (BTW He is from Africa)

Aidan always grabs the front seat so he can listen to what Ms. Desiree has to say. Today he sat with Christopher. They held hands the entire time. So cute and innocent!